Happy Thanksgiving!

Galway '08 Group by the Bay

Things at the Park Lodge have slowed down considerably. I've been able to spend a lot more time around Spiddal and Galway in order to soak up as much of the west coast before I leave in less than two weeks. How has time flown so quickly? I can't believe it is December.

Lots of people asked if I would be celebrating Thanksgiving this year. Each year, the staff of the Park Lodge, headed by the one and only Geraldine, puts together a spectacular Thanksgiving feast. We had a first course of salad, a second course of potato soup, and a main course turkey, stuffing, vegetables, and three kinds of potatoes (it is Ireland, after all!). For dessert, we got apple and pumpkin pies. While it could never beat my dad's rendition of a Thanksgiving meal, it was absolutely delicious.

The Thanksgiving celebration is also a chance for all of us students to thank everyone who has put so much into making this program successful. We invited all of our professors, our bus driver, our taxi driver, and the entire staff of the Park Lodge. We gave them all gifts thanking them for all of their work this semester. We also presented our directors, Chuck and Suzanne, with a book of "29 Reasons We Are Grateful for Chuck and Suzanne" - one from each of us. The final part of the evening was a slideshow of pictures and a collection of skits from each cottage. We performed the poem "Five Little Turkeys." The highlight was probably a poem that Chuck wrote for us about our semester together. Overall, it was a wonderful evening and a most memorable Thanksgiving.

The semester is wrapping up and I am keeping busy with final papers and making plans for returning home. I am still finding lots of time for day trips to Galway, last-minute souvenir shopping, and even a chance to see "High School Musical 3" (which was awesome!).

Galway decorated for Christmas!

I hope you all had a very happy Thanksgiving! Did any of you go Black Friday shopping?