Kelly Jean

I'm back in the States!

I can't believe it.  Was I really just in Ireland for two months?  I think it will take some time to soak in.  I was just in Dublin this morning and now I'm back in Brownsburg... the world really is such a small place.

I'm so glad I did this.  I feel like I've grown into a much more confident person, and it really has broadened my perceptions of pretty much everything in my life.  If you are reading this, and you haven't traveled out on your own yet, DO IT.  And do your best to actually meet the locals, you won't learn anything if you just pull the tourist route.  As Mark Twain says, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  And as Kurt Vonnegut says, "Love may fail, but courtesy will prevail."  If we all treated everyone with the hospitality and courtesy that I was blessed with during my Irish adventure, the world would feel like less of a scary, lonely place.  So go out there and see the world, but if you're not going to be nice, stay home!

I will never forget these past two months.  Thank you to everyone, especially the Kavanaghs, who are officially my home away from home.  And thank you to everyone who has been reading this, I hope it inspires you to get out there and take some chances.

But remember, be nice.

Love Kelly

Yes, I did it.  On my last full day here in Ireland, I bent over backwards lying down and kissed the Blarney Stone.  I was going to regret it if I didn't, and it's also a good way to say goodbye to Ireland I suppose.  Some kids at my school told me that they've peed on it.  I hope not.  =)

This was especially for good ol' Mike Dyke, who said he'd be mad if I came back from Ireland without accomplishing this task.  So there you go Dyke, I did it and I have pictures to prove it!

I'm now back at the Cork bus station waiting for my lift to Dublin.  Once I get there I'll hang out in the hostel and then crash for the night.  I might get up early enough to do a bit of last minute shopping before I head to the airport.  I fly home at 2:30!!!

If any of you want to see me before I head to Florida, I'll probably be hanging around the house on the 29th, regaining my energy and repacking for warmer weather.  Stop by and say hello if you wish!

Can't wait to see all of you,

Kelly

P.S.  According to legend, I am now blessed with the gift of gab.  I'm going to be talking even more than I did before... be prepared.

Hey all, I've successfully made it to Killarney!  I got in yesterday around one and it's now around four today.

I really sounded tired in the last update, didn't I?  It's because I was.  My night in the hostel in Galway was a little rough, I just couldn't sleep.  The room was really hot, there were several people snoring, and right as I drifted off a few guys came in for the night and made way too much noise.  But that's all part of the hostel experience I suppose, so eh well.  I survived, right?  

Yesterday I walked around the town quite a bit.  Because it was Sunday, most of the shops were closed, but there was still a lot of activity.  Killarney is well known as a "tourist town," so I was worried it'd be too commercial, but it's actually got a lot of charm.  After walking around, I took a nap in the hostel because I was exhausted, and then woke up later and eventually met four other guys in my room.  One is Australian, one is German, and the other two are American.  We talked for a bit, and then I went out for a bite to eat.

I ate some stew (and drank some Bulmer's) at a pub called Kelly's Corner (I couldn't resist) and ended up chatting it up with a couple next to me from Georgia.  Not thinking, I forgot to get cash out before I bought my food, so when it came time for me to pay, I had to run to an ATM.  I told the waitress and was about to go out and fetch some dough, when the couple offered to pay for my meal.  They were so nice, and I asked them if there was anything I could do to make it up to them, but the woman just asked me to "pay it forward."  (If you've seen the movie Pay It Forward, you'll get what this means.  Basically, next time I find a person in need of assistance, I'll go out of my way to help them since the couple went out of their way to help me.)  So I was very lucky, and very glad I had the experience!

I went back to the hostel and had a beer out on the hostel porch with the guys I had met earlier.  A random English guy came up and talked to us, and said he makes his living from playing guitar on the street.  When I went up to go to bed, I guess he had started playing downstairs on the porch, and I heard him through the window.  He was really good, so he must get a lot of tips!  It was very relaxing, mellowed me out, and so last night I finally got some proper sleep.

