IN Scotland!

Hello hello!

After an amazing stay in Ireland I finished my intentional program and Im free. Free to travel that is. Julia and I have now made our way to Edinburgh Scotland, UK, after a quick flight on Aer Lingus.

This is one of the most amazing cities i have ever been to! It is absolutely gorgeous, historical, haunted, and tasty! After arriving yesterday we went to our hostel, Edinburgh Backpackers, and then went out for some food. Little did we know the Royal Wedding was going on that day and the streets were packed! We found an Italian Restaurant(which was also packed) called Italia Bella and chowed down. We then went walking around Prince Street trying to get our directions straight. It is a confusing city but totally walkable, if you don't mind the hills! that night we passes out after a big day.

Today we got up around 930, had a cheep Scottish breakfast next door, and caught a free 3 hour city walking tour. Our guide Andy was nice, and took us all around. I especially like the graveyard and princes garden. After that adventure we grabbed some awesome food at a place called the village (I had lamb). We then walked around the large castle, visited the banned book exhibit in the Edinburgh Library, and shopped.

Ok now it is time for a nap before we go to a pub tonight. I want to go to a place called Frankenstine's!

Tomorrow we hope to do a tour of the underground vaults, see the Scottish Museum 9newly renovated) and maybe teh modern art museum.

sending all my love,

DAY 64: Back from the Island!

Hello friends!
I am back from my last amazing weekend trip! The Skellig Michael Islands. (here is a link to help explain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skellig_Michael)

It was absolutely amazing! and a little scary~! First thing first how did I get there? Well i tried about every kind of Irish transportation possible. I left on Saturday, after my Friday final exam (which went great thank you), grabbing the city bus, I bought "Dune" the best book ever, caught the Luas (like a above grown subway), then the 11am train to Mallow, change train to Killarny, Then grabbed the Bus Eireanne (after buying a new ticket) to Cahirciveen, then made called a taxi to Portmagee where my hostel was, about 10 min walk to the water. Oh ya, that night I watched 'Cabernet' alone, in the common room.

Next day I was lucky enough to get a spot in the Brenden Casey Boat service to the Skelligs. On the way there (after taking my motion sickness pills) we saw some seals! When getting to the main island, really a large rock, we scrambled out of our tiny fisherman's boat to the rock path. After following the small path, we soon came to a steep set of stairs curving of the rock face. These are the same steps that the monks created centuries before to lead up to the beautiful and peaceful monastery at the top of the mountain. Oh the steps seemed so beautiful, so peaceful, so lovely from the bottom of the rocks; not so much after 200 steps on a steep, unstable, dirty, rock hill. It was more of a hike! I was unaware of these challenges and left without my water bottle, thank goodness my new friend, Phillipo, from Italy was lovely enough to give me his. After our very ....um...athletic journey up the rock we fell upon the monastic village which would have originally housed around 12 monks and workers. WE then took the even more dangerous trip down the, now wet, rock stairs.

Oh did I mention the Puffins? They were So cute! It is nesting time so all of the birds had taken over the island. Oh did I also mention that it is a world heritage site? and nature sanctuary?

And the way home we saw dolphins, and not just a few, a whole family, with baby dolphins! Ya I saw Baby dolphins in Ireland, how could you beat that?

The next day I got up and caught a taxi to repeat my crazy transportation journey, but this time backwards! Back at DCU, after a shower of coarse, I helped with a lighting refocus in the venue. Exactly what I wanted, nothing makes me feel more at home than being in a theatre. Thank you for having me help Ash.

Anywho, now time for a snack.

DAY 48: Bog, Openning, and the IMMA

I left out some exciting news from Friday; I went to Causey Farm to explore the Irish experience. This included baking Irish soda bread, milking a cow, and (my favorite part)a mud bath in the bog. This was some of the best fun I have had this entire summer. We jumped into a large ditch which was dug out of the bog. About 12 of us changed into old clothing and preceded to jump into the large pile of mud and covered each other with it. The muck is supposedly great for your skin and therefore we spent somewhere around an hour and a half throwing mud at each other. See photos on Flickr.

The next day Ashely and I visited the Botanical Gardens of Ireland! We have so many wonderful photos from there and I am planing to put them up on flickr asap. We saw the rose gardens, the cacti, and (Ashely's favorite) the ferns. I like the ferns because it makes me feel like I am a dinosaur!

