Class schedule:
Monday- 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. - Irish History
- 2 p.m. to 5 p.m- Irish Catholicism

Tuesday- 9 a.m to 10:30 a.m. - Study Abroad Seminar

Wednesday- 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Irish Literature

Thursday - 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.- Study Abroad Seminar

In Irish history we are currently discussing the Great Famine, or more accurately, the Great Hunger. It was no famine because as the Irish were starving to death boats overflowing with wheat and grains were leaving Irish ports daily for England. The professor in this class, Lawerence Marely from Belfast, covers hundreds of years of history in each three hour class and doesn't miss a beat. I have learned the most from this class and am able to make connections with every place we visit because of the historical background I have obtained.

Irish Catholicism is taught by an incredibly friendly old woman named Mary Clancy. Her goal is to give us as much information on the places we are going to so we can maximize our travels. She even spent the last class discussing points of interest in Europe in case we would visit them during our ten day break that starts this Friday. Unfortunately, I have learned very little about Catholicism except that it is dying in Ireland at a rapid pace. More to come on that later.

Study Abroad Seminar is taught by the professor from Saint John's, Julie Davis, and is focused on integrating experiences on excursions with a deeper understanding of Ireland primarily through writing and group discussions. This week I will start reading the book The Belfast Diaries in preparation for a trip in two weeks to Derry and Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Irish Literature is my favorite class, hands down. So far we have read in depth the works of W.B. Yeats and Frank O'Conner, and both have been fascinating. The class is discussion based but the professor Gerard O'Brien is another fascinating man that always has a new perspective or experience to add. Right now we are reading the play The Playboy of the Western World by John M. Synge. I have a part and we will finish the last act tomorrow morning. I look forward to this class.

Ten day break this Friday and I'm going on a cruise! More to come on that before I depart.