Initiation into Ireland

I feel rather ironic posting in a blog that I titled "Adventures in Ireland" because to date, I have not had nearly as many adventures as I should have. On the first day that I was in Galway, my study abroad group adviser informed us that eventually we would all get sick; it was simply initiation into Ireland. For the next week or so, I saw people getting sick around me, and I simply smiled because here I was, a week into this new, rainy, cold country, and I still was not sick!

Well I shouldn't have been so happy because just a few days later, I caught bronchitis. I decided that I was not going to let a little bit of sickness get in my way of fun! So I went out that night into town with some friends, listened to some live music, had a grand time, and walked home 25 minutes in the rain (it's always raining here). You better bet that the next day, I severely regretted that decision. I stayed in my room (except when I had to go to my classes) for the next few days, and then I got great news! My friend, Ashton, wanted to come visit me from Dublin! Even though I still did not feel well, I had to go out to meet her. I wanted to show her all around Galway! I wanted to go on a tour to the Cliffs of Moher with her!

I decided on Friday night that I would meet her in the city center and we'd have a bit of fun. By the end of the night, I was coughing like crazy, and had no voice left at all (so I couldn't even talk to anyone). I told her to go on with her friends and have some fun around Galway. I was going to make it an early night. When I began to head home, it was absolutely pouring, and I didn't have an umbrella, a hat or even a hood. Needless to say, by the time I got back to my apartment, I was soaked to the bone and still unable to speak. It really was not my best moment. I woke up the next day very sick, and practically unable to get out of bed. In fact, I did not leave my apartment for the next 3 days. I could not go to the Cliffs with Ashton, and I could not show her around Galway on Sunday.

Here is the moral of the story: If you're sick, don't pretend you're not sick or you'll be even sicker! Not to mention, you will miss out on all of the adventures that you planned on having.

Fortunately, this weekend's weather was wretched! Absolutely terrible! There was intense rain, and winds going so fast that the rain appeared to be falling sideways. I think that if I went to the Cliffs, I would have been afraid to blow right off of them. This weekend I plan on making a trip to the Cliffs of Moher with some other friends on Saturday, and then an excursion through my study abroad program to Connemara on Sunday. I am going to rest up until then!

Stay posted for some great pics from both of those places!