I can't imagine what it's like, leaving all this behind but I also can't wait to see my family and friends again.
But to be honest I would ike to stay here for another year because this school is so much easier than my school at home.
I tried to apply for a job at home but I had no idea that it is so difficult, firstly because I'm not at home and that makes it so much more difficult and secondly almost all the jobs are already allocated and have not space for me.
STS told me that my flight is on the 3. June at 12.40. That is so soon, but first I need to finish school and write my summer exams. We still have a lot of things planned before I can go home but we've already had so many adventures the last few weeks that I need to write about them first.
On the 25th March, Bernie, Sofie, Ger, Ali and her other family, went to Dublin for my first Gaelic football match. It was Roscommon against Dublin (the dubs are the best team but very arrogant, that's what everyone says)
Sofie and I were supposed to sit in the "normal" section because Bernie and her family got premium tickets from one of Roisin's cousin so we were alone. But then, in front of the stadium, a woman came up to us and asked if we wanted her premium tickets because she had some so we got them for free!!
It was such a great game and Sofie and I had a great time. Of course, Bernieand her family was rooting or Roscommon to win but in the end they lost. But nobody was feeling down because Niall, one of the Roscommon players and Marian's son (so Bernie's nephew) played incredibly well and he even scored a goal! So everyone was thrilled, especially Marian.
my premium ticket
This was the stadium "Croke park" I think it's the biggest in Ireland.
The next thing that happened was Vera's birthday party. Vera is Anna's host mother and she invited us as well. Her party was on Friday, the last day before our Easter break and the next day, Anna went back to Italy for our break.
During the week before our break, we got a new kitchen. Every day someone came and took the cupboards or the stove or anything and we got the new ones.
The kitchen looked so weird without anything and now, with a new worktop it looks so beautiful. Even now, there are still new things coming, like the extractor fan.
First step: cleaning out the kitchen. In the end there were about 7 garbage bag outside.
second step: Sean took out everything. I know the wall doesn't exactly look beautiful but now, that Bernie painted over it it's very pretty.
third step: but in cupboards and oven and but the cutlery and plates and everything back.
fourth and last step: get the biggest fridge I've ever seen.
Bernie: "It didn't look this big in the store!"
Anna and I went for breakfast. Sofie couldn't come because she had to go to the official school opening.
I had a great time with Andrea, Christian and Dalilah. We went for a delicious dinner in the nice restaurant "Thyme". We asked an elderly woman to take a picture but she couldn't get Christian's head in it...
For easter, Aoife and Roisin gave us these eggs. They were delicious! Bernie gave us some small golden eggs as well.
This is Clonmacnoise. It's an old church ground and now there are many ruins, but you can still see the old gravestones and you kind of understand why this was sacred terrain. I think these ancient ruins are beautiful, even if they got robbed quite often back in the days because the priests were fabulous goldsmiths and tehy made lovely vases and jewellery.
And of course we had to take some pictures...even if we are standing right next to an old grave.
This is a famous archway. It's like in St. Paul's Cathedral in the whisper gallery. You whisper something into one side and the person on the other side can hear it. I tried it out as well and it is kind of creepy, hearing a voice so close to your ear.
Sofie and I...professional photographers.
On Tuesday Bernie, Sofie, Zoé and I went to the Cliffs of Moher. The drive was so long but the scenery was breathtaking. On our way, we stopped next to a castle and we could walk around a bit. It looked very nice.
After some while we had to go back to the car and continue our journey.
The next stop was next to this sign. We were joking that we have to go there and Bernie wanted to take a picture of us with it. "For the craic" how the Irish say.
And the last stop, before we finally arrived at the Cliffs was on a small road up a hill. Bernie told us that these hills were famous because they have loads of rocks but there are still many flowers growing there, some that are extinct anywhere else. The Burren. I think my geography teacher would love to go here...he likes rocks.
And finally, we arrived. It was a sunny day so the camera couldn't take many nice pictures, because the sun was on that side but the view was stunning. We could walk around and there was a small path, without a partition wall between the abyss and the cliff. We took that one and it was nerve-racking but worth it.
Here: the professional photographer Sofie in her natural habitat: the wilderness...
This is how far we could walk to the edge. Scary isn't it?
And here: Bernie the model
Bye bye Ireland, see you again on Sunday. Our flight to Edinburgh.
This was Sofie's and my room. The beds were so fluffy.
