What I Learned from Ireland

It's not about the places you go, or the city you live in. 

It's about the people you share your experiences with. 

The Last Weekend

The last weekend of Ireland was the definition of bitter-sweet. Although we treasured every last minute together, we also hated the clock for racing against us. 

Thursday consisted of turning in the final papers for both classes, our classmates in the History class presented some final projects. Instead of heading into Dun Laoghaire, we all spent the break hanging out with each other (some stressfully rushed to finish typing their paper for the next class). At the end of the break, our Director treated everyone to pizza, and we watched a beautiful slide show put together by one of our classmates, Bre. It was wonderful to reminisce about all the great times we had in Ireland. The slide show brought laughs, stories, and tears. It just made the ending even more of a reality. 

After spending our last class (Irish Myth, Legend, & Folklore) discussing ghost stories and the modern belief in Fairies, we all left the Institute of Art, Design, & Technology to go and prepare for our night out at the famous 40 Foot Restaurant. That evening, all of the students were joined by all of the faculty to celebrate the conclusion to a great term abroad. We got rather wild, and yet found the concentration to actually enjoy conversations with our professors. After numerous rounds of hugs and "good lucks" we said goodbyes and carried off into the night.

(The last day of class)

(A final farewell to our beloved faculty)

The final friday.

Elyse and I met up with our Graphic Design professor, Chitra, who was in Dublin for the week. We introduced her to my favorite restaurant: Cafe En Seine. After some catching up, and a good lunch, we met with the rest of our friends to finally tour St. Stephens Green. After a nice afternoon of shopping, we all went home to accomplish our last minute packing, enjoy our last dinner with our host families, and get ready to celebrate our last night in Ireland. 

For our final outing, we went to the beloved Porterhouse, a brewery that ended up being a ton of fun the weekend before. Although I can't recount to much of the night in great detail... I know that it was a night filled with love and gratefulness. We sat outside and enjoyed the live music. I performed "Pokerface" for the entire outside, and then was accompanied by the unique dancing styling of Drunk Lady. Check out the video here! After some good sing-a-longs, people started to leave and the final goodbyes began, and so did the tears. It really became apparent how important all of these people had became to me. 

Once we were done at Porterhouse, we went to the club and danced the night away. Sadly, once the night ended, so did our time in Ireland. The last of us departed and I left for home the next morning.

(Our favorite pub in Bray)

(The last night)

And that, my friends, was Ireland. Cheers.

A Few Last Adventures

So our final week in Ireland was filled with some fantastic excursions. Since our program did so well when we learned Ceili Step Dancing that the owner of the pub invited us to come back on Tuesday night and watch a professional performance (for free). It was fantastic. The dancers even pulled some of my classmates from the audience to dance with them! Everyone performed flawlessly. Afterwards, the musicians and dancers invited us to stay and have a private show. A great start to the last week.

(Ceili Step Dancing)

(Traditional Ceili Music)

On Wednesday, our program director organized our last field trip day to be a visit to Kilmainham Jail and the Jameson Whiskey Distillery. As you can imagine, I was more excited for the latter. Although, the jail was breath-taking. I could literally feel all of the history that the building has seen, and it was huge. The jail has also been a filming location to a ton of favorite movies, and is currently used for scenes from The Tudors.

(Kilmainham Jail)

As I just stated, the Jameson Whiskey tour was the best. Although the exhibits weren't very good (especially compared to the awesome exhibit design I saw at the Guinness Factory), getting to have that free drink at the end made it worth the boredom. What made the trip unforgettable though was that I was selected as one of the 8 volunteers to take part of a Jameson Whiskey Taste Test! I not only got a free drink of whiskey, but I also got to compare a shot of Jameson to Scotch and Jack Daniels... don't worry, Jack came in as my second choice. After the Taste Test, we were all rewarded with a certificate of graduation for being the best critics. I'm totally putting that up on the wall with my Guinness Perfect Pourer Certificate and my future degree.

(Taking the last shot of whiskey like a champ)

(Certificate for being awesome taste-testers)

Cheers!

