This past week has had a lot of new adventures in store. As some of you know and some of you don't, while studying in Dublin, Ireland I am also interning for the Irish Parliament.This past week I was placed with Michael Healy-Rae, TD. I also traveled to the town of Gorey in County Wexford on the southeast side of Ireland. I stayed with a host family and got in a little relaxation after a busy week of training and classes. For my article this week I thought I'd combine both adventures together to explain the program I am participating in a little better.

Michael Healy-Rae is an Independent TD for the county of Kerry located in the southwest of Ireland. Although he represents the county of Kerry, I will be interning for him in his office in Dublin. TD's are members of the Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, or Parliament. In simplerterms,a TD is a member of parliament. The Oireachtas is the Irish Parliament which is comprised of the President. theDáil Éireann (House of Representatives), and the Seanad Éireann (the Senate). Both houses get their powers from the Constitution of Ireland enacted in 1937. The Leinster House, which house Oireachtas Éireann, was built in 1748 originally as a house. The building is beautiful and I highly suggest visiting it if you are able to.

Unlike the president of the United States, the president of Ireland does not have a role in the executive or policy functions of the government. The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) is the head of the Irish government. The current Taoiseach is Enda Kenny of the ruling Fine Gael party. There are a number of political parties in Ireland but the two main parties for some time have been Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. The TD I am interning for, Michael Healy-Rae is one of the few Independent politicians in Ireland, meaning he is not affiliated with any political party essentially.

The government of Ireland is very complex and my description barely scratches the surface so I suggest you do a little research if you're still curious. While my internship doesn't officially start until this Tuesday I have gotten met the TD I am interning for and gone through a lot of training to learn the computer systems. This past week, with interning, classes, and life, in general, was very new and somewhat exhausting. That's why it was nice to get away for the weekend for my homestay.

As a part of my study abroad program, I am required to participate in a homestay visit for a weekend. Essentially, each student stays with a local Irish family for a weekend to experience a true Irish household. The bus departed for the town of Gorey Friday afternoon and returned Sunday afternoon.

I was placed with a retired couple and another student in their house just outside the town of Gorey. While there the family fed us delicious traditional Irish foods such as white pudding, turnips, and mince pies. They also took us the beach! Never did I think I would go to a beach in January but I did. While the beach was small, it was beautiful.

After the beach, my host family took us to Seal Rescue Ireland where volunteers rescue hurt or abandoned seals across Ireland and rehabilitate them. Once the seals are rehabilitated they are released back into the ocean. It was fascinating to learn about the different types of seals and how the facility cares for them. If you are at all interested in the facility google their name. You can even adopt a seal if you'd like!

After the seals, we went into the town of Gorey and explored for a couple hours. The town itself is relatively small but there a ton of shops and eateries along the way. After a busy day, we returned to our "home" and spent the night with the family. It was captivating to learn about our host family and what they've seen and experienced. The family was great and incredibly welcoming. It was lovely to be able to relax and experience a true Irish household.

While my week was jam-packed with new information and experiences, I had a blast. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to Irish government and family customs, but this week has really opened my eyes to a lot of it.