Flying Home

Hello all! As I type, I'm using the free wifi on my flight from Frankfurt, Germany to Detroit, Michigan. It has been impossible for me to acknowledge that this isn't another planned program excursion where I'll be back at my host mom's house tonight. I bet it'll hit me in a few days. Yesterday (my last day in Strasbourg), I spent the afternoon walking around town and running last minute errands and picking up some final souvenirs. My heart was heavy as I road on the tram past the buildings and over the Rhine river that have become so familiar. Leaving Strasbourg made me realize how much I've enjoyed the city. It seemed so big at first, but over time, I was able to connect the streets and different areas in my mind and discovered that, in reality, Strasbourg is much smaller than my home town.
Going back is a must. The entire time that I was abroad there was an end date in the back of my mind; "I'll be home on January 16th, this *insert cultural challenge* is only temporary. But what about when I'll be back in France? I don't have that security blanket, that live-to date to ease the sadness of leaving. I'll just have to lean on the confidence that I will make it happen some day.
Heading home is exciting in it's own way. I'll be able to cook my own food, use my cell phone and set up my own exercise routine again. And not to mention that seeing my full wardrobe for the first time after almost five months will be like shopping in my own personalized store! I've been missing many of the brighter colored articles and tee-shirts. And sweatpants! Oh what comfort awaits me.
I hope you have enjoyed following me around France and Europe. It's been fun updating this blog every week with stories and pictures of all my new experiences. Looking back on my entries has been a neat pastime for me to do myself. Who knows, I may even start another blog during my senior research project or to document my experiments with knitting projects and designs. I'll keep you posted! Au revoir!

Waiting for a Collision; They're Driving on the Left!

Hello! Since my last post, I have visited Killarney, Ireland and returned to Dublin. I fell in love with Killarney; the town was quaint and everyone was really nice, though it was the national park that stole my heart. Kailee and I spend the afternoon after we arrived looking around the main streets of town and checking out a few nearby sites. When we went to a hotel to check-in to the B&B next door where we reserved a room as a one-night treat, the manager of the hotel told us that there was a once-a-year deal going on where we could stay in the hotel for the same price as the B&B. We took it. It was so nice! The hotel was a four-star and practically in the middle between the train station and the centre of town. We were so spoiled! That night we went out to dinner at a pub and each ate a bowl of Irish stew for dinner with a glass of Guinness. The perfect Irish experience!

In Killarney National Park

Yesterday we weren't able to find any tours going (it's off tourist season so we were the only two interested) to the Ring of Kerry or the Gap of Dunloe, so we rented bikes and took our own route. Thanks to directions from the man who we rented the bikes from, we visited what he called the "best kept secret in Killarney" called Aghadoe, which is pretty much at the top of a mountain. That bike ride almost killed me. But with the view at the top, you would have thought you'd died and gone to heaven. It was breath-taking. And going back down the hill at what must have been 25-30mph at times, simply added to the thrill of the day.

Ross Castle

After Aghadoe, we biked through the national park to Ross Castle. It's situated on one of the lakes looking out to the mountains. Ross Castle is fairly small, as far as castles go, but it seemed to hold a certain power over the surrounding woods and water. Sadly, due to it being off season, the building was closed. The courtyard was open though and that was cool to walk around it a bit. As we finished touring the castle, it began to rain (that's Ireland for ya) so we headed back into town and returned our bikes before going to an early dinner and caught our train back to Dublin.

Today we had a pretty late start due to both sleeping in and me feeling incredibly lazy and sore from the mountain biking. We left and had a late lunch at a restaurant where a horse race was showing on the television. It was so much fun to listen to the Irish people there making little bets with each other and cheering for their favorites. There was one women who continued the entirety of one race to yell "Come on Avery!" and Kailee and I had a hard time containing ourselves by the end of it. After lunch, we visited St. Patrick's Cathedral. The cathedral is quite beautiful. There are some really old tombs inside along the walls behind the alter that were interesting to look at and read (when possible). We walked through Temple Bar on the way back to our hostel. I was surprised at how popular and lit up that area was. Maybe we'll find a cool pub there to eat at tonight.
More later!

Est-ce que vous avez- Oh yeah! You speak English here!

Top 'o the evenin' to ya! Guess who has arrived in Dublin! Yeah, that'd be me. Oh man, the trip to get here from Strasbourg was killer. We had a train to Paris, then the RER (speedy metro) to Charles de Gaulle airport for our flight to Belfast, Ireland from where we rode approximately 3.5 hours between two different buses to finally get to Dublin and our hostel. Phew! It's funny to be here and be able to overhear conversations without much effort. We also have to be more careful with what we say to each other! In France, I've found myself commenting on someones cute boots or interesting hairstyle aloud to my friends, assuming that my low tone and accent would dissuade any English speaking French from fully understanding. But in Ireland, they will most likely understand the majority of what we are saying. heh, heh...
The taxi drivers that we've had here so far have been great. We've chatted with them about the weather, since it's been so cold and snowy all over Europe, and each time the driver has turned to us after stopping at our destination and told us where to go/walk as two girls in the city, but not before forbidding us from certain areas and nightclubs. I felt almost like our first driver's daughter with how he was emphasizing that we should NOT, under any circumstances, feel like going in one area of the town at night. Luckily it's a way off from where we're staying and we don't have any such urges.
Tomorrow Kailee and I are planning to explore Trinity College and other wonders of Dublin. Hopefully we'll find a good glass of Guinness with what will undoubtedly be a lateish lunch. I can't have visited Ireland without saying I had some. How could I live that down?
One week and I'll be on my way home!! Toodles!

The Final Stretch

Christmas Eve

Salut! Tomorrow I'm going to Ireland! It's so exciting to be traveling to a country where the main language is English and we don't have to worry about learning key phrases to get by. My friend Kailee and I are going to be there for about five days; three whole days in Dublin and twoish days (including travel) in Killarney visiting the national park there. Can't wait!

Paris and Strasbourg with my family over Christmas break was wonderful. We didn't end up making it to London as we had originally planned because the trains stopped running with all the snow and cold weather they were getting over there. It worked out well though since it left us with extra time for seeing all the sites in Paris and taking it easy. Meeting up with them at the train station was strange. Europe had been a uniquely "me" experience for almost four months and seeing my family in Paris made it feel like they were out of place. Or I was. And it didn't even feel like it had been so long since I'd seen them. We were able to pick up our sibling bickering right from where we left off (but not really. we get along). It was still great to have them here though.

Sacré Cœur

Hopefully I will have adequate internet service and will be able to keep you updated while I'm in Ireland. Sorry that my posts have been especially sparse this last month. With finals and my ICRP project to finish (turned it in today!). I'll see if I can make up for that a bit this next, and final, week! À plus!