Chicago

Sometimes in life Heavenly Father blesses you with tiny miracles that I like to call coincidences. Back in January of 2013 I went in to the Kennedy Center to book my flight to and from Europe. I didn't really care where my layovers were, I just wanted the best deal I could find. The lady who books the flights put in the dates of my trip and pressed "Search." As she scrolled through the flight options she suddenly said, "Oh this one is a great deal! Only $1,300, one lay-over each way. Oh nevermind, it's because there is an overnight layover in Chicago on the way back. You won't want that." "What? No no no, I would LOVE that!" I said, " My brother lives in Chicago and I never get to see him!" I don't know how I got so lucky to go on study abroad in the first place, and now this little perk? I seriously have been so blessed. I don't mean that in a bragging way. I really mean that in the humblest of ways. I am so blessed and grateful for the opportunities and experiences I've had. So blessed. So grateful. I kept thinking that over and over the entire trip.

Going to Chicago was the perfect stop before returning home to Utah. I had so much fun seeing my brother, Ben, sister-in-law, Jamie, and niece, Charlotte. If I had been there one week later I would have met little Jane, but I guess it wasn't to be! Ben and Jamie were such great hosts! We went to dinner at an amazing Mexican restaurant with some of the best tacos I have ever had. We hung out and talked and had some much needed quality time. I was only there for less than 24 hours, but it was such a blessing to be able to have that time together.

Tea Party with this cutie!

Charlotte has mad camera skillz.

This kid LOVES ice cream.

Satisfied? I think so.

Ben was so nice to take me to the airport at the crack of dawn the next morning. A few hours later I arrived in Salt Lake City where Shawn picked me up! It felt so weird holding his hand as we waited at the bag claim. I kept squeezing it to make sure it was actually real! I hope we never have to go that long without seeing each other again! It would be a billion times harder now. As much as it sucked though, I think it was a good thing for us. We definitely learned a lot and I had some time to really come to grips with how I truly felt about him and where I wanted our relationship to go without the added drama of having friends/roommates telling me what to think or feel. But still...NEVER AGAIN! I'm taking my hubby with me next time I go to a foreign country. Indonesia maybe? I definitely have the travel bug now, so look out world! Here's to the next adventure!

One Day More

This post is about my last full day in Europe. Only one more day and I would be flying back to America. Oh so sad...and happy...and sad...and exciting...and sad...and wonderful. That is basically what my thought process was all day. I feel like my excitement for going home equaled the sadness that I had that my adventure was coming to a close. There were so many things I didn't get a chance to see, but there are always other adventures. Looking back I really feel that I used every minute I could to enjoy my experience abroad and see and do as much as I could every single day. This doesn't mean I went sightseeing every second of every day because after all I was in school. There were some days where I just stayed in my dorm room reading books and poems and writing papers about them. Sometimes I felt mad that I had to do this when I could be outside taking in the sights of Scotland, but my studies enhanced my experience so much. I didn't just SEE things while I was there, I UNDERSTOOD them. That is what I love about study abroads. It really is an experience like no other. You can never get the same type of experience just being a regular tourist. Being on study abroad was kind of like being half tourist, half citizen. I have lived in Europe. I feel justified in saying this because while I was in Europe I purchased groceries many times, developed a daily routine, made friends with the locals, went to school, found short-cuts to school, figured out the local transportation system, managed not to look like a tourist ALL the time. My decision to go on study abroad was one of the best I've ever made! Lucky for me I had an amazing year ahead of me back home so life just got better! Otherwise, I think I would have been kind of depressed coming home. Anyway, here is what I did my last full day in Ireland...

We had another day when we were free to do whatever we wanted for the morning and afternoon. I decided to go to Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison which has now been converted into a museum. It was first built in the late 1700s and was closed down in 1924. It is important because the majority of the leaders of the rebellions for independence were held here. It is considered a monument to the people who died in the 1916 Easter Rising and other rebellions between 1700 and 1920. 

Our tour guide

This is where they shot a some of the leaders of the Easter Rising.

Rainbows in Dublin!