After our botanical exploration, we took the Luas to CumDrum to see Harry Potter with some great friends of Ashely's. They group was great and we ended the night with a trip to TGIFriday's, (which reminded me of home).

Sunday was a lazy day and i needed it before Monday, the official opening of the play Nuts and Bolts. It went wonderfully - selling out the whole house of over 50 people. Deirdre is amazing, Colm made it look fabulous, and Micheal kept everything going.

Tuesday was today. After a few hours of work at the Focus, I grabbed my favorite Indian food and then went off to the IMMA(Irish Museum of Modern Art). I wish i could say it was amazing, but the small collection was only ok. There was one piece by Liam O'Callahan, named "chaos and dreams yet to come that was Phenomenal, but nothing else truly captured me, though the architecture of the museum was lovely.

Anywho, worked with Cillian and Ashely to help set up some stuff at DCU tonight and now i am going to bed. after some eggplant of course (i love eggplant)
night all

Day 44: so..

Life is a bit odd.

The opening preview of "Nuts and Bolts" went well, though we did have a bit of a tech issue. In the middle of the show the bottom of a lighting unit came unhinged and opened up, therefor shining pure light into my eyes! Thank goodness it had a safety line connected to it, or it would have fallen onto someone's head! But no fear it has been repaired!

Last night I got to go see "Alpha and Omega" at Kennedy's pub. That is the show that I helped Sonya with lighting! Ashely and I went and we both enjoyed it very much! It was REALLY cool, perhaps even the most innovative show I have seen in Ireland so far.

Tomorrow I am planing on seeing the botanical garden and then seeing the last HP film. Its nice to have a weekend!

DAy 42: Plays and Play

Hello!

I have been very busy this week! Working on 1)the last week run of Pinching for my Soul at Focus Theatre, 2) Help do lights for Alpha and Omega, a fabulous show in the basement of Kennedy's Pub, and 3) Stage-managing Nuts and Bolts at Bewley's Theatre.

Nuts and Bolts is having its first showing TOMORROW! The theatre is SO cute, and everyone gets soup to go with it! Deirdre is a bit nervous but I am so sure this is going to go perfectly. Today we made the set and did the light, tackled some issues but we made it.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to get a free haircut - see Facebook for a photo - but was late to work. Life goes on.

I have really liked Ireland, but I am a tiny bit homesick. I miss my family and my friends, though i have been able to make some Amazing friends here.

life is grand

DAY 37: GAA Sports Day

Hello Team!

There is no better greeting after a day like today! the history and Society class got together for some good old Irish fun, and I am not talking about drinking! Instead, we went to the local GAA club to learn how to play Gaelic Football and Hurling.

Though I was certainly not the best of the field, I had fun in the rainy turf. The games were rough, but not broken bones today - though we did break a hurl (or hurling stick). The photo above is Rebecca and myself in front of the field after two hard games!

Afterword we had a quick check-in with Dr. Mark O'Brien, for our internships. It was nice to hear about what everyone was doing! Most of the group than packed up to go north for the weekend, but I have work this weekend helping with lighting at the Kennedy Pub. I sit here how avoiding the paper I need to work on!

DAY 35: More than Halfway

Hello y'all,

Time does Fly! Happy fourth of July everyone! I must say that I did feel homesick this Monday! but to cheer us, Americans, up the school bar, NuBar, had a giant American themed party/cookout for us! There were burgers, drinks, music, and much too much skin shown by some.

Lucky I made it through that, and have spent the majority of monday and tuesday searching for the perfect lampshade for "Nuts and Bolts". Stage-managing this play has created some very fun and different experiences, like prop hunting in very odd charity shops. Its has been a great time, and I sure cant wait to have it open next week!(lamp shade above)

Talking about plays, tomorrow I will be going to see Molly Sweeny, at the Gate Theatre, by Brian Freil. The show consitis of three characters who monolog separately. The main male character actually played a Nazi General in Indiana Jones.

Anywho! Life is good, busy but good!
DEV

DAY 30: update

Hello!

So did I tell you that I am working on as a stage manager? The show is called Nuts and Bolts, it is about a woman who has a child disappear in the 1980's and how she deals with it twenty years later. The actress Deirdre Donnelly is fabulous and the Director is phenomenal, Michael James Ford - he also was in Translations at the Abby.
(http://www.visitdublin.com/Event/Nuts_And_Bolts)

I am on the look out for props now - we open in a few weeks!

