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Week 4! I made it through an entire month studying abroad. This week was full of activity and ended with one of my favorite excursions our program has taken us on so far. At the beginning of this week I was exhausted from my trip to Budapest. There was a lot of nervous energy pent up in anticipation of that weekend, so it all came crashing down on me that Monday. My roommate and I went to brunch at this restaurant called The Grind after our Monday classes. I got avocado toast with poached egg and sun dried tomatoes, it was amazing! (I also had a delicious cup of hot chocolate). On Tuesday I went to swim practice again, attended classes and then had an ice cream night with a few friends. Wednesday afternoon was magical because we studied at a coffee shop until closing and they gave us bags full of free pastries that they couldn't sell anymore! On Thursday we celebrated one of our friend's birthdays at a pub called Taffe's where they played traditional Irish music.
Early Friday morning we left Galway and headed to Limerick. We made a quick pit stop there to go to the Limerick Museum, but honestly it was very small and I walked through it in about 15 minutes. The good news was that I had a family history mission in Limerick. I left the museum and tracked down St. Mary's Catholic church, where one of my ancestors was baptized. The church was absolutely beautiful. It was moving to stand in a place of faith that was tied so closely to my family.
We hopped back on the bus and finally made our way to Cork City. The program provided us lunch at a pub called the Hayloft and we were treated to a poetry reading by four poets living in Cork. After the reading we headed to our hostel and settled in. I walked with a few friends to Nano Nagle Place, but it was sadly closed. We ate dinner at the "Irish Chipotle" called Boojum, then turned in early to the hostel. While I was watching a movie with a few others, I found out that I got RA! I am so excited to work on the team next year and contribute all I can to the community.
On Saturday we met our tour guide Ted for our intense 8 hour walking tour of Cobh and Cork City. Our first stop was the Cobh heritage museum, which told the history of Cobh as a port town and one of the final loading stops for the Titanic. It was a really fun museum because we were assigned a passenger upon entrance. I was assigned Fr. Francis Browne because the docent said I looked "holy". Fr. Browne also happened to be a famous photographer. After that we walked through the town and went to the cathedral. I lit a candle for my loved ones and marveled at the amazing architecture. Then we were given free range for lunch. Cobh is one of the cutest and most colorful towns I've visited. There was one specfic photo I wanted of the "deck of cards houses" in front of the cathedral, so we grabbed our sack lunches and found the spot. The way to get the best angle was to scale a very muddy and steep hill. I decided it was worth the risk. The photo speaks for itself. :)
We boarded the bus again after lunch and went back to Cork City. Tour guide Ted took us all around, everything in my memory is a blur. The coolest places we went were the English Market, Elizabeth Fort and University College Cork. Then after the tour finished Ted took me and a few friends to Nano Nagle Place because I told him I went to a Presentation school. I saw Nano's grave, her first school and walked around the grounds as the center was closing. It was really meaningful to me to see the place where she first lit her lantern. The mission that started on those grounds changed the lives of so many people. I felt like a physical manifestation of her tireless effort. I can only hope to be half the woman she was.
After leaving Nano Nagle Place we went back quickly to the hostel, dropped off some things then went to dinner at Nando's (a really good chicken place). After Nando's we went to a concert in a small venue called The Roundy. There was a music festival going on in Cork called Quarter Block Party, so I direct messaged their instagram account and arranged a photographer's pass for that night's concert. I had so much fun shooting my first concert. It was challenging and refreshing to shoot in difficult lighting with new actions I have never captured before. The music was great and I had so much fun. I'm really proud of myself for pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone. After the concert we got milkshakes from a dessert shop then return to the hostel and tucked in for bed.
On Sunday we left Cork and headed to the Cliffs of Moher! We stopped in Lahinch for lunch before. It was a cute beach town that I definitely want to return to. At the Cliffs it was a yellow hazard warning. The winds were about 25 mph and the water from the sea was literally being blow up into the sky like some kind of reverse rain. The cliffs were ridiculous. I couldn't believe they actually looked like that. The sea was a deep blue, the grass bright green and the jagged cliffs were slate grey. It was so picturesque. While touristy, it was worth the hype. I can't wait to return with my parents! After finishing up we took the bus back to Galway, unpacked, made dinner and turned in for the night. I'm definitely feeling more tired this week than any of the others. Our schedule is quite intense especially with travel on our free weekends along with excursions. I'm also feeling stressed about school work that I have to do, but I need to trust in myself and stay organized. I'm going to take some alone time this week to recharge. After all, I need my energy for Copenhagen next weekend!
(My photos from Limerick, Cobh, Cork and The Cliffs of Moher can be found in the "Ireland" section)