October 7th, 2012.
This past weekend, I went to Malin head with my host family to stay with my host mom's father. Malin head is on the tip top northern coast of the republic of Ireland.  It was my first time in the republic of Ireland.  So far, Malin head is my most favorite place in all of Ireland.  Its absolutely gorgeous.  It is what we imagine Ireland to be.  All farms, sheep, bright green hills, mountains, and fresh Atlantic saltwater ocean. I tried Dulse seaweed which is found naturally right on the coast.  It is a dark purple seaweed that you just wash off, dry and eat like a snack.  It is a very acquired taste.  It took some getting used to, but now I think I like it.  It is the saltiest thing I've ever eaten (obviously).  Anyway, I also tried egg and onion sandwiches which are made from half boiled eggs, mayo, and freshly chopped onions.  It was very delicious.  Bernie and I walked all around Malin head to the Pier, the British tower which overlooked the entire town and the beautiful cliffs below.  We also walked up to crough a lough.  Crough a lough is the size of a large pond.  It is made of salt water and wayyy up in the tip top part of the mountains!!! Also, Crough a lough goes in and out with the tide.  It is the strangest thing I have ever seen! A total miracle! It is very very unusual to see a body of water way up in the mountains, let alone, salt water.  Many people think this place is a holy place and they leave various crosses and rosary beads around the lake.  The lake is filled with white stones and it is tinged a reddish color by the Peat.  Peat is a thick heavy clay/soil that is very common here in Ireland.  Many people pick it out of the ground in log shapes and burn them on the fire for warmth.  Along the coast, there is an old church (now its just mainly ruins) that was built in the early 1700s and a cave alongside it.  This was also thought to be a holy place because it didn't matter how many people were attending mass, they could all fit in the cave for shelter.  Beyond this church, there was a giant series of rocks along the coast.  In one of those rocks, was a little cove where the tide goes in 

and out and in the middle, is a rock in the shape of a big chair.  This is called the wishing well and you are meant to climb into the cave and make a wish.  Unfortunately, the tide was up and crashing against the rock, so I could not. But it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Sadly, I didn't bring my camera with me but I will definitely be back to Malin head before my departure in the middle of December.  Along the coast, some parts are rocky and some parts are completely sand.  There are not as many shells as there is seaweed.  My host mom told me that all of the seaweed on the coast is in high demand for beauty products right now.  On slag beach, depending on the season, it is either all sand or all rocks.  There is an American woman living here in Malin head with her Irish husband and three children that Bernie told me about.  Before we left, Lexie and I went to the Presbyterian church (also along the coast) for a traditional Presbyterian service.  It was one of the best services I've ever been to.  And then after the service, you step out onto the gorgeous scenery.  Mountains behind you, with sheep dotting the mountains and hillside and the Atlantic ocean right in front of you. (Yes, sheep climb the mountains and cliffs here) Apparently in the winter, this church floods.  Every winter! Its that close to the coast.  I am so in love with Malin head and all of its charm!    

A few days ago, I went walking on the city wall of Londonderry with my host mom, Bernie.  The city wall goes in a circle and its only about 1.25 miles long.  You can walk it, like the wall of china.  Along the city wall are various churches, cathedrals, and shops, cafes, and pubs, along with a few shopping centers.  The wall is like the center of town.  It is very popular.  Bernie and I stopped for a cup of tea in Blooms cafe and then walked the length of the wall.  Many of the cannons still on the wall are original.  We stopped in St. Columb's Cathedral, which was built in 1628.  It was really exciting! There was an American flag in St. Columb's and it only had 48 stars on it.  It was from the 1940's when there was an American Naval base here in Londonderry.  Many of the American navy men took Irish women home with them.  The tour guide told me that his cousin was taken to America with a navy guy and he wasn't too happy about that. A short distance from the wall, is "Free Derry", where most of the violence of the troubles happened, including bloody sunday.  This is the most run down part of Londonderry.  Many people here who don't like the british, call Londonderry Derry and they get very offended if you call it otherwise.  There are many violent murals painted on apartment buildings in Free Derry, which I have included here.  Along the wall is a cafe called cafe nervosa, from the famous american sitcom called Frasier.  Isn't that funny? Also, the huge orange/brown building is the guild hall.  This is the center of town.  The Guild hall is probably the biggest building downtown and the most beautiful.  It was designed after a larger cathedral in London. Outside of one of the Churches of Ireland along the wall there was a small church where my host mom's daughter was recently married.  Outside of St. Columbs, you will see many flat grave stones on the ground.  These were built because during the old war, there were many enemies trying to disturb the graves and break them, so to preserve the bodies, the stones were placed flat on the grounds.  Also, during the old war, St. Columbs used to have two huge cannons on top of it that would shoot across the River Foyle that divides Derry. Fascinating stuff!

