Updates

This was my fourth week fully working in the Dail. So far it has been great. Last week i decided to starting working with a second T.D. Tom McEllistrim, also with the Fianna Fail Party. He was the person i initially wanted to work for so im glad i get the chance to spend one day a week with him. So i kept busy working for Timmy on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and then Tom on Thursdays. Im learning a lot about how the parliament system works over here and im getting the chance to meet a lot of great people. Next week Tom is going to start taking me to the local Fianna Fail committee meetings down in Kerry which i am very excited for. Im very interested in the local politics and i think attending those meetings is the perfect way for me to learn and also meet other important people from around Kerry. 

School has also been going well. We have midterm exams starting on Monday. I cannot believe im half way done already! Before i know it i will be heading back to Chicago. 

So far everything in Ireland has been an awesome learning experience. I love everything i am doing and i really feel i made the best decision about coming over here. I fit right in! And i hope one day i will be able to establish a life for myself over here!! 

Timmy Dooley

Today i met the TD i will be working for, Timmy Dooley. My very first impression was "this guy is going to be awesome!" He was very friendly towards me and seem excited to have me working with him. We first just sat down and got to know a little bit more about each other. This is Timmy's first time being elected into the Dail so he was very new at the whole idea of being an intern and what the IPA's program was all about. Then he had to rush out to a meeting and left me with 1000's of pages of photocopying to do! I didn't mind really...it was a nice quiet day for me. After i made all the copies i had to put all of it folded into envelopes. He was also in a meeting when i was doing this so he let me watch TV at the same time! So the time went by faster...i was also able to sit in on one of his committee meetings today regarding European affairs that i found very very interesting. Timmy is the head chairman of the European Affairs committee which is awesome because that is exactly what i want to learn the most about. He is also a chairman for the transport committee and a few others. Overall he seems like a very smart man and i cant wait to learn as much as i can from him! 

Teachta Dála

For the past week slowly one by one, students are getting their Dail assignments. I just sat eagerly waiting to find out who i would be working with. And today i got my TD assignment for the Dail! I have been assigned to work with Timmy Dooley from Ennis, Co. Clare. He is a young TD and this is his first term in the Dail so i guess we will be learning together! I am so excited to get started, you have no idea! I'll be working in the Fianna Fail Party, which is what i wanted! They are the more socially conservative party in Ireland! Working in the Dail i know will be the best experience of my life. I cannot wait to get in their and get working to meet as many people as i can. Tomorrow morning i have an appointment to meet Timmy at 10am. And I'm sure at that point ill learn all the basics about the parliament and I'm sure ill get to know Timmy a little better as well! Cant wait!! 

Exploring Howth

Thursday night we went to  pub in downtown Dublin called Gogarty's. All night they had a band playing traditional Irish music which the Americans i was with had never heard before. So it was the perfect opportunity for them to see how awesome the Irish are!! Then yesterday Nick, Lew and I got up at a relatively decent hour (Due to our Thursday night festivities) to go and explore a town in the north of Dublin called Howth. It was about an hour dart (Irish rail) ride from where we live. Although it was cloudy and misting all day we still had a good time! Howth is a town that is completely surrounded by the ocean. There is also a harbor there for boats. It was absolutely beautiful. We climbed to the top of a huge hill/mountain and got one hell of a view from the top. On the very top of the cliff there were several really nice houses looking right onto the ocean. Could you imagine waking up to that view everyday? That would be awesome! It was quiet a hike up but it was definitely worth it! After out hike down we stopped at a pub for lunch and i ate the most amazing burger i have ever had!! We ended our night with a few drinks in Dun Laoghaire, our local hang out spot. 

The Parliament

Today we went to the parliament for the first time! It was a super cool experience. We got a full guided tour of the building and we also got a chance to sit in on one of the committee meetings! The rooms are amazing, the ceilings are astonishing...just the whole building is so beautiful on the inside. I still do not know what TD i will be working with! SOme of the students have already began their internships! So hopefully next week ill find out who i get!! I cant wait to start working with the people who have all the power in Ireland!!

After out tour of the parliament we went for a walk around St. Stephan's Green which was a beautiful park. It was so green and the water running through it was really nice. There is also a big waterfall which made for a nice picture! Then of course it started pissing rain! So we all headed home!! 

Who knows whats in store for the rest of this fine thursday night!!!

Getting Accepted

For months i anxiously awaited my trip to Dublin. As soon as i received my acceptance letter i was counting down the days until i would be leaving. Studying in Ireland has been something i have wanted to do for years. I spend a lot of time in Co. Kerry, Ireland but i knew Dublin would be completely different. I could not wait to experience another aspect of the Irish culture and way of life. Before i even left Chicago I knew it would be a life changing experience and i could not wait for it to happen. 

Upon arriving in Dublin i was filled with excitement, just looking around at all the beautiful buildings and all the people in the city. When I arrived at the Institute of Public Administration i was very impressed. All the staff were very warm and welcoming. I was offered a cup of tea right away! This is where we got the information of where we will be heading next, the host family! I was nervous about meeting my host family. I knew i would find it strange to be living with a family that is not my own. But once again i felt very welcome in their home. I am living with Frances and Jim Murphy and their 21 year old son, Ross, and 16 year old daughter, Jillian. And so far everything is going great! Frances is a great cook!! lovely dinners! The area, Killiney, that im living in is a very nice neighborhood. 

One thing that has been hard for me is getting used to public transportation. I have about a 45-60 minute commute everyday to school and to my internship. It is really hard trying to figure out the bus system and learning all the dart (the train) stations and where they are. But i am sure will time ill get the hang of it! 

The other American students I am here with are awesome. We really do have a great group together. We have been doing a lot of exploring around Dublin city, finding out what it has to offer us. We have also been exploring the pubs in Dublin! Every night last week we went to a new pub to get to know each other. Friday night we went into the city to Doyles and 21. It was a great night! Saturday night then we went to a town called Dalkey which was a really nice place. Pretty much we have been acting like complete American tourists! 

We started classes last week and so far i have found them to be quite interesting. I cant wait to get into more detail learning about the Irish political system and how it all works! The only thing im not in favor of right now is homework! I definitely need to get back into school mode! 

The other part of the study abroad program is an internship at the irish parliament. Today i had my interview that will determine which TD i will be working with for the next few months. For me this will be the most interesting part of the trip. I am so excited to be working in the parliament with all the politicians. It will be an amazing experience.