Prague Zoo!! (Praha Zoo!!)

My friends and I took the metro train to the edge of prague where they have a zoo!! It was like 150 krowns to get in (like 5-6 dollars.. we walked all around and it was so much fun!! They had lots of different animals out but the ones that stood out were the goats because we could feed them and pet them lol Overall we were very lucky to have sunny weather all day, but it was still chilly!!!

Cookie Ice Cream

In Prague... you only have to pay 27 Krowns (which is like 1 us dollar) for a cone of ice cream!! this little place had COOKIE flavor with actually cookie crumbs in it!! sooo yummmyyy!!!

Lighting the Christmas Tree in Prague...

There was a crowd in town square so we joined in the crowd to see what was going on.. and I'm glad we did... it happened to be their tree lighting ceremony!! what a treat! osm, sedm, šest, pět, čtyři, tři, dva, jedna, nula! (8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0)It was soo beautiful!!

Czech TV...

One thing about the czech republic that i thought was interesting was their TV... they had no english channels and Angie and I came across a channel playing spongebob squarepants.. or Spongebob Squarekalhoty lol this is an episode I have seen before so it was fun trying to figure out what they were saying in czech lol

My trip to Prague!!! Arriving in the Czech Republic

Leaving for Prague on the 530pm flight with my german roommate Lena and friend from the mount, Connor!

When we arrived in prague, it was night time, we were greeted with people speaking strickly Czech. I only knew how to say hello and thank you in czech... Dobrý den (Hello) and děkuji (thank you) - this was semi helpful when going through immigration and I out of reflex said hello and thank you in english rather than in czech... this is very important because the majority of adults in prague speak strickly czech and don't know much english... they prefer czech so it is kind of a respect thing to speak their language when in there country.. the same thing is applied in America when we want the hispanics to speak english in our country... I now realize how hard it can be to go into a country with little to no knowledge of their language, and it proved to be somewhat difficult to communicate.. but thank god Angie and Justin both knew general czech and how to communicated effectively since they lived there for 3 months last year!

This is a street in prague that we walked down lookin for a place to eat... they are allready for christmas!!

Lazy Days...

Yesterday and Today are my lazy days... I have been working on papers like a mad woman that I need a chill day to take it easy (So far I have completed 10 papers out of 12)! I also need a day to do some thinking.. take a time out but it will be nice and relaxing...

oh and on another note... I am leaving Thursday to go to Prague!! this is going to be awesome! im going to go to a country that I don't know the language and this is going to be a new experience for me. Lucky for me, my friends Angie and Justin lived in prague for 3 months and they can speak czech, so I feel really comfortable with traveling there...

When in Dublin...

WHEN IN DUBLIN...

My drink of choice... Smithwicks (bars only offer a few selections of beer and this is the one that is my favorite)


I found an appreciation for... people (the people in ireland are so friendly and very welcoming! they love americans and its an instant convo starter when i open my mouth to speak and i dont have a thick irish accent lol)


I can't stand... the currency (everything from the money in physical form and the exchange rate)



I spend my nights... skyping and keeping in touch with people back home and going out to the bars to hang out with friends.. My favorite bar? Legal Eagle!


MY favorite place to eat... is Little Caesar's (which is an confused restaurant that cannot decide if its greek or italian!!) --> their pasta with chicken and mushrooms is heavenly!!!


This is just a taste of what i like to do.. WHEN IN DUBLIN!!!

Goodbye summer...

Yesterday I dyed my hair back to the way it should be, medium/dark brown. The summer took a toll on it.. with me being out in the sun a lot, my hair got lighter as a result.. as seen in the picture below

I like my normal color so its nice to have a slight change before I head back home and its winter there.. even though it is november here is ireland, it is still mild weather.. just yesterday it was like 50 degrees and with a simple breeze.

When I get back home I am planning to cut my hair and tame this mess.. because i have been out of the states for almost 3 months.. and during that time I have not gotten my hair cut once!! my hair is like a bushy lions mane and it just needs to be cleaned up, which is one of the first things on my To-Do List when I get home :)

Im proud of my brother...

My older brother is in the army... many people when I tell them my brother is in the military they immediately respond with "oh thats too bad" or "oh thats terrible"... typical responses I would expect... but you know what.. I am damn proud of my brother!! I don't think he is making a mistake or that he had no other option but to joint the military... I believe he is doing a great service in serving our country... and even though its dangerous, someone has to be brave and do it. I don't listen to liberal hippies (making reference to South Park Hippie episode) and what they say about war and how war is bad and nothing good from it.. look at history in the past.. history repeats itself consistently.. peace comes at a high price.. and freedom at an even higher price... and what my brother is brave and he does something amazing that benefits the nation in many ways... I am sick of people disrespecting... My brother is now overseas in Kuwait and putting his life on the line every moment of everyday to make sure that I can have the freedom I have every single day... I love my brother and I am proud to have him as my brother...

Never use an umbrella in dublin...

