As you can tell, it is no longer Sunday. In fact...it's almost the following Sunday. This week has been absolutely NUTS!! Plans were made and changed and now there's nothing to do but sit in the sun, which I'm currently doing, and relax with a book/homework. Mmmmm. This is seriously the best weather of my LIFE!!! Man, I love outside. Ok, so, like last time, I've kind of forgotten some events of my week, so just fill in the blanks with your own stories. Sweet. I posted on Tuesday so I'll start with Wednesday.
Last Wednesday I can only remember that I went to class and got assigned a group presentation. I decided to be in the first group so that after I was done with that, I wouldn't have to worry about anything in that class. Then that night was our Big Read project thing. My group didn't go that night but all the participants had to be there as the audience. So I did that and then we were supposed to meet after but one of the girls in my group went on a date instead and then the rest of us were kinda burnt out so...we just didn't meet.
Thursday I had class and then I worked on my Big Read project. I can't remember if I've talked about this before. Basically, my poetry teacher got together with the history teacher and they decided it'd be a good idea to make us do a project about a UK poet. It was seriously the dumbest project I've had to do in a long time. But there was a 10 pound gift card to each person in the winning group...so we worked hard. Thursday night we presented and it was crazy. One of the guys in my group was doing the biggest chunk of the presentation and while we were practicing he just said like two things and he was telling us that he was better at making up things on the spot. Whatever, right? Well, we get to his turn and he stands up, and holy cow!!! He went on for out 15 minutes on the extensive influence of our poet and he was quoting things that I've never even read before but it was all accurate! It was incredible. And we should have won, but we didn't. But it's alright. After that, I had to go pack because I was leaving for Berlin! So I went and packed and showered and then at 12:30, my group left for the bus and we made it to the airport but it was too early to check in so we slept on the floor. Then we checked in and got on the plane and slept on the plane and landed in Berlin and took a train to our hostel. We weren't allowed to check in until 2:00 though and when we got there it was 10:00. So we just had to walk around. So that was Friday. We just hung out. We found this awesome Church and instead of going in, we took a nap on the lawn out front. Haha. For dinner, we went to this restaurant and my friend ordered a knuckle of pork. None of us knew what that was but she knew she liked pork. When they brought it out...it was literally the knuckle of a pig! GROSS!! It was still covered in the skin and looked like a pig's foot. It was the most disgusting thing....ugh. She ate it but mostly she just picked at it and made it look like she'd eaten it. But one of the guys ordered the same thing and he ate ALL OF IT! Nasty!!!!
Saturday we got up and went on a bike tour. It was great! We saw so much of Berlin and learned all this stuff about buildings and history. It was really interesting. Then we went back to the train station and our train just didn't come. So we were all worried that we weren't going to make our flight but then another train came and we made it just fine. We got back to our house at 4:00. My feet have never hurt so bad in my life as they did on that trip. I wore my Converse and when I took them off, my toes were so jank. I've got blisters on top of my blisters and on the bottoms of my feet and my right foot feels like I have a stress fracture on the bone! It's getting better but if I walk on it too much it hurts really bad.
Sunday, I slept in. Then I tried to do a little homework but I was so unmotivated so I only got like two things done. Then I didn't have class at all on Monday so I finished a lot there. Tuesday I presented with my group and got that out of the way and then my other teacher moved a big project to next week and we were all SO HAPPY it was ridiculous. Then...I told myself I was going to get a lot done before I left for Italy on Thursday but I didn't...but that turned out to be alright. Tuesday night I played volleyball with some friends for like 3 hours. It was so much fun. We played until it was pitch black outside and we couldn't see the ball anymore, then we went inside and watched the Sound of Music because some people are in Austria for this break and they wanted to watch it before they left.
Wednesday was...eh. I woke up and did some homework and then I went shopping with my roommates and then we came back and went to class. That night, we were packing and getting ready to go and I just got this feeling like I didn't want to go on this trip. I was packing and thinking about how much I just didn't want to go. So I talked to one of the girls going and she said she understood and she told me that I definitely didn't have to. I went in and talked to the other girls going and I just told them that I wasn't going to go and that I wanted them to have a good time without me. They were upset at first but in the end, I think they understood.
But that night, they were up late and I didn't want to be in the room while they were still planning and everything so I went in the kitchen and skyped people but then I realized that my roommates had gone to bed without me saying goodbye to them so I figured I should just stay up all night and say goodbye to them in the morning. So I did! Hah. I was skyping so it wasn't hard but I did get pretty tired. I made it all night though and in the morning, our goodbye was really anti-climactic and I kinda regretted being up. Hah, it was whatever.
