Last Words... (some Kick Ass words).

Hello my faithful followers...

This may be one of my last blogs. That makes me really sad for some reason.... this blog has been my outlet for my emotions, listened to my stories, collected my thoughts, and kept me grounded when I felt really good or really bad. So, my dear followers... thank you. Plain and simple. When I started this blog ... it was more to keep my Rotary club at home and my family up to date. Now, it has turned into so much more. It isn't for others anymore... it is for me. That might sound selfish, but what I mean to say is that I wrote this for me. I didn't write it for anyone. I wrote it for me. To express myself... to express these feelings! To express myself when I couldn't express myself in French! To express myself when I felt like nobody else would listen! So, thank you for listening to the story.

I now have less than 2 weeks here and it is kind of hitting me in a weird way.
I'm a person who is addicted to adrenaline rushes. I like the feeling of adventure. I like the feeling of control and then in a split second losing that. I like the feeling of being busy. I like the feeling of knowing who I am and what I'm going to do. But yet... I am a person who needs down time. I need time to collect myself after going hard. I'm the party girl who can make the most of any situation but I'm also the nerdy, spiritual girl. I'm a mixture of two worlds that normally don't come together... and I'm experiencing some weird things my last few days here. When I'm being the party girl ... I'm on this high! I'm on this high of never wanting to leave this place that I have a life in now. I embrace everything here. I am beyond happy and bask in this moment with my friends that I consider some of my best friends. I don't want it to end... but when the moment finally has to come to an end and I'm all alone in the calmness of my thoughts... that is when I want to come home. I miss America. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss it. When the dust settles... I am homesick. I think it is perfect timing... it is normal. It is the next step. My year is almost over. My year is coming to an end and it is time to get ready for the next step of my life to start. I ready to say Hello... I'm tired of saying Goodbye.

I just recently got an e-mail from my Rotary Club from America... it has all these documents to help abroad students get ready for coming home and for being home. The title of one document is "How I Have Changed from my Experience? An Awareness Exercise for Returned Exchange Students". It is 100% cheesy... but it talks about a lot of the things I'm trying to figure out for myself right now. It lists 44 ways that someone might be changed after a year abroad in a foreign country... as if a complete sentence to capture our change is enough. At the end of the document it says, "Go back now and place an extra check mark by 3 or 4 changes that seem the strongest (or most significant)." Now, before I go and be all against this group project to interpret intense feelings... it has kind of helped me. It has helped me focus and really analyze my year abroad... which I have already been doing even before I got this e-mail. I think every exchange student has been doing that the moment they stepped off the plane and started really living. You analyze things in order to understand something better... but the thing with me is that I used to be the person who over analyzed things so much that I killed them. My mind would take over and I would lose the magic of the moment because my brain wanted to be in control of it. So, I think I was pleasantly surprised by my laughter when I read this e-mail. A year ago, I would have eaten this little exercise up! I would have sat down with a pen and paper and written a few sentences (or more) elaborating. But now... I laugh at it. Now, I laugh at it! Maybe I'll do it but in no way am I going to put a little star by all the things that fit me... no! I'm going to make up my own changes! So... my first change is that I laugh at this exercise! And that in itself is... a beautiful thing. I will do this exercise but not in order to win the title of Miss Most Changed Teen ... but to express myself. I already knew that I have changed and you, my faithful followers who have read every blog post, know that too... but now I'm putting it in some complete sentences (like an educated person would do). I don't think I could narrow my changes down to 3 or 4 things so instead I have made 4 areas of change that I see...
First area - THE OBVIOUS
I have improved my ability to speak a foreign language, might I dare to say that I am "fluent". I am more knowledgeable about another culture and lifestyle, duh. I have more curiosity for the world around me. Oh, and I have successfully gained 15 pounds in Belgium... happily.
Second group - OTHERS AND SITUATIONS
I'm more flexible and able to adjust to others, instead of making others adjust to me. I'm more tolerant of ambiguous situations and save the stressing for the big stuff. I have more of an ability to see myself objectively... as others see me. I am more balanced in my judgments of situations and others. I am more capable of solving life's day-to-day problems without feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Bird by Bird (great book, you all should read that). I feel that I need fewer friends in order to be happy, but have more deeper relationships with people. Quality over quanity (that isn't a book, but a great life saying!) I feel a greater need to have diverse experiences and friends, no more sticking with the same old same old.
Third group -MYSELF
I'm more confident in myself and assertive in new situations...as if I could get more bossy. I'm more able to share my thoughts and express deep emotions with others (in French as well as English. Bonus points?). I have increased my capacity to experience and take risks... the moments that take your breath away are the moments that I live for. I understand more fully my own strengths and weaknesses. I'm more determined to fully develop my skills and talents instead of letting them waste away in my laziness. I am more likely to do things spontaneously instead of wasting time planning them out and getting everyone's okay... just do it! I'm more confident about the decisions I make and the consequences that come with them. I need more time to be alone and to reflect. I am more comfortable being alone, enjoying my own company, instead of always feeling like I need to be with someone in order to have fun.
Fourth group - MY PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD
I am more aware of the opportunities in life that are open to me and I'm more appreciative of the opportunities that I have had and will have. I have more curiosity about and respect for new ideas, instead of judging things that I don't understand. I feel more surely that there are common bonds unite all human beings. I have a deeper understanding of the problems that confront all human beings. I have a greater awareness of political, economic, and social events occurring around the world... and how I want to make an impact in these areas of the world.

I feel like I have changed in more ways than words can express... but I guess that is up to the people at home to judge and for me to just keep living. I like who I am today.

So, I wanted to do something special and analyze a song that has really touched me this past week, remember when I used to do that? It is called "Kick Ass" by MIKA.

We are young
We are strong
We're not looking for where we belong

We're not cool
We are free
And we're running with blood on our knees

We could rule the world
On a silver platter
From the wrong to the right light
To an open stream

With a crash and burn
We could make it better
Turn it upside down
Just you and me