This morning I got up and walked to the tourist office, and ended up deciding to rent a bike.  The Killarney National Park is basically right next to the town, so I went to a rental bike shop to get it set up.  And what are the chances of this: I met two girls not only from Indiana, but from IU as well, getting ready to rent bikes and ride around the park.  Their names were Mae and Bridget, and I ended up doing a quite a bit of biking with them first before I set out on my own for awhile.  We all got a little lost, but just laughed about it, and ended up exchanging emails so we can trade pictures.  

I eventually set out on my own in the park, stopped at the restaurant and ate a delicious salad, and then biked around a bit more before heading back into the town.  It was definitely a work out, but I've realized that I love bike riding so much that it doesn't seem like exercise to me... so I think when I get back I'm going to get a proper bike and start doing it all the time.  I loved it... and today has been beautiful, sunny weather so it was perfect.  The mountains and the lakes were fabulous.

So now I'm in an internet cafe.  Not sure what I'll do next, but more shops are open today so I may walk around and try to get some last minute shopping done.  I'm going to sleep early tonight because I'm going to take a 6:55 bus to Cork.  I want to get there early so I can head out to the Blarney Castle and yes, kiss the Blarney stone.  It will be a fun, cliche way to end my travels.

My plan was to take the train from Cork to Dublin on Wednesday morning, but there is currently a strike going on, so that may not be possible.  If it's not, I'm just going to get on ANOTHER bus tomorrow after Blarney, head up to Dublin, and get there tomorrow evening.  Alma's sister, Una, lives in Dublin and said I could stay with them if the strike didn't let up.  So that might be the plan!  At least I'll be able to sleep in before my 2:30 flight the next day.

It will be a lot of BUS, but I'm used to that by now.  I miss my car!  I miss driving!

Love you all, see you soon,

Kelly

Hey everybody.

I successfully arrived at my Galway hostel last night.  It was still pretty light out around 9:30, so I went to a restaurant by the river and people-watched as I ate.  Afterwards I went to the cinema and saw the new Indiana Jones movie, which is actually pretty fun.  Harrison Ford always makes me happy.

Anyhoo, it's early here, just a little past 7:30 in the morning.  I am catching a bus soon to Killarney and once I get settled there I will update on what is happening. 

I'm SO tired of the bus.

- Kelly

This is it, folks.  It's my last day in Letterkenny and I can't believe it!  I'm catching a bus to Galway at 4:30 and saying goodbye to the town I've lived in for the past two months.  

My last day of school was great.  The staff loved my gift, and started using the forks and spoons right away at lunch time.  They presented me with a crystal plaque with the Deele College crest on it, one of my classes got me a big bouqet of flowers, and another class bought me a Donegal Gaelic jersey.  I was not expecting any of it, so of course I cried around three times.  I was able to get past my emotions though for the teacher v. student game of Rounders, which was so much fun.  It was definitely different than baseball though because the bat was half the size and we used a tennis ball, but we managed to tie with the kids at 15-15.

After school, Alma surprised Aaron and me with tickets to Riverdance.  So we went to the show, which was great, and then went out for our last visit to the Letterkenny pubs.  I stayed on Guinness the whole night because I know it won't taste as good at home.  It was great fun, and I must say I have a bit of a headache today because of it.

So now I'm over at Agnes and Charlie's house for the last time.  I'm so comfortable here that I forget I'm completely across the ocean from everyone I know.  It's going to be sad to say goodbye, but I'm definitely keeping in touch with them, and who knows---maybe I'll be back sooner than I think.

I'll be traveling the next few days on my own, and then I'm back to America on Wednesday.  Time has flown!

Kelly

I leave in Wednesday week (or a week from this Wednesday... that's how they say it here).  I can't believe it.  I'm definitely ready to get back and see my friends and family, but it's going to be sad to say goodbye to all these wonderful people.  I have never left a place before having to wonder whether I'd ever see the people again, and at this point in my life, I really don't know when I'll get back to Ireland.  Alma's house really has become a home to me, along with her parents'.  So I'm sure this week is going to be a mixed-up blend of bittersweet emotions, but I'll get through it.

