July 30, 2008

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of the incredible students I spent the last month with. You are truly an amazing group of young people and you made me proud everywhere we went on our month long journey! As I reminisce about our trip, I can not believe all the places we visited and all of the extraordinary things we did together. It truly was an experience of a lifetime! The invaluable education that you gained far exceeds anything provided in a classroom environment. I knew the second night at the Ceileh in Monkstown that you were a very caring group and you took it to heart when I said that we were going to be family for the next month. As I read the blogs and look back at my pictures a smile immediately comes to my face or I even start to chuckle…you really did make me laugh!!! I will cherish the memories and look forward to our reunion. I hope the rest of your summer is a fraction as fun as July and I wish you the best of luck next year in Grade 12! Let’s have a count off one last time, for old times sake….Number 1, where’s number 1? Remember, you are all number 1 to me!

Take care,

- Suzann, AKA Suuzee!!

The Ceileh

The Vogue models at Mellifont Abbey

The gang in London!

Stonehenge

Our farewell at Pearson :-(

**Ireland, Scotland & England has officially been experienced 2008**

Hi-dee-ho to everyone back home. I think today was one of the most interesting days I’ve had yet on this trip. Let me recount the events for you:

6:30 AM- Attempted to get up for a shower.
7:00- The fire alarm went off while I was in the shower. It actually seemed more like a loud buzzing sound. I thought it was an ambulance until I saw several girls through my window running out the building across from me. (The next door building was having a fire drill. Don’t worry parents, we’re still alive and kicking)
7:02- Occurred to Jade, my roommate, that I have not yet left the building. But still she did not come back in for me.
7:05- Suzanne also realized I was not in attendance outside the building. And still no one came looking for me but by then everyone was filing back in so I guess it was okay.
7:09- Got laughed at for my shower situation.
7:50- Went for a normal everyday breakfast.
8:30 – 11:30- Classes started and we finished watching the rest of the movie Hamlet starring Mel Gibson. Today was the day we were to be evaluated on our Hamlet seminars. I actually liked this part because, besides the fact that I kind of enjoy Hamlet, we were free to leave class when we finished our seminar. So for my group, our seminar was from 11:00-11:30 and then we had free time until lunch.
12:15 PM- Lunch in our beautiful cafeteria. Our lunch consisted of fish cakes, lasagna, brie and red current tart, salads, fruits, and desserts and the fish cakes received rave reviews.

1:23- Played several games of 21 in the basketball courts. (Charlie, you rock!)
2:00- OXFORD QUEST!!! It was a sort of scavenger hunt around the town of Oxford. My group and I were so intense.

I think all our running around probably worked off some of that extra weight we gained on this trip. However, we did end up forgoing the quest because we got distracted by Harry Potter! It resulted in us touring the Christ Church campus where the first two installments of the Harry Potter series were filmed. The grounds were absolutely stunning and the scenes filmed in certain areas were easily recognizable. If only we had Harry Potter costumes on. That would have made the experience that much better.

5:07- Experienced a brief moment of pure goodness. Suzanne took some of the returning scavenger hunt groups on a Mars Bar Walk. She led us to a small diner place that was well hidden inside an alleyway. Now, throughout the entire trip, all we heard from Suzanne were excellent reviews for deep fried mars bars. To create these little bars of delight, they take the mars bar and wrap it in the batter used for fish and chips. They later deep fry them and voila! They’re all ready for consumption. Many of us ended up splitting the bars because, literally, these bars were like the solid form of heart attacks.

The thought of all the cholesterol, fat, and….augh…other stuff I can’t even imagine already terrifies me. Half a bar was definitely enough for one day. Although, the thought of putting the fried bars slightly repulsed me, it was definitely worth it for that momentary taste of Heaven. I highly recommend everyone reading this to go and try some for themselves.

- Emily F.