We are the dream
No other way
To be

The whole reason I decided to stay later than all my fellow exchange students in this little country called Belgium was to experience a Belgian Summer... to experience it like the first and last Summer I'll ever have like this. To appreciate the last moments here. To bask in the sun. To dream. To cry. To laugh. To smile. To crash or burn ... but to above all to be young and to live it up in Belgium. And ... I did it. I have lived this past few weeks like they are my last and only... because they are! I have appreciated every sunny afternoon and rainy day here and made it into something that nobody could ever take from me. I miss my family and friends so much, but the memories I am making this Summer are something that is bigger than big. That probably doesn't make sense, but that is okay! What I have experienced this whole year... doesn't make sense! There is no way I can answer the question that I know everyone is going to ask me soon, "Hey! Mallory! How was Belgium?" There is no way I can answer it like when I spent a week in Spain or when I went skiing in the Alps... you can't explain this! You just can't narrow it down to "Super", "Amazing", or "Tres Bien"... that is just a weak expression to explain a life changing experience. You respond with those expressions when your mom asks you how you like the new dinner platter she has made... not when someone asks you how you life has been the past 11 and a half months! Maybe this blog can attempt capture all the things I have been through... but my words don't do it justice. I am so thankful I have had this opportunity... that I have had the support... that I have realized what is important to me... that I know who I was, who I am, and who I want to be. I'm so thankful and I'm so young! I have so much I want to do with my life! I have this new hunger for life that I never had before. I felt one time like this before ... and it soon faded once I got back to reality. I don't want it to fade. This feeling isn't going to fade... the flame is going to keep burning. My flame. I am the dream, no other way to be.
I just got back from a huge concert here in Belgium called Les Ardentes. This is a famous rock and electro festival that brings people from all over Europe to Liege just to experience this epic Summer festival. The lineup is insane! Sum 41, Limp Bizkit, CAKE, Kate Nash, Snoop Dogg, The Subways, Mr. Oizo, The Human League, Ayo, These New Puritans, Stromae, Joan as Police Woman, Cocoon, Sophie Hunger, Kele, Borgore, Junip, Avi Buffalo, Flux Pavilion, DJ Koze, Keziah Jones, Agoria, Sexy Sushi, Ozark Henry, Joris Voorn, Arno, Adrian Lux, Selah Sue, Ben Klock, Puggy, Chapel Club, Technasia, Florent Marchet, Discodeine, An Pierle & White Velvet, Lucy Love, Suarez, Jakwob, Gable, The Krays, Mumbai Science, Art Department, HighBLoo, AKS, Sierra Sam, Hoquets, sinus george, and MIKA. That is a lot of artists! Maybe you have only heard of a few of them or none at all... but it is impressive none the less. Everyone loves coming to Belgium because of the amazing ambiance that these people can create... seriously! Belgium has the highest population density in Europe... so when an artist comes to Belgium he/she knows that people will show up! Show up to have a good time and keep the party going! I don't even think that America has this ... or does it?! If it does... please let me know because after this festival there is no other way to experience music! This festival was just... epic? I think that is a good word to use. Besides the fact that it was absolutely amazinggggg... it was totally free for me! Well... I mean I worked with my 4 good friends from 8-12 for 3 days directing traffic... but still it was free! I had to work 12 hours ... which to be honest, we did absolutely nothing since the festival started at noon! The only thing we really did during the 4 hours while we were working was gossiping and playing cards... and working on our Summer tans. Seriously. It was amazing. The whole reason I stayed later than everyone else, the whole reason I have been able to endure goodbyes, and the whole reason I am happy... is because of this festival. And I still have one more to do! It just made my dreams come true. It was more than I could ever have imagined it being. It was another camping thing like for Beach Days, but my host mom didn't want us to camp there so we came home every night around 1. A normal day included us working from 8-12 then having a free lunch (since we were volunteers) and then going to concerts all afternoon or hanging out in the camping site and then eating a wonderful, fast-food meal (seriously, wonderful) then going to concerts until 1 in the morning. Welcome to my life. There was an Open Air stage and an indoor stage as well... it was really well planned. The last night was the night that MIKA performed (and for those of you who don't know about MIKA ... he is like a cooler version of Prince withe some killer vocals. Born in Lebanon and grew up in Paris during the war... very cultural). When MIKA started performing... something just happened to me. I just felt on top of the world. I'm not even that big of a fan of MIKA! Something just touched me that night. I had my best friends on my left and a new, cute boy on my right and in front of me was this amazing performance ... it just hit me like a ton of bricks that this is my life. I chose this life. I am living my dreams! I couldn't stop smiling! I didn't want the moment to end! My moment at this concert... my moment in Belgium... my moment in this crazy world! I can't even capture my feelings into a grammatical sentence haha So, I will just leave it at this... Les Ardentes was Kick Ass.

I'm ready to take on Francofolies (20th - 24th). I think this will be the perfect ending to a perfect year. To my year.

These next few days are going to be spent with my Belge Besties and making the most of these last moments together. I'm having a little going away thing with the girls this Thursday.. which is the day of independence for France (Bastille Day). So, we are going to meet up in the afternoon and maybe do some shopping and have a cocktail then go out to dinner and then watch the fireworks at night... :) I'm excited. But... I know I'm going to cry like a baby. Noemie was at the festival with us and she was saying that her favorite band (Suarez) was going to be in Brussels September 3. She was super excited and turned to me and was like, "Mallory! You have to come!" I got really excited and was about to say "Hell yes" and then we both suddenly stopped smiling and just looked at each other... the thought of me actually going home and that I won;t be here hasn't hit any of us. I'm so much a part of this group of girls... the thought of me not doing the same things as them this fall and them not seeing me practically everyday doesn't even make sense. It didn't hit me until she said that... that I'm leaving them and I have no idea when I will see them next. Without them... I wouldn't be who I am today and I wouldn't have had this amazing year with them. Justine, Tersia, Delphine, Louisa, Laura, Tiffany, Noemie, and Laurence... These are the girls I have spent my lunches with talking about boys, spent my weekends with, lived with, shared my secrets with, cried with, laughed so hard with... I'm so thankful they found me and I found them. I'm going to spend my last days basking in their presence ... :)

I'm getting emotional so I think I'm going to say Goodbye to you now... I'm not going to say this is the last blog but I think it will be the last blog written in Belgium... bon appetit my faithful followers. Thank you again for listening to me :)

All for now!
Mallo

Hello Prague and Summer. Goodbye Friends.

Yes.... this is incredibly late! (I think this picture fits perfectly with your emotions!)

The last time I updated it was mid June... and now it is the first week of July! I have had no timeeeeeee!! I'm so busy! I can't even believe that it is July... and that now I have less than a month here left! You're lucky I even got my Ireland blog in before I went to Prague (since I had 2 days home before I left again!). Meh! I'm very sorry my faithful followers! I hope you can forgive me :( Here, now for your pleasure, is possibly the longest blog in the history of this blog (I know I have said this already... but I think that this one takes the winning prize on longest in history).

These past 2 weeks have been full of summer bliss, smiles, laughter, tears, and some of my last moments with dear friends. So... buckle up my friends... this is going to be a long one full of a lot of different emotions!

