Home at last

Well, I made it home from Europe. I am now working on my paper and everything is going ok. Life at home is never quiet. I have a boat load of people living here. I am hoping to write a little more when I get situated. Hopefully, I can get better and set up for the rest of the summer by the end of the week.

Hello From Spain

Hello Everyone,

I am writing for two reasons. First to tell you that I am here and everything is ok. Second, there is no visible effect from the strike. Si we are safe and having a good time. We are having a little bit of a hard time navagating the city because the streets are really narrow and dificult to know. Additionally, it is not a gridded city. Plus none of the streets are labeled, Sometimes there is a sign on a building but there names are so messed up it is difficult to find what you are looking for. We are having a good time here. I am pretty sick. I am congested and having a hard time shaking it. I went to the pharmacy and got some product by vics that you ingest. I have been taking it but it is about as helpful as a glass of water. The city is really nice but it is also really dirty. I miss you all a whole bunch and can't wait to get home ot see you. I will see you all next friday. I will NOT be writing again because we are paying 12 euro's a night for the internet and as a moral principal we will not do this again. We walked tonight to look for a McDonalds becasue they have free internet there. 1.5 hours later, no McDonalds. Plus we have seen pickpockets galore. In fact we helped identify one to the police who was trying to take the wallet out of a womans purse. So we don't plan on taking out laptops with in the day to send emails. Also, they are heavy to carry around and it is warm here. So please don't think I am trying to be rude but I am just being practical and a smart traveller. If there is a problem we will write again. Plus, an Internet cafe is perhaps far and wide between. We found one, but it looked pretty shady, there was 2 terminals, and each had an interesting man looking up stuff. So we have been avoiding those types of places. Well, I am gunna try to get some sleep as we have a bug day tommorow. Hope all is well, and Lorri, I got you email. I am glad to hear you are doing well and sorry about your window. Love you all. Hope you are as safe as I am.

Jonathan

The End is Near

Hello Family,
I am on the last day here in Ireland. I am a little sad that I have to leave. I have 3.5 hours of class today and then I have a test this late afternoon. I then have to pack because I have to be moved out by 10:00A.M. tommorow morning. My flight leaves at 6:00 tommorow night. So Naila and I plan to leave our luggage at reception and do a little shopping during the day. I am really looking forward to coming home and seeing you all. There is only 7 days left on my trip now. It seems as if the employees in the trucking industry in Spain are getting a good deal of hassle from the police but now there is another group. The taxi drivers. Apperhently, they aren't coming in to work today. Well, I can only imagine that this is gunna be a wild trip. I plan on having to walk a good deal for the Spanish part of the trip, my gym shoes have been giving me blisters though so I hope that they can get me through. I also am haveing some major weight issues. I have no Idea if I have lost weight or not. I think I am becomeing dehydrated and rehydrated. I think that is what I am actually lossing but it does seem as is my pants are fitting a little looser. Liquid is really expensive here so I find myself drinking less. So, that is my life here in Ireland. I haven't heard any updates on Linnea's trip lately, I hope she is enjoying Texas. I can only imagine that she is experiencing the same things that I did when I went on my first band trip. Hopefully she is letting her hair down and enjoying herself. I also know that my little man is enjoying his baseball summer. Especially since our cubbies are doing so well. I am sure that he has done a little cheering for the cubs for me since I am not there to see the games. Logan, I will be checking to make sure you are. Grandma will tell me. Mom, hopefully work gets a little more like back to normal. Wendy and Steve, any updates on the house? I have heard that there are some big flooding problems in the Midwest, hopefully that isn't hindering the progress. I still haven't heard much from Lorri, are there any updates about her? Well, I guess I should pay attention in class. The problem is that what we are tested on we don't have to use on the test. Our test is 2 hours and we must write on two major articles of the EU. I have my two articles well planned out. I am going to write on Internal Taxation and Customs Duties. Hopefully I do well. The test yesterday was brutal. But I am sure that I did well enough. I will perhaps not talk to you all till I get home becasue I don't know the state of the Internet in Spain and the hotel. SO if I can't talk to you, know I love you and miss you all. Can't wait to see you when I get home. Love, Jonathan

Spain Update

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i7NcbRiXnL74sd6BGfxBXB5HdLgA

We are thinking about changing the plans, there are now injuries in Spain.. I don't think it is as big of a deal as it is being made out but who knows. Naila is kind of freaked but I think it will be OK. SHe wants to cancel. I think I am going to try to do it. I will check the news reports tommorow and see where we are at. I love you lots and will try to keep you updated. Now it seems as if the Police are stepping in.
Jonathan

Big Test Today

I am in class and Have a Big Test in 4 hours. You will be just waking up when I am taking it. Last night we went to the courts here in Dublin and then a Dinner at the Dublin Law Societ. I can't talk no but want you to know I am ok. I love you lots. I have another test tommorow so I proably wont write much till I get home. Love Ya.