Its easy to spot locals from tourist.. one word, UMBRELLA!! most the people in ireland invest in a very good rain jacket instead of an umbrelle.. why you may ask? because there are a few key facts about rain here....
1. Rain is very unpredictable.. it can happen anywhere at anytime! (sunny one moment and pouring the next is very common weather)
2. It gets really windy here (20 mph is the norm but it does get stronger)
3. It rains pretty much everyday, even if you dont check the weather for the day, just expect it will rain anyways

... With these facts in mind.. when you combine strong winds and rain together... you get BROKEN UMBRELLAS!!!


On my way to school today, I walked in the rain and through the strong winds, and I noticed at every other public trash can there was a broken umbrella. This is not only sad to see but a waste of good umbrellas. I will only take out my umbrella on the rare occasions that it is just raining straight down with no winds... I rather wear a rain jacket than break my expensive umbrella. Lucky for me Dubliners share this same idea. Umbrellas are useless here in ireland and you learn this fact quick the first day you arrive.

Thanksgiving in Dublin

Last night I had Thanksgiving Dinner.. yah i know it is a week early, but since they don't celebrate thanksgiving here the study abroad program randomly selected a day to pay for a "Thanksgiving" meal.. which was good non the less.... the restaurant of choice was the elegant MILLSTONE restaurant located near grafton street. Now this meal they give us a tiny menu with a predetermined choices for 1st course (Starter), 2nd course (entree), and finally the 3rd course (dessert). I chose the Butternut Squash and Apple Cider Soup... The classic Turkey with stuffing and cranberries, and finally a Chocolate Mousse!! --> the meal was soo good but i was so stuffed by the end of the meal that I couldn't finish my chocolate mousse!! :( oh well... The evening was overall good, got to have a nice meal with the other students in the study abroad program since my other friends are in Amsterdam for a couple of days.

One of a kind....

When i was in Galway,I was a store that specialized in Claddagh Rings (which are rings that originated in Galway... it is said...
"The Claddagh's distinctive design features two hands clasping a heart, and usually surmounted by a crown. The elements of this symbol are often said to correspond to the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown). The expression which was associated with these symbols in the giving of the ring was: "With my two hands I give you my heart, and crown it with my loyalty." Yet, the expression, "Let love and friendship reign forever" can be found as another meaning for the symbols. The way that a Claddagh ring is worn on the hand is usually intended to convey the wearer's romantic availability, or lack thereof. The ring is worn on the right hand with the heart facing outward to show that the wearer is not romantically linked but is looking for love. When turned inwards, it is shown that the wearer is in a relationship, or their heart has been "captured". Noting that the heart is pointing down the hand and into the veins which lead to the wearer's heart. The ring worn on the left hand with the heart facing outward shows the wearer is engaged; turned inward indicates the wearer is married."


Now while at this store I was looking at these rings... but then i saw this random ring in the corner of my eye... it was a shamrock ring... i asked to try it on and the lady at the counter said the ring was one of a kind that she got from an old friend that used to make rings and this was a ring that would not normally be produced.. because even tho we are in ireland, the shamrock isnt typically used as a symbol in jewelry. When i put the ring on, I was actually surprised that it fit me great. I wsa in love with the ring that I bought it, as kind of a symbol of my trip to ireland and galway. Everyone gets a Claddagh Ring in galway and i got something i saw as better and unique... just like me!! lol :P

Need to wash some socks...

When I first arrived here i was nicely greeted with the knowledge that we would have to pay for our own laundry to be washed... the apartments sell tokens to have people do laundry, but after hearing from other students how horrible and crappy the washer and dryer was, I decided to just start washing my own clothes... in my sink lol ok yes very ghetto and very 40's i guess lol.. This sounded easy to do from the start, and it was... the only thing that totally sucked was waiting for clothes to air dry... Since I am in Dublin, weather is very unpredictable.. it can be sunny one minute and raining the next... So when it got to the point where it took about 36 hours for my pants to dry.. i decided to try the local Laundromat MR TUBS!

Anyways.. this only cost me 10 euro to have them do my laundry for me.. and i get it back in less than 4 hours.. this is a pretty damn good deal considering the tokens the apartments offer cost about 2 euro each and averages about 8 euro to do a full load of laundry... you do the math..for the most part i have been pretty happy with Mr. Tubs, but you always have to know what you give them, because there are times when you will get something that doesnt belong to you or something will go missing... so what i do is check before i leave the place and make sure i have everything important there, and if i happen to be missing something i can address it on the spot.. in the city, laundromats are the washing of choice and probable the best option I have found here.. its also not too bad that the people are pretty friendly lol

Breakfast before class...

ok i took a picture of my omelette before i ate it!!...

... but it was tempting!!! lol

Discount Shopping!!

One of the best things that I have ever encountered in dublin is the wonders and awesomness of the EURO 2 STORE!! Pretty much like a version of the dollar store back home but everything is 2 euros!!! Now this store has lots of things that you can get for 2 euro!!...