The 17th was a Friday and a huge party in Liege since it was the end of finals. So... of course I had to go enjoy a few hours with my friends before I boarded the bus to go to Prague. I packed all my bags before I left so I would go straight from town to the meeting spot to leave. I'm really glad I went :) I had seen all my Belge friends be reclusive and stressed out during the past 2 weeks because of studying for finals and now they were all happy because finals were over... so it was good to see them normal again! I maybe stayed like 2 hours in town and then Yvonne drove me to the meeting point to board the bus around 7 PM. After a week gone, then 2 days home, and then saying goodbye again for another week - I kind of wanted to stay with my family a little longer but I also really wanted to go to Prague with my friends. Bittersweet parting. It was fun to see all my Rotary friends and chill on the bus together :) Much better bus ride than to Spain! Plus, it was only 12 hours! It was kind of weird to be traveling under Rotary rules and with a huge group of people instead of it just being Margaret, Mollie, and I... but just another wonderful experience.
We got to Prague the next day (Saturday the 18th) and everyone was dead. Like... seriously. We were a huge group of dead teenagers. I don't get why it is so popular to travel during the night and then GO GO GO the next day?! You lose a day anyways because you are so darn tired! That was my little rant... sorry. I'm just confused on who decided that it was a good idea not even to go the hotel and just hop off the bus and tour the city. Meh. It made me fussy. While everyone was beyond exhausted it was also a horribly cold and drizzly, rainy day in the Czech Republic (and of course I was in a skirt and flip flops). But even though I was exhausted and horribly dressed... I was in awe by the city of Prague. Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. It is situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river and it is home to about 1.3 million people. Prague has been a political, cultural, and economic center for Europe during its 1,100 year existence. I have spent many hours studying the political, cultural, and economic influences of this city in my AP European class... so to say that I was excited to meet this city in person would be an under statement for the girl who enjoys history a little too much. Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Later it was an important city in the Habsburg Monarchy (one of my favorite Royal families) and Austro-Hungarian Empire, and after World War 1 it became the capital of Czechoslovakia. The city played major roles in the Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years War, and in the 20th century history (during both World Wars and the post-war Communist era). Prague and I were meant to be friends. Prague also boasts more than 10 major museums, along with countless theaters, galleries, cinemas, and other historical exhibits. The rich history of Prague makes it a popular tourist destination and the city receives more than 4.1 million international visitors annually. Prague is thus classified as a global city. So, on our little walking tour we went on we saw the Wenceslas Square - one of the main city squares that has hosted many historical events and the center of the business and cultural communities in the New Town (which really isn't "New" but it is the youngest of the 5 towns of Prague and is the most modern). The square is named after Saint Wenceslas, the patron of the Czech Republic, who was the son of the Duke of Bohemia and was murdered by his brother in order to be the next Duke. It was a nice welcome to the city. After this we made our way over to see the infamous Prague Astronomical Clock. This is a medieval astronomical clock that was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the only one still working. It is mounted on the southern wall of the Old Town City Hall in the Old Town Square. There are four figures flanking the clock that are set in motion at the hour (so every hour there is a little show for the passing by people). These four statues represent the things that were despised at the time of the clock's making. The first on the left is Vanity - represented by a figure admiring himself in a mirror. Next is a stereotypical Jew holding a bag of gold representing greed or usury. Across the clock stands Death - a skeleton that strikes the time upon the hour and finally there is a Turk that represents pleasure and entertainment. It was really cool to stand with the crowds and watch the hour change. After this we walked over to the the river and went on an hour and 15 minute boat ride to visit the Troja Palace. The Troja Palace is a Baroque palace located in Troja (Prague's north-west town). It was built for the Counts of Sternberg during 1679-1691. The palace is now owned by the city of Prague and hosts the 19th century Czech art collections in the City Gallery. The palace's design has been influenced by French and Italian architecture and is mostly the work of a French architect. The palace's main rooms are decorated with a magnificent baroque "Habsburg's apotheosis". When we visited this Palace, it didn't feel at all like we were in Prague but in Italy or France. The whole Palace just had another country's presence... it was weird. Prague and Vienna have been known for copying a lot of motifs and art themes from other countries in order to show a more cultural and powerful presence to the people so it was interesting to see how it really didn't fit in - but it was pretty! After this we finally went to the hotel and had a lovely dinner at the hotel. The hotel had a bar so we all hung out until midnight together and enjoyed some Czech beer - even though we were dead by 10! It was a good day :)
Sunday the 19th, we all got up bright and early and went to visit the Prague Castle. The Prague Castle is where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of the Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices and where the Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept. It is the largest Castle in the world - and according the Guinness Book of Records it is the biggest ancient castle! The castle buildings represent virtually every architectural style of the last millennium. During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia during WWII, Prague Castle became the headquarters of the "Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia". It is said that the Nazi General placed the Bohemian crown on his head - old legends say that a usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die within the year - and less than a year after assuming power the General was assassinated! The Prague Castle was also the place where one of my favorite scenes from history took place - the Second Defenestration of Prague in 1618. Protestants and Catholics were having problems during this time and the new King of Bohemia was a Catholic so the Roman Catholic officials in 1617 ordered the cessation of the construction of Protestant churches. Protestants interpreted the cessation order as a violation of the right to freedom of religious expression and they were scared the new King would revoke the Protestant rights altogether. So, on May 23, 1618, an assembly of Protestants gathered in the Prague Caste to raise a scene about an inflammatory letter received from the new King's regents and before you knew it the regents were thrown out the third floor window along with the secretary! They fell 70 feet and landed on a large pile of manure in a dry moat and survived! Of course, Catholics said the three men survived due to the mercy of angels assisting the Catholic cause! This little act was the central cause to the start of the Thirty Years' War in 1618. I love this story because it is just so ridiculous :) Haha I love how they actually threw someone out a window, who does that?! I was really happy to see this monumental window! After this we went to visit the Strahov Monastery. It is a Premonstratensian abbey founded in 1149. Strahov Monastery is a tourist attraction today because of its Theological and Philosophical Hall which house thousands of ancient texts. After this, we made our way to the Loreta. The Loreat is a large pilgrimage destination in Hradcany (one of the towns of Prague). It is in the shape of a cloister - rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks running along walls of the building. A "Holy Hut" and a clock tower with an infamous chime make it very well known. Then we visited another church (Prague was full of old, beautiful churches) named St. Nicholas Church. After this long day we went back to the hotel for dinner. I took a wonderful nap and all the Rotary kids and I hung out together in the bar again. It was fun to bond with people I hadn't been able to get to know as well :)
The next day (Sunday the 20th), we spent our last day in beautiful Prague. We went and visited the Jewish Quarter. It was my favorite town, I think. Our tour guide explained that all of the Jews were exterminated during the middle ages (and again at different times during history) but its name still rests as the Jewish Quarter because it is the home of many ancient synagogues. We saw one church that had a clock on the outside in the Hebrew numbers - it was so cool to see it next to our number system. We had a little break and I was talking to our tour guide (a lovely, middle aged woman who was born and raised in Prague, Czechoslovakia/the Czech Republic) and she was telling me this was her favorite town in Prague because since it is a very rich area of Prague is has some of the most amazing architecture from Baroque to Art Deco. Prague really is a very dynamic city ... with old medieval buildings next to modern art buildings. It amazed me. I loved it! I love the mixing of different art next to each other... I don't know why, but I think it is so cool to see things like that next to each other and to see how each one influences the other in some way. It made me want to study all about it in school next year! You could tell that some of the modern buildings were not made as well as the old ones... because after the fall of communism many countries rushed their modernization in order to be considered like the rest of Europe. I found that fascinating! All of this history made me so ready for school to start :) I'm such a geek. Many large cities in Europe and across the world have started this new thing where people attach lockets to bridges as a symbol of love and toss the key into the river below. It