It's a jolly holiday!

Happy Bank Holiday everyone! Isn't it a wonderful Monday? Here is my update of the past couple of weeks like I promised!

I had my very first paper due last Monday. It was a 1000 word (about 3 1/2-4 pages) summary review of an article handed out in class. Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Lecturer, did I not tell you I'm a third-year college student? I guess I just have the good luck of still looking like I'm in high school. Well, since you're making this assignment so easy, I will just have to complicate things a little to make it more stressful. Let's see ... oh, I know! I'll go away to Paris the weekend before which leaves me less time to write my paper. So much to do, so little time is every college student's life motto in addition to being a Mary-Kate and Ashley TV show theme song. Unfortunately, I am a Time Management Master so that's not going to cut it. This is my first paper since May? Rustiness factor - I'll take that. I still need something else though ... how about showing up to the empty office of the department's secretary during the only free time I had before the deadline? Oooo, that might make things a little too exciting, Maria. You might want to tone it down. Ok, well, what if I add an unexpected window of free time with an open office? Perfect! Finally, a level of difficulty befitting a college student.

I'm still going to the Irish dance lessons. They are starting to get a little harder, but I am still enjoying myself. The class is a lot smaller now than it was at the very beginning. I think a lot of the girls were scared off by how fast the teacher goes through the steps which is a shame because she's a really nice person. I decided not to go to the salsa lessons hosted by the Dance Society although I finally convinced a few of my friends to go to salsa lessons in town. They really enjoyed themselves, which I am so happy about, and I think we have plans to go again this week. I also found out about a salsa/bachata/tango lesson on Thursdays which sounds amazing.

So I guess you've realized by now that I did not go to Cork this weekend. Alyssa and I decided to push it back a week. Cork had a jazz festival this weekend and while it would have been amazing to go, it probably would have been more expensive. I also heard that most, if not all, of the hostels were full. I wasn't that disappointed. We're still going, we'll be back in time to go out on Halloween night (I'm going to be Pocahontas!), and I had (still have, I guess, since it's not over yet) a three-day weekend to work on homework.  Since I was here in Galway on a Saturday for once, I went into town with Jenn to the weekend market. It was really cute! I saw some great potential Christmas presents. The weather was perfect - sunny and not that chilly. I think that was the first time all semester that I was in town on a Saturday afternoon. I loved it. The streets were busy, and Shop Street was packed. It was a great day to be out and people-watch.

I'm looking at my calendar right now to jog my memory about what else happened these past couple of weeks, and I only have five more weeks of classes! This semester has gone by soooooo quickly! I can't believe it. I am still so excited about being here in Galway, as much as I can't wait to see everyone back home. You'd think I'd be tired of living here by now (I know I was expecting it when the halfway mark came around), but nope! Still having a great time. I wish you all were here with me.

love always!