A Month Needed

Well it’s been a month.

To be completely honest I consciously made the decision to take a month off of blogging to concentrate on the end of term assignments. I didn’t want to keep making the excuses of having nothing to talk about because of work, so I decided to take a step back for a bit… but now I’m back with a vengeance and since summer is nearly upon us, I’m gearing up for some more adventures!

Gorgeous sunset from the back garden.

To catch up on the last month- yes Mother and Father I am finally filling you in- I wrote a full short film script, completed multiple presentations, hung out with friends and watched Game of Thrones, pigged out on Romanian Easter treats, and got mild pneumonia.

Let’s go back to where I left off. 

The beginning of April, Easter Sunday to be exact.

After a lovely weekend filled with Easter activities it was back to work once Tuesday came rolling around. On the weekend though I was able, yet again, to meet up with one of my friends from Australia. When I left there I thought I wouldn’t get to see these people for five years, and yet I’ve already had so many reunions and so many more to come! Hannah and I only had a short time to catch up so we just walked around Dublin and talked about the past year and a half. Luckily it was a beautiful day and it was good to be out and about just walking around.

Hannah being a cutie.

I have to mention the weather before moving on because it has been so mixed as of late. Now I come from New England, a region in the USA where it’s not abnormal to experience four different seasons in one day. However, in Dublin you can experience a season from one hour to the next! During the last weeks of April I swear there was this one stretch of five days when it hailed every single day. You always have to be prepared around here, BUT May has brought out some incredibly sunny days and I’m finally starting to get in the mood for summer.

Not only did April 21^st mark the date of my best friend’s birthday, but it also was my last day of lectures… possibly the last in my life. 

When I finished my baccalaureate I didn’t feel as though it was all ending since I knew I was going to get my masters, and yet now that I know my education is finally coming to a close, my mind doesn’t quite know how to processes it. Don’t get me wrong, I have two assignments due next week and I still have to write my dissertation over the summer, but the end is tangible and I can’t yet tell whether it’s foreboding or exciting. All I know is that it’s coming and I should take it in stride.  

My friends Cormuck, Kieran, and JC

The end of April came and just as I was getting excited to travel to Edinburgh to visit Steph and Chris before my final study period started. I had spent the last week hanging out with friends, and just generally enjoying the last week of classes, however it went downhill quickly.

I got sick. 

At first I brushed it off as nothing more than a common cold- something that I could easily handle while traveling.  Boy was I was wrong. 

I went to the doctor’s before my flight on Thursday for a follow up and unfortunately my results came back with mild pneumonia. This meant no Edinburgh for me.

I had been looking forward to this for months and now I had to cancel at the last minute. Not only was this going to be the last opportunity to see Steph before she heads back to Australia, but it was going to be my first time back in Scotland for nearly 9 years! My parents told me to chin up though, and I like to believe everything happens for a reason.

Before I end the update here, I want to make a shoutout to my Grandmother for her 88^th Birthday and also to my Mom for Mother’s day.

Love you both to the moon and back!

I guess that’s all for now so see ya next week!

xx Kim

-----------------------------

Song: Ain't No Sunshine

Artist: Bill Withers

Bittersweet

Here’s to Jana and Maxi, my dear German family <3

I came over to Ireland clueless, friendless, but eager for adventures.

Within the first couple of days I had slowly made my adjustment to life in Ireland and tried to

immerse myself in the social life the country had to offer. You guys were a big part of making Ireland feel like home.

Maxi, even though I thought your name was Emma you decided I was worth your friendship and I couldn't have asked for a better Mom. You are so fun loving and always have a smile on your face. You were never one to shy away from a pint at the pub, and you were always there to make sure I got home safely on nights out. I better see you and your beautiful sunshine bag soon!

 Keep laughing and being beautiful babe.

Jana, I’m glad that we decided to have that first date at the Autobahn. It was that night that we discovered we were twins and that night set the tone for our entire friendship. Girly you are so beautiful. We’ve been through some serious stuff together and you were always there to have a casual drink or  walk around Dublin with me when I was bored. What am I going to do without my other half? This is not a goodbye, but a see you later and all I can say is look forward to some more adventure featuring Thing 1 and Thing 2.