was so cute to see bridges covered in lockets of lovers :) We passed a locket bridge on our way to see the Lennon Wall. The Lennon Wall was once a normal wall but since the 1980s it has been filled with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs. In 1988, the wall was a source of irritation for the Communist regime. Young Czechs would write grievances on the wall which later led to a clash between hundreds of students and security police on the Charles Bridge. The movement these students followed was described ironically as "Lennonism" (ironically because of the play on words with the infamous Vladimir Lenin - the Russian revolutionary). Czech authorities described these young people as alcoholics, mentally deranged, sociopathics, and agents of Western capitalism. Today, the wall represents a symbol of youth ideals such as love and peace. It was one of my favorite and most inspirational things I have seen this past year. I don't know what it was but... I fell in love with this wall. I loved the history surrounding it and how it has grown into something beautiful and inspirational through the years. I love the modern approach to express one self through graffiti - which is normally seen as a teen annoyance. It just really touched me and I had to write something... :) My friend (Eric from Brazil) and I wrote a little lyric down from a song all the Rotary kids sing together. It was beautiful :) After this we went to see another church and then we had 5 hours of free time in the city. It was glorious. Everyone was in a good mood and the sun was out and shining! I think I spent about 3 hours on the Charles Bridge. It is a famous, historic bridge that crosses the Vltava River. Its construction started in 1357 under the the rule of King Charles IV and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. This bridge was the only way to cross the river (until 1841) and was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the city's Old Town. The bridge is 516 meters long and is decorated by a continuous alley of 30 statues in baroque-style erected around 1700. During the day the bridge hosts painters, owners of little shops, and other traders alongside numerous tourists crossing the bridge. So, of course we spent all of our free time on this beautiful bridge drenched in the sun. I somehow found myself with my good friends singing on the bridge... Eric always has his little guitar with him so we were all singing along with songs together. It turned into a joke and we put out a little cup with a sign that said "We are exchange students and need beer money". It was a wonderful little time we spent together singing songs on this bridge with thousands of tourist passing by laughing at our sign or singing along to the music. I even did a little dancing with my friend Miranda! It was so much fun! We got some money and we all went and bought some ice cream together :) I don't think I'll ever forget this time we spent together on the Charles Bridge in Prague. After this we went to explore the city. Margaret, Miranda (my new friends from Australia) and I were passing by this one store and I saw the Kansas City Chiefs written on the Russian dolls ( I don't know the name but those dolls that fit inside each other?). It was so great! They had the player's numbers and names on the back of the dolls! Of all the places to see the Kansas City Chiefs - it was in Prague! Then I saw a Standard Red Jersey one too and I bought it for Alain for his 50th birthday! I was so excited that we found it. I was so excited to give it to Alain at his birthday party I was going to go to on the 26th. On our way back to the bus I got it out to show my friend and it turns out I bought the wrong one! I bought Standard of Liverpool not of Liege.... such a Mallory Moment. Everyone was like... really Mallory? Haha I was convinced to just keep it for myself as a souvenir of how I really am not smart sometimes but then Benoit convinced me (when I got back from Prague) to just paint over it with nail polish and nobody would ever know! I'm sure I looked ridiculous just sitting there painting this Russian doll .. haha but I'll finish this story later :) After our 5 hour free time we went back to the hotel for dinner and all hung out together again. It was a great night :)
The next day (Tuesday the 21st) we packed up our bags and headed toward the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is an "administrative unit" of the Czech Republic and located mostly in the southern part of its historical land of Bohemia, with a small part in southwestern Moravia. The South Bohemian Region makes up about 13 % of the Czech Republic and has the lowest population density in the whole country. We were supposed to go to the city of Hluboka but apparently there are 2 cities in the Czech Republic named that and our bus driver took us to the wrong city! So, we spent and extra 4 1/2 hours on the bus than we had planned! Classic. When we finally were back on track we went to the city of Ceske-Budejovice (just outside of Hluboka) to visit a brewery. This is like my 3rd brewery I have visited so it wasn't that interesting but it was fun to see one in a different country than Belgium. After this we had lunch in Ceske-Budejovice. It was this little town that was kind of depressing looking... but it was a nice place to chill for an hour and eat. After this we went to the hotel (which was so nice!) and dropped off our bags. We then walked to the famous Castle of Hluboka. It is mocked after the Windsor style castle in England and is famous for housing the Schwarzenberg family. The Schwarzenbergs were a Franconian and Bohemian aristocratic family that gained an enormous amount of power through out the ages through land holdings and marriage alliances into royal families. It was a beautiful castle and I could have spent forever in the wooden rooms richly decorated with history. We were lucky we had a great tour guide! Then after this we went back to the hotel for dinner and our Rotary leaders took us to a local bar and we all hung out together until midnight again :) It was a good last night with all my Rotary buds.
The next day (Wednesday the 22nd), we all went to a little town called Cesky Krumlov. Its a little town in the South Bohemian Region and best known for the fine architecture and art. Old Cesky Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district. The town and castle began in the late 13th century at a ford in the Vltava River - very important in trade routes in Bohemia. We had this whole day to do whatever we wanted :) Once again, it was a beautiful, sunny mid-June day! And we were just walking around in this darling, medieval city .... nothing could have been better :) We ate lunch along the river on the terrace. It was great. Afterwards, Marge and I went to go see the Cesky Krumlov Castle. It dates back to 1240 when the first castle was built by the Witigonen family, the main branch of the powerful Rosenberg family... and it passed though the Eggenbergs and the Schwarzenbergs. It was a very impressive castle but it was a lot like the castle we had seen the other day... but I preferred the other and the other tour guide! But it was really interesting! It had an amazing view of the city with its white buildings and orange, tiled rooftops with the river running through it... I could have taken pictures all day! We roamed around the city all day and sat by the river just basking in the sun :) It was the best day. Around 7, we all found our way to the restaurant to have dinner all together. It was fun to be all in this restaurant together. We laughed, we cried, and we ate great Czech food. Yes... I cried, but I wasn't the only one! There was just something in the air that night that everyone was a bit emotional... it was our last night and our last big Rotary trip together. I had spent a year with these people, some people I had just met in Prague, and some people I don't think I would ever see again... so it was a bit emotional for everyone. I remember laughing at a joke and then looking across the table and my friend was crying and then I went from laughing to crying in a matter of seconds... we didn't even have to exchange words... we knew what we were crying about. I can't even explain it...
That night we boarded the bus around 8 and got home the next day... which I went straight to the shower then to my bed! Haha my family has been accustomed to my homecoming as it being normal for me to sleep the whole next day! I don't know if it is normal but I just want to go to bed after trips. I'm worried the day I come back to America I'll spend the whole day in bed! I doubt it though... ;) When I woke up from my nap around 4, Benoit was over and he helped me with converting my Russian doll for Alain into a Standard de Liege doll! It was really funny and he wouldn't stop giving me a hard time about how I bought the wrong team. I hadn't seen him in a while so it was fun to hang out with him and the girls together :)
The 24th (Friday) I spent the whole day with my Belge besties at a friends house. At around 1, Justine and I went over to our friend's house (Laurence) for a barbeque. It was really fun to be with all the girls :) I had missed a lot of the end of the school year parties since I was in Ireland and then 2 days later in Prague! So, I was really excited to be with all of my Belgies :) The afternoon was great! We all had some cocktails, barbeque, and good conversation... but the night was not so good. Bref (as the french saying goes) it was bad and Justine and I ended up not spending the night at Laurence's house because of a lot of drama and mean girls. It was better that way anyway and I got to sleep in my own bed, which I have missed so much!
The 25th (Saturday) would have been a great day to write my blog but instead I spent the whole day watching TV shows and movies with my sisters :) I don't regret it at all! After the night before we needed to just chill and relax... it was good bonding time :) I love my sisters!
