Tuam Homestay

Two weekends ago, I had the wonderful opportunity of staying with a host family in the small community of Clare Tuam. The family, the O'Briens, have had several French and American students to lavish their hospitality upon, and I was blessed to be one of them for two nights! Bernie, the mother, is so warm and talkative, reminding me of my mama, and the father, Tommy, was equally hospitable and kind. The two boys, Killean and Darren, 6 and 10, were two of the most well behaved children I have had the pleasure of meeting. My host sister, Mandy, and I played two games of Monopoly with them and they took us around their small city center in the rain. With two young boys as tour guides, of course we went to two pet shops and two candy stores! When driving around Clare Tuam Saturday, we literally had to stop in the road for a herd of cows to move! Just like the movies! :)



We visited Tommy's parents' farm where he and his five brothers and one sister grew up. We met the cows and horses, then came in the kitchen for tea. They ended up serving us hot Irish whiskey (because it was a rainy day.. even though almost every day is!) and asking me to sing "Blue Moon of Kentucky"! Such good craic (translation: the world's best fun)!

Sunday, we went to Catholic Mass where the priest was overjoyed to see us, "Young people!" he screamed, "I love young people who are unafraid to come to mass on a Sunday morning!" He went on and on. It was great. For the remainder of the day, Mandy and I cooked in the kitchen with Bernie.



It was probably some of the happiest moments I have had here. We both love to cook, and she showed us how to make Irish brown bread, scones, an apple tart, and all kinds of vegetables. Then we shared our meal and caught the coach back home to Galway, about half an hour away. Tears came to my eyes on the bus ride back. I love being in a home and surrounded by so much love. I was shocked by how much it made me want a family of my own. My personality often fails to be one of what someone my age in my society is supposed to have, meaning I am a nurturer and somewhat of an introvert. But when I'm comfortable with someone, I give them my whole heart and desire to know them completely. Being surrounded by family is when I feel the most comfortable and free to be myself, even if it's only a family I've known for 48 hours.

Luckily, Mandy and I are going back to stay for a longer weekend in February and maybe to take a trip with the family this time! I can't wait. Rolling green hills and masses of fluffy sheep!

Other than that, I have really started to settle into my new home and I couldn't possibly be happier.. The only thing I keep wanting to complain about is the 35 minute hike to campus every day. But, I found a shortcut that trims off about five minutes and takes me through a couple of fields and up dirt path where I jump the guard rail at the top of a hill next to an old "castle" (really a stone house). It makes me feel adventurous.

Tomorrow, my roommate Chloe and I are going to the Cliffs of Moher and I will definitely post pictures. Also, I have done a little more sightseeing in Galway, including Salthill and the Harbor. So, so beautiful. More to come!

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A Walk Around Galway.

We had a rare sunny day in Galway last week and I took a walk alone, listening to Damien Rice on my ipod, and documenting my new beautiful town.







I stopped on a bench in Eyre Square - the center of downtown - and wrote in my journal just as the sun was beginning to set (which is around 4:30pm here). I still haven't made it over to the harbor or the Spanish Arch. Today it is sunny again and I'm about to head out to do some much needed grocery shopping.

I went on a homestay to Tuam in County Galway this past weekend and will post some pictures of the beautiful countryside asap.

In the beginning...

Hello!

This is mainly a blog to keep my folks and beloveds updated on my European travels. I am currently studying anthropology at Transylvania University in Kentucky, but have traveled abroad to Galway, Ireland for the semester. Here, I am a student at the National University of Ireland at Galway, and am taking Gaelic and Irish Studies classes.

I moved to Dublin on New Year's Day, then to Galway January 3rd, one week ago. It has been one of the longest weeks of my life!

I have only been to a few pubs, but Galway is famous for them and their live trad (traditional) music sessions that often take place in dark pub corners. A girl in my program, Caroline, plays the flute amazingly well, and joined in with the musicians. There was a singer, a fiddler, a banjo player, and a bodhran (a traditional Irish drum) player. I sat with the musicians in the corner and was contently sipping my Guinness and taking in the improvisational music and the loud Irish accented conversations happening in the tiny pub. Two traditional cloggers were in town for just one more night, and they danced right at my feet for the whole pub while the band played. It was exactly how you would imagine and hope it would be.

I met a man, the trad singer, who lives in Illinois but was born in Galway. When I asked him why on earth he would leave this beautiful community, when his voice had proved how passionately and emotionally connected he was to Ireland. He pointed to his wedding ring and said, "Five years ago, I met a girl right in this very pub. The rest is history." Yes. It brought tears to my eyes, although - as many of you know - that is no rare occurrence.

Today I started classes at NUI. Campus is a 35-40 minute walk from my building and it is only full daylight here from just before 10AM until 4:30PM or so. Class was at 9AM, so I walked in the dark windy rain alone, but my class was thoroughly interesting: Celtic Mythology, Religion, and Folklore. My home institution is quite limited in what it can offer us anthropology students, so anything specific is a huge gift.

I'm headed back out with some people in my program in search of some musical pubs in the dark rainy night!

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