Trouble in Barca City

I don't know if you have heard the news, but Spain is in the Middle of a Major Strike. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7444121.stm There could be no gas by the end of the week and some people are worried about the stores running out of food. So I am a little cocerned about going on that leg of the trip. Apperiantly, the striking truckdrivers are circling up around the major cities to ensure that non-striking drivers can't get through either. They even are confiscating goods in cars if they are loaded up. So that is the world news from here. Last night I went on a literary pub crawl. It was quite an adventure. I enjoyed it a lot and had a great oppertunity to talk to some people. So I am really glad I went. Tommorow I am going to the courts and then to a dinner at the law society. I am looking forward to it but I will need to be in a suit all day and downtown. SO hopefully it is a little cooler day than today. It is weird that it is warmer here than in Barca. Well, I need to study becasue I have a test on Thurs, and a Test on Fri. SO I plan on studying all evening. I bought a sweatshirt and a Tie from the collage bookstore. 74.00 Euros. WHich is like 110.00 dollars. So i am feeling a little taken advantage of but I will only study here once. So i better do it now.Well, that is all the major news from here. Hopefully, I can spend more time talking to you all later. Love, Jonathan

Class In Dublin

SO the classroom facilities are the best here in Dublin. That is no suprise though. The class room isn't too warm and there is an outlet at every spot. So I am pleased with the way that things are set up. Additionally, the class doesn't seem to be that bad but the reading for today was atrocious. 70 pages. I really can't retain all of the material so hopefully I don't get called on too much. Tonight, there are a few of us going on a literary pub crawl. This should be fun but it will leave absolutly no time for reading. I am a little concerned with class tommorow. But thats life. Tommorow night and afternoon I plan on going to the collage bookstore and buying myself a few items with the schools name on it. I think that would be fun. Then later I might do some laundry to last me through the end of Spain? At least that is the hope. Then the next night we have the courts and the dinner and then Thursday I need to study for my last final and pack up a little. I leave out of Dublin on Sat. So Fri, a good deal of people are planning to go out. I hope to have everything done to join them. Well, that is the scoop from here. I miss you all very much. The time in Ireland is really winding down. Hopefully, I can enjoy whats left of it. Love, Jonathan

Well, The Inner Thoughts of Jon?

I have two things to say tonight before I go to bed. It is not almost 11:30 here. I have been reading like a mad man and thought I would share with you my feelings. First, I have to say that a little part of me is home sick and I feel really fortunate to know that I have people at home who have me in there thoughts. That sure makes living on the other side of the planet much easier. Second, I now know that I could do this professionally. I know that I don't ever want to live abroad but I could go abroad for a month and set up a company or litigate a problem without any feelings of mortification. I think that I am not so much of a free sprit but I am certianly not afraid of leaving my comfort zone. I know now that I am a different person than who I was as a child. One who was timid, and quiet. I have been awarder the Best Leader by the Director of the Trip and I know that I have the highest esteem of my collegues. This is a satisfying feeling. SOmetomes when you are the farthest from youself you can see yourself the best. I like what I see. Well, before my ego takes over the rest of the page I should share the day with you. Today I went and say the Book of Kells at Trinity College. Very Neat. I was impresssed with the craftsmenship and "Penmanship" of those monks. I certianly could not handle that position. I can barely read my own writing. Next we went to the Jameson Factory and got a tour. How awesome. This tour was excellent. Plus, I got selected as one of the 6 testers and got to try 6 whiskeys and compare and learn about the taste of them. Naila and Sarah took pictures that they said they will send me. This was a real treat to be selected for this part. Plus we all got a free shot of Jameson. So needless to say the tour was absoutly fantastic. There really is a big difference between whiskeys. I even have a certificate to prove that I was taught the differences. We then went to the Guiness factory and learned how guiness was made. At the end of the tour we had the oppertunity to either drink lots of Guiness or take a seminar on how to properly pour a Guiness. We chose the seminar and so I am not certified to pour Guiness as well. Not quite as cool but I am glad we did this tour. I think some of the lack luster was spoiled for Guiness becasue I did my MBA at Spaten Brau. The german brewery. We then caught a cab to a Bank...yes Bank which was converted to a restraunt. Man was dinner good. I had a Breakfast for dinner. They basically brought me a mountian of meats. Evey type of sausage, and bacon you can imagine. Then I finished all of that and still found a little room for some cheesecake to slide in the cracks. Great Grandma was right. Always room. Well My roomates are ling asleep and I probably should finish the reading and go to bed as well. I guess they are planning not to read. I am just too afraid to do that. So I love you all, btw these room mates are much better. We have two who are not so great but they are just annoying, not partiers or dirty. There are six of us here in a sweet. Thanks for all of your writing and everything. It is a nice comfort to hear what is going on at home. I am sure Linnea will have a great time, Logan will fire that ball to the catcher, Mom's work will get better, Wendy and Steve's lives will get a routine and the permit passed, and Lorri will be having fun now that school is over. I am really looking forward to the days ahead. I just hope I can keep my head of Steam for a little while longer. We have a Court here in Doublin to go to and a dinner at the Dublin Law Society. Plus I want to go to the ift shop and buy a shirt that says UCD. The students here don't wear there school shirts much though. Hopefully there are some to buy.
I miss you all and can't wait to fill you in on a month of activities. For you all, I am usually away, for me this was an Adventure. One which has some crazy stories that need telling. Can't wait to share. Love, Jonathan