Once

The Oscar Winning song from Once.

I finally got to see Once tonight. My host family bought it yesterday, and I'm so glad I took the time to watch this beautiful film. It was a nice conclusion to my trip because almost all of the scenes where shot at places I've been: Grafton Street, Temple Bar, Killiney Road, Killiney Hill, Dun Laoghaire, etc. A wonderful movie set in a wonderful country.

Check out the Trailer Here.

Cheers!

iPhone 4G

Everyone in Ireland has an iPhone. Clearly, this means I must get one as soon as I get back to the States.

Just sayin'. Cheers!

A Weekend of Culture

Although I am sad to say that we officially experienced our last weekend in Dublin, we definitely went out in style...

We started Thursday night off with a trip to Bray, for some drinks and dancing. I must say, I definitely got into the groove. You would have all been proud.

Friday mostly consisted of last-minute shopping, making sure I got all my gifts for loved ones back home. We started our shopping marathon off right though, with a fabulous lunch at Cafe En Seine. Think Moulin Rouge meets Sherlock Holmes and you have the inside of this bar. I now know how I want to decorate my future apartment. 

After dinner, the group headed down to Dun Laoghaire to check out the famous Festival of World Cultures (I have never seen so many intoxicated people in my entire life... it put New Years in America to shame). We began at a club featuring latin music, and then concluded at a venue where I was able to purchase something called "Scott's Surprise." As you can imagine, Burger King immediately followed and so did coming home at 2 AM with a kid's crown.

(Smoked Salmon and Prawn Sandwich)

(My favorite restaurant in Dublin: Cafe En Seine)

Saturday was a slow start, considering how exhausting the night before was. I woke up a bit late, and then headed down to Dun Laoghaire to experience a more family-orientated festival (totally different than the night before). It was a lovely festival, very crowded, and it reminded me of all my favorite Summer Festivals back in Michigan. 

(10th Annual Dun Laoghaire Festival of World Cultures)

(10th Annual Dun Laoghaire Festival of World Cultures)

Saturday night was a bit of a hiccup. Since this was my first Saturday night in Dublin, my plan was to check out The George (the city's most famous gay dance club). However, for the first time in my life, we were turned away. Apparently, I was allowed in, but my heterosexual friends weren't... eff that. No bar is "too good" for my friends. We took our party elsewhere, and ended up dancing at The Dragon. It was the best bar in the world, not because of the venue, but because everyone I cared about was allowed in.

Elyse summed it up best in her blog: Somewhere in Between. We both agree that we have met some of the best people on this trip. I am going to miss them all very much. 

Sunday was a simple day. I spent the day sleeping, writing a paper for my Irish Cinema course, and went to our planned social event... IRISH STEP DANCING! I was a natural. 

(We're a hot mess after learning some Irish Step Dancing)

I can't believe that I am already in my last week here. This has been one of the most amazing experiences in my life, and I cannot even begin how grateful I am to be in Ireland. This trip has opened my eyes to so many things, and has created everlasting friendships. I am sad to see this end.

That's all for now. Cheers!

A Good Friend

Elyse and I went into town today, and we stopped in American Apparel. (Apparently, the one in Dublin is the largest store in the world). Anyway, AA just released a new line of their "legalize gay" shirts that now include the equality symbol! Of course, I bought one, and she decided to get one as well!

That's the sign of a true friend. I'm so thankful to have her support and love. 

Click here to buy one for yourself, and support a great cause.

That's all for today. Cheers!

A Weekend in London

Okay, so because Elyse finally got around to Blogging, I guess I have to also... Haha.

Basically, London was awesome. I have never been to a city where design was second nature. I'm not just talking bright colors and fun typography... but really smart, practical design solutions that not only makes the city beautiful, but stimulating and practical.

Secondly, London has so much culture! (Yes, I was surrounded by more tourists than actual Englishmen, but it didn't matter). Everywhere we looked there was a cute cafe, unique boutique, or beautiful statue. Also, every person we encountered was polite, witty, and extremely helpful! 