July 26, 2008

With only 3 days left on this program we are all saddened by the impending goodbye. All of us are surprised at how fast this trip has gone by and how close we have become with each other and our teachers. Today was the last excursion for our Celtic Learning program. Unfortunately not everyone attended this excursion because they had seen it before. We once again traveled with some of the other kids from the other Celtic Learning program. We set off to see the stones at 8:45 AM. We traveled to Stonehenge and Avebury to see rocks and even bigger rocks. It was a long bus ride but the site of Stonehenge sitting on the hill was a true relief to all onboard our boiling hot bus. We learned much about how the stones could have arrived in there current position as well as what the purpose of Stonehenge was. The weather was HOT! HOT! HOT! but all of us still had a blast and learned much about the magnetic energy tied with the stones at Avebury. We were even allowed try to find the magnetic energy ourselves with our very own magic wands. Afterwards we all headed back onto the bus for our treck home to St. Edwards to an enjoyable dinner. We are all looking forward to seeing our families and friends back home once again, however we will all miss each other and there will be one reunion or many in the future. This trip has been an event that will stay with us for many more years! CHEERS to all of my fellow classmates and thanks for the good times!

- Jas S.

July 22, 2008

Steven and Jade here reporting live with updated coverage on the England portion of our trip thus far. If you are just tuning in now, you've certainly missed out on a lot so shame on you and read the others. Although we know that our blog will be the best, please try to console our runnerups. Our day began with a hearty breakfast and off we went to make it in time for our 8:30 morning class of English. Today's class consisted finishing off Hamlet, our second favourite

Shakespearean tragedy (Macbeth still rocks our socks). We went outside to read the play among our circle of friends because it was such a gorgeous day. We then had a quiz on Acts 3 and 4 as it was a test of our knowledge just to be sure that we have been paying attention in class. After lunch, everyone headed back to the dorms in order to finish our ISU essays. As soon as we had finished our major writing assignments, we proceeded to our favourite all-in-one store, MARKS & SPENCER! We have spent more money in that store than any of the others combined. Rest assured, we are still having an amazing time. In London on Tuesday afternoon, we made a very interesting purchase...UNION JACK HATS! Now if anyone has ever seen the episode of "Friends" where they go to London and Joey picks up a blue Union Jack hat, well that's exactly what we'd done. Our London experience also consisted of a trip on the London Eye (the HUGE ferris wheel). We also saw royalty, no big deal though. It was just Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. They were driving in a car to the Queen's garden party which in fact we received an invitation to, but sadly we had to decline. This means unfortunately that we did not achieve our goal to give the Queen a high five. If Jade's mom is reading this, please inquire about the Stonehenge trip as she would not like to spend her Saturday alone...in Oxford. Also if Steven's mom is reading this please do not be upset for he has not done any laundry.

In the backseat of the black car, Camilla’s hat is visible. Prince Charles is sitting beside her.

This is the London Eye. We went on it. It is possible to see up to 40 kilometres panoramically.

This is us, Jade on the left, and Steven on the right, in our Union Jack Joey hats. YAY LONDON!!!

"But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad,Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill."
Hamlet, 1. 1

"To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?"
Hamlet, 3. 1

July 23rd 2008

Today was an awesome day. Class began at 8:30 and we got right into Hamlet. It was a lot of fun acting it out with the rest of the class. We also watched a part of the movie, everyone was scandalized because Hamlet aka Mel Gibson, kissed Gertrude his mother. After watching the movie we worked a bit on our ISUs which everyone appreciated because they are due tomorrow. Class ended and lunch was delicious as per usual, leftover lasagne from the night before. We had to eat quickly though, because we had to rush off to Blenheim Palace. The twenty minute bus ride was worth seeing the beautiful grounds, the scenery was breath taking. We took a tour of the palace, everything inside was extravagant and old. After the tour we went and ate cake in the restaurant and then tried to get on the train to see the adventure playground. Unfortunately the train only ran every half hour so we didn't have enough time so instead we walked around on the grass and ate ice cream. Raquel and I got onto the bus early and talked to the bus driver about how it was too hot outside even though I liked the temperature. We then came home to work on our ISUs and seminar questions.

- Georgina G.

