Finals

I don't have much to report on Ireland. I am gearing up to go... I bought a guidebook on Amazon last week.

I have finals starting tomorrow, but I am having a hard time getting motivated. A little like Christmas, visions of shamrocks are dancing in my head. Hopefully finals wouldn't be too bad this semester. Only one of them is comprehensive, and my professor has promised that the list of topics that he posted will be the only topics on the final.

In other news, since finals will be over I am going to be moving back home for a month. That also means I have to pack everything up. I am not really looking forward to that part of it, because I think I have acquired a lot of stuff this year. Maybe I can have a moving sale...

Back to the books,

~Dannielle

Just a little update

I haven't posted much lately. Not a whole lot going on for this trip yet. I have been filling out paperwork for housing and such. My parents and I had to send in a waiver saying if I die we won't sue. Plus I got a physical (I am in excellent health, by the way) and have been researching and reading up on Ireland.

Most recently I have been looking up churches plus sending out emails trying to find one to go to BEFORE I leave. I will only be there for 7 weeks or so, therefore I don't want to waste 4 weeks trying to find a place that I feel comfortable. I am hoping to have it narrowed down to one or two THEN decide. And I know that it will be a easier to get connected with some other Christians if I have at least emailed them in advance.

Also I am filling out an application to work as a substitute teacher for the time between the end of school for me and the 10th of June. It is one of the few positions that I can think of that won't be put out if I leave in the 2nd week of June. So wish me luck with that.

Back to the work. I haven't done any homework all weekend so I need to get some stuff done.

~Dannielle

Small details

Sooo... I had my meeting last night and have a few more of the details about my trip.
1. I will be staying in an apartment in a residential part of central Dublin with between 3-9 other students.
2. The program is not on a university campus... in fact IES (my program sponsor) is contained all in one building.
3. It is likely that I will only have class 1 or 2 days a week... they pack the workload in on those days, however.

Plus I learned how to say hello.
Dia dhuit a (name)= God be with you,
The response is:
Dias muire dhuit a (name)= God and Mary be with you.
And the response to that is:
Dias muire dhuit is padraig a (name)= God and Mary and Patrick be with you.

Evidently it goes on and can get up to twelve names of saints, but that is as far as the lady who was talking to us wanted to go...

Anyway,
Dia dhuit a you (I don't know the Irish word for it yet)
~Dannielle

Airfare bought

So I got my refund check from my scholarship on Friday and I guess it was burning a hole in my pocket... so, after depositing it today, I went ahead and bought my plane ticket. Looks like I am leaving Evansville on June 10th flying to Cincinnati, then to JFK in New York, then Dublin. The return trip will follow the same route. More stops than I had planned, but it will be an adventure this way... right?

Not a whole lot else. There is an informational meeting on Wednesday that will hopefully fill out those SMALL details like where I will be living (on campus, in an apartment, with a family...?)and how or where I will eat.

Have a great night
~ Dannielle

It's official

Happy St. Patrick's Day (late)

After paying the "pre-payment" of $500, I have two conclusions: I REALLY GOING! And I am really poor. Not to worry though, my scholarships are actually paying for everything, but now I have to wait to be reimbursed. In the meantime I am living on a yarn budget (slightly smaller than a shoestring) but am excited enough by the thought of going to Ireland to not let that bother me. Hopefully the wheels of the bureaucracy will grind a bit faster and I will be able to buy my airfare soon...

Off to class, because that is why I go to college. (Right?)

~Dannielle

Accepted!

I found out today that I have been accepted to a study abroad program through IES to Ireland! I am really excited! I will be leaving in mid-June and be on the Emerald Isle until the end of July. I got the email earlier this afternoon... it had about 10 links to things I need to read or do. But at least I already have my passport, so that is one thing that is off the list. The rest of the links are the basics: medical information, manual for etiquette (don't use intravenous drugs and don't have sex with strangers) and the all-important money stuff.

By the way, I probably won't update this blog too much until it gets closer to time, but I wanted to make sure it was all set up before I left the states.

Not much else to report... More to come eventually...