Pretty much, I loved London. I'm officially adding it to the list of potential job locations after graduation (along with New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orlando, and Chicago... maybe even Dublin).

As far as sightseeing goes, we visited Big Ben, the Tower of London (saw the crown Jewels), the London Bridge, Buckingham Palace (saw the changing of the guards), the National Gallery Museum, the Tate Modern Museum (amazing surrealist exhibit), the London Movie Museum, Harrods (Europe's largest department store- mind blowing), and concluded our weekend with reservations at the Absolut Icebar! 

Cheers!

Watch this movie: 32 A

Another great movie, presented in my film class this morning. A typical coming-of-age theme, set in the 1970s Ireland. The trailer pretty much sums up the entire movie, so just check it out if you don't plan on renting it.

I also must point out the awesome cinematography of the movie. This is the second Irish movie I have watched where all the scenes are shot with a photographic feel. Very well done.

The opening title credits are also fantastic! I love the way the title of the movie plays out, but the actual hand-written typography used for the actor introductions (not seen in the tailer) where perfect for this film.

That's all for today. Check this movie out.

Cheers!

P.S. A London update is coming. I absolutely loved my time in that city.

London Calling

Elyse Flynn and I are taking an adventurous trip to London this weekend! We leave tomorrow and return on Sunday morning. It's only two days, but being so close to the city, we had to make some time to visit. I've always wanted to see London, especially since I need to check out all my options for after college.

Not only will we be able to visit the design capital of Europe, but some of our friends and faculty from Grand Valley State University are there right now (also on a study abroad trip)! We already have dinner plans and I couldn't be more excited!

Aside from that we are looking to visit:
Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the West End (Europe's Broadway), Kings Cross, Tate Modern Museum, and Kensington Palace.

We are also looking to go to the Absolut Icebar! We are only allowed a visit for 40 minutes, because the entire bar is made of ice! Check it out.

Any other suggestions? We're on a budget, but I'm sure we will have the time of our lives.

Cheers!

500 Miles

This past Tuesday, after seeing The Matchmaker, we ran across this wonderful duo in a pub! I've always loved this song, and it is a good reminder of the wonderful people I love that are back in the States waiting for me. Just wanted to share a good time with the rest of you all!

Cheers!

The Commitments

(The International Film Institute. Dublin, Ireland)

So today our program was lucky enough to have a private viewing of the famous Irish film, The Commitments. We went to the International Film Institute (a fabulous building) and got to watch the movie in a lovely theatre. 

I highly recommend this movie. As I've been describing it to others, it is an "Irish Blues Brothers." Check it out. 

Cheers!

The French...

Last weekend consisted of a 3 day trip to Galway, Conomara, and Cong. Although this was similar to the trip I went on the weekend before, I had a completely different experience...


Day 1, Friday
We take all morning driving to the hostel, which was literally located in the middle of no where. As you can imagine, my classmates and I were beginning to worry about keeping our sanity for the rest of the afternoon, due to the fact this looked like the location for any typical horror movie.


Rules of the hostel: "Blah, blah blah... no drinking or smoking in the front of the building...

no drinking in the bar... this is a family establishment... 

blah, blah, blah... no noise. Ever." 

Lisa's response: "WHERE ARE WE!?"


The icing on the cake? The hostel was run by the French... awesome. Needless to say the staff was rude.


We concluded the ridiculous evening with an adventurous hike around the countryside, where we all decided to have a drink for the sheep.


Day 2, Saturday
This was the actual day of our activities. We visited Kylemore Abbey, which I saw but didn't tour last weekend. It was beautiful. There was the actual Abbey (Nun School), the magnificent garden, and then the church. The entire establishment had this captivating magic to it, and all of us felt a rather emotional experience.


The next stop was a National Park, where I decided to go hiking up the mountain trail with a small group. Once again, I felt an overwhelming connection to the environment, and I was taken back by how beautiful Ireland is. I'm so glad I'm here.


The day concluded with a quick stop in Cong to see the filming locations for The Quiet Man.  Then we all headed back to the hostel to watch movies and relax. I finally saw both Jaws and Batman Begins! We also watched Clueless (classic).