The next day I got up at 5 in the morning... to catch a bus at 6:30 to catch a train at 7 to catch a another train at 8:15 to get to the airport in Brussels by 8:30. I did all this traveling (and planning) by myself just to get to the Brussels airport to see Margaret and Mollie go back to America. It was a lot more sad than I thought it was going to be... when I got there I didn't feel like it was really happening! Three days before I was in Prague with Margaret! Time is still freaking me out. When I got the airport I just wanted to go hang out with Marge and Mollie not start crying... I know I will see them again in a month or so but something about them not being in Belgium anymore was just kind of sad. We will never have these moments together again... :/ It was like watching a bad movie! I was standing there watching the girls say goodbye to their families that they had touched and knowing that they will not see each other for a long time... it was just depressing. I was a mess. I got back on the train around 10:30 and got back to Liege at 12 in order to go directly to the Bran's house for Alain's 50th birthday party :) It was a beautiful day and it was so good to be back at that house. I hadn't been over to visit since I left (because in the last month since I moved I have spent 3 weeks traveling)... so it was good to be back. The whole family came over! Alain's sister and her children and their boyfriends/girlfriends and then Alain's parents and Isa's brothers and their families and then Isa's parents also... plus one of Isa's brothers got a new, little puppy so she came too! It was a big party out in the backyard :) It was so much fun... the boys and I were pretty much attached at the hip all day. I hadn't seen Francois since I had left (because he had been super busy with finals - which he passed he first year in college easily!!) so it was just great to hang out all 3 of us again :) Missed my brothers! We ate, we laughed, we talked about life :) And Alain loved his present!! I wrote "Brans 50" on the back of the largest doll and he thought that was great! It was fun to share how I bought the wrong one but fixed it... he loved it :) When he was thanking me I almost teared up because it meant so much to him that I came and then gave him a present so original. It was just a perfect day and I felt so loved. I kept kind of tearing up all day though... I think because it was just so perfect and I knew that this was going to be the last time I'm with the whole family and with the boys like that. Yvonne and the girls came to get me at around 8 (after the whole family had already left) and they had a drink with us. It was cool to have my new family be with my old family ... we left around 10 and it was weird to not be going up to my old room to sleep! It was an amazing day :)
The 27th (Monday), everyone went one last time back to school to get our diplomas. I let Justine borrow one of my dresses and I borrowed one of hers (we are cute like that) and we got all dolled up to go! It was great to have everyone back together again :) I got my report card!! And my final grades! In French - 28/40. In English (but I did it in French) - 22/40. In German - 23/40. And in Science Sociales (the one I thought I failed) - 30/40! I was so proud of myself :) Then we all got in our little classes and they called our names to receive the diplomas in front of everyone. I am usually second to last and when they called the girl after me and not me ... I was like Oh! No! I don't get a diploma! I turned bright red since I was the last one standing! And then they called my name and were like of course we didn't forget you :) When I took my diploma I got a standing applause and everyone was like "Ya! Mallory!". It felt amazing and of course I teared up! Ah! I was just so emotional because I had done it! I had pushed myself and I now have something to show for my hard work and the fact that others saw that ... made me emotional. And as if I wasn't emotional enough, Isa and Alain leave for Indonesia (they go somewhere for 3 weeks every summer) the 3rd of July... and so I had to say goodbye to them at the school. We took a a family picture together (minus Francois) and then I lost it... I was just balling when I was saying goodbye. Like... seriously when I think back on how I was crying I'm kind of embarrassed and Benoit was really taken aback too by my emotions! Tears were on the ground! I was just so sad because I have no idea when I will see them next, nothing will ever be the same as me being here now. That is what gets me the most I think,that I won't ever be in this same situation again or have these moments with them again. When I see them next I might be just out of college! starting a new career! or married! or with children! Things will be completely different the next time I see them and I wish I could just soak up a little more time with them... :( So yeah... to say the least, I was a crying fool when I was saying goodbye. When they were leaving and I went over to Yvonne and was like "Meh" and she was like "Oh! Baby!" She was really understanding and was like, "This whole year just is an emotional roller coaster! You are very strong." It made me feel better :) I then spent the rest of the day working on my Rotary Presentation (instead of shopping with the girls) that I was supposed to give the next day! It helped me focus on happy things instead of being depressed from saying goodbye to people. Yes...my 45 minute presentation all in french about my life in KC and about my year in Belgium, I started the day before I was supposed to give it! I have a problem... !! I was so stressed out the whole day. I had to write out what I was going to say, make a PowerPoint, make a slide show (and collect all my pictures through out this year), and put music with everything. It was a lot of work!! But when I finished it I was beyond happy! This would have also been a great day for me to be productive with my blog... but I had to prioritize! I knew you would all still love me my faithful followers if I instead chose to impress my Rotarians with some intense French.
Then the 28th (Tuesday), I went to my normal Rotary meeting except instead of listening to a presentation on China... I was the one actually giving the speech! It was intense! Kind of a big deal... I mean this is the whole reason Rotary sponsors kids... to watch them after a year of learning a language to finally be able to give a speech in front of people! This was more than a big deal. Before I started, my counselor got up to introduce me and he was saying all these nice things about... it made me so happy. He said I always had a good attitude about things even when things didn't go as planned and he was saying how I was a model exchange student and they are lucky to have me to represent them. It almost made me cry! I was never that close with my counselor and for him to say all those nice things about me... well I got emotional again! Then I started my PowerPoint and I talked about the US, Kansas City, my old life, my family, and then I talked about my year including the school here, my 3 families, my life here and how it was the best and hardest year of my life. I then started my slide show with my favorite french songs playing in the background. It was amazing to watch my whole year flash before me on this huge screen with music that brings back so many memories... and so when I was giving my closing speech about how this year has changed my life, saved my life, and my made my life... I of course broke down and cried. In front of everyone! Meh! I'm just so damn emotional! They were all really cute though and were like, "You did great! One of the best presentations we have seen!" It made me happy :) I was proud of myself... despite the fact that I'm a huge baby now.
The next day (Wednesday the 29th) I spent sleeping! I was so exhausted! I think I slept until like noon! Being an emotional mess 24/7 will do that to you though haha. I went shopping with my sisters for some last minute supplies for Beach Days and I think that was the most productive thing I did all day.. oh! and packing for Beach Days!
Now this is where I will explain what Beach Days is... I was at Beach days from June 30th until the 2nd of July. Beach Days is (sadly) not at the beach but instead 30 minutes from Liege in a little, touristy town called Esneux right along the river. Every summer, this town hosts a huge beach volley ball tournament for 4 days. Everyone is on a team and plays about 4 games a day and when they aren't playing they are refereeing for other teams playing... or you don't have to play and you can just come for the day and chill out. It is not like an intense volley ball tournament at all! It is just a great way to start off summer :) There is a more intense volley ball tournament that starts the day after our Beach Days ended. There are seriously 50 sand volley ball courts just chilling along this closed off street and there are outdoor activities to do as well... and food courts. There is also an option to stay their for 3 nights during the tournament... which is what everyone does because it is so much fun! It looked like a military base! There were so many tents in one area! Everyone has these tents that set up in like 2 seconds so everyone just hangs out in these tents... it is awesome! I have never camped out like this before ... so I had no idea what to expect. We would play volley ball during the day and then at night we would have huge parties at the camping site... we made friends with the people next to us at the camping site so it was just a huge party. I think the most sleep I got was 5 hours. Haha It was just a great time :) I fell even more in love with my Belge besties! But I did cry... surprised? I had to say goodbye to Jerry. He left the 2nd to go back home to Texas. I know I will see him again... but when I think about how much we went through together it makes me sad to think that he won't be around anymore. He is in my Rotary Club, at the same school as me, did all the same French classes with me at Erasmus, and we have all the same friends... so yeah, things are going to be different without him around :/
When Beach Days ended ... the girls and I went straight to bed and slept for over 12 hours because we had way too much fun at Beach Days to sleep! Yesterday, I went to a surprise party for a good friend of mine who turned 18. He was so surprised! It was really a great party, full of dancing and laughing. It was kind of weird it was so fun because the family was with us the whole time... but they were so chill and cool that we had more fun with them there! haha Justine and I didn't go to bed until like 3 in the morning last night! It was great :) Although I must add... I did cry last night too because I had to say goodbye to a good friend of mine (Constantin) who is going to Greece for the summer (since he has all of him family there) and won't be back until August. I had so many great times with him... I can't even imagine him not being at the next party I go to or making a ridiculous joke. Meh. I hate saying goodbye... I don't think I can do it anymore! I'm sick of crying like a baby!