Last night I went to see Ashely's play. It was called - Forever is an Awfully Long Time. He is the sound designer for the Gaiety School of Acting's Youth Theatre Company, and will be traveling with the troop to England to tour the show next week!
Here is his website, if you are intersted...(http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~mythe/)

Ok i have work today - and I need to do laundry too!

Lots of Love,
Dev

PS. this photo is from the national museum at Collin's barracks. It was a cool field trip that my sociology class took.

DAY 28: Cork, Theatre and a Broken Bus

Hello all!

I am sorry it has been so long but this weekend I had the great pleasure of visiting the south of Ireland...well It was nice, but not everything went perfectly.

We left on Friday after class, had a 5hour plus drive. Where we watched Micheal Collins, the movie, which would have been great if I hadn't stayed up the night before watching the same movie the night before. Spent a bit of time in the hostel and The Randy Leprechaun Bar, and then went to bed early.

Next day we went to the Dingle Peninsula, where we got on a boat to see Fungie, the Dolphin. Little did we know it was going to be a Very small boat, with no cover, while raining, and freezing. After being convinced to board I found the ride to be much less filled with motion sickness than I imagined. We then went to get something to eat and drink in Murphy's bar. After that we went to see and taste the famous Murphy's Ice cream's Original location! It was lovely - I had honeycomb and dark chocolate! Even good in the rain.

That night most of the group went out drinking, I made it to the second bar and decided to head home. I am reading Dune, and needed some time.

Next day we made it to Cork. I bought a shirt at a swap meet in a bar and then returned to the bus, which had broken down. Poor Jerry, the BAMF Bus Driver was freeken' out! After about 2 hours in the sun (VERY HOT) we got the bus working and headed to the Blarney Stone. Due to the late bus we only had 25min at the Blarney Castle which was really cool! But getting back on the bus was not, literally. The air-conditioning didn't work, on the hottest day this entire summer in Ireland! The bus with 35 people (which sat 36) was filled with sweating and grumpy girls (2 guys) who had 3 hours of driving ahead of them. We watched movies, but it didn't stop up of sweating so much that I took of my shirt. I didn't care anymore.

The best part was that the bus then broke down, in the middle of the road. I buttoned up my shirt and got out to push it! Thank GOD that gave it enough of a push to start up again - See photo above!
Finally made it home after a short stop in Limerick.

On a different note, I went to see Translations, a play by Brian Freil at the ABBY Theatre. Absolutely lovely!


ok I have to scoot! Sendinh my love

DAY 21: Days

Things are actually kinda...well..normal. I have been working at The Focus, including today's long day of paperwork and internet searching. I was lucky enough to meet the playwright(Elizabeth Moynihan) for the next Focus play, Pinching for My Soul, who was one of the sweetest, loveliest women I have met on my entire trip - and she gave me some cake.

I had Indian food for lunch and finished my book, The Lovely Bones. It rained on and off, but I enjoyed it enough to accidentally get on the wrong bus home - missing my nap once again.

Class is taking a Field trip on Friday to the National Museum of Ireland, so I will be sure to have photos from that!

After class I we are going out to the nuBar for beer pong night - no i will not be playing.

:)PS this photo is of the canal by the Focus Theatre.

DAY 19: Back from the West

I am back from my three day trip to the West Coast of Ireland. It was both amazing and exhausting.

We left around 2:30pm on Friday, after class and director's forum. We made our way to Galway in about 3.5 hours, with some rest breaks. (I slept on the bus) We settled into our hostel and bought some pizza before going out to our Galway Pub Crawl, with a company that Caroline's (the leader of the trip/history teacher) cousin's had created. We stopped at 4 bars before I split, and the rest of the team went to the night club Karma. Patrick was lovely enough to walk me home/the the hostel, except that his sense of direction is only slightly better than mine and we got lost. We did find the river, which was ABSOLUTELY beautiful. After hanging out by the water for a while we took try number too to find our beds. This time we made it back perfectly.

The next morning we left the hostel at 9:30AM and headed to country Clare. We then visited the Cliffs of Moher, a fabulous view of some of the most beautiful cliffs I have ever imagined. It was also the place that they filmed the Princess Bride's Cliffs of Insanity. It was quiet windy, so we played with our scarves...

