Random Thoughts/Reflections

Titles are hard to come up with!!

Let's begin with an observation concerning the late-teen/early-twenty wardrobe existing here in Galway. Galwegian girls (yes, that's what you call 'em) wear dresses and tights to school in rain/wind/sunshine/but probably rain. However, the "lads" generally wear some sort of sports apparel, or a good 'ol fashioned Hollister hoodie. That's right folks! Hollister almost seems more popular here than in Hollister itself. Somehow, I always get a private laugh when they think they're being all 'surfer west,' when the town of Hollister is actually 40 minutes away from any ocean. Bahaahha! (That's me having a not-so private laugh).

Honestly? I'm feeling a bit nutty today, and I figured I'd try writing this blog "stream of conscious-style," as per homeboy James Joyce. Holla!

But you're probably not super interested in my strange tangents, so let's get down to business, shall we?

To count I've played in three rugby games. We won the first two but lost Wednesday against our fierce rival, University of Limerick. The girls are pretty sure we can beat them in the finals though, so we'll see. Mom will be glad to know that I've sustained no major injuries. Save a few bruises, a jammed finger, and a bloody lip I remain completely whole. But really, the injuries just makes me feel kinda cool. :)

I went on a bus tour to Connemara this past Saturday. Four of my roomies and I romped around the countryside and explored Kylemore Abbey, a beautiful castle nestled away into a fold of mountainside adjacent to the calmest of calm lakes. I've included a few pictures below for your viewing pleasure. My favorite photo-op-stop (yeah rhyme!) on the tour was at a place dubbed "The Oldest Place in the World" by the Normans. Apparently, when the Normans stumbled upon the silent valley they decided that only a place so very old could maintain such a tangible peace. Interestingly enough, they were geologically correct: it is the oldest vista in all of Ireland. I also saw many woolly sheep, glass-topped lakes, and moss-bound trees throughout the day.

This weekend I'm busing out to the Cliffs of Moher, one Ireland's more iconic beauties. The next weekend is full of Belfast, and the weekend after that will take place in Berlin...at the International Film Festival! I'm so excited! I'll letcha know how all of that goes.

My roomies and I have been playing lots of cards lately (SO fun). We've built up quite the game set-list so that we can comfortably rotate between the games to keep the fun "fresh." Our latest addition is "Nerts", a Fletch fam fave - cough Christin cough :) - this addition has actually become an addiction, and the enthusiasm is spreading fast.

One final update item: for my English Service Learning course I get to tutor at a homework club for elementary age students. On Mondays I walk over to Scoil Bhride (pronounced "Skowl - Breegsh") and help with spelling and maths and...usually we end up coloring. :) I've gotten to be in the same classroom for two weeks in a row, and the kids are starting to warm up to me. They get a kick out of my accent and ask charming questions. One little girl asked my friend Katie if she knew Barack Obama. Cute, right?

Alright, ladies and gents. That's all I got for now. Have a good week! Thanks for sticking through to the end of this slightly manic blog post!!!