Summer is beautiful :)
Sorry I was so late my dear followers! I will be sure to update you more frequently this month!!
Love me!
Mallory

Oh, and Happy 4th of July! Let Freedom Ring!!

40 Shades of Green

Hello :)

Just got back from Ireland! Craziness that it is actually over... ! Loved every minute of it, and dare I say that it has been my favorite trip so far?

But FIRST! I must tell you about my past week at school.... finals week!
I took 3 finals last week... in the most dysfunctional way. I didn't study a single thing for any of them. I was that girl. The 7th of June I had a German final. I had to talk to my teacher about my year in Belgium and all the things I have done and people I have met... in German! So... my German friend (and Google Translate) helped me out a lot and I wrote out a 2 pager on my year in German! It was epic and I was so proud. I showed up to the final and I just sat down and started reading my little paper I wrote. I kept laughing every time I looked up because my teacher had no idea what I was talking about. A mixture of bad translation, my horrible accent, and the fact that I kept laughing at myself because it is just ridiculous when I speak German. So, to say the least my teacher had no idea what I was saying. He was really nice and gave me a 12/20 (which is passing in Belgium and actually a good grade) because I had been "well-prepared" but I really need to work on my accent. So! I got a 11/20 on the German writing exam and 12/20 on the oral exam... so 23/40 is a passing grade! I can proudly say I passed a German class in French. Bam! Then after this I went over to my English classroom and asked if it was okay if I could take my English final then. Now, before you go and give me crap for taking an English final let me just remind you that I have been taking every exam this teacher gives - but in French. I take the tests the opposite of my classmates. Which has worked out perfectly. The teacher doesn't make me do it at all! In fact, all year I have been asking for her to give me the same tests. I even write essays in French. So, I took my exam in French as well. I had to randomly pick 4 questions and do a little pre-writing over at least 3 of them and then after I was grilled with questions over the topic by 4 random classmates of mine. It was really intimidating! I think I even broke a sweat! They were all really impressed though. I answered ever single question and gave my opinion on some things. When I was finished my classmates were like, "Wow, you really didn't have any issues with any of our questions!" It felt good for them to say that. Then the teacher went on to tell me how proud she was of me and that I'm the only exchange student she has ever met who put as much effort in to succeed. She handed me back my exams that I had taken over the year and again applauded my progress and told me, "I was a pleasure to have in her class." Yay for moments like these :) All this week people have been coming up to me telling me that she has been talking about me in their classes. About how I'm the most improved and most integrated of all the exchange students :) It makes me happy that at least someone sees my progress. I'll never forget her :)
The 8th, I took my French exam. Which is confusing since my English exam could be considered a French exam too... but this one was actually with the French teacher Haha. I had to read this text in French that I had never read before and analyze it within 30 minutes. It was kind of a hard text. It was the same writing level as some of the texts I had read in my English classes in America. So... it wasn't like an easy level text but not overly hard. I understood it pretty well. After I finished reading it, I had to give a summary of the text to my teacher and then she asked me questions about it (like the theme, the characters, the symbols). I think she was really impressed that I understood it perfectly. She was really nice and told me that I had passed with flying colors and had really come along since the first days in her class. It made me happy :) I had kind of been scared of this teacher all year and for her to say I spoke well -- it felt good. After the exam, we just talked about my year and my plans for the future. I'm really proud of myself that I did my exams... such a confidence boost!! :) My paper I wrote for the journal (in French, about my year in Belgium) also got published this week at school. Everyone wrote something in their second language so this journal was full of Italian, English, Greek, Latin, German, Spanish, Dutch, and one French writing (by me). Mine was probably the most personal text in the journal and I had two pictures that people had made of me next to my writing. It was so cool to see my writing in print! I was really proud. Random people have been stopping me to tell me how great it was and inspirational. One boy even told me that I inspired him to take a year off and do what I'm doing... :)
Then the night of the 8th - Marge, Mollie, and I met in Liege to take the last train to Charleroi where then we took a bus to the Charleroi airport. Charleroi is probably the 'ghetoo-ist" and most trashy city possibly in Belgium. It is near France and also the place where the cheapest flights are headquartered at. We got a really cheap flight to Dublin from Charleroi at a really early time.. which means nobody was able to drive us to the airport at 4 in the morning for our flight so we had to take the last train and spend the night in the airport. Woo! Such an experience. To be honest though... I would rather spend 6 hours in an airport than 20 hours on a bus any day of the week. We didn't get any sleep... but instead met a nice 6-month pregnant lady from Tennessee doing a Euro-Trip who started talking to us at 2 in the morning. It was funny. We boarded the plane the next day at 7:10 and made it to Ireland a half hour earlier than expected! It was a lovely little welcome. Everything was so smooth from this point on... found our bags, got a bus to Dublin City, found our hostel without problems. It was very stress free. Our hostel was so cute! And nice! I'm pretty sure the beds and rooms in general were nicer than our hotel in Spain! It was also great because we had a communal kitchen and didn't have to waste money going out to eat all week and instead bought groceries ;) It was just a great place to stay right in the center of Dublin, cheaply, and with other young kids traveling like us. We were obviously exhausted when we arrived to our Hostel but we couldn't go to our rooms until 2 or 3 - so we went wandering around and grocery shopping for lunch (only 5 euros per person!). We ate lunch in the hostel's kitchen and played some board games while looking at things to do during the week. We went on a 3 hour Free Walking Tour of Dublin around 1:30 - as if we weren't tired enough! Our tour guide was this young student -a born and raised Dubliner. He was hilarious and knew so much about Dublin, especially historically (so, I was in heaven). I learned a lot from his tour! I had learned a lot about the history of Ireland in my history classes but I had forgotten about the Independence issues that Ireland's past has had. I think would really enjoy a whole course just on this subject! It was a great day... besides it pouring down rain!! That added to the mood of the 3 of us... wet and tired. Super. Ireland is not like going to Spain... it was a high of 60 degrees (15 degrees Celsius) all week and when I was packing my bags to I literally had to go into my winter suitcase for some sweatshirts and pants. So not like Spain Ha! After the tour, we ran back to the hostel in a hurricane it seemed and went straight to our beds... and slept for 12 hours straight! No dinner - just slept from 5 to 5 in the morning. It was glorious. I can proudly say my first night in Dublin was spent sleeping!