Yesterday was just a really good day. It was one of the best days I've had here. Skyping my people, combined with the lifted stress from that trip and unpacking and just being by myself was amazing. And after they left, I got some homework done and then one of the guys from upstairs came down and made breakfast and made me some breakfast and we just hung out until he left to meet up with his family and then I went shopping with the other girl that stayed and we had a great time and we got smoothies and just walked around. I even decided to wear some new clothes yesterday and it was just a good day. I got back and watched a movie then had dinner with a friend and then skyped people again and then went to bed early and I just woke up about three hours ago. I'm gonna get a lot done today and it's just gonna be good. I've been sitting in the sun and my friend came out and talked to me and he told me not to get sunburned but to 'ration my sun exposure and build up my tolerance' haha. Ok.
No one gets back until late on Sunday and even they are in the other house so I'm alone until Monday morning when my roommates get back. I might go to London and see Wicked. I found some cheap tickets. I might just stay in Oxford and walk around and appreciate where I'm living. Who knows? The world is my oyster!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Now I know why the Irish have to be lucky.
Hello! As you probably noticed, it's been about three weeks since I wrote anything on here. Eh...two? I really don't know. It's alright though, not a ton has happened. And I've only got a few more days here so nothing to extreme is likely to happen. We'll see. Maybe I can throw in something super dramatic just to get the blood pumping and make you all a little more jealous of me than you already should be. The last time I posted was the Monday before we left for Ireland and I'm gonna be honest...I don't remember that week at all. It's been too long. The specifics of it have left me 100%. I'll do my best to recapture it.
Tuesday is a blank until about 11:00 that night. I remember trying to make up my schedule for next semester and freaking out about it because I didn't know what to take. I think I also watched the Princess Bride for someone's birthday...but I don't know.
Wednesday I worked all day on this paper that I had to do for my honors class. It's the ONLY assignment we had so it is basically 100% of our grade and I hadn't started it yet and it was due the next day...so that sucked. I kept getting interrupted by class and then volunteering and in the end, it took me until 5:00 in the morning to finish it. Oh...and I mostly packed.
Thursday I woke up at 8:00 and finished packing and printed my paper and got breakfast and got onto the bus and then got to the airport and flew to Dublin! I went with some people to dinner at the oldest pub in Dublin called the Brazen Head. It was pretty good food and I think it was cheap, but I split a meal with someone so...yeah. Then we tried to find this park but when we got there it was closed so we just walked around and went down this street where there was a band playing and they were SO GOOD! I loved it. I got a video. Then one day (as I was writing this I realized I have no idea what days things happened) we had a walking tour around the city and towards the end, some of us split off and went to see the book of Kells which was amazing. For those who don't know, the book of Kells is the four gospels written and illustrated by scribes from the 9th century about. It was really amazing. I tried to take a picture in there, but this lady started yelling at me and then walked over and had to watch me delete it. Of course, while she was worrying about me, all the people I was with took pictures behind her back!! Lame. Then we went to dinner for someone's birthday and then I went with a group to see some Irish music and watch some Irish dancing. It was really cool. I'm pretty sure the day after that was when I had a picnic...but I don't remember. No, it was that day. Friday all this happened, and in the morning, I went with most of the girls to a park and we had a picnic and played on the playground and had fun feeding some swans we found. It was a lot of fun. Saturday I went to St. Patrick's but it cost money to get in so a few of us just decided to go in the garden out back and hang out while the others went through. Then we loaded up onto the coach and went to Belfast.
Belfast was nice. There was a Mexican food place!!!!!!! It was so dang good. The guy who started it got the idea from Chipolte, so it was that same style and, not as good, but right up there. We weren't sure where it was at first so Erika asked some local people and this was their conversation...not making this up.
Erika: Hi, do you guys know where the burrito place is?
Guy: I'm sorry?
Erika: I heard there is a burrito place around here, do you know where it is?
Guy: Is that the name of it or is that the kind of food they have?
Girl: I don't know, sorry.
Erika: That's the kind of food they have.
Girl: What is a burrito?
Erika: It's a tortilla with sour cream and beans and rice and meat and you fold it up and eat it...
Girl: You mean, like Subway?
Erika: Not quite.
We all died laughing, which in hindsight, was probably really rude. That couple walked off really fast after that. When we turned around, the place was right in front of our faces. Boojum. Weird name. Great food. MMMMMMM. Then we just walked around the city. There was a concert at the Church right next to our hostel and we went and listened to that for a while. Sunday I went to Church and then lunch and then we had some free time and we tried to plan our trip but got nowhere. Then we went to evening service and then dinner and walked around the city some more.
