I miss the show Friends.

Since the first Post fiasco I have picked up TWO lovely packages. Thanks to my wonderful friends Jena, Andrea, and Jordi I have lots of goodies including mac n cheese and hotel soap! haha Jordi knows I love those cute hotel bars of soap! I miss my friends back home but I have really enjoyed making new ones. My roommate Lisa and I are going to the Netherlands this weekend..which should be CRAZY!! I am so lucky to have found such a cool roommate to live and travel with. I saw my sweet friend Sara Lee off last night..she is moving back to the States. She and I traveled through Europe and Ireland together.. and it is very sad to see her go. It's the story of my life.. making friends and then missing them. Speaking of friends I miss.. I miss my dear friend Tiffany. She has had a weird couple of weeks in DC with the earthquake and hurricane (which my loves Sofia and Andrea have had to deal with also because they work at an insurance company... but get that OT!) Good thing I am real good at Facebook and keeping in touch! Where would I be without it? So cheers to all my beautiful friends.. I love you all and miss you dearly.

Irish Post System

well.. so far my blogs have been upbeat, positive, and for the most part happy...but as well all know thats not always how life goes. --- I checked my mail today and received a note saying I had a package to pick up at the Post Collection point. Since my apartment building only has slot mail AND our buzzer is broken by the front door to call up we always have to walk to get packages. To the collection point and back is a 40 minute walk. 20 there. 20 back. I don't have to be to work until 6 so I thought, hey, why not? *I will update more about work later if it works out* To my dismay I arrive at the Post only for the man to say that it would not be available for pick up until the next working day, Monday. AHHHH!!! The whole reason I went today was so I wouldn't have to wait in anticipation all weekend. I was so excited that I did not read the fine print on the note that said my package would not be available until Monday. Why even put the notice in my box then? Why not just put it in on Monday?? ...you know I was gonna be all excited and junk that one of my lovely friends or family mailed me a care package!! sooo, I will be returning on Monday to collect what I hope are lovely goodies. Thank you to whomever sent me a parcel. I shall reveal the contents on Monday...the next working day.

Days like today...

Today was a Saturday to remember. I didn't run off a Swiss mountain and paraglide, jump out of a perfectly good airplane in Florida, or eat octopus in the Dominican Republic, but I did leisurely walk around Dublin with two really great friends. We met up and went to a couple of local bars that on Saturdays (during the day) are flea markets. We also walked to some charity shops (thrift stores) and did some browsing. On the walk I stopped on the street and bought a nectarine that was dangerously delicious....way too delicious to have only costed 40 cents and was probably the forbidden fruit everyone is always saying Eve ate. Note: When the fruit tastes better than normal you know you are enjoying yourself! That happened to me in France with Sara when we had a fruit spread of dried pineapple and peaches, strawberries, and blueberries.

We walked a good way down Camden Street stopping in probably 7 or 8 shops and ended up in Rathmines. That is where I stayed in 2008 when I was here studying. We found the college I stayed at and tried to take a picture (to capture the insane difference in my appearance 3 years later in the same spot) but the gate was closed. I will most assuredly get that picture before I leave.

Days like today are so special. I didn't have a skydiving adrenaline rush or spend half my bank account on a plane ticket but it was equally as enjoyable. I am so thankful for meeting such wonderful people to experience days like today with.

Cyber Granny

My wonderful Grandmother figured out how to use Skype and Facebook chat! I am so proud of her!! :) It was so neat to video chat with her..I hope that now she can set up a time so I can chat with my brothers when they are at her house. I miss them. we should have done this while I was in Florida too.. oh how the world evolves. I love it.

I need to go to the store to get some envelopes and crayons.. I feel like writing letters and coloring the pages. * readers test* >> if you want a hand written letter with crayon scribbles send me an email, message or whatever with your address. if I dont get any responses.. I will send them anyway, haha.

Europe Trip Success

I am back in Dublin and have had time to think about the trip and let it sink in that I traveled through 7 countries in Europe and saw more than I could have imagined. The official line up was: I flew into Belgium ( I didnt really see much there though) and then trained through Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland (where I went paragliding!!!), France and Monaco, and then ended up in Spain. The total trip was 11 days...by far the biggest vacation I have ever taken. The two month trip to the DR is ranked a close second :) I absolutely love to travel and see the world. Sitting on the train listening to so many different languages, and meeting people who spoke 4, 5, 6 languages was unreal! Honestly the U.S. needs to invest in teaching our youth foreign languages.. we are so behind compared to Europe :(

I journaled everyday while I was gone.. I kept track of my travel expenses for future reference but I didnt even try to document food and bev.. hahaha it was a lot. worth every bit of it tho!

Switzerland was my favorite. The lady in the picture with me paragliding was my pilot and she and I had time to chat quite a bit and I really envy her life. She pilots in the summer and is a ski instructor in the winter..no kids and lives in the mountains in a 'hippie house'! soo the whole ski thing made me want to take a ski trip. Ashlee the girl who met up with Sara and I is planning to go to Norway in November to ski and I am seriously considering joining her...pending a job and money. I will call it a birthday present to myself! haha well this whole year is a present to myself.

The last night in Barcelona Ashlee and I went to a club...we were dancing and I had a surreal moment where I thought, 'These are my 20s....traveling through Europe..dancing in Spain!"

5 Country Eurail Pass

I cannot wait for the trip! Plans have been finalized and it seems like it is going to be a fabulous trip! Some highlights include but are not limited to: drinking Champagne on the beach in the South of France and paragliding in Switzerland!!! I will inform you of all said highlights upon my return.

Don't worry, I think there will be a guide attached.. this is just the best picture I found and its of just one person. Still, Its gonna be amazing!

I am trying to study the timetable of the trains but it is very difficult and is all in 24 hour clock. I almost have it down but I have never used military time and its frustrating a little. Everything from bus times to movie times are all in the 24 hour clock.. its high time I learn it.

I have more fun if I'm blonde OR brunette.

Dyed my hair today. I was nervous that it wasnt going to be even because I did it myself but I think it turned out great.

In other news, my Irish bank account is up and running.. whooo hoo! You have no idea what a pain it has been to use my Suntrust card and pay that $5 international fee EVERYTIME I use the ATM. glad that's over.

I would like to take this time to give a shout out to my Granny Suttles. She lost one of her very best friends yesterday. I cannot imagine what it has been like for her to go through life outliving everyone she loves. Props for old people and being tough. Death is a part of life but man it's no fun. I love you Granny! And Loy, I love you too.. yall are probably at the funeral home right now.. just know I am thinking about yall.. I always am!! Stay strong.

I am so thankful for my family and friends.. I love you all. If you are reading this...pretend I just gave you a big hug! xoxo