The 10th (Friday), we woke up at 5 in the morning (but we thought it was 6 in the morning since Ireland is an hour earlier than Western Europe... so we had time for breakfast and such when we realized we had an extra hour) and went on our first day tour to the West Coast of Ireland. We booked a day tour to the Cliffs of Moher and West Coast of Ireland with this local and family run company. It was so much fun :) We took a transfer bus (like a greyhound bus) with about 15 other people across the center of Ireland to the wild and rugged coast line of the West - about 3 hours from Dublin City. We went though the pretty fishing village of Kinarva and saw the Medieveal Banqueting Castle of Dunguaire and then out to the village of Oughtmama in the heart of the Burren. Now what is the "Burren"? When the Irish say the word "burren" it sounds like "barn" but what the Irish mean when they say this is to describe the landscape around them. The Burren (in Celtic: Boireann, meaning "great rock") is a landscape region in northwest County Clare and is a nominated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the largest karst landscapes in Europe. The region measures approximately 250 square kilometers and is enclosed roughly within the circle made by the villages. The rolling hills of the Burren are composed of limestone pavements with crisscrossing cracks known as "grikes", leaving isolated rocks called "clints". The region supports arctic, Mediterranean and alpine plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment. The Burren is renowned for its remarkable assemblage of plants and animals. The region supports many rare Irish species, some of which are only found in this area. The Burren is rich with historical and archaeological sites as well. During the counter-guerilla operations in the Burren in 1651-52, Edmund Ludlow (an English parliamentarian) stated, "(the Burren) is a country where there is not enough water to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him... and yet their cattle are very fat". The hills, when you look at them, look to be very dry and rugged but they are not at all dry and are some of the wettest places in the Ireland. We arrived at the tour company's 200 year old family farm situated in a valley right in the middle of the Burren mountains and we fed baby sheep! It was so cute and they were very hungry! Then we took a gentle walking tour with John (very cute, nice local guide) to the Burren Mountains. It was soooooo cool. When you look at these mountains from the valley you don't see any green or wildlife but then when we started climbing we saw so many wonderful plants and flowers and a beautiful view of the valley with the Atlantic Ocean in the distance. It was beautiful. We even took a group spiritual moment with a 5 minute lay down on the mountain side... John said, "Now you know what it is like to be a cow in the Burren". It was cute :) After the gentle hike we enjoyed "mum's" delicious homemade apple pie in Grannie's house! From the farm house we then boarded the bus and headed to Poulnabrone Dolmen - a megalithic burial tomb dating to 2500 BC. This is a portal tomb that consists of a twelve-foot, thin, slab-like, tabular capstone supported by two slender portal stones - that creates a chamber in a 30 ft low cairn. It was discovered in 1985 as a place where personal items were buried with the dead. Then we went on through Lisdoonvarna to the awesome Cliffs of Moher, rising a sheer 210 meters from the ocean below. The cliffs stretch 8 km and are Ireland's number 1 tourist attraction. The cliffs consist mainly of beds of Namurian shale and sandstone, with the oldest rocks being found at the bottom of the cliffs. It is possible to see 300 million year-old river channels cutting trough. As of July 2009, the Cliffs were named one of 28 global finalists in the "New Seven Wonders of Nature". To say the least... these cliffs are epic. I was in awe the whole time and my mouth was in this constant "O" shape. There was a castle built on the top of the cliffs - called O'Brien's Tower. It went perfectly with the scenery and is at the approximate midpoint of the cliffs - perfect for picture taking! It was built by Sir Cornelius O'Brien, a descendant of Ireland's High King Brian Boru, in order to impress female visitors (he got me impressed!). From atop the watchtower, visitors (we didn't go up it) can view the Aran Islands and Galway Bay, the Maum Turk Mountains and the Twelve Pins in the north in Connemara, and Loop Head to the south. Afterwards, we made our way down to Doolin Village for a lunch stop. Doolin is the home of traditional Irish music - and unfortunately we didn't get to experience any live music. The roads then winded us back down to black head where we followed the coast road to Galway city around 5. Galway is the west of Ireland's cultural capital. Galway is a bohemian and happy city with a very young population. Home to the Claddagh Ring and 14 families, there is amazing history in this city! Galway is also the last city that Christopher Columbus visited before making his way over to the West Indies - he came to Galway in search of the best crew who knew the Atlantic, and the western Irish men were the best around. We enjoyed a nice stroll through the streets and did a little shopping. We were supposed to catch a transfer bus back to Dublin but we missed it so we had to pay 8 more euros to go with another bus an hour later. It sucked... and we didn't get back to Dublin until like 11 at night. The past 3 days I had been feeling really sick and all day Friday I had felt horrible. My stomach hurt so bad and I got very well acquainted with the public bathrooms of Ireland, especially at the Cliffs of Moher... so at 11 at night I was crying and in so much pain. Everyone thought I had E.Coli since I had all the symptoms (except vomiting and a fever). At midnight, I went to the emergency room at the Dublin hospital.... on a Friday night. We had to wait an hour or so and saw way too many victims of drunken pub fights. It was kind of scary. When they called me in I was literally like... "My tummy really hurts" which was just weak compared to the bleeding drunk man before me. The lady was really nice though and told me I just had an intense gastro problem instead of E.Coli - which made me feel better. She gave me some pain killers and then told me my doctor's appointment was in 4 hours. I was like... "Um, do I have to go?" I was thinking about how the girls were falling asleep in the waiting room and how we had another day tour at 7 in the morning tomorrow... so I told her I would come back tomorrow is the pain killers didn't work. I'm sure I looked really sketch... just leaving after I got my pain killers and hospital bracelet haha But they worked! I felt a lot better the next day. Just another experience (and another reason I'm all for the medical system in Europe - I didn't pay a dime). We were back at the hostel by 2 in the morning - safe and sound!
The 11th (Saturday), we went on another one day tour to Connemara - the very western and wild side of Ireland. It is one of only two places in Ireland where sheep have the right of way over cars on the road! We left Dublin at 7 AM and headed west towards Oughterard - the gateway to Connemara - with our charming and very cute tour guide: Conrad. The term Connemara is frequently used (although incorrectly) to describe all of County Galway west of Lough Corrib. "Connemara" derives from the tribal name Conmacne Mara - another theory is that the term Connemara actually means "Inlet of the sea", the reason for which will easily be explained via a drive along it's rugged coast line. On our 3 hour drive, we passed through quaint villages with views unmatched anywhere else in Ireland. Not far into our journey, we stopped at the famous bridge that was used in the "Quiet Man" film with John Wayne. As Conrad told us ... this film was the reason for all the stereotypical things that surround Ireland to this day. I guess whole classes at Universities are dedicated to how this film affected the thoughts of the United States about what it means to be Irish. The film was an awful representation! We then stopped at Maam Cross where we saw for the first time some of the numerous lakes that make Connemara so famous. This area is a gaeltacht region but not all of Connemara is a gaeltacht region but some pockets keep Irish (Celtic) alive as their first language. It is a beautiful language and music to the ears. Some said once that listening to Irish spoken was the most relaxing thing in the world. I don't know if I agree with that... it sounds more barbaric than German! While driving we had the Maumturk mountains on our right before we saw the magnificent Glencoaghan horseshoe, part of the Twelve Bens Mountains Range (one of Ireland's famous hiking routes). We were traveling in a van and since the girls and I were late in the morning by like 5 minutes we got the worst seats in the van - the very back. So, that meant since we were in bog country ... we were up in the air with the bumps on the road! Seriously... we were bouncing around like crazy and laughing the whole time. It was hilarious. We think Conrad was doing it on purpose. I was just happy my stomach condition was much better or else I would have had a much different perspective about these large bumps! We took a little break in the lovely village of Recess. This is where Alcock and Brown famously landed their plane in a bog after their record breaking non stop flight from North America to Europe. After this, we made our way through the wonderful Inagh Valley, famous for the phone advertisement of losing reception, in a circular route to the other side of Connemara where we stopped at Kylemore Abbey - one of the most distinct buildings in Ireland. The Connemara was always a popular destination for hunting and fishing and Mitchell Henry became one of the growing number of Irish and English gentlemen who visited during the fishing season. Tradition has it that Mitchell and Margaret Henry visited Connemara while on their honeymoon and it was the couple's wish someday to own a home there. A few years later Mitchell had built a wonderful castle for his wife complete with gardens that covered 13,000 acres of land and cost a little over 18,000 pounds. Sadly, just 2 years after the completion of the mansion his wife died from a sudden death in 1874 and a few months later his daughter as well died. In 