We left early on Monday for Ballycastle and stayed in Corrymeela. Coastal city. Most gorgeous view. It was so peaceful and relaxing and there wasn't a lot of pressure to go and see a bunch because it's not a big city. We were there for two days and then we went to Derry. On the way, we saw the giant's causeway which is just this huge rock formation that naturally grew up into honeycomb shaped steps all over the place. It was really cool. Derry was uneventful. We went to a museum, walked around the wall, went to eat, saw some Irish music. I went to dinner the second night with a group at a bowling alley. It was a nice 3 course meal and bowling for 17 pounds. That's pretty good. So we ate until we were full and then some and then had a rousing 10 frames of bowling. We did have to walk about 3 miles to get there and to get back...so that sucked. Other than that, it was a great night!I guess that was Thursday night. So Friday morning I woke up and went around town with some people and we went to this store called pound world. It's the UK equivalent of dollar general. So everything was 1 pound and we went crazy! Mostly, everyone bought a ton of candy. I did get some stellar sunglasses though, and I'm super proud of them. I've been wearing them all week! Hah. Overall, Ireland was a success. Though, basically every stereotype you hear about the Irish is true. Loud, drunk, angry, and red headed.
We got back Friday evening and everyone was so tired and didn't feel like cooking so we did something easy: pasta. I'm still sick of pasta from Italy but...there you go. And none of the boys upstairs wanted to cook so they all bought in and we had a nice house dinner. It was actually a really good meal. Emily knows how to cook so the sauce was incredible! Then, Saturday, everyone woke up kind of late and I did some laundry but it was a beautiful day outside and I took a book out there and read for a long time. Then Emily and Mandy (with a little help from some of the boys) decided to make a house breakfast and we had chocolate chip pancakes and scrambled eggs and french toast and bacon and fresh strawberries and bananas. OH! It was so good. Then I went back outside and read some more and played volleyball for a while and then read some more and then had dinner outside and then went to bed.
Sunday I got up for Church and then went to this place called the Mission for lunch. It's a burrito place, also based on Chipolte, also not as good. Whatever. It was Mexican food. Then, I decided I needed some skirts or something to wear since it was so nice out and all I have are athletic shorts. So I went and got two skirts and two shirts to go with them. I found a TON of cute ones, and if I wore them with leggings they would be fine, but without, Erika said they were a little hoochie so I decided I couldn't get them. Sad. After shopping I went and read outside again, then Emily made enchiladas for dinner and they were delicioious!! Then it was time for devo and I did that and I stayed around after and watched the masters with some of the guys. It was getting really intense. I didn't know people could get so upset about golf!!
Monday was supposed to be a big homework day. I went to a cafe with my friend and we stayed there for almost 3 hours and I only finished homework for 1 of my classes. So I was going to come back and finish the rest but then I started talking to people and it got pushed out of the way...so that's what I should be doing today! Hah, right now, in fact. The teachers just keep piling stuff on and I can't get it all done! All this dang reading is taking me forever!!!! Oh well. Gotta do it, right? I leave for Berlin on Thursday night and I'll get back Saturday night. So I'll try to put something up on Sunday. I really did look through my pictures thinking about some that I could put on here and I just don't like any of the pictures I've taken! I mean...they look cool to me, but I don't know how other people would like them. Plus, I'm bad at being IN my pictures...so I'll work on that this last month and see what I can do. Again, no promises.
Tuesday is a blank until about 11:00 that night. I remember trying to make up my schedule for next semester and freaking out about it because I didn't know what to take. I think I also watched the Princess Bride for someone's birthday...but I don't know.
Wednesday I worked all day on this paper that I had to do for my honors class. It's the ONLY assignment we had so it is basically 100% of our grade and I hadn't started it yet and it was due the next day...so that sucked. I kept getting interrupted by class and then volunteering and in the end, it took me until 5:00 in the morning to finish it. Oh...and I mostly packed.
Thursday I woke up at 8:00 and finished packing and printed my paper and got breakfast and got onto the bus and then got to the airport and flew to Dublin! I went with some people to dinner at the oldest pub in Dublin called the Brazen Head. It was pretty good food and I think it was cheap, but I split a meal with someone so...yeah. Then we tried to find this park but when we got there it was closed so we just walked around and went down this street where there was a band playing and they were SO GOOD! I loved it. I got a video. Then one day (as I was writing this I realized I have no idea what days things happened) we had a walking tour around the city and towards the end, some of us split off and went to see the book of Kells which was amazing. For those who don't know, the book of Kells is the four gospels written and illustrated by scribes from the 9th century about. It was really amazing. I tried to take a picture in there, but this lady started yelling at me and then walked over and had to watch me delete it. Of course, while she was worrying about me, all the people I was with took pictures behind her back!! Lame. Then we went to dinner for someone's birthday and then I went with a group to see some Irish music and watch some Irish dancing. It was really cool. I'm pretty sure the day after that was when I had a picnic...but I don't remember. No, it was that day. Friday all this happened, and in the morning, I went with most of the girls to a park and we had a picnic and played on the playground and had fun feeding some swans we found. It was a lot of fun. Saturday I went to St. Patrick's but it cost money to get in so a few of us just decided to go in the garden out back and hang out while the others went through. Then we loaded up onto the coach and went to Belfast.
