Oh, here it goes, here it goes, here it goes again.....

Alas, dear readers, it is time for yet another semester. This semester, I've loaded myself with four undergrad classes, two grad classes, an internship, a job, a varsity sport, RA, student ambassador, a capella, and AIAS. Overloaded? Me thinks no. 


I hope you're all excited for a new semester of complaints and sarcastic remarks! If I had something more exciting to say, I would.


On a side note, check out http://www.travelbloggingireland.com/ for some amazing blogs from my classmates and I during our Dublin Trip.


Peace out, boy-and-girl scouts.

Why I Came to Ireland

I now empathized with the wretched, green Grinch when his heart swells three, or as the Irish say, “tr-hee,” times its original size as he stands triumphant on top of Mount Krumpet. Ironically, my epiphany occurred not on a mountain, but within the depths of an ancient tomb. Engulfed by loud silence and gentle breaths, my heart expanded as my eyes trailed the thin, moving light within the tomb. Surrounded by my classmates and the ceaseless labor of my ancestors, every freckle and pore of my pale skin absorbed air rich in knowledge and moisture. Though my nostrils yearned for the crisp, light air of the luscious, rolling hills behind Newgrange, my stubborn mind decidedly ignored them in order to appease my eager soul.

As the bus pulled into the visitors’ lot at Newgrange, I thought I was at a botanical garden, not an ancient tomb. But after a stroll along a lattice-covered walkway, an expedient tour of the museum, and a stomach-wrenching bus ride down a narrow country road, I stood facing an immense mound of earth covered in stone. Following the excited tour guide, I clambered up the hill, regretting my early morning decision to don skimpy black ballet flats instead of boots. Thinking back, the skirt wasn’t my best choice, either. Regardless, I eventually found myself adjacent to the tomb, marvelling at both the structure and the picturesque countryside extending far past the tomb in every direction. After the tour guide gave a brief overview of the known facts about the site, my classmates andA I crawled down a narrow passageway to the center of the tomb. It was there that we were immersed in darkness and shown the path of sunlight that would occur each year at the winter equinox. As the dainty light fell upon the damp rock and travelled its way across the time, I wondered how such a simple civilization managed to accomplish such a feat.
  
As cliché as it may sound, this is what I live to do. Standing in near-darkness in a 5,000 year old tomb, I was overwhelmed by love and appreciation for my field of study, art history. I finally understood why my professors have claimed that art history can’t be studied from books. How can mere words and a grainy image possible compare to full immersion in the place? Simply put: it can’t.

The rocks on the side of the tomb are all indigenous

"I'll follow you into the dark. . . "

Have you ever had the urge to follow a portly, eccentric Irish actor into dark alleys and unknown pubs?

On a very basic level, it sounds like a terrible idea, especially for a gullible, young American woman. To be honest, I’d never thought of this question before last night. Upon entering a small room full of foreigners, Dubliners, and a motley crew of students, I barely noticed two men casually standing along the back wall. But, then, they spoke. However, spoke may very well be a terrible understatement. They performed. They preached. They grabbed each audience member by the soul and took a tango down a dance floor of Joyce, Wilde, and Shaw. And they had a pint or two along the way.

The Duke’s Literary Pub Crawl takes its naive, anxious volunteers on an alcoholic adventure to pubs and scenic spots that have particular value to famous Irish authors. Over the course of three hours, my intellectual comrades and I ventured down the streets of Dublin and into four pubs (the Duke, M.J. O’Neills, Davy Byrnes, and The Old Stand) listening to a middle-aged Irishman excitedly recall lines, bellow ballads, and discuss the importance of characters over pints of Guinness and tipsy smiles. By the end of the evening, I was sure that I was sitting alongside James Joyce, not my roommate.

As if the evening wasn’t invigorating enough, at each stop, we were asked trivia questions that would be combined for a competition at the end of the night. My not-so-secret inner nerd was overjoyed, as was my disturbingly-competitive inner athlete. Suffice to say that I was thrilled. As we ended the evening outside the Duke, my cider-hazy mind was still trying to maintain an air of composure for the competition. As the questions started, I found myself becoming increasingly excited as I managed to answer a few correctly. Five quick minutes, several unintentionally loud screams, and a happy dance later, I found myself finishing in second-place as my classmates hugged and high-fived me. My professors laughed as I was presented with my prize, a small bottle of Bushmills’ whiskey. Their faces went from happy to slightly concerned as I toasted my friends and took a long pull from the bottle. Oh, what a night to follow an old irish actor into the dark depths of Dublin. . .

It was love at first pub. . . 

Don't Cave to Beer Pressure. . . .

Well, my dear readers, I'd be lying to you if I said that Irish people drank very little and the stereotype was false. It turns out that no matter the night of the week, the pubs are full and the energy is lively. We've been out each night since we've arrived (much to the dismay of my liver), and we're never alone.

You'll never run out of beer in Dublin. . . 

I can't put into words how much I've loved the city. The culture is extremely diverse; actually, you're far more likely to find restaurants from other cultures than a traditional Irish restaurant. To be honest, I do not believe that the present day Irish culture is simply Irish. The island is now so diverse that it has become a melting pot of an innumerable amount of cultures.

City Centre. . . note the "intersection erection" statue that cost 4 million euros. .  .

We've sure had an amazing time thus far. We've nicknamed our group team swag; it just so happens that swagman is a synonym for traveler. Our motley crew of 17 has certainly embraced this. . . .

TEAM SWAG!

I will say that the only downfall of the trip thus far was my sickness today. Apparently early morning eggs were not a good idea :/ However, I'm feeling better and will be enjoying traditional Irish music and dance tonight! Until next time, dear readers, cheers!

Gotta live Bulmer's Cider. . . .

I want to be a saint, a scholar, & a sinner. . .

Hello again, dear readers! I must apologize that it has been sometime since I've last written. However, I've been rather busy doing other things. . . .such as venturing to the wonderful land of green and orange. Why, I'm in Ireland!

Dublin is covered in graffiti. Can you say contemporary art?

For the next 13 days, I'll be with fellow classmates in Dublin. We're staying at the Kinlay Hostel, which is conveniently directly across from Christ's Church Cathedral, one of the oldest in Dublin. Though I've only been here a day, I feel as though I've already learned so much about Irish culture. For instance, did you know it was considered inappropriate to leave a tip at a restaurant? I didn't. . . .suffice to say that my first meal (of an aubergine and courgette. . . .eggplant and zucchini. . .panini) didn't end as well as I'd have liked.

Halfway through the walkabout, we stopped at a local pub for a pint. Guinness in a Heineken glass?

Moving forward: today began our classes. We spent the morning at the Dublin Institute of Technology discussing ethnography and travel writing. After lunch, we spent the afternoon on a walking tour of the city. As an art history junkie and an architecture lover, I cannot adequately express in words how wonderful this was. So, why bother? Here are some images from my afternoon adventures. . .I hope you can enjoy Dublin as much as I do!

Tons of people use bikes to get around.
SUSTAINABLE!

The Liffey River runs through the heart of the city.