10 days left. I tally this bittersweet countdown only to remind me of my loved ones at home and the PA primaries on the 22nd.
Apologies for the lull between posts, folks. Let's play catch-up. My best friend Heather got married to her highschool sweetheart, Zack, on April 4th in Erie. I saw pictures online of her in her wedding dress, but that was as close as I was able to get to her and her big day. Naturally I was upset that I couldn't be there for her, but it offered the painful reminder that lives carry on whether I'm around or not.
I had planned on going to Stockholm, Sweden this weekend for one last hurrah, but something much better came up. I'll be going to Trim in Co. Meath to meet my cousins, the Perry family. They have a whole day planned for Saturday and will be taking me around the same sights my dad got to see when he visited. My turn! I've been anxiously awaiting a rendezvous with them, and did not hesitate to cancel my trip. I have never been so sure in a decision. One of the main reasons I came to Ireland was to find my roots, for there is no way of knowing myself before I know where I come from. I would not miss the opportunity of meeting my kin for the world.
On Tuesday evening our volunteer project, Peace Corps Localise, hosted a Hawaiian themed party for a group with special needs. It was a smashing hit. We had our venue embellished with streamers and beach balls, leis and grass skirts, hawaiian pizza and even pinapple upside-down cake! (Grama would be so proud) Our guests really enjoyed themselves. We played bingo and pass the parcel, but all they really wanted to do was dance, which they squirmishly had to wait for until the end of the evening. I made friends with a girl named Emma that loved to shake hands and give kisses on the cheek. Excitement was seeping through her pores, the lovely thing. All in all it was great "craic", a good time had by all. We were sad to see our guests go at the end of the night, but they departed happily with tokens of chocolate prizes and sunshine nametags and leis.
Earlier that day I had a final presentation along with my other five group members for our Communications Skills class. Our lecturer named us the "German American Alliance", as there were 3 individuals from each nation. Five girls, one boy (I might have felt bad for him if he had ever bothered to show up to our meetings...that's besides the point). We had been given a fictitious scenerio of a company with inner communication malfunctions, and we were a consultancy agency that had to solve the discrepancies. In 8 minutes we had to describe problems, solutions and recommendations. We hit the head on the nail. Our lecturer awarded us the highest marks ever given for a presentation in all of Dublin Business School! Woo hoo!
My last official day at my internship will be tomorrow, but I'll be coming in next week to proof read Comhlamh's magazine, Focus. It's absolutely brilliant, this whole organization is. In the short period of time that I've worked here, my mind has been expanded and bent and filled with global insight and developmental ideas. Even though monetary allowance was never involved, I have become wealthy in knowledge and awareness.
Next week I'll be strolling the streets of Dublin and Dalkey, snapping pictures and jotting down the thoughts I never got to put on paper. My time here is precious, although I said that as soon as I arrived. Vera, my host mum, told me the best thing to do is make a list of things that I still want to check out, arranged from greatest importance at the top and downward. Now, lists I can do but the question is, can I do everything on the list?