This is the typical Scotish breakfast. Eggs, potato pancake, toast with butter, ham, beans, mushrooms, sausage, haggis (sheep insides in a sheep stomache), black pudding (sheep blood). It's not as bad as it sounds, it is actually quite delicious.
Beautiful Edinburgh. I heard that people don't really like it but I think it looks beautiful and I would visit it again anytime.
On Thursday, Sofie and I arrived at around three and met with Lucy and some of the other people. Then we had free time so we went to a chocolate café and it was so delicious, I had banana pancakes with loads of Nutella. In the evening we went to Jamie Oliver's restaurant and the food was so delicious. It was also so much fun, Sofie, Zoé and I talked with Giovanni (an italian guy) and Basile (a french guy) and both are in Ireland as well. They live in Cavan.
On Friday, we went to visit Edinburgh Castle. Because it was the queen's birthday they fired 21 gunshots for her. They also had an orchestra and it was very interesting to listen to them.
After that we went on Arthur's seat. We had to climb for more than an hour but it was worth it. The view was stunning!
This was the view from halfway up.
That is the Edinburgh Castle again.
This was the highest point. It was winding so hard, I almost flew away.
This was our evening programme on Friday. The escape room is a game where you're in a group and you have to solve riddles and find clues to find, for our game, the tesla cube and get out of the room under an hour. We didn't make it, sadly, but we were only 1:47 minutes over the time. But it was so much fun, I would love to do it again at home. The guy that helped us over a walkie talkie when we didn't know how to go further was incredibly nice. He gave us many clues and without him we would've taken waaayyy longer.
This panda was so adorable!!
It actually posed for the picture
It was my first time seeing a koala! They are so adorable!! I took a video where it actually moves and scratches itself!
The girl on the left it Matilda, she's an italian exchange student and she is so extremel nice.
I like how this wallaby sits, very cool very cool
When you have your cheese: happy
After you lost your cheese: very very sad
This was Saturday morning. We went to the zoo and some of the exchange students have never been to one! Sofie for example and she thought it was incredible.
Afterwards we went on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour through Edinburgh. It was very interesting but the wind was very cold and heavy.
Sofie tried to use chopsticks but this is how she held them... gotta parctise a bit.
Because we were such a big group some of us had to sit at another table: Sofie, Zoé, San (a girl from new zealand) and Basile. It was so much fun!
This guy was out waiter and he was the funniest guy ever. We had to laugh every time he passed and he posed for this picture with us. It was hilarious.
We played cards and watched TV and listened to music and talked and it was so much fun. I miss this.
Sofie, Zoé and I went to eat some pancakes and hot chocolate before our flight. Giovanni and Basile had the same flight as Sofie and me (Zoé took an earlier plane) so we went to the airport together. We had dinner together and it was very nice.
Then our holidays ended, the last ones before we have to go home... but we are going to enjoy the time we have left. Once, two teachers organised a trip (initially it was only for theh Spanish but Sofie, Anna and I were able to go with them). We went to Glendalough, it looked similar to Clonmacnoise but there was a beautiful lake and we went on an adventure through the woods.
Our little adventure
This was the lake. It was a nice day so we were eating our lunch there. I wish we could've bathed our feet there.
Another time, we just sat outside in the garden for some hours and I actually got so much more tanned. I couldn't believe it...it was the Irish sun?!
Last week Wiktor, Sofie, Anna, Zoé, Gergely and I went to Galway and the weather was very nice. I bought a waffle, as you can see in the next picture and it was delicious. Anyone that is ever in Dublin or Galway, go to Gino's. The waffles and crêpes are amazing.
Tommy Hilfiger...are we buying something? No just a picture in the mirror...
And of course, a picture with the whole squad can't be forgotten... as usual though, someone of our group was missing. This time: Wiktor. He was actually trying on a shirt in Tommy Hilfiger. But he had no intention of buying it.
The last thing in this blog: a feckin hot Sunday. It was last weekend and Zoé, Sofie and I went to town to get a milkshake in Eddie Rocket's (best milkshakes ever) and we sat down next to the river.
Then we decided that we wanted to go to Coosan Point because apparently it was beautiful...I mean any place next to the river Shannon is beautiful.
So we went there, with fresh fruits, water and a blanket. We met Gergely there with his family and he played Badminton with us. After he went home, we just lied down and tanned for a while. It was such a lovely day and I can't believe that for Irish people this was their summer: 18-20 degrees and they said that maybe they will never have these temperatures again this year! I hope they will it would be nice.
I am going to enjoy the summer weather here as much as I can.
Lots of love
Shannon