Sept. 24th

I start school today.  My schedule is like this: Management of Change from 5:30-8:30pm Monday nights, Business improvement from 5:30-8:30pm Tuesday nights and Marketing Management from 9:15am-12:15am Thursdays and that's it!! Some of you were asking about the weather. The weather is in the low 50's and it rains on and off every single day.  I don't really mind it because i'm in IRELAND! haha. I have four other flatmates that I have briefly touched upon. Aoifa (pronounced Eifa) is 24 and a nursing student.  She is from the Republic of Ireland.  She is very sweet and kind and smart.  Rebekah is 29 and a social work student.  She is a very big christian and very sweet as well. She is from Belfast here in Northern Ireland.  Lisa is from Bavaria, Germany.  She is very sweet as well and she is about my age I think.  Her major is computer science.  Laura, is about 24.  She is from Northern Ireland as well and she is getting her phD in psychology.  I love all my flatmates and we get along very well! I was very lucky! I have decided to show all of the pictures of my room, our bathroom, kitchen, and living area.  Its all very large and nice.  In the bathroom, there are two shower stalls and two toilet stalls.  Not very glamorous but many of you wanted to see so here it is! :)

Sept. 24th 2012

         Over this past weekend, I had Irish stew with Lexie and Stephen Mcfeeters.  It was delicious and they added this sugar and salt brown sauce on top of it, which was very good.  Then we all had tea in their living room and soon after drove up to Portstewart.  Portstewart is a little town that sits right on the coast.  It was breathtakingly beautiful.  Lydia and I stayed at the Mcfeeters extra home in Portstewart, which was very nice and only a few blocks away from the coast.  Outside our back window of the home was a field of cows! The first night we got there, it was very late so we just went to sleep soon and woke up in the morning.  We got up at ten and left at noon and didn't get home till about 7pm!  We walked all over Portstewart.  We walked along the rocky coast, the town with all the cute little shops, the playground on the coast, and then the 2 mile long beach and back through high grass fields.  When we walked along the rocky coast (which was right next to a golf course), there were so many full beautiful sea shells.  I've never seen so many in perfect condition in my life.  I collected quite a few. I wasn't afraid at all to walk through the high grass because here in Ireland, they have no harmful beasts! That means no snakes, wolves, or bears! Absolutely none! Lydia and I stopped in town to have our very first fish and chips, which i will show here.  When walking towards the beach, we passed a very large church/school on the cliffs.  There was a wall along the cliffs that we walked with the ocean below us.  It was so beautiful. We saw these beautiful snail shells that were red, black, and yellow and they live in these tall grasses among the sand.  Lydia and I were so tired after walking everywhere so when we went home, we just had a frozen pizza and watched funny british sitcoms in bed. The next day we debated going to Portrush but we didn't have as much time before Lexie's firefighter friends picked us up to return us back to Derry, so we decided against it. We spent most of the day in their extra home just relaxing and cleaning the home.  Well, the pictures say it all, so enjoy!