When I get back, I literally have a day to relax at home before my family packs up again and heads to Florida.  It is going to be very strange going through so much travel in such a short amount of time.  But once I'm out on the beach taking in the sun, I'll be able to relax, go through all the past two months' events, and realize how lucky I've been.

Yesterday at school I literally had nothing to do.  The students are taking exams, so there isn't much teaching going on at this point anymore.  I filled my time by walking to town (about two feet away, haha) and developing some pictures, and then sitting on the computer.  I hate not having a task, so I asked my Principal if these next two days I could take time to visit Alma's school, etc. and then come back on Friday for the awards ceremony.  Alma actually suggested the idea, but she still has to get permission from her school's Principal.  So today I ended up sleeping in, and I think I'll walk to town at some point and shop a bit.

As a going away present to Alma, Aaron and I pitched in on a nice picture frame and put in a nice picture of Alma and us.  Charlie, Alma's dad, suggested that another nice gift would be some sort of plant to go in her garden---which I think is a great idea because that will be something lasting that will really benefit her long-term.  I think I'm going to go to the garden center today and see what I can find.  I know nothing about gardening, but Charlie made a few suggestions so I'm thinking it won't be too hard.

Tonight, Alma and her parents are taking Aaron and I out to dinner.  Afterwards we're going to go to the bowling alley to bowl, have drinks, and watch the football match.  I really want to get something for Agnes and Charlie as well, since they have basically been my substitute parents.  I can't count how many times they have taken me in, fed me to the brim, and then fed me some more.  =)

I thought of a funny gift for my school.  There are a lot of staff members, but only a limited number of utensils in the staff kitchen.  Every day, people have been scrounging for the next spoon or fork for their tea, their lunch, etc.  So I went out and bought a simple 16-piece cutlery set so the staff can have more time eating and chatting and less time hunting for the right eating tool.  I think they'll get a big kick out of it, and I also think it will be really handy as well.

I've also written tons of thank you notes at this point, which I hope to get out this week.  I'm hoping I don't get emotional on Friday at school, but it tends to happen when I have to say goodbye to people.  If I do though, I'll be able to get my mind off it after school when the staff plays a staff vs. students game of Rounders.  Rounders, in case you don't know, is baseball or softball, which I happened to play growing up.  Of course now that I've told the staff this they're expecting a lot out of me, so I hope I don't disappoint.  I was never amazing at it, but I'm definitely better at it than I would be at soccery/football or Gaelic.  So I'm glad it's a game I'm familiar with.  It's going to be a fun way to end my time at Deele.

Well, I'm going to grab something to eat and then head to town to get some more shopping done.  I hope I find a good plant for Alma!

Kelly

Here are some pictures from the secret beach I was taken to on one of my couchsurfing adventures.  It's probably my favorite place.  The beach is full of smooth white stones, and your feet sink into them like sand.  The rock arch adds to the beauty of the place.






Siiiigh... I'm going to miss this place.

Love Kelly

This weekend Alma went away for a hen night in Scotland, but I stayed behind in Letterkenny and ended up going out last night with Helena and her friends.  We stopped in at a birthday barbeque and then went out to a couple bars.  The band at McGinley's played "Wild Night" by John Mellencamp (and he's from Indiana, so I got excited), and right after that they played "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty (which of course has the famous first lines about an Indiana girl).  So of course I had to get up and dance.

There was a group of older men sitting near us, and this one guy took a turn and danced with all the ladies at our table.  He said he's got kids and grandkids, but he's still going strong.  It was great fun!

Today I slept in and then went to another Gaelic football match with Alma's parents and Aaron.  And they won!  The other two I had been to had been disappointments, so I'm glad I got to witness a success before leaving the country.  I've really gotten into Gaelic, it's quite fun to watch.  And of course there were some guys on the field pushing each other, and that always makes me laugh--a bunch of boys fighting over a ball.

Aaron and I are back at Agnes and Charlie's house now, about to eat a delicious curry chicken dinner.  I think tonight I may stay in and watch a movie, and then possibly go to mass tomorrow.  I haven't been yet and I've been meaning to go.  The cathedral is beautiful on the outside so I look forward to seeing the interior.