Live From Dublin

It is past midnight and I am safe in Dublin. Grandma, I am still waiting for that address if you can get it to me. I am again tired and I haven't gone out that late recently. I think the trip is just catching up with me. I am going to bed and will fill you all in later. I love you much. Cant wait to be back in the land of family and White Castle.

Moving On

Wendy and Coutures, sorry to hear about the setback with the house. Everyone else, I am assuming you are all doing fine. Grandma, if you can't seem to work the comments, you can always email me at soloman17@yahoo.com I am off to Dublin after class today. It will be a long ride. I have 10 min. to pack when we get back but luckly I have most packing done. I just have to put my toilitries in my backpack. I had a full 6 hours of sleep last night so I feel a little recharged. The professors are piling on the work load again. SO I read until midnight and called it quits. Nothing else here is new. I saw the Cliffs yesterday and it was nice to see. Unfortunatly, they wouldn't let you go too far becasue so many people have fallen off. I don't have much to add for today but have you all in my thoughts. I guess I will be in Dublin around 6 tonight, so hopefully, I will be able to have some dinner tonight.

The Big Dance and Music

Good Morning family and other readers. I am so Dissapointed in the Cubs. You have let me down. No 10 game streak. Well, we are still in first. On to yesterday. We had class and then came home for some homework. I ate dinner at home yesterday and had soup and a sandwich. It wasn't the worst dinner ever. Then we went to a pub that plays local music. That was a blast. We listened to music till 12 and went on to a club. Supposedly, it was gunna be an 80's music place but Justin Timberlake was played. I think he was 8 in the end of the 80's. We had a good time anyway. It was really neat becasue there was like 20 of us who went including 4 professors. It is nice to see their awkward dancing both at the pub and the 80's club. It was like watching them shadowbox. So now we are in class and the class is DBI doing business in Ireland. The professor is attempting to teach a combination of Law and Business and is being a jack of all trades and a master of none to put it nicely. He has said so many wrong business terms and concepts it is disgusting. I am so glad I have my International MBA becasue I would look like a fool if I listened to him. Well, I am getting a kick out of the class. He really should stick to the reading material. The professor yesterday was saying incorrect things as well. So I know I am really learning the material. I don't think I am getitng a big head but I feel like I know more about this field than they do. They really should have brough along a business professor for the business secions and they could have taught the law sections. In any case, I am feeling pretty good for getting in at 3 in the morning.
2 Days ago I bought a small Picture from a local Photographer of the cliffs of Moher. I am Thinking I will get it framed and put it im my bathroom down at school It was a little expensive (10 euro) for a picture but I really liked it. I am really excited about moving on to Dublin. Unfortunatlly I have forgotten to buy Pins here for Ireland so I will have to buy pins in Dublin. Don't want to leave my hat out. When I get home you will have to ask me about the Irish Guy in my class. He is a real trip. Today we are going to the cliffs after class. Then we leave tommorow after class. Well that is all from here for today. I don't know what my situation will be in Dublin so we will have to see. Talk to you tommorow.
P.S. I might be able to SKYPE tonight, or this afternoon for you. 2-3 your time. Love ya.

