I saw baseball on TV!

No, it wasnt Hurling or Football...it was baseball. :) And for once..i was excited to be home! I guess thats not true...the other day when Michelle and i were in Tipperary, i saw some American money on the nightstand of the house we were staying at and i freaked out. I've never been so excited to see a quarter in my life. I squeeled. It's the little things for me. :) You never realize how acclimated you are becoming to something until you see the "old" ways. It completely brought me back. It was very wierd.

So, im "home". Thank goodness for the Orlando airport for having free wifi. The internet at my apartment in Ireland was TERRIBLE the past couple days, so i coudnt even sign on to update my blog. But i thought it was very important to update on the last couple nights and give my final remarks.

I just have to say this at this time if i may: There are a ton of children of "asian" decent (my guess is chinese) all wearing face masks. Like they are going to catch the swine flu. Where is Martha when i need her.....

So! Tuesday: I had my last classes and took our final exams.....cake. I aced them of course :) It was hilarious how many people were freaking out about these tests and papers and such and i really just didnt stress about them to much. At one point in time i felt a pang of guilt for being a bad student because i wasnt studying as hard as everyone else, but then i realized that i was in Ireland and the tests/papers were easy, so i went downtown and had fun! Crazy people who stress over little things (<------totally me).

After the exams, everyone gathered outside of the testing room and looked at each other and said almost simultaniously... "Time to go drink!"....i know, i sound like an alcoholic. I'm NOT! But its Ireland, and thats what you do to celebrate anything and everything. Not to mention it was our last night. And it was a good one at that. We went everywhere and saw everyone. Since the arts festival is going on right now, there is live music everywhere. So we saw a bit of that in a little "exclusive" club called the Cellar. But we also got a taste for the wild and crazy dancing side of Ireland at this other club. :( Talking about all this is making me sad...

SO that was Tuesday. Wednesday, Michelle and i went out and tried to get what gifts we could with what little money we both had. That is one thing i am not going to miss. It is unbelieveably expensive there. A double cheeseburger from McDonalds is 2 euro! ($3.00!) For a double cheeseburger! Ya know...the cheapest, nastiest food you can find in america. Crazy. After that, we packed up our stuff and headed out to the Kings Head (our favorite pub) to see our band (the one with the cute banjo player). It was a blast, even when we werent drinking. We had to catch the bus to dublin at 5am. It wasnt fun. But we stayed out with the band until about 3. Hahaha! No, i havent slept in over 24 hours. And i was just on an airplane for 9.5 hours.

I'm not really sure how to sum up the last month. As cliche as this is all going to sound, it was a life changing experience. I was expecting something totally different when i left, and i couldnt be happier about the time that i had. Michelle and i were talking, and there isnt one thing that could have happend to made the trip better. We firmly believe we had the best experience we could have had and made the most of every moment. Having Michelle there definately made the trip amazing. It would have been so different without her, and im so grateful for her company. Its so strange how one person can completely change the course of your life (or a month of it at least). I'm so happy we got along so well. Go us :)

Ireland is simply amazing. I had more than one irish person say to me "Ireland would be the greatest country on the earth if only it would stop raining once in a while". Which is absolutely true. Everything about that country is genuine. The people, the music, the culture, the spirit, the nationalisim, the landscape. All the other countries i've visited (allbeit only Canada...but what i've heard from people who have been to other, less developed countries) it seems like they are trying to modernize and become like America. And Ireland is so different from that. They arent trying to be like the US at all. Even though they love us :) I cant tell you how many times people would hear Michelle and i talking and just but in our conversation with "Americans! Ladies...Where are you from! Why are you here?!" Its adorable. Anyway, words cant really describe the place because it simply can not be put into words. You'll just have to go visit yourselves.

I need to thank my parents. Without them (this sounds like an academy award speech) i would not have been able to come. Well i would have, but i'd have a ton of creditors coming after me and i'd be an emaciated wreck. Thank you mom and dad....i promise...i WILL buy you a vinyard one day to make up for this. You have offically done your part in assisting with my education. I love you <...........this.........> much more for all your help. Any ideas on how to come up with $150,000.00 for law school?

So....now for ideas on how to adjust back to American culture. First off, noone is allowed to laugh at me if i say wierd words or phrases. And if i burst out into spontanious tears, its only because i left my heart in Ireland :) Hahahah...kidding. Actually...no im not. I did leave part of it there, and i'm GOING to go back and get it again one day. I have to. The thought of never seeing ireland again is heartwrenching.

Okay, i have to go board my next plane. Thank you for reading (if anyone even did). Sorry i didnt post more pictures. I'll try and keep putting them up or post the link to a diffferent website so you can view them.

Slan agus bennacht! (farwell and blessings)