Dia duit! I arrived at the Shannon airport only a week ago! It feels as though I have been in Connemara for months! I’m so happy to be here. Ireland is absolutely beautiful and has welcomed me with open arms. I already know that saying goodbye will be difficult!
The other students and I were taken from the university in Galway to Connemara last Friday and introduced to our host families. I feel incredibly blessed to have Lucy as my bean an tí (woman of the house) because she has made me feel so at home. She is also an amazing cook! We had our first classes on Saturday; we did a bit of reviewing and assessed the range of fluency in the class. I moved up to a higher class on Tuesday and I’ve already learned so much. Our class day starts at 9:30 every morning and we have a break at 11 for tea (of course!) and at 1 for lunch, before finishing at 4. We have already reviewed a few of the verb tenses and practiced lots of conversation. I want to work especially on my vocabulary while I’m here so I can hold a real conversation instead of just doing conjugations! Luckily, there is Irish everywhere I turn. From the people in the tiny grocery store to the broadcasters on the radio to my host family, I am constantly surrounded by native speakers. The environment has been very effective in getting me to think in Irish and call words to mind while I am speaking. I know that this knowledge will only grow as the weeks pass!
Although we are in class for most of the day, the other students and I have been making the most of every moment outside of the classroom. I am lucky enough to be in the same house as 2 other Notre Dame students whom I had not met before. We have become fast friends! We have also befriended people from Canada, England, and even Japan! This past week, we have explored most of Carraroe by foot. The scenery is stunning with greenery and flowers everywhere, as well as the coast nearby. The walk to the beach is my favorite-there are so many green fields bursting with flowers, horses running freely, and little stone walls crisscrossing. On Tuesday night, a local sean nós singer came to sing with us and teach us some traditional songs. He had a voice that made the Irish language flow so beautifully in the music-something that I have not quite mastered yet! Last night, we attended a céilí, a traditional Irish dance. The different dances were so fun and made you feel like such a community with the people around you. I am already excited for the céilí next week! After the céilí, we had a class field trip to a pub, or teach tabhairne, about 15 minutes away. There were some local sean nós musicians playing. Their instruments and voices were spectacular. A few others in the pub came over and sang some of their own songs without having even prepared anything. The whole room joined in on a few of the songs and created an atmosphere that was so warm and welcoming. I know that I will have to go back!
I cannot believe I only arrived a week ago. It has been so packed with exploring, an Ghaeilge, and making friends! I am so excited to immerse myself more in Carraroe and talk more with the locals in their language. We are visiting Kylemore Abbey tomorrow so hopefully I can practice my conversation!
Thank you so much to everyone who helped me to get here! I miss you!
