The days have been full of activity and we have one final event -- a group dinner -- tonight. Tomorrow, I'll be up at 5 to leave for the airport by 6am.
Here's a little catch-up on yesterday:
It was our day to visit various counseling-related sites around Dublin. One of the students, Jordan, and I went to Aftercare Research Counselling (Cancer Support) House. Except there are 2 houses and the one that thought we were visiting wasn't the one we actually visited! The two volunteers, Eithne and Dympna, who very graciously showed up around, were enthusiastic about the services and the programs offered.
Jordan and I arrived early (2pm for a 2:30 visit) and spoke to a woman who was waiting to attend a meditation and guided imagery class. It's taught by a fellow who is a reflexology practitioner -- one of the services that clients can access. We didn't have a chance to meet any of the counselors, but were told about some of the other services that clients can choose: acupuncture, EFT (as in the Emotional Freedom Techniques that I have been trained in!), meditation, stress management, group support and more. There's nowhere in the States that I know of that has this kind of space and these kinds of services.
I wish I had thought to take photos of the house. It's actually 2 victorian-era row houses. Beautiful spaces and lovely, warm decoration. It's clear that the organization has access to good funding.
Our 25-minute taxi ride cost 11 Euros. We took the train back for 3 Euros... Now I know how the train system works!
Once we returned to Trinity, I went in search of a paper store (www.daintreepaper.ie) that Ale (one of our guides) had told me about. It was a bit of a hike past most of the tourist area, but I first stumbled on an art supply store that's been in business for over 50 years (and there's dust in the shop to prove it!). I purchased a few pieces of colored paper as well as hand-made paper to finish the thank you cards I'd started.
I eventually found the paper store and found some awesome ON SALE items for collage work (which ended up in the cards above), but the most wonderful find was the "secret garden" Cake Cafe in the courtyard behind the paper store!
Today, after our closing activities with the students, Jill, her hubby Tony, and I went back to have tea (the cafe only serves breakfast, lunch & tea).
On the left, you can see bikes under what looks like a lean-to. Behind the bikes is a series of art pieces in panels by a Brazilian artist:
Materials include a stack of books, a multitude of keys, chipped china & pottery, CDs, piano keys, records, old coins, silverware, bottle and jar lids, and so many more things. It was a collage-artist's dream!
We ended the evening attending Riverdance at the Gaiety Theater. No photos, though. What an extraordinary show!
Students loved it. And it's one of my many "favorite" parts of this trip.
I was up late last night, in production mode, working on the thank you cards. I'm surprised that I'm not sleepy now...
Our group dinner tonight is at the Odessa Restaurant. Our guides, Ale and Seona, will have a fun quiz for everyone, then I'll come back to pack the remaining odds-and-ends for the trip home.
I'm ready to return. The coming semester is already calling to me to begin, even though it doesn't actually start until the 26th.
Mostly, I miss my critter tribe, Emma and Shadow, as well as my connections with friends.
Yours in Magic, Wonder and Miracles,
Suzan
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