Belfast was nice. There was a Mexican food place!!!!!!! It was so dang good. The guy who started it got the idea from Chipolte, so it was that same style and, not as good, but right up there. We weren't sure where it was at first so Erika asked some local people and this was their conversation...not making this up.
Erika: Hi, do you guys know where the burrito place is?
Guy: I'm sorry?
Erika: I heard there is a burrito place around here, do you know where it is?
Guy: Is that the name of it or is that the kind of food they have?
Girl: I don't know, sorry.
Erika: That's the kind of food they have.
Girl: What is a burrito?
Erika: It's a tortilla with sour cream and beans and rice and meat and you fold it up and eat it...
Girl: You mean, like Subway?
Erika: Not quite.
We all died laughing, which in hindsight, was probably really rude. That couple walked off really fast after that. When we turned around, the place was right in front of our faces. Boojum. Weird name. Great food. MMMMMMM. Then we just walked around the city. There was a concert at the Church right next to our hostel and we went and listened to that for a while. Sunday I went to Church and then lunch and then we had some free time and we tried to plan our trip but got nowhere. Then we went to evening service and then dinner and walked around the city some more.
We left early on Monday for Ballycastle and stayed in Corrymeela. Coastal city. Most gorgeous view. It was so peaceful and relaxing and there wasn't a lot of pressure to go and see a bunch because it's not a big city. We were there for two days and then we went to Derry. On the way, we saw the giant's causeway which is just this huge rock formation that naturally grew up into honeycomb shaped steps all over the place. It was really cool. Derry was uneventful. We went to a museum, walked around the wall, went to eat, saw some Irish music. I went to dinner the second night with a group at a bowling alley. It was a nice 3 course meal and bowling for 17 pounds. That's pretty good. So we ate until we were full and then some and then had a rousing 10 frames of bowling. We did have to walk about 3 miles to get there and to get back...so that sucked. Other than that, it was a great night!I guess that was Thursday night. So Friday morning I woke up and went around town with some people and we went to this store called pound world. It's the UK equivalent of dollar general. So everything was 1 pound and we went crazy! Mostly, everyone bought a ton of candy. I did get some stellar sunglasses though, and I'm super proud of them. I've been wearing them all week! Hah. Overall, Ireland was a success. Though, basically every stereotype you hear about the Irish is true. Loud, drunk, angry, and red headed.
We got back Friday evening and everyone was so tired and didn't feel like cooking so we did something easy: pasta. I'm still sick of pasta from Italy but...there you go. And none of the boys upstairs wanted to cook so they all bought in and we had a nice house dinner. It was actually a really good meal. Emily knows how to cook so the sauce was incredible! Then, Saturday, everyone woke up kind of late and I did some laundry but it was a beautiful day outside and I took a book out there and read for a long time. Then Emily and Mandy (with a little help from some of the boys) decided to make a house breakfast and we had chocolate chip pancakes and scrambled eggs and french toast and bacon and fresh strawberries and bananas. OH! It was so good. Then I went back outside and read some more and played volleyball for a while and then read some more and then had dinner outside and then went to bed.
Sunday I got up for Church and then went to this place called the Mission for lunch. It's a burrito place, also based on Chipolte, also not as good. Whatever. It was Mexican food. Then, I decided I needed some skirts or something to wear since it was so nice out and all I have are athletic shorts. So I went and got two skirts and two shirts to go with them. I found a TON of cute ones, and if I wore them with leggings they would be fine, but without, Erika said they were a little hoochie so I decided I couldn't get them. Sad. After shopping I went and read outside again, then Emily made enchiladas for dinner and they were delicioious!! Then it was time for devo and I did that and I stayed around after and watched the masters with some of the guys. It was getting really intense. I didn't know people could get so upset about golf!!
Monday was supposed to be a big homework day. I went to a cafe with my friend and we stayed there for almost 3 hours and I only finished homework for 1 of my classes. So I was going to come back and finish the rest but then I started talking to people and it got pushed out of the way...so that's what I should be doing today! Hah, right now, in fact. The teachers just keep piling stuff on and I can't get it all done! All this dang reading is taking me forever!!!! Oh well. Gotta do it, right? I leave for Berlin on Thursday night and I'll get back Saturday night. So I'll try to put something up on Sunday. I really did look through my pictures thinking about some that I could put on here and I just don't like any of the pictures I've taken! I mean...they look cool to me, but I don't know how other people would like them. Plus, I'm bad at being IN my pictures...so I'll work on that this last month and see what I can do. Again, no promises.
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