I've got a job!

I have officially (pending the interview) been placed in an internship for the second half of the semester here in Dublin! It's such a relief. The program heads had told us that we wouldn't find out our internships until we got over here, but once we did, I realized that I was one of a very small group who didn't have a placement yet. Whew, finally I can stop wondering.

I will be working for a quarterly magazine, the Irish Arts Review. Here's the company overview provided in the email:

"First published in 1984, the Irish Arts Review is the definitive journal of art and design in Ireland. Now published four times a year to the highest design and production standards, this beautifully illustrated 150-page review of Irish painting, design, sculpture, architecture, photography and decorative arts is essential reading for lovers of Irish art. With articles written by experts on subjects ranging from pre-history to contemporary, together with artist profiles, critiques of new Irish architecture, interviews with leading Irish artists, designers, sculptors, and photographers, a quarterly diary of events, auctions and exhibitions around the country, the lavishly produced Irish Arts Review is a vibrant and authoritative quarterly review of Irish art and design...Irish Art Review is literally considered to be the Bible of the whole artistic society in Ireland and thus offers a fantastic opportunity for a creative student capable of working on own initiative in a highly rewarding environment with plenty of scope for diversity."

You could say I'm pretty pumped. I feel like this is going to be very fun and so educational to actually be working for a magazine.

Adding to my excitement is the fact that I'm leaving for Galway, on the west coast of Ireland, tomorrow morning with my class. I won't have my computer with me, but rest assured there will be a ridiculous amount of photos to see when I return. Cheers!

I woke up before the sun today...

...and got my arse kicked. After getting four hours of sleep, I was on a stationary bike at 7:45 a.m. taking my first spinning class at the gym. Colleen and I were two of only four people crazy enough to wake up before the crack of dawn to be yelled at by an Irish woman in spandex. Sure the workout was intense, but the toughest part wasn't even the pedaling. Who decided to design a bike seat and make it so freaking uncomfortable? No one who ever took a spinning class, that's who. Nevertheless, I'll be back for more.

Rocks and pie

Sunday night was one of delicious Beef and Guinness Pie. Yes, it's as delicious as it sounds. We started out at Madigan's on O'Connell Street, where we waited a good ten minutes before anyone even came over to give us menus. Then we all decided on the pie, only to be informed that they were out. As in NO MORE PIE. Sadness fell over the table, but the waiter said he would give us some free crisps (potato chips) to make up for it. So we all settled on our second choices. Ordering time comes and we're told that the kitchen has just blown a fuse and can no longer cook anything. No food for you. Our initial excitement was deflated and replaced with disappointment and utter starvation as we all have been putting off going to the grocery store. Luckily, a block down the road was Maddy's, and they served their own beef and Guinness pie. Score!

Monday, we had a field trip instead of class. We took a bus to Newgrange, a passage tomb of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Meath. It's unique because it was built in such a way that on the winter solstice, the sun will show through the passageway inside. Plus, it's over 5,000 years old. That's 500 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza and 1,000 years older than Stonehenge. It was nice to see the countryside for the first time since we've been in the city since coming here.

Newgrange has been renovated on the outside to help keep the stones in place, but the inside hasn't been touched except to add some lights and cement to keep people from pulling apart the rocks.

The guide told us to look out for graffiti left by visitors in the 1800s. Sure enough, there are names and dates carved into the rock. The oldest I saw was one from 1817. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures. Naturally, I did, but I had to be discreet and not use my flash so the pictures aren't the greatest quality.

Here's the ceiling.

And the narrow passageway to get to the center of the tomb. It was so tiny! I had to walk sideways to get through.

Overall, it was just simply beautiful.

A whirlwind weekend

I have not even touched my computer for the past three days and it feels amazing. This Sunday morning, or afternoon I suppose, is the first time I have had a chance to sit down with a cup of tea and just rest. I've been here a little over a week, but I've been so productive with seeing the sights that it feels like I've been here so much longer. All of the 40 people on the trip have become like a family, as cliché as it sounds. It's like freshman year of college when no one has any friends so you make them so quickly.

Friday a big group went to the Guinness Storehouse. We walked around the factory, seeing how they make the beer and learning about the history of Arthur Guinness' business. He actually signed the lease for the factory building for a period of 9,000 years. Who does that?! Someone drunk off of his own drink, apparently. Either way, I guess it's a good business move. I wasn't able to take too many pictures because it was really dark, but I got a few.

Here's the Irish equivalent of the pearly gates.

Then Casey, Colleen and I copied other Americans and took a picture by this red wheel. It's crazy how much Colleen and I look alike in pictures, except for the obvious height difference.

We made a pit stop at the café and I had the most amazing dessert of my life: a chocolate Guinness cupcake.

My favorite part of the storehouse was the floor of old advertisements. The famous toucan actually started out as a pelican and the campaign was that it could hold something like seven pints of Guinness on its beak.

Then we went to the highest point in Dublin, the Gravity Bar. Everyone gets a free pint of Guinness with admission, so we all enjoyed them while watching the sun set. My taste for the stuff has gotten a little better, meaning I could get through about half the glass as opposed to only a few sips before. I'm still nowhere near doing justice to my Irish roots, though.

Friday night was also eventful. Since there are so many of us, we can't all go out in one huge group. Nothing says "no admittance" like a group of 40 American students. I opted to leave with the second wave of people, but once we got wind of a seven Euro cover, we decided to follow Mike to a bar that was allegedly right outside our campus. After walking through two suburban neighborhoods and happening upon a muddy field, I was done with the adventure. A few of us turned around, but they ended up finding a place a while later. We sucked it up and paid the cover at McGowan's and it ended up being a good time.

Saturday's plans to head to the coast were ruined when some heavy duty fog rolled in early on in the morning. This stuff was not messing around. We opted for exploring the city instead of spending an hour on the train only to be swallowed in fog at the coast. Colleen and I are the designated tour guides and planners. The National Gallery of Ireland had free admission and a great collection of Irish, Italian, French, Spanish and Dutch art. Cameras weren't allowed so I took some illegal pictures.

Then we found an adorable little café, where I had an apple cinnamon crepe, with fresh strawberries and some tea.

Our sightseeing day ended with a trip to Dublin Castle. We didn't take a tour of the inside, but we were able to enjoy the outer walls. It's kind of a shame that the city has allowed for crappy 1970s architecture to be constructed in and around the castle as it somewhat ruined a few views, but I mean, it's a castle. It's awesome.

And I was obsessed with this gate.

Whew. Well now it's another foggy day, but we're spending it inside relaxing for the first time. No one feels like they can waste a moment not seeing the sights and taking advantage of living in Ireland, but the consensus was unanimous today. Pj's, blogging and tea.