Last glimpses of Ireland 

Until next time!

Midnight Reflections

Ireland has come and gone, my feet are solidly back on US soil. As I reflect on my time overseas I am initially hit by a deep wave of depression, I miss it oh so much. As that inevitable longing passes, however, I am left with a deep feeling of  gratitude. Gratitude towards the people of Dungarvan, Tom Keith, Seamus (for putting up with all of us), my housemates, my Irish friends, and so on. I was blessed with the experience of a lifetime, and even more blessed to have met so many amazing people throughout this journey. I truly can call Dungarvan my home: I laughed, cried, celebrated, fought, ran, studied, and lived a life there. As I pickup my life here in the states, I vow to keep the balance and peace I found in Ireland. I promise to keep the "Irish" joy I found overseas, and spread it. This trip was full of personal growth: it has helped me evolve so much as a young person, taught me to believe in myself, and also love myself. Only good came out of this trip, and I cannot wait for the day I return "home" to Dungarvan once again.



Before we left, all of our friends and the town council put on a party for us...it was the perfect end to a perfect trip: not a goodbye, but a "see you later" <3

 My Irish Family

 Best Buds

Lifelong Friends 

Italia in a Nutshell

A week in Italy: one cannot dream of a more perfect start to summer vacation! I'm in love with Ireland, however, a trip to the warm beaches of Sicily and history of Rome was a welcomed vacation. My two friends and I jetted of to the unknown destination of Palermo, Italy. This ended up being an utter blessing: Palermo is heaven on earth. You can't get much more authentic than Sicily! No one spoke English, the food was to die for, the beaches were white sand and blue water, the open air markets were beautiful, and it was ours to explore. Though there was a language barrier, the people were eager to communicate and help us explore their beloved slice of paradise. The hospitality of the locals felt much like Ireland. We made amazing friends simply in the two days we were there! 
Palermo gave way to Rome. Rome was a different kind of beauty and adventure, one found in history and amid crowds of tourists. It was not our beloved Palermo, but we enjoyed Rome to the fullest! The Colloseum, Vatican, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain: we did it all. The Vatican was my favorite part of Rome. It was simply breathtaking inside and out. The tour of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican museum was eye-opening and surreal. Inside the Basilica was another experience in itself. We also climbed to the very top, and experienced an utter high on life moment as we looked out over the entire Vatican City. Communion and mass were just the icing on the cake.
Alas, Italy had to end. Rome was good, Palermo was great. I will forever cherish the adventures and memories made in Italia. I will be back. 

Practically Pro

With a sliotar and hurley in hand, just call us amateur hurlers! We finally got our "taster" session of hurling with the Waterford team coach and it was phenomenal: we are all addicted. Suited with a wooden hurley and tight helmet, eight American girls set out to learn the ropes of this brutal game. Turns out, we are "naturals". Through a series of hand skills and feet positions, we learned the basic motions needed to succeed. A combination of hockey and baseball, we had to adjust to our hands being opposite how we would hold a stick or bat in the US.  We also had to gain awareness of the "flicking" motion needed in our wrists! Unlike baseball, it is more of a wrist action to hit the sliotar.  We were given the basics: get the sliotar between the goalposts (one point) or under the crossbar into the net (three points), catch the sliotar with hand, only four steps without handling, only hand passes allowed(no throwing), and be aware. After various drills and practicing, we had our own mini game and vowed to continue this tradition of Hurling back at Mercyhurst.

An Irish Birthday

Thanks to great friends, we were granted an invite to an Irish 21st Birthday party! The experience was grand. An Irish family is something very special, and we got to observe this first hand. The members from all over Ireland, and even some from England, all came together to celebrate.  Food, family, drink, and friends: a true celebration of life! All were dancing, singing, and catching up. The joy could be felt in everyone, and you could tell they all enjoyed just being with each other.  We also got introduced to some birthday traditions, including the 21 kisses for 21 years. This tradition entailed the birthday boy sitting on a stool and getting 21 kisses, the last being his girlfriend!  Throughout my time in Ireland, I have come to greatly appreciate family and time spent with them.

Go Jump Off a Cliff

You know the saying "ohhh go jump off a cliff"? Well, we took the literal interpretation and did just that...or almost that. The opportunity to jump into the Celtic Sea presented itself, and we grabbed it.  Beginning on the cliffs of Goat Island, we strapped on the wet suits and prepared for the ice cold adrenaline rush.  Our fearless leader, and swim professional, Dave jumped in first: sadly deeming the water too rough.  We moved on, however, to the Ardmour Bay and took the plunge into the Celtic off of a pier. The water was freezing, but the rush was unlike anything else: it was addictive.

Explore

Go down an unknown road, why not? Follow a stray sheep, why not? Climb a waterfall, why not? On this day we were feeling exceptionally adventurous and decided to take on the local falls. The drive to the falls was breathtaking and complete with cows in the road and a lone sheep that would not move out of the way- pure Ireland. Not deterred by the mountain rescue crew cleaning up after a rescue  we took on the challenge.  From afar, the falls looked like were frozen or still! Up close, however, their beauty was unreal. Step by step, we made our way as high as we could: higher than the mountain sheep! From atop this waterfall, we could see for miles. Ireland never fails to take my breath away. Words cannot describe the beauty that our spur-or-the-moment exploration unveiled, so I will leave you with the pictures.