Almost done with Galway

So here I am in class. DBI and my eyes are almost closed. We went to the court here this morning and heard some evdienciary hearing. The case was about an employee who stole about 2,000 gallons of Gas from his company and was being prosecuted for theft. It was interesting but similar to court in the US. Tonight I have no idea what I am doing, but tommorow we are going to the cliffs of moore. I think it should be a fun time. Nice to look at cliffs in a different region. I have to do Laundry tonight so who knows what else I will be able to get in. I am looking forward to the end of the program and getting off to Spain. I can't wait to get on our own and finally not rely on the disorganized group. I have to go becasue I am in class. Love you all and tlak to you tommorow.

The next location

These classroom facilities are great, Unfortunatly, the room is 100 degrees. All of the laptops are like a sauna. Yesterday I got to Skype with some of you, hopefully that trend can continue. I am sorry to hear about logans team. Proud of both of the kids grades and looking forward to the driving experience. I am happy to see that the big league cubs are doing so well. Maybe I need to stay in europe. Professor Buys is finally here. I am so Glad to see her. I am between classes here so I can't write much more but it was nice to finally talk to you. I miss you all much and hope you guys are all still doing well. I am strangly looking forward to the end of the trip becasue the workload is way...way more than normal law school and I never read what is assigned. There just is not enough hours. Well, Prof Buys said I should spend more time partying, I am too serious. So that is what I am doing this afternoon. I hear this is a neat place that is 800 years old that I am going to. I also want to get a little shopping done. Love you all

Update

Becasue the school is so poorly run, the court system has booted out date and rescheduled. What a fiasco. We might miss visiting the court

Class in Galway

I am so tired, I hope to be on skype tonight around 9-11. I am making no promises but my goal is to try. It is six hours later here. So that would be 3-5 in the afternoon by you. If you happen to be on, maybe I will see you. I miss you all very much and am becoming frustrated now that I am back with the program. I am shocked that these people can dress themselves. They don't even know who is on the trip. I have never seen a more disorganized group. BTW, they still haven't managed the payments for everyone yet. They don't know where some of the money went. It is a large fiasco. Now they are having money issues. I think monkeys took over the program and have spent the money on Bananas. Love you all a lot

