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Published: March 2nd 2006
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Hello everyone! So oh my gosh - I'm in Ireland!!! It still doesn't feel real, although I feel right at home here. This place is truly amazing and although I feel so at home, it still feels like a different country. In fact, I've been keeping a list of all the differences and some of my experiences. But yeah, so the first few days were definitely the highlights so far. I stayed in a hostel in Galway for the first four days, along with a fellow American studying at Maynooth Kate, and we just had the times of our lives. The first day we pretty much rested and hung out at the hostel but the second day we went on a tour around the Burren and then to the Cliffs of Moher. What can I say about that? Nothing, there is simply no way to even describe the beauty seen from atop those cliffs. I sat on a rock right at the edge and just breathed in the beauty. It truly made you feel alive...But yeah, we also got totally lucky with the weather. The first days were only filled with sunshine and we were even welcomed to Ireland with a
gorgeous Irish rainbow! Yes, a rainbow can you believe it??? I was going to go and look for the end, but I had too many bags to carry around :-)
The next day we spent venturing around Galway. Galway is the coolest city ever! It's like a small town in a big city...caught some irish music sessions, had my first Guinness (which actually wasn't too bad), and then I met up with my buddy Dan who is studying at NUI Galway and we went to a couple pubs. One of the pubs I really liked was called Taffes and boy I could've sat there all night listening to the music. It was just these three old timers playing away. A fiddle, concertina (smaller accordian), and tin whistle. It was great. And I met this couple from Donegal, who gave me every way I could possibly contact them, and told me that I have to come to Donegal and stay with them...they insisted. It's just amazing how welcoming and generous the people are here. I mean, could you imagine someone in the states giving you their personal info and telling you to come and stay at their home? Someone you
just met an hour earlier? I just love it.
Then on Sunday we went out to Inis Mor, the largest of the three Aran Islands, and took a tour with a local guy in his rickity old van, which is still amazing me that it even got us around. But this guy was such a character. He would stop at almost every person he saw and talk it up for a bit and then continue on. It was by far the most informal and relaxed tour I've ever been on. And boy, I think I saw the most sweaters and rocks I've ever seen on that island. Mom told me I would see lots of rocks and rock walls, but I had no idea the extent of them! Rocks everywhere! It was absolutely crazy! Gosh, but the best place I've been is off the edge of that island. I mean, the Cliffs of Moher were amazing, but the cliffs of Inis Mor were life changing. Kate and I were the only ones out there and it felt like there was nothing between me and the world. It was truly the most amazing feeling I've ever had. But man, it
was so windy! There was actually one time I got a little scared because I was right on the edge and a big gust of wind caught me off guard...boy I would not want to fall off a cliff. But who would, right?
Well, I guess that's enough of a recap for the first few days. Now I've made it Maynooth but am still continuing the excitement and adventure. Whoever said this is a small and boring village is crazy! It's a bustling little town with a very homey feel. The grocery store is right down the road and I've already started to recognize people on the street. It's such a cool little town fitted with cobblestone roads and little cafes lining the road. I just love it here. And now the irish students are back so it really feels like I'm back at school. I'm living on campus in the River apartments, each apartment is named for an Irish river, and I live with four other girls. Maret, a girl studying here from Germany, and three Irish gals Katie, Magellan, and Nichola. We're starting to bond and we're certainly going to have a fun semester. The only downside
is that most Irish students go home on the weekends, which kind of stinks, but will also allow me to travel easier. But yeah, so I'm going to school in Ireland! I've had just two classes so far, an ecclesiology class at St. Patrick's College and today I had a modern fiction english class. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue with the theology class though, it wasn't exactly what I wanted-just too much into the church system instead of the beliefs. But wow. The class was truly amazing. It was held in the oldest building on campus with one of the most gorgeous chapels, and is basically a huge cathedral. We started the class with the Creed and it was taught by a priest! It was so neat, and he was a real character. What's funny is I was really kind of nervous going there because I had this impression that I was going to walk into a room full of future priests, and here I am this American girl, but it wasn't like that at all. There were tons of different kids and it basically felt like any other class. But, I think I want to take
another class at St. Patrick's because it had a really personal feel and I think it would be really cool to be taught by a priest there, and some of the priests teaching here are the best in Ireland, so I feel I should take advantage.
But yeah, so basically the campus consists of two campuses: old and new or south and north. The old campus is where the old seminary was (now St. Patrick's College) and the north is more Maynooth's campus. But this campus is so beautiful. It's actually very similar to Evergreen, but the old seminary buildings and architecture are just brilliant. I love going over to the south campus. It really feels like you've stepped into another time period.
Well, that certainly seems like enough for now. I'll definitely try and keep everyone up to date with everything I''m doing over here, and will definitely get some photos up. Oh, and this weekend I'm going on my homestay to County Cavin, where I'll be staying with an Irish family! I'm super excited about it and cannot wait. But, I miss you all and think of you often. Oh and here's my info (in case
you want to write, call, etc.)
My address is:
Kathryn Kastrinos
Dodder 6E
River Apartments
NUI Maynooth
Maynooth
County Kildare
Ireland
(yes, there's no zip code or anything)and my phone number is 011 168-3400.
Cheers (EVERYONE says this),Kathryn
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