having some issues

extra strength tylenol, ice and elevation

Last Saturday we went grocery shopping in Gort, and from there me and my crazy friend Brittany went to Limerick! The first night we were there we went to see Avatar and got Chinese food and we met up with a couple of her Irish friends. The next night we went to this club called "The Lodge" where all of the kids from University of Limerick go out dancing and partying. I was trying to dance like my friend Max. I can't begin to explain the way he dances, but it's SO funny- I lost my voice laughing at him a couple weekends ago when we went dancing in Kinvara. I will take a video of it sometime if he will let me to show you all. This link might begin to encompass it. Anyway, I tried to dance like him, and I rolled my ankle pretty badly on the dance floor. I kind of knew it was bad, but I also knew how funny my fall was so I was just laughing really hard and then I went and sat down. The next day it was sore a bit, but I tried to walk it off. Monday and Tuesday I ignored the pain and walked to and from school which was not the smartest thing because yesterday and today have been pretty tough. I've been eating Extra Strength tylenol like M&Ms and icing my feet all day. I think when my ankles rolled, the pressure may have stressed a tendon in both of my feet. Anyway, I've been alternating ice and heat all day and its really painful, but I can't help but laugh at the situation. Anyway, not to alarm anyone, just wanted to share another story of my unending grace. If it doesn't get better by tomorrow I'm going to probably see the doctor, but I'm trying to avoid that at all costs-I am not a fan of doctors. Anyway, Don't worry, it was funny, it's okay to laugh at me. Love ya!

something borrowed.

My parents sent me my film from Jennie's wedding and I finally got it today. In the whirlwind of Christmas, and the wedding, and packing to come here I don't think I even got to look at them. So here are some pictures of my beautiful sisters right before Jennie walked down the aisle. I wish the photographer had seen her in that room, but at the same time I'm glad he didn't because I got to spend the last few moments in the bridal room, just me and my BIG sis, on her big day. That was one of the most beautiful days of my life and I think the moments intertwined with these pictures were among my favorite parts. Missing my sisters! Love you. 

beautiful bride, moments before.

beautiful Jennifer

         beautiful little Laura

favorite weekend!

This weekend was my favorite weekend in Ireland so far. We didn't go anywhere, we were around Ballyvaughan all weekend, but there was traditional Irish music festival here, so musicians came from different parts of Ireland and filled each of the five Pubs in town with music and people. It was the most activity I've seen in Ballyvaughan since I got here. The hotel that has been closed (because it's not "tourist season") opened for people coming to Ballyvaughan and it was just nice seeing more people around because it's usually very quiet in town. The music was absolutely incredible and gave me some great ideas to put in a safe place for my wedding. We will be flying all of these dirty old men to Michigan, or you all will be flying out here, but one way or another, they are going to play at my wedding!

 Friday after Irish Studies, I watched "the Field" which was a movie filmed here probably about 20 years ago in one of the Pubs we went to during another one of our first Irish Studies trips. It was kind of a wierd movie, and I fell asleep, but after that we made some soda bread and ate it, and headed out to the Pubs to listen to music. I took my camera, and stayed for a few hours and then walked back to our house with Lindsey and Brittany to make some flapjacks and watch a show that we make fun of.

Saturday, there was a "Mardi Gras" party in the next town, Kinvara, so after going for a long walk with Jess, I changed and got ready and went to that. We were all under the impression it was going to be a younger crowd, but we had no idea how young. It ended up being a really quiet town that was basically having a party at their Community Center? I lost my voice from laughing so hard and it might have been the best 10 Euro I'll spend here. Everyone was dressed as cowboys? I danced all night with an 11 year old boy in a fancy suit who eventually ended up having a dance off, (and losing) with a kid from Burren College, Ryan. It was just a mess of a night that ended up being one of my favorite nights here. 