Home again in Ireland

Well I missed writing to all of you lately. I miss hearing from you all as well. Thanks for the comments lately, they were a nice thing to come back to. So I have a good deal to tell you. First of all London was nice and very expensive. Especially for Naila. We were well aware of the crime problem here but for her it hit home. She was pickpocketed. They didn't get a lot of money but they took all of her ID's except for her passport. So what about the break. It was a really fun time. The first night we got to London, we went to a dinner at a Lebonese restraunt which was excellent. The food was really good and the atmosphere was definatly different. I was glad we got to eat there. Becasue we got in so late that was all we really had time to do. So we went to bed and planned for an early start the next day. The next day we took the subway over to Buckingham palace and was really early. The changing of the Guard didn't start untill 11:30. So we walked the queens park and enjoyed what the area has to offer. We ended up getting back to the pallace at 9:45 and were glad we did. So we had a great spot for the changing and could really see everything. There is 2 sets of girls from SIU that went to London too and one set couldn't see becasue they didn't get there early enough and the other never got to see it. So I feeel luck to have had the oppertunity. I thought it was really cool. I slipped my camera into movie mode and got a LOT of great footage. Unfortunatlly, my camera can only record for 30 seconds at a time and becasue I was so wrapped up in the show I might have missed some of the show on the camera. But I think I did get a lot of good footage. Also, I must be taking pictures like a bandit. I went through a whole memory card and 3/4th of another one. I only have one card left with me so I will have to see how many more pictures I take. I might need to get another card. SO....after that, well really during the show, we spoke to a LOT of Americans and they had a lot of advice on what we should do. It was cool because they were all blue hairs and Naila and I were some of the only ons watching the changing of the Guard. Well, we knew we wanted to take a tour bus but there are a number of different cocmpanies and we didn't know which was the best. But we could count on our new friends to tell us and were lucky for the advice. We ended up with the company with the most busses and so we never had to spend any time waiting for a bus and there were a lot of employees from Canada working for the line. This was really good becasue they went out of there way to help us find what we were looking for and were especially nice to us. So we did all of the big tourist sites going from place to place in the bus. This was a really good way to go. I feel like the city is not as big as it is becasue we got our bearings really quick. All of the bus companies shut down at 6:00 and when we first got here we got an Oyster card. This is the locals card for the subway and all city public transportation. We were in and out like nobodies business. In fact we seemed so confident we had people asking us for directions. So that night we went to a really great local Italian place for dinner and it was good as well. Then we got a dessert that was like a cheesecake, apple, carmel, yumminess, thingy that was really good. It was this day that she got pickpocketed, we got a free"yeah right" ferry tour down the river and when we got off there was a really cute "tourist" shop that had trademark London stuff. As we went in three big guys knocked into her and then dissaperred, next thing she did was check her purse and her wallet was gone. When we spoke to the police, I guess this is a cronic london problem and unfortunatly she was the one they chose to hit. Lucky for her there were no physical injuies becasue London has been having a really bad stabbing problem as well. So we feel like if this is the worst that has happened we could have been a lot worse.
Well, enough of the depressing stuff. We were told by our blue hair friends not to skip on the Tower so we wanted to designate it to the next day. Which is exactly what we did. Yet another smart decision. I feel like London pro's becasue everything we did was just a smart decision. So, the way the bus passes worked we could use them untill noon the next day, so we walked through the righ neighborhoods to get to where the bus could pick us up and caught the bus to the tower. Here we met a really cool guy. He was probably from Germany or Switzerland, and he was a retering International Corporate Lawyer. We met him by asking him to take our picture on the bus and we then got to alking with him. He had his family with him but he was doing baiscially what I hope to be doing. So i felt really good knowing that people are doing really well in that feild here. He looked like he was only in his early 40's but he was 58. He woke up early before his family and went to a 15 mile run through London to keep in shape. Well, in any case, I am sure now that I can do it becasue he said that as long as your open and willing to work hard, you can make it here. I also am learing a lot about Internatinal Law from the classes and am begining to fell really prepared to practice over here. Well, enough about him, on to the tower. We got there and had a Really Good tour guide. He really made the experience. the tower was neat to see and the history was fun to hear about. What about the Jewels, yes they are huge and rediculous. She really needs to tone it down becasue she is blinging more than a rapper. The part of the Tower that I really appreciated was not the jewels though. I liked the armenant. Which I must say costed one pound extra, always trying for an extra 2 bucks. Well, I will say it was worth it, they has some neat WWI and WWII artifacts and an Unusal spin on the revolutionary war. Let's just say that they don't feel like they lost, just wanted us to have our freedom. What wonderful liberators. There biggest complaint is us recieving help from the French. In fact... are there any French reading this, yes, raise your hands....yes both of them so we can identify you. Hopefully you got the joke.
Enough of the tower. There are 2 things I really wanted to see, but we had to make a choice. Really push on and see them or take it easy and enjoy the city. We chose to take it easy. We are so tired at this point. The two places we still wanted to see was the british museum and the Wax museum. But I have the biggest blisters on my feet and need to get some new shoes. I have walked and walked and walked. So I am ready to not have my feet hurt anymore. My pinky toes are swollen to double their normal size from the big blisters on them. I have another pair of shoes in my Galway bag but of course, I won't have access to them till tommorow. I almost bought a pair of shoes, but the place where I like the shoes was closed. So in any case, we then went to a pub for lunch and had some decent food. Then it was time to head back to the hotel and freshen up. We got back and only had an hour before we had to be back downtown to the theatre district. Yes, the theater in London. So you ask, what did we see, the Lion King. Yep, this Guy saw the Lion King. Stephenie met us up there and we all 3 saw it together. It was awesome and the stage was amazing. It was an incredible ending to the time in London. Man this was the best theater I have ever seen. I can't say enough. The production was awesome, the venue was awesome, and the company was awesome. It was a great night. It also was an unusual night. This is the last night that Alcohol can be brough on the Subway trains forever, so every 10-30 year old was drinking on the trains. It was crazy, like the worlds biggest party. It made the news all over Europe and I was on the train at that time. The police were closing down stations and coming through drunk rioters and it was an amazing scene. Luckly we have gotton the jiist of the system down and snuck in as the last group alloed to leave the station by our hotel. Lines were closed down and what not, we had to hop on 3 different lines, really quick to get to the staion before the police could close it. It was really fun to do. Anyway, I feel like I was here for a little history. Nothing monumental, but it was an experience no one will ever have the oppertuniy to say again. So I feel lucky again. I am really pleased with this trip. The only thing that could have make the UK better is if everything didn't cost 2:1 becasue of the poor exchange of the Dollar. Well what can you do. I am now in Galway at the Best Western Flannery's. I will be staying here tonight and we start class at 10:00 tommorow. So I know it seems like it is still early here, but I have reading to do and need to get some sleep so I have any energy for tommorow. I am making the most of the time here though, not a min. wasted. I love you all and am so happy when you write to catch me up with the news from home. Talk to you later. Enjoy your Sunday.