End of Term Syndrome

I am suffering from end of term syndrome. There is no denying it. Since I handed in my assignments on May 2nd my brain has switched to vacation mode, despite the fact I still have assessments in the upcoming weeks. Tomorrow I have a fiddle jury and next week I have a workshop and presentation before an external examiner, worth 40% of my summer term grade . . . hmm, when I put it that way it is a bit unnerving. I better get my brain out of "la-la" land, but first I will finish this blog!

This past weekend was a bank holiday weekend in Ireland so it was a prime opportunity for merriment! On Thursday night, my classmates and I celebrated the submission of our work by going to dinner together. My sister joined us as she was in town so there were plenty of Canadian stories being shared. We had a couple pints in a pub called Mickey's and were joined by a very friendly cat making his rounds to all the tables. This cat was rather rotund, making us wonder how often he gets to share pints. Back home we called my sister the "cat whisperer" because she has had a mysterious bond with felines all her life. Apparently this skills works just as well in Ireland, as the cat made a bee-line for her across the room and settled on her lap.

Limerick celebrated the long weekend by hosting a River Festival and the Great Limerick Run. The Festival consisted of a variety of activities throughout the weekend cumulating in the marathon-length Run on Sunday. We headed downtown to see the fireworks on Saturday night. Although I was not keen to venture out in the rain, the fireworks exceeded my expectations and I had a much better view than I did on New Years in London. I even got some neat pictures, despite the odds of an old camera and poor photographic skill.

I caught a heart in the sky. Must mean I love Ireland!

 

Did you know that it was the Greek celebration of Easter on Sunday? Who knew I would learn so much about Greek culture when I moved to Ireland?  The perks of having a Greek roommate I suppose. George treated us to a traditional meal of lamb and for his efforts I made him a chef's hat. Laura and I contributed a delicious dessert suitably named Death by Chocolate. Admittedly this dessert is not Greek in any way, but we devoured it nonetheless.

 

 

I realized while writing this blog that this is my 50th BLOG POST! I am actually rather impressed with myself and I am very thankful to everyone for taking the time to read them. My regular blog has become a rather fun part of my week and an excellent way for me to document my year. 50 blogs is a big achievement, however I am nowhere near the end (for better or worse). Recently I have booked tickets to Rome and Spain so prepare to have a summer filled with more travel stories!

 

Ciao for now :)

Shannon