To see all the pictures from the trip, visit my Facebook.


Cheers!

Dublin Castle

(The Famous Throne in Dublin Castle.)

I toured the Dublin Castle today. I was amazed by all the awesome architecture. I decided the castle is a little small for my liking, and I need to find a bigger apartment to live in when I take over the world. 

Also, that thrown will be mine one day. I'll add it to my collection.

In all seriousness though, it was a good day in the city. We did the Castle, then toured the National Museum (I got to see some real Bog Bodies) and then did some shopping. I got a great shirt on sale at Urban Outfitters, and then discovered a new store that I love- Top Man -I got a sweet tie.

Cheers!

Last Weekend's Adventures

(Playing a game of Rounders.)

(Ireland's Cliffs of Moher.)

(Kissing the Blarney Stone.)

This past weekend I went on a tour bus (The Paddy Wagon) around Southern, and Western Ireland. We visited numerous rural areas that took my breath away. Unfortunately, my camera died and I had to rely on Elyse to capture everything. She did rather well though.


The first major stop on this trip was the town of Cong- the filming location for the famous movie, The Quiet Man. It was so pretty. We then went on to watch reck havoc on the awesome town of Galway. I got to live it up in some bars and clubs, and let me just say that there was much dancing. Madonna came on at the end of the night, "Like a Prayer" and I was the happiest boy in Ireland.

The next day we visited the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland's most popular attraction. A beautiful set of cliffs on the South-Western bank. I became a little emotional, because it reminded me of my recently passed Great Grandma. Before she died this February, she told me how excited she was for me to go to Ireland. She has always wanted to visit- it is where her father was from. She told me to take "lots of pictures." I know she was there with me last weekend.

The trip ended with a visit to Blarney Castle. I definitely kissed the Blarney Stone, and now I have the "Gift of the Gab" for seven years. Go me!

*On the tour bus, we met two Australian boys in their mid-twenties who were touring Europe. They were awesome, and made the trip so much more fun than we ever expected.

Although last weekend was kind of expensive, it was worth every euro. I'm excited to see what the rest of this trip has in store.

Cheers.

A Movie in Dublin

This was recommended in Film Class. A group of us went out to Dublin tonight and saw it in the cinema, and it was just fantastic. 


A good start to my second week in Ireland.

Happy 4th of July from Ireland

Lunch Time

(My amazing Humus/Veggie Bagel & Cappuccino. I was in love.)

(She didn't want her picture taken. Silly girl, she's too pretty to cover that up.)

Elyse and I found a fabulous restaurant: ITSA Bagel. I had a delicious Veggie sandwich, and she had a fantastic Californian Club. I think we found our local favorite.

The Start of School

So Monday was our first day of class, and during orientation our AHA Site Director basically called out another student and I about the fact that we were the only ones signed up for all three courses this term. Apparently, Grand Valley shouldn't have let me take all three because it is too much to handle while studying abroad- no one has ever done it in the history of the program. Needless to say,  I dropped my History Class. I contacted GVSU, and they are taking care of everything. The only problem is that now I have to take a MWF class to finish my "Theme Courses" my last semester at Grand Valley. Although, let's be honest, I probably won't go to half of the classes.

We ended the day with an outing to a local pub, The Graduate. I could only have three beers before I had to get on the last bus, but it was quite fun! I'm definitely getting on well with my peers, and I think there will be some strong friendships formed.

So I officially dropped my history class, but as of today I am still enrolled in my film class and folklore class.

My Irish Myth & Folklore Class reminds me a lot of when I took my advanced english courses in High School. I forgot how much I love literature classes. This one makes me so excited, and Celtic Mythology is very interesting.



Lastly, in my Film class, each student has to review an assigned movie and then present it to the class. I was assigned the movie "interMission," it stars Collin Farrell and seems rather interesting.

I go into Dublin yet again tomorrow to tour both the city and the Gaelic Athletic Association. It should be a good time.

Miss you all.