Well, I'll update again soon!  One week left in school, can you believe it?!

Kelly

The weather this week has been amazing!  I can't believe I'm in Ireland.  I wish I had brought several pairs of shorts with me, and more tank tops.  I've actually laid out in the backyard a couple times, it's been so nice.  And today at school it was "Sports Day," so I've got a bit of a burn from being outside.  But I love it!

This week in school I've been finalizing all of my class projects.  My students in 2D did their author presentations, my 1M and 2M students pasted and decoarted their "Where I'm From" poems, and in 4P2 we're almost done reading Philadelphia, Here I Come.  Next week all the students I've been teaching have exams, so I'm not sure what my role will be, but it seems after this week that I'm basically finished.  Crazy!  Tomorrow will be another great day because I'm going on a field trip to Derry to get a tour of the city walls and the museum, etc. 

Tonight Alma's parents are having a BBQ at their house.  I'm going to go play with her niece and nephew, and sit in the sun.

Love Kelly

 

 

Katie, Sarah, Aaron and I successfully met up in Galway on Saturday.  After a four and a half hour bus ride it was nice to step off and see Katie's smiling face.  I hadn't seen her since our first week here together so we were all in high spirits.  Shortly after we met up with Katie we found Sarah, and the four of us went into a pub and sat down for some conversation.

I can't believe how fast time has gone.  All of us feel the same way---it's so funny to think back to the nervous beginning we experienced when first arriving here.  We're so much more confident and comfortable, and it seems like now that we've finally gotten settled we have to pack our bags soon and leave again.  It will be bittersweet!

Katie has had a great time in Killiney, and Sarah has had just as great of an experience in Cork.  As for Aaron, I see him almost every day, but he's enjoyed his time at his school in Letterkenny.  We talked about how different the education system is here, and how in all our schools there are certain things the teachers are very strict about and other things they are relaxed about that completely surprise us.  I've been here for basically two months, and still can't figure it out!

After the pub, we walked around and shopped in Galway before the shops closed (they close at 5).  Then we hopped on a bus and went to Oranmore, a town just outside Galway, where our couchsurfing host came to pick us up.  We wanted to give him a gift for taking in four people, so we bought him a mini-keg of Heineken.  When buying it we were thinking, well, what if he doesn't drink?  But then we we told him about our hesistation he said, "I'm Irish, of course I drink.  In all my life I have met only three Irish people that don't."  So luckily, our gift choice was very suitable.  =)

Our plan was originally to get settled in Oranmore, and then head back out to Galway, but we were having so much fun where we were that we just stayed in Oranmore.  We went out and had dinner at a really good Indian restaurant, and then came back to the house and had a really fun time.  More than anything, we wanted to catch up and spend time with each other, and we found that it didn't matter if we were in Galway, or just sitting in a comfortable living room.  So we stayed up late laughing about random things, playing with a giant Bull Mastif dog, and watching a swing-dancing video (Fearghal, our host, swing dances.  He showed us a tape of the routine he's going to learn next.  Staying with Nico made me want to learn salsa, and now I want to learn swing, too!)  We eventually went to sleep, sharing the living room space on a couple big air mattresses and the furniture.

This morning we let ourselves sleep in until around 10.  Aaron was snoring like a beast on the couch several times throughout the night, so I didn't get the restful sleep that I wanted, but I survived, haha.  We said our goodbyes to Fearghal and Junior (the dog) and headed back to Galway.  We ate some yummy lunch and talked about how weird it will be to get real jobs when we get back.  Having our own classrooms will be so exciting---I'll finally feel like I have my own space.  I'll be able to set up my own discipline, my own lessons, my own decorations, etc.  Now I just have to find the job... 

We said our goodbye at the bus station around 2.  We're going to invite each other to our graduation parties etc. and hopefully will meet up in Bloomington again sometime in the summer.  We're all going to miss it.  =(

It was a well spent weekend!  I'm back in Letterkenny now, very tired, and will probably go to bed very early tonight.  I'll hope to see all of you when I get back (less than three weeks!)

Love Kelly