The three of us have survived multiple nights out, and we managed to survive Snoozles- forever bonded together by the shock the shock of rooming with a naked drunk Irishman, a terrified Frenchman, and a mystery man that didn't know how to shut a door.

See you soon fam! 

Love you both so much <3

Xx kim

P.S.
Expect a lot of snapchats, whatsapp messages, and endless Skype conversations!

Craft Beer Festival

Today has been an eventful day to say the least.

It was the first time- since I’ve started to attended uni- that I was late to a lecture. This might not seem like a big deal, but I promised myself I would put 100% into my school work and the worst part is I just spaced out. I genuinely believed that my lecture was at 4 instead of 3. I guess it has to happen to everyone once- or at least that is what I am telling myself.

After class I had choir and then sound check because- surprise!- we were doing back up for a gig at uni. For learning the song today and then performing it, the 7 who actually sang did a half decent job. The worst part was that it was a black tie event and I didn't know, nor did I have time to go home and change. While everyone was wearing beautiful black dresses, I wore jeans... at least I had a black shirt on.

Dún Laoghaire in all its glory.

Now time to backtrack to the weekend.

On Sunday I went to a craft beer festival in Dún Laoghaire with two of my friends. The train ride there was beautiful and it was nice to get out of the city. The festival turned out to be a giant pub crawl and at the end of the 6 pubs we received a giant glass stein and a t-shirt. I was able to listen to trad music for the first time since coming to Ireland, and I loved it. The music was a little loud, but everyone in the pub enjoyed it and would sometimes even sing along. It was a quiet night and I’m glad I was able to bond and try some Irish craft beer.

Our very first stop: a porter, IPA, and a beer from acorns. @Forty Foot Pub.

A lovely description of a red are we tried @Whiskey Fair

@Gilbert and Wright's with my winnings and my local friend who joined us

Me and my birthday twin parading our t-shirts from the festival

Uni work is finally starting to creep up on me so I’m going to cut off this post here.

Things are back to normal now, so you don’t have to worry about any posts like the previous. I’m saying ‘yes’ to more and more things and I’m definitely starting to feel busy all the time. It’s not a bad thing though, I’d rather be busy than just sitting around!

……..

Also, this cat greeted me on my very first day here and we’ve bonded over time.

Why do YOU travel?

If you’ve been online over the past few years- and are under the age of 30- I’m sure that you have come across some online post about Gen Y.  I’ve read too many of these articles than I care to admit, and I’ve discovered two categories that are frequently written about: love and travel.

Check out: Millenial Infographic

Now, please don’t leave.

I promise that this isn’t a stereotypical article.

The mere motivation of why I’m writing this is unique. It’s an assignment for my Master’s course in which we are required to spread some ‘news’ and garner as many comments, views, likes, etc. as possible. The ultimate goal is to illustrate how big of an impact a single person can have online.

Personally I’m using the definition of ‘news’ lightly, but what better subject to write about than something you are a part of?

Millennials. Born in the early 1980s and up through the early 2000s, we’ve survived years consisting of rapid change in technology, the economy, and a greater trend towards globalization and interconnectivity.

More and more of us are going to college and are traveling as part of our studies. Whether it's a weekend camping trip or a year living as a foreigner abroad, the lust of travel seems to be in our blood- even if we don’t have the money to afford it.

Millennial Travel Tendencies

There is even a new term coined for the way in which Millennials tend to travel called “experiential travel.” Millennial travelers tend to experience the city through culture, food and nightlife rather than using traditional channels such as prearranged tours.

Here is where an author would usually insert why travel is ‘healthy for the soul’ by ‘breaking your comfort zone’ or ‘gaining new perspectives’… but I’m not going to do that.

Why travel? Well I have my theories.

In a society where debt is rampant- and more adults are forced to live with their parents- it’s easy to feel a lack of independence. Travel allows you to feel a sense of freedom and independence- even if it’s short lived.

However, is this the main reason why is Generation Y so travel hungry? If you were hoping to find the answer then I’m sorry.

I want to start a conversation and not just ramble on about my conclusions, or accept what other authors suggest. Why have other generations try and define us when we can do it ourselves?

Why do YOU travel?

Please share, leave a comment, or like.

Anything to start a conversation and prove why Millennials are reigning kings and queens of the internet.