My First Day in Dublin

I just got back from a family trip to Dublin, Ireland. It is a beautiful city with more to see and do than I will ever get accomplished while I am here. I have so many new favorite places, and I cannot wait to bring my fellow students to the city and show them what I experienced today.

I fell in love with Bewley's, a famous Irish coffee house/restaurant. It has the best coffee I have ever drank, and I will be bringing a few bags back with me to the States. The cafe also has a theatre on the upper floor, and many fantastic plays are put on there.

The city reminds me much of Chicago. It isn't too big, yet there is a lot to experience. The way there is simple- a quick walk to the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport), and then a 30 minute train ride into the center of the city.

I have uploaded some photos onto Facebook: www.facebook.com/schulzmk 

Make sure you see them! I think I will also need to upload onto my Flickr account. I'll post that link later.

Best to everyone! Thank you all for the Facebook comments, and warm wishes! Miss you all.

My First Day in Ireland

(My host family's home)

(A path along the sea coast, behind the house)

(There are so many dogs in Ireland)

So far, so good! I've met my host family, and spent most of today with them. Both the mom and dad are very welcoming and talkative. Most of our discussions revolve around entertainment, and I am very fluent in such talk. The house is very nice, and there is a trail from their home to the sea coast. I already took over 200 pictures today, and some are posted on my Facebook.

Tomorrow I take a trip in to Dublin, with the family. I'm rather excited, and yet, still a little nervous. However, I am sure that studying abroad was the best decision I've made since joining Sigma Pi Fraternity.

That's all for now. I'm going to watch the World Cup at an Irish Pub. Cheers!

Blog 2.0

(Temple Bar. Dublin, Ireland)

So this Summer I will be living here. Okay... maybe necessarily not the bar (although I do plan on visiting often). I am studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland. In an attempt to not only satisfy my fans, but to also keep track of all of my ridiculous experiences, I am starting up the good old blog again. Stay tuned here for videos, pictures, and just generally good stories.

I will be taking three classes at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design, and Technology (the same school as in P.S. I Love You). My classes revolve around Irish culture represented in film, British Literature, and the history of the Irish immigration to America.

Lastly, I am lucky enough to have a program that places me with a homestay for the entire trip. Apparently, my family lives in Killiney, Ireland. This town is right on the sea, and only a 15 minute drive to my school. It's also about the same distance to where my friend Elyse is staying!

I'm beyond excited for this trip, and I believe it will be nothing but fabulous.

So stay tuned friends. This will be a wild ride!

The Worries of a Pop Star

“I have the same goal I've had ever since I was a girl. I want to rule the world." Madonna.

You know it's too late on a weeknight when your awake to get the nightly e-mails from stores. Borders just sent me a coupon, a coupon that I will never use because I am desperately trying to save money for New York City.

Yet, I can't seem to get myself to fall asleep. This will be the 4th night where I fall victim to anxiety and a wild imagination. Thank you Imogen Heap for keeping me company.

I feel that I'm not doing enough with my life. I am so terribly terrified that when I graduate from college, that I will just aimlessly wonder Michigan unemployed and unsuccessful. I also fear that I will not find enough financial stability to be able to take care of myself, and my sister when she is older. I fear that all of the hopes and dreams my family has for me will be put to waste in a whirlwind of disappointment and lackluster.

These fears are the reason that I constantly fight every day to do the best I can possibly do. I try to conquer the world, and be a step ahead of everybody. I try to have more internships, and I try to always be shining star with every program, organization, situation, friendship, etc. People look at my life right now and tell me how great I am; how far I have come for being 21. Yet, I just feel stressed out and defeated.

I feel like I take on too much, and I'm so afraid that I have bitten more than I can chew. I feel like I am juggling all of these opportunities, and so many people are counting on me. My avoidance to let myself and others down now have me overworked and spread thin.

Am I doing too much or just enough? Am I not doing anything? Am I swimming circles in a big pond, when the real world is a giant ocean filled with battleships?

Am I just too tired?

I want so much in this world. Madonna never rested, so I guess neither should I.

Senses 5 Poster

Some freelance work I just did for Bar Divani.