Sunday, I went to church and walked back to our house, ate some breakfast, and nervously agreed to climb the mountain with Max and Brian. It was SO amazing. It was such a good work out and so beautiful. My bedroom window looks out at the mountain so now I have even more appreciation for it when I see it in the morning! After coming down the mountain I got home and my roommate Katelyn had perfected her family's Soda Break recipe, so I ate that, jumped in the shower and went back out to the pub for more Trad Music. Such a great weekend! Unforgettable memories and some of the best laughs I've had.

 mayhem at my house before the Mardi Gras!

Valentine's Day brownies! 

perfect end to a ridiculous weekend.

Lindsey is so goofy. I love her.

Climbing the Mountain Outside My Window

this is a horrible picture but I love it.

self-timers are difficult to use when running 

up and down the side of a cliff.

I've been wanting to Climb the mountain since I got here! Pretty much everyone has climbed the one behind our school (the one behind us in the pic above), so Max, Brian, and I climbed one on the other side of Ballyvaughan, which happens to be the same one that I see outside my bedroom window when I wake up in the morning. Max and Brian were brave enough to bring me along even though they have seen my level of grace when we are hiking around during Irish Studies! (eeek)  I've never really hiked up anything like that before, we went up the cliff part rather than the hill part and it was exciting, a little scary, a good workout, and absolutely beautiful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I want to do it everyday.

max and brian. on our way to the mountain!

max.

about half way up be found a place to rest/snack for a minute.

top! This picture looks a bit anti-climactic, but it was awesome.

road at the top, with more cows.

         this weird hole was at the top too

weaving between a wall about to collapse 

and an electrical fence.

max & brian taking pictures and waiting for disaster.

:)

Ballyvaughan, looking even  smaller than it usually does

heading back down

Brian's Pictures: 

walking back to town in the rain :)

Irish Studies

Irish Studies is my Friday Class. We have a short lecture in the morning from 930 until around 11 ish, and then we take off on the Bus to hike around different parts of The Burren. Every week is a new topic and our teacher, Gordon, is really nice and really passionate about Ireland and all of the beautiful and very individual things the region of Ireland that we are in has to offer. You can tell he really loves teaching and letting us explore. The class is a refreshing end to the school week and a nice start to the weekend. So here are some pictures. We went to the location of an extremely old school (i know that's vague, but I'm bad with specifics), then we hiked up a large cliff, for a reason I can't remember, though it was one of my favorite places we've been so far and I want to get a bike and go back, and then we went to a fairy fort.

friends.

Gordon, imparting wisdom.
     Lindsey and her dad. 

kaetlyn!

mike!

everyone listening to Gordon's stories!

Lindsey's dad came to visit, and they were adorable, and he 

came on our Irish Studies trip with us!

Gordon was reading us folktales from the school 

that was where we were sitting a long long long time ago.

Folkstories are a huge part of the culture here. 

One of the rules of the rulebook he was reading allowed wives the opportunity

on February 1  of every year to decide if they still liked their husband or not, 

and if they didn't it was no biggie, and the husband had to go. 

What I was doing while Gordon was reading.

This grass was so pretty, and soft.

they are really cute friends- Eileen and Lindsay.

Lindsay will be dreading my hair before I go back to MI. :)

Steph, lookin' creeped out.

I like to force the roommate pictures. :)

   maura happy!

on our way up!

Me and Maura- lookin kinda bad. :)
that grass was so comfortable, I never wanted to leave.

this cliff was a bit of  hike to get up but so worth it. 

we were higher than it looks here.

Maura kind of helps give a sense of scale.

she was flirting with disaster.

suzanne was snapping some pictures of me

for her beginning photo project.

i was laying down and looking at clouds while she 

was working, so nice.

me/maura.

Fairy Fort!

Brian, looking delicate. 

This is Jill. She is really pretty, and really awesome

because she fell on the mountain and got a cut so deep that you could see her bone, 

which means she will leave Ireland with an awesome scar, and I am jealous.

more feet, i love feet.