Magpies

These magpie birds are scavengers, they steal eggs out of nests. But they always play the victim. So often I hear them and they scream as if they're being attacked, they're hysterical and screaming for their lives. Or when there are two of them, they sounds like they're in a fight to the death. Oh the drama.

You make no sense.

He calls me Yankee Doodle...

Every blog written in Ireland from here on out will be written as the Irish talk/text. James Orohoe is a boy I met at our barn dance an e txts like e talks an e talks like a leperchaun.

note

I just stole one of the giant mugs from Starbucks, but I dont really feel bad because its 4 euro for coffee! Thats like 6 dollars! Also, it has a crack where the handle meets the mug so I'm really doing someone a favor, what if it broke and they got hot coffee all over themselves? Its possible that I just saved Starbucks millions. You're welcome.

...and thank you because I really wanted this.

I should be studying

Onto another rant. I'm making up for the weeks of blog neglect.

While talking to these girls I noticed they both had big, beautiful shiny diamonds on their ring fingers. So gorgeous I had to ask if tey were real and they were, they had both gotten engaged in Ireland. They said they kept getting almost disapproving reactions from the Irish, Irish just dont get married that young and had apparently voiced this.

It just kinda made me think. Obviously its great and I'm so glad you found something that makes you so happy, and so many our age are there (five weddings this summer alone). Yet, I dont see where I would fit something like that into my life...I still have grad school and the rest of the world to see and change...or atleast attempt to change...an attempt at something...something...else?

They spoke of what home bodies they were. I remember that. I remember before I left to come, telling myself how great America was and how much I loved it and questioned why I was leaving it all. If my family and my friends are the most important thing to me and life is so short, why would I choose to be away from them? I was so angry for moving to Hawaii and leaving us/me behind as easily as they did.

And now the only thing bringing me home is my summer internship. I'm not in love with the university I think Purdue is better hands down. But the social side, the people, I love it and dont want to live without it. Despite loving Purdue there is always something present when with Ags, even of my own small major, something that doesnt work, doesnt fit and its me. Theres an awkward separation that I thought would be gone by now, I have friendships but they feel forced and fake. Ireland friendships were instant, (and maybe its because I'm American and they like having someone to adopt). Even though I have such different morals, theres an easy acceptance, no one cares. Back home if you dont drink...well that alone makes you awkward not to mention added judgements, mainly that you're judging them for drinking or that you're some crazy christian (which, well I am lol). Anyway, that was a rant and I wasnt going there but I did.. Everyone is nice and just cool and I cant help but think this was the way it was supposed to be.

I cant live with out my church though. Shame. Everyone is nice here, and they're all christians but few live it and thats what will bring me home in the end. Its not about getting drunk, its not about having sex. Its about wanting to live in a way...a righteous way that no one here has much of an interest in.

They're horny bastards. Their words, not mine. And you have to say it like the Lucky Charms guy. Speaking of, they dont have Lucky Charms here.

I like the culture...and I almost prefer it over ours. I like that there arent Walmarts (this took a while). I like that I always see little kids playing in the streets and I like that they're always in smart looking uniforms. I hate that everything is so expensive and that the produce goes bad really fast...but love that they dont have road ways with fast food on every side for miles. You dont see many over weight people, people just look healthy, normal. And the men age very well, many George Clooney-esq mean, like my film prof.

Starbucks

I've been in my room for the last eight days studying and in my down time I find myself in the kitchens, wandering the halls, in the market when I dont need to buy anything, or at Starbucks.

When I walked into Starbucks today, right off the bat I noticed a girl in a Lady Saints' soccer hoodie and I thought it looked like an Ameican hoodie, I know that sounds weird, but the Irish just dont wear hoodies like that. I didnt think much of it. She began a conversation with her mom on skype as I studied for Film Studies. Deep space-A film utilized deep space when signifigant elements fo an image are postioned both near to and distant from the camera. Ok so maybe I'm lying, maybe I meant to be studying but was really watching Indy 500 commericials and praying I'm home for it. Thats when this girl started naming Indianapolis township schools to her mom. My heart about popped. There were two of them, both from INDY and here we are in a Starbucks in Blackrock Dublin. I waited for her to hang up before I went over.

"Are you from Indy? Because I'm from Indy!!" Told them I was from Purdue and studying here, they were from IU in elementary ed. and were student teaching over here. It was a scream fest of:
"Omg, I'm sure we know so many of the same people, you're in ag, who do we know in Ag? Do you know Ben Forsithe?"
"Yes I know Ben Forsithe!! Hes in bluegrass! *scream giggle*."
"...do you know Bruce Cooley?"
"Yes I know Bruce Cooley! *scream giggle*" We did this for ages, I lost track of time.

We talked of cultural differences, what we missed about home, one being talking to a person who knew things only and Indiana person would know, things like Little 5, Franklin College of Ball State, things that mean nothing to people outside of Indiana.

Exams

In Ireland we get a revision week, then two weeks for finals. I has heard from others who studied abroad and specifically in Ireland that the students here dont take their grades as seriosuly. Its true no one cares about GPA, they just want to pass the course but take it seriously for sure, and I almost feel like they know more about their subjects. Granted I'm in ag and all of them are from farms, but thast no different from Purdue. I find the system harder, I have one multiple choice test and thats in math. I took my European Agriculture and Environment Policy test yesterday, I was allowed to bring in any notes, printed articles or books with me and had a good idea of the subject I'd be writing about. After two hours, I had two solid pages I was pretty happy with until I talked with peers and found that each of them wrote atleast 6 pages. "But I fluffed a lot." I hope you fluffed four pages. And the prof said its quality over quantity but four pages short, I missed something big for sure. My next Ag class final is worth 100 percent of my grade.

I feel like at home I can study hard core the day before, go into the multiple choice test, choose the best answer and come out with a decent grade, generally above average. But its just not the same, I feel like here, you have to KNOW your topic. Its not choose the best answer, its heres a subject, not only do you have to tell me about it, but have an opinion, come to a conclusion and dont forget to cite everything!

I am currently hangin out of a hostel window in Rome, accessing free wireless from no one knows where. Rome is amazing, today I saw Peters tomb. It blows my mind to know that Peter THE PETER is buried here. More so that he lived and died here, as did other christians and biblical figures of whom it is easy to not think of as real, existing in the same world that you exist in, and yet Rome brings it all together, all perfectly preserved and with a pride I cant fathom.

I'm really hungery so I'm going to go eat now. No like, the pizza is really cheap and really good, as is the gelatto, both of which we've eaten every day. Rome is walkable though and we've seen just about the whole thing.

Much more to write when I'm not cold, tired and hungery and hanging out the third story.