After the cliffs we visited Caroline's family farm in Kilmara. We took a hike, visited flowers, cows, and puppies, and then had a homemade meal in her grandmother's converted home. Afterward we learned how to play hurling - I wasn't that bad at all. We spent the night in a local small town, where some people went out to drink, but I took the night to relax and read my book.

The next morning we slept in a bit and then walked around Galway for a while. I bought an orange hat, a black tool belt, and a slice of rhubarb pie, with ice cream. We then returned home, arriving about 7pm. I then hurried to take a shower and went down to the DCU Student Venue to help Ashley with a focus - it was so nice to get up on the ladder and get to work - I had been missing it.

Yesterday I had work at Bewley's lunch theatre, where I helped set up the lighting for the new show 47 Roses. I then was lucky enough to stay for the opening showing. It was wonderful and I highly recommend it.

So today I have a slow day - which is great - I need it!
I miss you all

DEV

DAY 15: Work Work Work

Hello team!

I have not had a moment to relax and sit at the computer in the last 3 days. My adventures at the Focus Theatre have created a great home for me. My boss Joe has helped me make great connections to other theaters in the area as well. I will be visiting The New Theatre tomorrow morning. Yesterday I had the great honor to visit Bewley's, for the lunch production of 'Fight Night'. My friend Colim designed the lighting - which was Amazing! I am planing to go back to work there.

On Monday Ashley took me out for American food - I had a steak sandwich. It was nice to feel a little fake USA for an hour. Anywho - I made dinner last night. Pasta with veggis, I'm getting more confident now.

Anywho, tonight I have class with Frank - my lecturer. We are talking about Irish gab, aka language. I'm confused. But I like the conversations we get to have. I am planing on writing my paper about the queer movement and the upcoming presidential election of Ireland.

Anywho I sure miss you all. I may be craving a little home cooking - or just some cheap chicken. I did have Indian food for lunch today though! Oh and this photo is the tunnel that i walk through everyday for work.

Love,
Devon

DAY 12: A Rainy Day

hello hello!

Yesterday and today have been great lazy days!

Saturday I hung out with my new Irish friend, Ashely. He is the head tech at DCU, and also works in town a ton! (including the arc children's theatre) We ate lunch and He showed me the performance spaces within the union, which is really cool - fitting at least 200 people, with a medium sized stage and a funny little light board (called a joker or something)

after that I went to see 'Sensation' with Patrick and Philip at the Irish Film Base. they were showing free movies all day. Also i have attached a photo of Patrick, Philip and myself eating dinner on Friday. After the odd artsy movie we had wonderful ice cream and a cider (at sweeties/sweenys?)

Slept in this morning or really afternoon. Getting up on some reading!

Love to you all!

DAY 10: Cont. to Glendalough

This morning we left at 11am for Glendalough, a beautiful historic area with hills, sheep, and the monasteries of St. Kevin. It was absolutely gorgeous and I will be putting many more photos up on flickr. (To get to my flickr photos go down to the bottom of the home page and click on the photos there)

We had a lovely historical tour for half an our and then we were let free to go on a walking path of our choosing - I first ate a sandwich and then hit the trail for some great photos!

After that great bus ride home (A little car sick), I made a wondrous pasta dinner, including zucchini, onions, tomato, and peas, for Philip, Patrick, and myself. I know, Im impressed with there willingness to try my cooking! we all sat together and had a 'family' dinner, with prayers included.

super fun adventure to the market and then had hot cocoa - now I am going to sleep!

love and miss you friends and family!

DAY 10: New Job

Hello all,

Sorry I haven't posted in the last days. Things have been a bit busy!

Yesterday I had class in the morning and then I hurried over to my interview at the Focus Theatre at 3pm. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding and my meeting was postponed until 530 that night. Between that time I helped out with the projection, met the cast of the play, which opened that night, had dinner and organized the back room a tad. Lets just say that there was no interview at 5:30, instead there was a welcome, and introduction, and I started work at that moment. I talked to the lighting/sound tech, helped with the coffee booth and even took care of the trash.