1903 he sold the Kylemore Castle to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester and in 1920 the Irish Benedictine Nuns purchased the Castle as a female boarding school for years but now it is mainly used by nuns for retreat and for tourists to visit. It is located at the foot of a stunning mountain with a lake in front - very majestic. We stopped and took lots of pictures - we even enjoyed a wonderful scone at the little cafe :) Then we made our way to Killary fjord. It is 16 kilometers long and in the center over 45 meters deep - but it is a very shallow fjord. It is one of three glacial fjords that exist in Ireland. We went for a boat trip for an hour and a half on the beautiful Killary Harbour. The "Connemara Lady" took us gently up towards the head of the fjord. We were impressed at all the mussel beds in the fjord and the Mweelrea - the highest mountain on the west coast of Ireland. Normally the boat attracts dolphins ... but we sadly didn't see any :( It was really interesting to listen to all the history surrounding the fjord. I found out that in World War 2 the fjord was a spot of refuge during a huge storm for a British submarine and a German U-boat. Since Ireland was a neutral country... it was illegal for them both to be there. They both knew the other was there so, they just ignored each other since it would be against war-code to start a battle in illegal waters. Ireland also knew that both the boats were there as well... but just ignored them too since getting involved would be a dangerous political move. The fjord has been the home of peace amongst war... so interesting!! Once again, we were not disappointed by this natural wonder of the world. Around 2, we hopped back on the bus again for a trip to the little village of Leenane where the enigmatic movie "The Field" was filmed. This story of the The Bull Mc Cabe really instils in you how land is in every Irish persons mindset. The land is more than land to the Irish people. We found out that the west of Ireland used to be very populated (500 people per sq. mile) but with the Irish Potato Famine in the 1800s ... the region is pretty much deserted. It was weird to think that the region used to be full of houses because now it is just the nature that is left... it was kind of depressing. Then we took a circular route to the Sheefry Hills for a quick picture before making our way back to Maum and then onto Galway City (for the second time in 2 days). We got back to Dublin around 8 PM and ate, then headed out to the pubs! I can happily say I drank my first Guinness in my first, real pub in Dublin, Ireland. I hate Guinness but I love the Irish people... We had a great night :)
The 12th (Sunday), we slept in and were going to go on a run but it was raining so instead we all three played scrabble in the kitchen of the hostel. It was cute :) Then around noon we caught a bus and went to Wexford in the South of Ireland. We were late to the bus and were literally running to get to it... while it was raining! It was hilarious... and we made it just in time :) Wexford is situated near the southeastern tip of Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbor, the estuary of the River Slaney. According to a local legend, the town got its Irish name, Loch Garman (since all the towns in Ireland have two names, one Celtic and one English - actually all government signs are written in English and Celtic, even though less than 3% speak Celtic, it is still the official language of Ireland), from a young man named Garman Garbh who was drowned on the mudflats at the mouth of the River Slaney by flood waters released by an "enchantress". The resulting lake was thus named Lake of Garman. Wexford used to be a very important Irish Harbor on the east coast but now it is only used by fishing boats and leisure vessels. We had originally planned on going to the Heritage Park located in Wexford ... but since it was Sunday it was closed. The tourism center was also closed so we went into a little shop to get directions to our hotel. The clerks were so nice and drew us maps to find our hotel since it was not in the center of the city... and so we set off on the 45 min walk in the drizzling rain (we were too cheap to get a taxi). 10 minutes into the walk we were starting to climb this huge hill and a lady pulls up to us and asks if we are going to Maldron Hotel ... we all three look at each other and say, "Yes?" She tells us she is going there and she would love to give us a ride! It was so nice and we all piled into her little, euro car with the steering wheel on the right hand side. She told us she was in the store when we were asking directions and had talked to the clerks after we left and wanted to help since it was a really long walk! She was our little, Irish miracle! She was so nice :) It was the best thing ever. She asked us if we were from France or Spain - because of our accents! We got a good laugh about that. Apparently, we are taking on quite an odd accent with our months in Belgium. It was just a beautiful moment spent with a beautiful stranger while we were roaming around the beautiful Ireland. Our hotel was a really good deal but a really nice hotel as well! We just hung out at our hotel for a few hours before dinner - enjoying fluffy pillows, English TV shoes, and free wifi. It was very relaxing. Then we went to this amazing Thai Restaurant in the center of Wexford (we finally called a taxi - and made friends with the driver!). This was our first meal in Ireland that we sat down and actually paid more than 5 euros per person... so it was a big deal. It was kind of funny that our only real meal in Ireland was not Irish at all... but whatever! We spent the evening eating amazing Thai food and talking about life and how we are living our dreams. It was wonderful. I love my life. After this we called another taxi and went back to the hotel around 10 and watched some TV and went to bed. Classic Mollie, Margaret, and Mallory.
The 13th (Monday), we slept in and took a train to Bray at 11. Bray is a town north of Wexford but still on the coast - it is about 30 minutes (12 miles/20km) from Dublin. Bray is a busy urban center and seaside town with a population of 31,000 making it the fourth largest in Ireland. Bray is known for being the place where Dublin middle classes move to in order to escape city life, while still be relatively close to the city. Bray is situated in one of the valleys of the Wicklow Mountains which are a range of mountains in the southeast of Ireland. Lugnaquilla is the highest peak in the range at 925 m (3035 ft). Wicklow is very popular with fishing, rafting, hiking, and hill walking. Bray Head forms a part of the Wicklow Mountains and is a popular spot with hillwalkers (like us). At the top of the head is a concrete cross which was placed there in 1950 during the "holy year". Every Good Friday, hundreds of local people climb to the top of the head in a Good Friday procession doing the stations of the Cross. The rocks of Bray Head are a mixture of greywackers and quartzite. So of course, we had to try out our hiking skills! It was a beautiful day and dare I say... sunny?! (I must add that I saw an advertisement in Dublin that said, "So Irish, I think the Sun is a newspaper" Hilarious.) The path had many different levels one could take depending on the difficulty level... and I think we took the hardest level all the way up. We all three were sweating and out of breath after an hour hike - pathetic. It was kind of funny - one might say religious - when we kept being like, "Oh! I can see the cross! We are getting closer!" When we finally made it to the top we could see for miles. It was beyond beautiful. I'll never forget how on top of the world I felt. I had the Sea on one side of me and the rest of Ireland on my other side. It was epic. We walked a little further along the coastline and ran into a heard of wild ponies! They were so cute :) We all took a moment of silence at a little concrete wall overlooking the Sea. I enjoyed a chocolate bar after my intense work out! It was one of the best experiences of my life. I'll never forget hiking to Bray Head in Ireland with my 2 best friends when I was 19. Then around 4, we headed back to the center of Bray and caught a bus to Dublin. We went grocery shopping and had a wonderful salad, salmon, and grilled vegetables (thank you Mollie and Margaret - of course I did nothing) at the hostel. We then went out to enjoy our last night in Dublin. We ended up at an awesome pub with live music and sang and danced the night away :) It was a perfect ending to a perfect trip. This is where I'm going to thank Margaret for her hard work in planning this trip - she really should be doing this as a job! Thank you Margaret :)
Tuesday (14th) we got up at 4 in the morning to catch a shuttle to the airport and we were back in Belgium around 9 in the morning.

Next Blog - PRAGUE! This is the last big trip before I head back to the US of A.

I took my Science Sociales test today.... and I didn't study a thing so I didn't do that well. Oh well. She told me I had done well all year and I was a pleasure to meet :)

All for now :)
Love Life