Ireland

On Wednesday, June 10, I hopped on a plane to Dublin, Ireland with three other young women from my study abroad group. While in Ireland, we stayed in cheap hostels in the cities of Dublin, Cork and Galway and took in the sites around each area. On Tuesday, June 16, we flew back to Germany and resumed class in Marburg. The following is an account of my adventures exploring the “Emerald Isle.”

After finding our hostel in Dublin, we went right to the Guinness brewery at St. James Gate. At first, I went along with the brewery tour idea because it was something that my group members were interested in; however, it turned out to be really interesting and fun. The tour was very interactive and my senses were always stimulated by something new, whether it was tasting and smelling the hops and barley, listening and watching the varies video screens or touching the running water that at one time helped power the brewery. Of course, the free samples and complimentary pint in the sky lounge overlooking Dublin were also selling points for me.

The next morning we took a tour through the countryside, which was by far my most treasured experience in Ireland. For 26 Euros, a guide drove us and six other people through the rolling green hills, stopping at the ruins of monasteries from the sixth century, ancient burial mounds which featured carvings over 4,000 years old and the hill where according to legend, St. Patrick lit a fire challenging the pagan king and giving Christianity a foothold in Ireland. At each place the guide would stop the van, turn around in his seat and give us the history and significance of the place we were about to visit. The information was always in a story format and full of humor, which made it more fun and easier to digest.

Over the next few days, we visited the Blarney Castle (and kissed the Blarney Stone of course) in Cork and wandered along the Cliffs of Moher, near Galway, enjoying the view and the smell of the sea. The greenness and serenity of Ireland was exactly what I needed and soon I felt refreshed and ready to take on my last month of classes in Germany. Speaking English without guilt and the self accusations of laziness was also nice for a change.

However, my trip was not all perfect. While in a pub in Dublin, my purse was stolen. If I had been smarter about what I took out with me that evening, the next day would have gone easier for my travel companions and I and we could have continued exploring the city as planned. Unfortunately, I did not return to the hostel after taking a tour of the countryside, so not only was my money, ids and debit card taken, but also my iPod, camera, cell phone and most importantly, my passport were gone as well. Suddenly, I found myself penniless and without any kind of personal identification, which I would eventually need to get back into Germany.

The next day I went to the U.S. Embassy straightaway, while my travel companions waited patiently outside. The process of getting a temporary passport was surprisingly painless and after filling out a few forms, I walked out of the embassy doors with an emergency passport. The whole process took at most two hours.

Getting my bag stolen did not ruin the Ireland experience for me. Really, it could have happened anywhere, even if I was at home in Wisconsin. Luckily, I was traveling with caring and supportive people who were willing to lend me money until I sorted things out.

That being said, I really enjoyed my time in Ireland and hope to visit the island again in the future. Feel free to look at pictures from the trip using this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/nemecse/Ireland and as always, questions are welcomed.

S.N.