Enroute to the Hurling Match

Enjoy a hurling match

Giant's Causeway

July 20, 2008

Welcome lords and ladies of the realm. Today is an exciting day! Today we shall see jousting, hawking, and eat about the best tea and scones of the trip yet!Ever since I was a child I have loved Medieval Times, little did I know that on deciding to visit Warwick castle, I had been signing up to view the English’s equivalent. Warwick is an ancient castle that has seen much history throughout the centuries, but now it has been revamped into a medieval playground. There are jousting, history walks, hawking and archery. Those of us who went couldn’t decide what to see first! (Everyone else stayed behind and explored Oxford some more) My personal favourite was the jousting and the hawking. In the jousting, we saw gorgeous horses, sword fighting, and even some Cossack (or trick) riding. It was amazing! In the hawking we saw eagles and vultures fly right over the tops of our heads, also very cool. There is even a story about it. While in training, one of the vultures was taken up to the top of a rampart and pushed off the top. However instead of lying around, the bird simply glided down into the town about 1 km away. This left her handler (fully dressed as a medieval hawk master) to follow her into town to find her. He said that he felt like a fool walking around in the town calling EMMA! (The birds name) wearing tights.

Anyway, after all that we went to Stratford on the Avon, the birth and death place of Shakespeare. It is also where my grandfather was posted during WW2. He said that at that time there was a pub the Canadian and American air forces would like to visit called the Black Swan, but that all the pilots just called it the Dirty Duck. After the War the pub changed its name and it still posts its history as well as several pictures of the pilots on its walls. So as I was walking around, following the teacher to Shakespeare’s grave, much to my surprise I saw a sign outside a pub with the name “Dirty Duck”. It was interesting that it had lasted this long and that I was walking in the same place as my grandfather.

After seeing Shakespeare’s grave, we walked back to the main street where many of us got food. My friends and I went into a place called the Tea House, and we were not disappointed! The tea and scones was delicious! I even bought a jar of jam afterwards to commemorate it.Shortly after this we all went back to St Edwards, where we spent the rest of the night

.- Catherine S.

Breakfast was a real treat this morning. Fried eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast, something I'm sure we have all been craving since we left. We got on the bus around 8:30 am and it took us a little over an hour to reach Warwick Castle. Seeing the walls of the castle sent us right back in time, it was fantastic. We were able to climb up to the towers and the view over the town was beautiful. We could see for miles, and our trigger figures we on rapid fire. We got so many pictures to remember every moment. The stairs we quiet steep and very dark that many were afraid of slipping but it was well worth the suspense.

We got to see the dungeon, which was dark and mouldy. We got to see where they would hold prisoners who were sentenced to harsh treatment. They were left in an isolated damp pit with only a grate as a opening, talk about sketchy! The castle was is such perfect condition that everything seemed quite real. We got to see a bit of a warm up match between two squires. Quite the entertainment for the young children, and funny enough to entertain the adults. At around 12:30 pm there was a jousting match that had everyone in hysterics. I would have to say that it was my favourite part of the day. The horses they rode we magnificent creatures, it really made me miss riding.

At 1:30 pm we left for Stratford-upon-Avon, just fifteen minutes from Warwick Castle. This busy little town was the birthplace and home of the great William Shakespeare. We were fortunate enough to see his tomb. Surprisingly it was just a small slab on the floor outlined with blue rope. He was laid next to his wife and some other family members but it was really worthwhile to see. After the church, where Shakespeare's tomb is, we walked by Shakespeare childhood home and later the grounds of where his house once stood. We were given a bit of time to go off and explore and about eight of us decided to try afternoon tea. I think only a few had tea others were more attracted to the coffee, hot chocolate with whipped cream for myself. I had the best sticky toffee pudding that really hit the spot. At about 4:30 pm we headed for home. This surprising was a very short ride, only about 45 minutes. Dinner was once again delicious and now it is time to get ready for class tomorrow, get a good nights sleep and see what tomorrow brings. As for those who didn't attend this trip they had an adventure of there own

... For the rest of the students who did not attend the optional stratford-Avon and Warwick castle trip, they used their free time to work on the upcoming ISU essay that is due this coming week, shop, and sleep.

