Today was our first glimpse at the true Ireland that we have not truly experienced in the first month we’ve been here—rain. Can you believe that we’ve only had a few days of drizzling rain since we’ve arrived in Ireland? I know, strange, huh? Well, today the Irish clouds decided to make up for the past month, and it has been pouring almost all day.

For small group, we decided to go to The Happy Pear—a coffee shop in Greystones where Damien Rice is a frequent customer, but he had the common sense not to trek there today in the rain unlike us. It was only sprinkling when we went, but it was pouring by the time we left an hour and a half later.

Today is definitely the day to stay indoors in sweatpants and a sweatshirt and slippers. I curled up in the big, comfy red chair downstairs in the house with my laptop, history book, and headphones. Yes, I actually worked on homework. For the first time, I was actually toasty warm in the chilly house, and I was pretty diligent with my school work…the only distraction being the new Fray CD that I was listening to because some of the songs I just had to stop what I was doing and just listen to the lyrics. (My favorite song is definitely “Happiness.”) Overall, I felt very productive because I’m not working on stuff that’s due this week; I’m actually working ahead. This goes along with the fact that I’m going to be out of the country for the weekend.

Tonight we had a girls’ night. We did card making with Linda, who cooks here at the Y. We were in there for over two hours, but it was so much fun.