Assessing the Damage

We've reached the halfway point in the program, and assessments and paper topics loom large in the future. But the independent exploration continues.

I wanted to share some of these photos; over the weekend, Brittany and I took a day trip out to see the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. In the house of our Burren guide (his grandmother's, formerly) we found the hallway to the WC. I recall one student in our Folk Art class doing her paper on a signature wall in her friend's home. Finding another example on the other side of the world seemed like a good time to draw some connections. The walls are covered in messages from visitors worldwide, including some rather interesting illustrations.









In the case of our tour guide, John is a farmer, whose family has owned and worked the land for over 200 years. With his degree in Irish culture and archeology, he runs tours of his family's land, and at the end invited everyone in to Granny's cottage to enjoy some of Mum's apple pie. Now, who could say "no" to such a delight?

 

It appears that John's guests have taken to leaving their appreciation for his efforts. I didn't get a chance to ask about the hall, as we were being rushed back to the bus for more excellent commentary, and a few more sites before the Cliffs of Moher.

An Update on Our Status

We are all alive and well. We are all, however, exhausted after a busy week of classes, dancing, lectures, and exploring.

This weekend we will be spending our Sunday in the Aran islands, and Saturday will have some adventure, and tomorrow we propose to rent bikes and take ourselves over to Claddagh to view the region that named the ring design. We've already been to the Claddagh ring museum, helpfully located in the back room of a shop, so we can only hope that the fields that make up Claddagh are just as impressive. And then the purchasing of rings to mark the occasion. The authenticity of the moment is overwhelming; or that's the five miles of walking every day (conservative guess).

Continued Reading

Our group has arrived safely on the Emerald Isle, and thus far managed to sample some of the many delights of the fair city of Dublin. Primarily this has included more walking than any of us have experienced lately, a James Joyce walking tour on Bloomsday of all days, and visits to Kilmainhaim Gaol, Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Guinness Storehouse, and an evening of theatre. Oh, the wonders of 60 hours in a city, and the desire to maximize experience.

I'd like to take a quick opportunity to plug a few further delights: the first is Kerry's other travel blog, found at http://academiadispatch.blogspot.com/

In addition, once a few necessary connectors are found, photos of our adventures will be made available.

Horoscopes and Self-fulfillment

From the Washington Post, the horoscope for the birthday March 20, 2010:

"You'll have the means to see more of the world this year. Moves are favored, as is travel, especially long distance. A change of venue brings something fresh and fiery to your personal life. Look for love where loving people gravitate, and you'll be basking in the affection of a very attractive someone this summer."

I am not the sort of person to ignore good advice and predictions in my favor. I enjoy the daily treat of a horoscope, and interpreting its meaning as I see fit, but this seems perfectly clear: I must go wandering again. I have no plan to move house this year, but long distance travel is perfectly reasonable, and fits nicely with my personal interests. And so I plan to bring about the predictions of a newspaper horoscope and travel to Ireland for a study abroad program.

Living and studying in Galway for the summer also fulfills a personal goal I forgot I had; two years ago, after a weekend in Dublin during another study abroad program, I decided I wanted to someday visit Galway and the Ring of Kerry. How delightful, I managed to find a program that offers residence in Galway, and a day trip to the Ring of Kerry.

But, incidentals aside, I am going to learn. I, with my three companions, are intending to advance our studies of folklore. My proposed class schedule includes Gaelic Literature and Culture, and Irish Traditional Music and Dance, with options on Gaelic language classes.