What can I get for 2 euro???
- Herbal Essences Shampoo/Condition (2 euro)
- Markers, crayons, and color pencils (2 euro)
- 2 packages of gummies (2 euro)
- 2 birthday cards (2 euro)
- headphones (2 euro)
- 2 notebooks (2 euro)
- alarm clock (2 euro)
- face paints and halloween lights?? (2 euro!!)

amazing deals that are perfect for someone like me who struggles with getting everything she can out of her euro... damn conversion rate!! oh well this is my saving grace here in ireland when it comes to getting basic stuff and not paying the ridiculous prices that some places charge!

Omelette Time!!

This morning I had a craving for breakfast, so what I did was grab all i had in the fridge and made myself an omelette!! I took 2 eggs, diced tomatoes, and diced onions and started cooking my omelette creation! then once I finished, I folded in a good amount of pesto! omfg it was sooo good!!! :) this is something I am def gonna keep in my memory for breakfast when I get back home lol

Yummy!!! all gone! lol

Two things have come out of Northern Ireland.. Terrorism and the Titanic

I was in Derry (which is in Northern Ireland) for one day, and during this day we did a walking tour around Derry which consisted of walking in thw pouring rain and looking at the various memorials dedicated to the dead of bloody sunday and the people who advocated the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. I experience the worst weather I have ever experienced.. it was pouring rain.. and the wind was soo strong that it broke umbrellas and you had no way of protecting yourself.. oh and did i mention it was freezing cold??

Yah.. this is me after the rain... miserable, cold, and wet!! and i was getting on a bus that for some reason keeps A/C on.. fabulous!! lol



Northern Ireland is UK Territory, hence the British Flag... Derry is pictured as a war zone, which it was but not so much anymore. There is a clear divide between the Irish Catholics and the British protestants. There was an event that took place here called bloody sunday... which was a day when 13 innocent people were killed by the british guard as they were trying to run away and escape from them.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK)

Lots have people have told me on numerous occasions that I am really a fat person in a skinny body! Which is very true because I love food and I love eating food!! :D

The Gourmet Burger Kitchen (or the GBK) is the Burger version of California Pizza Kitchen (CPK).. and this is by far the best burgers I have had in Ireland! They have over 20 different versions (including 5 vegiterian options). Lucky for poor study abroad students like me, they have a lunch special that is 5 euros forr any burger on the menu!! The burger I recommend? The Pestorella! (pesto, mozzerella, tomato relish, tomatoes and irish beef!) My favorite place to eat, but make sure you have time on your hands because the service is pretty damn slow (FOOD IS WORTH IT!)

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway is just so beautiful!! the sun was starting to set when we got there so we saw such great scenery!!






The Legend of Finn MacCool! (and the cause of the Giant's Causeway!!) Yes this is a legit story that is told at the visitor center!!
"Engraving of Susanna Drury's A View of the Giant's Causeway: East ProspectLegend has it that the Irish warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner. One version of the legend tells that Fionn fell asleep before he got to Scotland. When he did not arrive, the much larger Benandonner crossed the bridge looking for him. To protect Fionn, his wife Oonagh laid a blanket over him so he could pretend that he was actually their baby son. In a variation, Fionn fled after seeing Benandonner's great bulk, and asked his wife to disguise him as the baby. In both versions, when Benandonner saw the size of the 'infant', he assumed the alleged father, Fionn, must be gigantic indeed. Therefore, Benandonner fled home in terror, ripping up the Causeway in case he was followed by Fionn." (Wikipedia! thank you)
In reality, scientist say that these unique rocks and columns were created by volcanic eruptions!

The Odyssey in Belfast..

My friends and I decided to go to the odyssey center where they have everything from hockey, bowling, arcades, and even movies!! We tried to do bowling but there was an issue, we aparently had to make a reservations, so we decided to change our plans to see a christmas carol!! (Jim Carey!)Yes I recorded a preview!! lol their previews are really weird.. they were so depressing!! there was even one that was a message to people to buckle up in the car, but they did it in a guilt trip kind of way.. really sucked!! i go to the movies to get entertained not depressed!!!

Now we went to the arcade and that was fun!! There was pool and instead of striped and solid balls... they were orange and yellow with no numbers... easier i guess lol

Belfast

Belfast.. hmm what to say about belfast.. well it is very cold!! lol it is UK territory so there is no irish flags and the currency of choice is the pound (shillings)..

Belfast is a beautiful city... but little to do... We did a bus tour of the city and i got a cookie from a bakery!!


Oh goodness what it was yummy!! it had jam in the middle!! :) yummmmmmmmyy!! and only 40p (cents in pounds lol)


.. and it is kinda of sketchy lol... there are lots of memorials for people who were killed in the "troubles".. when you look below you see that there is a statue... the scales of justice have been stolen!!! gasp!!

This actually is the old court house that burnt down...



Walking around belfast there are some tunnels to go under the streets.. now that was pretty sketchy!! but hey as long as ur with a big group ur all good lol