On our last night in Dublin we had dinner at the hotel restaurant which was actually very well-known and expensive. We had a three or four course meal! mmm it was delicious! After dinner we went to see the play, "Major Barbara," by George Bernard Shaw (the same guy who wrote Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. I love Pygmalion, but this play was pretty dang dry. It was hard not to fall asleep. Kind of anticlimactic for our last night, but it was still fun! It was fun to walk back in to our hotel at night and see the city after dark. We tried to get home before dark as much as possible for safety reasons, so it was a nice change. (Luckily the sun doesn't set until late over there).

And that was it! The last official activity in Ireland. When we got home we called our cabbies and arranged transportation to the airport. Rebecca, Madi, and I shared a cab and left early in the morning. Rebecca and I were actually on the same flight to Chicago, but we got separated. When we got to security and we had to fill out the little cards that ask you if you caught any diseases,  been in contact with livestock, etc, etc. Well, Rebecca considered all the times we walked by cows or walked near a cow turd as coming in contact with livestock so she had to take her shoes off and have them blasted with water hoses. Oh Rebecca. Another random airport story- The girl in front of me in security had on almost the exact same Ireland sweatshirt as me so she asked when I was there, why I was there...you know the drill. Well it turns out she was one of Jan Glover's (my dad's cousin) students at the university she teaches theater at. So random! For a good part of the flight I wrote my final papers then that was that. 

Study 

Abroad 

OVER. 

Another Day in Dublin

On our second to last day of the trip we basically had the whole day to do whatever we wanted. Most of us went to a few museums and others went to a shopping center. I REALLY wanted to go see the Book of Kells. This was my number one thing I wanted to do in Dublin. Most people decided they would go the next day, but Alexandra and I didn't want to risk that falling through so we went together. 

Trinity College Campus

Samuel Beckett Bridge

Jeanie Johnston Ship- This is a replica of a ship used to cross the Atlantic ocean to take immigrants from Ireland to America. Most of these were trying to escape the potato famine. It made 16 crossings to America and not one of its passengers died on the journey. This was pretty much unheard of at the time. Even when the ship eventually caught on fire and sunk, all the passengers were rescued. 

This was painted on the bridge, I thought it was funny.

Creepy wax figures/statues

Even though the wax people were a little creepy, this was one of the most memorable experiences I had while on study abroad. The whole time I was on the tour of that ship I had an overwhelming feeling that my ancestors went through similar experiences to the people on the Jeanie Johnston ship. I gained a new appreciation for the sacrifices they made so that I could grow up in America and have the opportunities I have. These people were tough! I can't imagine having to deal with all the things they did on those ships. Lice, cholera, sea sickness, disease, sharing beds with 5 people, etc, etc. When I got home from the trip I told my brother about my experience on the ship and he told me that our Irish ancestors did in fact immigrate to America during the potato famine. They went to England first and then came over on an English ship, but like I said they had similar hardships as the people on the Jeanie Johnston.

Seeing the Book of Kells up close was one of the coolest things I did in Ireland. I had learned all about the Book of Kells in one of my Humanities classes and learned more about it in Iona, Scotland where the book was written. After the island kept getting plundered they moved it to Trinity College for safety.

Alexandra was very excited as well

Most beautiful library I've ever seen!

Too bad we couldn't take pictures of the Book of Kells! It was awesome! I don't know how on earth those monks painted all those tiny details!

After seeing the Book of Kells we went to the National Gallery of Ireland. We weren't allowed to take cameras in here either so all I have is this photo of me coloring a picture in the kids area. But it was an awesome museum. The only thing I was disappointed about is that a huge tapestry called, "The Triumph of Cuchulainn" which normally hangs in the entry hall was being cleaned. I had to read The Coming of Cuchulainn for class and so I was excited to see the tapestry that had been inspired by the story. Oh well! When we asked a guard where it was he told us about 5 other stories of Cuchulainn that we hadn't heard before. That was kinda fun.

 

Look! We all match! Except Jaci, who is doing some excellent creeping.

I think this girl stalked my wardrobe cause we accidentally matched all the time. Oh and our names matched too- Jenalyn Clegg and Jenna Leigh Curran. That was confusing for people the first week.