Unlike Phil, who enjoyed the hearty breakfast that was served in the dining hall, I slept in today until 9:05am. After a week of classes and travelling from Glasgow to Oxford, I really needed my sleep. Since I, and many other people slept in and missed breakfast, we prepared our own meals in the small kitchens available for our usage on our dorm floors. Immediately after breakfast, I decided to take a shower, even though the pressure in the showers are not fantastic. However, since the shower near my room was occupied by a fellow dorm mate, I had to find another shower that ended up having great pressure. Today I found my new favourite shower that will be my freshening confidant for the next 8 days that I am in Oxford until it is time to return to Toronto. After getting dressed and completing my day-to-day beauty regime, I resumed the reading of my ISU novel and searching for quotes of significance for my essay.

At approximately 12:30, I went to lunch with my friend Andrea to satisfy out hunger before going on our afternoon shopping endeavour in downtown Oxford. With its quaint atmosphere and amazing stores, Oxford emptied my pockets; a sufficient amount of money was spent today. I was able to finally step into a shoppers dream, otherwise known as Topshop. Topshop is a mix between H&M and Urban Outfitters, which is a ingenious combination. Eventually, the stores had to close for the night and my stomach had to be filled with delicious food once again.

From today until exam time, most of the students on the trip will be working on their ISU essays and buckling down for the upcoming exam. There is a fair amount of work to be done before the course commences.

- Phil G. and Erica B.

July 18, 2008 O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? At 7:30pm on July 18th a few people from the group purchased tickets to go see that night's spectacular performance of Romeo and Juliet at the theatre on campus here at St. Edward's. After the initial shock of seeing such a young cast performing began to wear off, many of the female students began to appreciate many of the characters on stage of the male variety. No joke, there was talk of going to see the play again for the sole purpose of once again viewing our favourite actors (i.e. Tybalt, Paris, and "Guy in Green" as we aptly called him). All kidding aside, however, the play was amazing and all were glad to have gone to go see it. Our attendance at the show was quite fitting, as we witnessed one of Shakespeare's great tragedies (currently we are studying Hamlet, another one of Shakespeare's magnificent works). The play ended, and there was a roar of applause as the cast had performed masterfully. As they were taking their final bows, we all sprinted frantically back to our dorms in order to make the 11 o'clock curfew that was graciously given to us by our wonderful chaperones. Wheezing and gasping, we all bursted into the common room exactly on time to sign in and end a perfect night!

- Jen T. & Samantha M.

Today, July 17th, was our first full day in Oxford! Our day started off with a trip to the school’s cafeteria. The food here is definitely an improvement from the Bad Ass Cafe but can’t even compare to the food we ate in Scotland. Oran Mor and Ciao Roma were amazing restaurants! Although the rules are a little bit stricter, the facilities at St. Edward’s are great! Our common room is equipped with couches computers and a flat screen TV and some people even got lucky enough to have their own computers in their rooms.

Class started at 8:30 this morning and ran to 12:15 which was a little bit longer than what we are used to seeing as in Ireland we didn’t have to start until 9:00. We started reading Hamlet which was a nice change from The Dubliners and The Importance of Being Earnest. This afternoon, we all went for a tour of Oxford followed by punting. Punting involves a maximum of four people sitting in a flat bottom boat while one person stands on the end and moves the boat through water with a pole.

While some groups seemed to get the hang of this quickly, other groups did not. My group managed to figure out what NOT to do while punting.

1.) Don’t run into overhanging trees or bushes

2.) Don’t let go of the pole (Thankfully we had a paddle in the back of the boat!)

Once we were on dry land, we were given free time. Some people chose to take a cab or walk back to the dorms while others stayed in Oxford to look around. Nothing really interesting happened after dinner. Many people had to finish their narrative essays and a lot of us had to get ready for our Voices presentations tomorrow. Today many of us noticed how fast the time has gone by. It feels like we landed in Dublin yesterday and in reality we only have twelve days left!

- Jennifer L.