Halfway through the program!
On Thursday, we attended an Irish House Party where we ate dinner and enjoyed live music. I’m usually not a fan of live music, but the house party was one of a kind. I enjoyed how our host kept the crowd engaged and ensured we weren’t bored between each song. Their songs included many Irish traditional instruments that added a different touch to the music. It will be a memorable experience because when else will you experience an Irish house party? I’m happy we could experience this, and it will be one of my favorite things in Ireland! Unfortunately, I got so into the music that I forgot to take pictures, but the dinner was also great!
My internship allowed me to have Friday off, so I went to the mall near UCD. I went to the Dundrum Mall to scroll around because of how big it was, and I could buy souvenirs for family and friends. The mall here does not have an interactive board that shows you where everything is like we have in most malls in the States, so I walked around unsure of what’s here and just explored. Something that I thought was super cool was when I went to Hollister and saw this dress that I thought was cute, so I sent it to my best friend from Bucknell. She was also at Hollister at a mall in the States when I sent her it. What are the odds that she also wanted to show me the same dress? It was such a coincidence that despite being in a different country, our tastes are still the same. After that, I went to the mall’s top floor, where I saw a boba shop where I got brown sugar boba tea. The boba tea tasted okay, but what stood out was the sponge bob cup! I grew up watching Sponge Bob, so it held a special place in my heart; getting a boba in a Sponge Bob cup was a pleasant surprise.
Another big highlight of the week was when we visited the Guinness storehouse! I never knew how the Guinness or any alcohol was made. Therefore, this was a fantastic experience as I learned more about the process and history behind it. I found it fascinating to learn about the four main ingredients to make Guinness: water, yeast, barley, and hops. They also gave us a fantastic visual of the different ingredients through many kinds of examples, which was also super cool to see and learn about the ingredients. The tour also contained many different levels; it was seven layers, where the farther up we go, the closer we get to the actual product. What also stood out to me was when you look up, you can see the stained glasses, and the higher up you go, the prettier it is until you reach the top. Their Gravity Bar was at the top of the tour, where everyone else could get their drink. I enjoyed a cup of water after walking up the stairs. With an alcohol allergy, I couldn’t try the Guinness for myself, but I wanted a nice cold cup of water while everyone else talked to my friends here. What an eventful week! I’m so excited to see what the program’s second half will be like!
Sign of the Guinness Store House!
The Clock in the Guinness Store House!
Both pictures of the stained glasses!
