AH!!! Sorry about the wait! I've been super busy!
12 June 2010
Knocklyon, Ireland
We started our day with a good breakfast of cereal and toast at our home. We packed extra clothes and headed to Causey Farms in County Meath. Our first activity at the farm was Irish dancing. We dance Siege of Ennis, which I had already learned in dance class, so I was able to help my friends with it. It was fun!
Then we were split into two groups. One group went to try hurling, while the other group went to bake Irish soda bread. We mixed all of the ingredients ourselves, and then gave them to the teacher to be baked. We then headed out to a pasture to try hurling. We pretty much all failed extravagantly. I did manage to hit the ball, at least. After a short break for lunch, we got to take turns milking a cow.
A little bit later, we went to the peat bog. We had to ride in trailers and then walk for a while to get there. We stopped briefly to learn about the history of the peat bogs, and the uses for peat. We walked a bit farther and arrived at the bog we were go jump into. We shed our shoes and other accessories that we didn't want to get dirty, and then jumped in. At first I didn't like it because I don't generally like getting dirty, but then I figured there was no point in staying out since I was already messy anyway. I jumped in several more times, and helped pull another girl, who wasn't sure she wanted to jump, in. She loved it! When we were finished, we piled back into the trailer to return to the farm. We sang random songs the whole way back
We spent the better part of the next hour cleaning up and changing our clothes, and then we headed back to see some Irish musicians. I loved this, since I've been into Irish music even longer than I've been into dancing. A number of people got up to display some talents, and it was not long before I was dragged into dancing again. Just before I began, a group of amazing local dancers arrived to perform. I freaked out a little because they were so much better than me, and then they stayed to watch me, and I was being watched by more than forty other people. Not only that, this was about the second time I've ever performed completely alone, and the first time with live musicians. To say I was scared was an understatement. To top it off, the only step I could think of in my somewhat panicked state was one I learned shortly before I left. However, I couldn't really get out of it at that point, so I danced. It could have been better (I've done it better before), but it could have been much worse. I didn't look at the floor, and I didn't screw up as horribly as I usually do. However, I completely drew a blank after the one step, so I had to stop. I was shaking when I stopped, simply because I had been so nervous. I can't say I was delighted with my performance, but it wasn't bad. Then the other dancers came in again and blew me away again
We boarded the bus and headed back to Knocklyon, where we were picked up by our homestay families. For dinner, we had chicken and these potato waffle things, like the waffle fries at Chick-Fil-A, but bigger. They were delicious! After dinner, we headed back out to hang out with the local kids again. Some of the conversation was about vocabulary again, but we also discussed the jokes we tell in school and the pranks we pull at home. They had never heard of Toilet Papering before. Let's just say that if there is any TPing done in Knocklyon in the near future, I am sorry
They can make messes by hitting apples with hurling sticks. Don't worry, we didn't get up to any monkey business. However, when I get home...
It got quite late, and our homestay mom called us home. We just finished our tea and biscuits, and are heading off to bed.
Hurling!!
After jumping in the bog. The mound in the background is what we got to jump off of. It is actually about 6 feet high in places.