Oh did I mention how large me theater was? Let me see if I can make an analogy. If you imagine a very small elephant cage, it is about that size. We enter through the back ally and see 45 viewers. I Love IT. SO cute and so extraordinarily unafraid to put on amazing theatre! and totally non-profit~ (pictured above)

and my boss, Joe Devlin is known throughout Ireland for his wonderful artistic and directorial contributions to modern theatre.

anywho I worked and then saw the opening night of Francis and Frances, a very experimental play about Frances Bacon the painter, in the after world. Got home at 11pm. Then I went to the nubar - the bar on campus - and met up with some friends. we ended up meeting some wonderful people from the student union (including the upcoming president,Ed, and the tech director, Ashley).

DAY 8: A Different Language

Dia dhuit! (That is the Irish traditional greeting)

Today was the secound day of class. We talked about modernization and the development of modern Ireland. I think it is really interesting to see how Ireland was such a late bloomer industrially (1970's). It is also kinda cool to see the American influences on the Irish popular and industrial culture.

After class we went downstairs to take a Gaelic/Irish Language class for about 45 min. The language is so beautiful sounding, not that I pronounced anything correctly. My favorite words were the once that were especially cute - such as the pet name love, which is 'a ghra' or treasure which is 'a thaisce'.

After that I grabbed a sandwich from the Spar and went to the internship class meeting, which told up all about how we would be graded for our internship.

once we had escaped/finished, I ran on over across the street to the Euro Spar to buy groceries and two bottles of wine. The sales guy is really nice, named max, and her told me that i better carry my wine is a brown bag. I appreciated the tip, since apparently before i looked like a wineo

anywho off to do homework. And the photo here is a photo of my friend Julia and I playing around at the Jail/Gaol - Penance and Sin

DAY 7: First day of Class

Tuesday! my first week is done!

My Lecturer, Frank Byrne, seems like a perfect teacher for my Contemporary Irish Society class. the 18 student in the class went in for class 10-1230 this morning. The first half we talked about the class and introduced ourselves, and the second half we started our curriculum. It was cool to talk about Ireland as a completely separate culture and society from the US or Europe, we focused on both the similarities and difference.

After we had a meeting with EUSA - the Internship matcher that works with Boston U. I found out that my internship interview is on thursday at 3pm...wish me luck.

Ok here is a photo from yesterday's jail trip.

DAY 6: Gaol and the Brewery

Hello team wonderful!

Today we had a wonderful adventure to the Kilmailham Gaol - or 'Jail' in American. After a wonderful history lesson there we traveled across the street to a little pub where we had lunch. Oddly, the restaurant had some strange art on sale - including a sculpted buttocks with octopus testicles grabbing hold!

After that we walked to the Guinness storehouse, Dublin's number 1 tourist attraction. It was nice - I especially liked the sky bar which had a most amazing view.

Two buses later, I am in my dorm eating and watching Irish TV. I sure miss you all!

Day 5: Bank Holiday Weekend

Hello All!

Yesterday was the pub crawl - therefore no photos.

Today a day of relaxation, and laundry. We may also go out tonight to celebrate one of 'the girls' birthday - Michelle turned 20.

Did my yoga this morning in the stairwell because it was too cold outside. Cleaned up the room a little bit after doing laundry in my underwear - I realized that my jeans were dirty when I got down there and decided to just sit and wait in my pink granny-panties. It was awesome.

Anywho, More photos to come!

DEV

Day 3: Shop and Treasure

Had more orientation today!
After that we went out to the city for a treasure hunt. No, We did not win - but it was fun. Before it started I got some candy from the Asian area of town, which reminded me of the 99 Ranch markets from home.

After that I went to get some groceries. It was a disaster! I can't shop in the US, let alone in Ireland!

Got back and tried to make dinner - tried. Ended up with egg burrito.

anywho, going to bed.
Miss you all!

DAY: 2 In my new room

I have just moved into my dorm today!
We had an intro to our program and learned all about the campus. Afterward we went into town to shop and have dinner, along with some beer.

DAY: 1 Hostel Living

at the Ashfield house!

DAY: 1 Made IT

After some 11 hours of air time I have arrived in Dublin.
It was so strange to see the sun set and the sun rise in the span of under 5 hours.

Sat next to a 'Rose' from Philadelphia - she is competing int he Rose of Tralee competition.

At the Hostel now.

upload photos soon.

DAY: -1 Leaving Tomorrow

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to send out my first Blog Post! I will be leaving tomorrow bright and early for Dublin! I officially arrive at around 8am on Wednesday!

I will try my best to update this blog with photos at least twice a week!

Can't wait for the excitement!

DEV