Sept. 20th 2012
Two nights ago, I went to a pub called Paedar O'donnoels (pronounced Patter), and listened to some traditional Irish music while drinking Guinness beer.  The music was great, with the irish flute, a guitarist and vocalist.  Many of the locals there sang along to some of the songs.  Some were slow and sad, while others were upbeat.  The Guinness was good and strong.  Many people in this pub were very relaxed and very talkative to any strangers.  My german friend Lydia and I sat down next to a few locals and eventually we started a conversation with them.  We met Ronan and Jenna.  Two very kind people who we chatted with for the rest of the night.  We stayed in the pub until they closed at 2am and then Jenna and Ronan insisted that we go to the restaurant next door to get a 'chicken box.'  It was about four pounds and filled with peppers, onions, chicken and fries and some sweet mayo based sauce.  It was delicious! Afterwards, Lydia and I took a taxi home.  Taxi's around Derry are very cheap. They are about 3 pounds.  Yesterday, I met the last girl who moved into my flat.  Her name is Laura and she is getting her phD in psychology.  She is from Northern Ireland.  She is very fashionable and a party animal!  She insisted that we all go out to a club called Sugar.  So, Laura, Aoifa, Lydia and I met with some of Aoifa's nursing friends and all attempted to take a taxi to Sugar.  As we approached Duncreggan's student gates, there was a huge crowd of students all trying to get a taxi!  We were waiting for a taxi for quite a while.  Sugar was exactly what I would expect of a club.  Lots of pretty lights, and loud music.  They played a lot of American music.  An Irish boy came up to Lydia and randomly tried to kiss her.  That was awkward and funny.  No one wore jeans at this club! All the girls were in dresses and very dressed up in heels or boots.  They all had on some pretty slutty dresses.  Lydia and I left early to go home because I had to get up early for my international student orientation on campus that has been going on from tues-tomorrow.  Today, I toured the library on campus and learned about all the different resources they have to offer.  The library was three floors and giant.  It is sooo modern compared to my library on campus back home.  Later, Lydia and I took a taxi to the town center to go shopping!  I found this 3 story store called Primark.  Primark is like a forever 21 and has really pretty clothes for very cheap.  I bought a cute sweater there.  Also there was a one pound shop where I bought a gallon of milk for one pound!! I was also able to 'top up' my phone.  A 'top up' is when you add money to your account for your phone.  I paid ten pounds and now I have internet, 3000 texts, and 100 min for the next month! It was so cheap.  Tomorrow I am going on a tour of the city walls with the international students, as well as registering for business classes!  I've already met with my business advisor here and they think that two classes in one day is a very busy day....  At 5:30 tomorrow, Lydia and I are going over to the Mcfeeters   home to have some Irish stew.  Then we are driving up to port stewart where they have a home on the coast.  We will stay there for a few days.  I'm so excited!!

I almost forgot to add pictures!! The first two city pictures are of belfast when I first arrived and thought I had to go to their international office to check in.  That's not my actual campus but it is part of the University of Ulster.  The last two pictures of the castle looking building IS my actual campus.  That's the administration building! Isn't it beautiful?

Day 3
Sept. 16th 2012
Today I woke up, got ready and went to go meet the Mcfeeters at the front gate.  We all rode to church, which was in the most fantastic building I've ever seen.  I will get pictures soon, I promise.  Church was very similar to a presbyterian service in my hometown in Ohio.  I sat next to Lexlie and Bernie and Lexie's brother and sister.  The only thing that I thought strange was when we sang hymns, there were no notes on the pages, only lyrics.  So how are you supposed to keep a tune?  Guess?  The choir gets notes and lyrics and we get no notes. haha. oh well.  It was fun anyway.  After church, I went to the Reverend's home for lunch with his wife.  Their home is very fancy.  All stained glass windows and oriental rugs and fireplaces.  The Reverend told me that home belongs to the church and they can stay there as long as he is the minister.  When we first arrived, they already had irish stew in the oven.  A few minutes after we arrived it was almost finished.  We also had turnips, carrots, and brussel sprouts.  For dessert we had a small cup with irish cream, chocolate sprinkles, and mandarin oranges.  It was so good.  After we finished eating we went into the living room, sat by the fire and had tea and 'biscuits.'  We chatted about everything and I showed the Reverend my home on the map.  Then he showed me a book that includes all the places I must go see while I am in Ireland.  Later on, the Reverend took me home and I tried to add minutes to the phone that the Mcfeeters gave me.  It was difficult but I think I got it sorted.  I've just been organizing ever since then and Aoife and I walked to the little gas station to buy a few things.  Aoife told me that nursing students here in the north get all of their college paid for!  Also, today we got TV in our common area.  There are a lot less commercials than in the U.S.
        When I was spending time with the Reverend today, I commented on how all of the cars look brand new. He told me that they have strict inspections here for their cars once a year and if you don't pass, you have to get a new car.  Every 5-10 years, you have to buy a new car due to these inspections.  People take more pride in their cars here because the average car is about $45,000 dollars! But, these cars are more fuel efficient.  About 45 miles to the gallon here and their gallons are a little bit larger than ours in the U.S.  Can you imagine spending $45,000 dollars every 5 years on cars? $45,000 is the average salary for a Northern Irish worker here.  Crazy! I still want to live here though.