We arrived back in Dublin from Barcelona around four on Wednesday and I had to say more good-byes. :( Dόnal was there to drive Iain and me back to my place. We were spending our last few days together at my house with a trip to Wexford in the mix.
Dόnal had booked a dinner for us at The Church Bar. I had mentioned earlier in the year that I wanted to go there sometime, so he had made reservations. It is such a nice restaurant that used to be a church. We sat upstairs overlooking the bar area. There are still stain glass windows and there was a musician playing while we were eating. The food was delicious; I got a stuffed pepper with artichoke salad for starter and gnocchi for main. I did try a bite of Dόnal's haddock and cod from his starter and main, respectively. I'm still not convinced on fish, but it isn't awful. Then for dessert we split a berry crumble and chocolate fondant. I was so full after all this, plus we had two glasses of white wine. The date was like [A little bit of Heaven] (multiple puns intended).
We then walked a few calories off back home to Iain, where we attempted to watch a movie, but all fell asleep within the first half hour.
Thursday was our trip to Wexford! Lucy accompanied us too, which made it even better. Iain's house is so nice and his family was lovely!! They all got on so well and are extremely smart. His younger brother and sister were both doing exams at the time but were so chill about everything. They also have a bear, Tyson, as a pet. When we first got there we played Just Dance 2 on the Wii and Dόnal made Miis for all of us. Then we decided to head in to town. We had no plans and all of us are very indecisive, but somehow we made it to the forest/beach. In the forest there were some rope swings we played on for a bit. Then we walked on and decided upon the tree that we played 'tip the can' with for a good hour. It is kind of like hide and go seek, but has some different rules (which took a half hour to figure out the right ones...we played about half a dozen different ways first- wasters at their finest). I miss being a kid, [I'm not pretending] ....the amount of games I played in a span of a couple weeks between the car rides and Wexford....
After we got tired and winded we headed to the beach beach and drew in the sand and watched the tide. We had to start making our way back to the car because it was almost time for dinner. Of course, typical wasters, we got distracted from our goal a few times. Dόnal taught us how to drive and we all took turns (Lucy was already a pro). I drove a manual on the other side of the road....but not really because we were basically just in a parking lot. No one crashed or died = success. Then one last stop off in Tesco before din din. While we ate, Iain told his family the story about us getting stuck in the parking garage in Barcelona. They all appreciated it, and more fully when he included all the details.
We stayed in an played Wii Fit for a while before they introduced me to Father Ted, a tv series about priests, which once again we all fell asleep during the episodes.
The next morning we finished up our visit with some P.A. on the Wii Fit and rushed back to Dublin. Lucy left us for about 24 hours and Dόnal left us for a shorter time while he went to work in Cavan.
Saturday was cleaning, baking, and wasting before our last night out. Billy was nice enough to pick Mooney up from the aiport AKA bring pictures of Mooney, so we could take pictures with her all night. We went to Messrs, which always results in a good night.
Sunday was a skype date with Mooney and a trip to Blanchardstown, where there is a shopping center. We had planned on making there at two, which means four or five, but we were good with our time and were only an hour later than planned. We stopped in Pheonix park on the way back to get ice cream and walk around a bit. We couldn't stay too long because we were to meet Ellie, Jack, and Siobhan for dinner at seven. We were just a bit late, still in the socially acceptable time frame.
We watched Ireland in the Euros at a pub (after we left one pub because they didn't except age cards and demanded a passport), unfortunately they lost, which is why everyone was depressed, not because I was leaving. [No hope, no love, no glory]. On our way home we picked up two pints of ice cream and sulked until we went to bed.
Our plan was to wake up at 5am, get everything together and leave at 5:30am so we would be at the airport a little after 6am. I was planning ahead and giving myself a half hour to say good-byes, so then I would still have about three hours before my flight. Definition of wasters- apparently I turned my alarm clock off and Lucy's didn't go off at all. I [wake up at in the morning] at 6:30am....that was the quickest I've seen us move. We made it out of the house in, I'd say 5 minutes flat. Needless to say, I was freaking out. Luckily the check-in line wasn't bad and neither was the security line. I said quick and depressing good-byes. We had our last group hug (until next summer when Dόnal, Iain, and Lucy come to America for a J-1:) ) and I headed to the security check. It was so sad to look back and see the three of them standing there and me leaving [This is the way you left me]. I think people were wondering what my problem was because I was crying throughout the line [No happy ending]. I composed myself a bit and then broke down after again after customs. During the second security check the man working asked me if I was okay. ha. I made it to my flight in plenty of time. I just didn't get to send in my VAT form or go to duty free to pick some stuff up for people. It all worked out okay. I called Dόnal, Iain, and Lucy and talked to them right up until I was handing over my boarding pass. I had to say my final good-byes so we could [Then live rest of our life, but not together].
The flight was fine I watched three movies and three tv shows during the seven hour and forty-five minute flight. My second flight was delayed a bit, but not by too much. Then it was just two more hours for a drive to Loogootee. It was so weird coming in town because I hadn't been here in so long.
I'm not quite on Central Time yet. I woke up at [Two o'clock in the morning] and decided I would just blog instead of sleep. Losing five hours was much easier than gaining five hours and in a few more days I'll gain three more hours. [Can't get no rest].
I may try and blog about my summer, but because confidentiality and what not it won't be that detailed.
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What I'll miss about Ireland (just a few)
- THE PEOPLE
- Being a waster
- The trips to people's to visit people's families
- Morning runs around the Liffey/Pheonix park
- THE PEOPLE
- A small class
- Class events (Mystery tour, horse races, dinners etcs)
- The Irish accent
- THE PEOPLE
- Scones
- The amount of ice cream/chocolate I ate
- The lax attitude
- THE PEOPLE
- K street mart
- K street library
- The libo-cop
- THE PEOPLE
- Coppers/Messrs
- Having my own house
- Being foreign
- THE PEOPLE
- Penney's
- Trinity library during exams
- Extended study breaks (after extended study breaks)
- THE PEOPLE
- Living in the city
- Grafton Street
- The country side
- THE PEOPLE
- Willy bum bum
- Mika
- Nights out
- THE PEOPLE
- The Younga
- Frank
- Domestics
- THE PEOPLE
- Going into the gym for the chats
- Wasting
- ETC
What I won't miss about Ireland
- The too lax attitude about certain things (grade returns)
- Having my own house
- The exchange rate
- The weather
- The exam system
I just want to thank all the people I've met throughout the semester. All the Humnuts (and biomeds) had an impact on my life and I will miss you dearly. (Add my friend Geoffrey Keating on Facebook ;) so we can all chat 'while I'm away') You have all made my experience fantastic. These blogs only do a small part of depicting the amount of fun I've had throughout the semester and how wonderful you all are. I will come back to Ireland some day, but it won't be for a few years when I can afford it. I couldn't imagine making such great friends and not seeing them again. I have made such great memories with all of you and this experience was definitely something I will remember for a lifetime. As sad it was to leave, I'm more than happy that it happened; I would do it ten times over. I love you all. [Can't get no love without sacrifice]. Good luck in placement this summer! Skype me!
And a special shout out to the wasters for destressing me a bit and making me a waster as well. Keep calm and waste on.
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