Happy Valentines Day!

Hello everybody!

This week has been a nice needed break from traveling and being super busy both for me and for my bank account! My friends and I had a fairly relaxed week but still had a lot of fun! Last week I went to the NUI Galway musical, and was slightly unimpressed haha. It wasn't quite up to Woodbury High School or St. Norbert College standards, but it was a fun experience and a chance to hang out with Alexa's Irish roommates. We also celebrated my friend Sheila's 21st birthday last week with another big group dinner party where we made fajitas! It is so much fun to enjoy a homemade meal, and my friend Erin and I both love to cook so are in our glory!

This weekend we stayed in Galway, and had so much fun. On Saturday Alexa, Erin, and I woke up and went downtown to run some errands and then went to the farmers market which we had been missing because of all of our traveling. I was in HEAVEN. There were beautiful craft stands, some produce stands, bread stands, bagel stands, a crepe stand, a great sushi stand which Erin and I enjoyed thoroughly, and finally my favorite gourmet food stand. There were buckets and buckets of olives and hummus and peppers and sun dried tomatoes and cheese and so much more. Erin and I decided we should have a picnic for lunch so we bought bags of food and went and sat outside a restaurant to eat and it started to pour! At the time we were totally not fazed, the food was perfect, even eating it wet off of plastic bags getting glared at from the woman who worked inside the restaurant we were squatting outside of. It was so much fun, and I cannot wait until I get the chance to do it again. It is something that my family and I always do on our vacations, so I took my dads advice and 'did what dad would do" and bought all the yummy food, including some of the best fresh mozzarella I have ever had. YUM!

For Valentines day, since we are all either single or far away from valentines, my friends and I had a dessert potluck where we all brought a different dessert. It was really yummy and a lot of fun! I introduced my Irish roommates to puppy chow so I am now the favorite roommate.

This next weekend I get to go on a field trip for my castle class where we get to see four different types of castles in the area. I am really excited! This class actually ends Friday, which gives me a lot more free time because it meets four times a week. After this week I won't start until 4 on Mondays and have no class on Fridays which makes traveling for longer periods of time so much easier! Alexa and I have a trip booked for the following weekend to London from Thursday evening until Monday afternoon which I am really excited about. London has always been a place where I have dreamed of going, and we are planning to see at least one show while there, I cannot wait!

I know last week I said I was having a bad day, and all of your emails and letters helped SO much. Today is a good day, but I still appreciate the emails:) Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers, I promise they are being returned! I miss you all so much!

Love from Ireland,

Melissa