Manfull's Handfull

N*SYNC, Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block…ah, the childhood boys that painted my walls and who will always be my very first crushes (Lance Bass- I still can't believe you threw me for a loop with that one ). Anyway, these once boy-bands (BSB is most definitely a man-band now…and I don't hate it), are not simply just something of the past.  It just seems that each generation has a band that somehow defines them. The Beatles controlled the 60's, just as the Backstreet Boys ruled the 90's. But like I said, boy bands aren't dead- nope, they're very much alive now than ever before. Yes, I am 100% referring to the beautiful men who make up One Direction. Before you click away, you have to understand that not only these men are insanely attractive ….but they can out right sing . Whether or not you want to admit it, they're really good- like, put their new album on repeat good. Maybe I'm just a sucker for those European accents, alright I'...

We see sadistic headlines fronting newspapers every morning, we hear of corruption everyday as we turn on the news, this harsh reality is nothing new to viewers- we've been trained to numb the emotions the world curveball's us. Often times, we use sport as a way to escape our bleak reality, looking to rectify the heart-tugging headlines. But often, in hopes of rallying behind a team in search of happiness, we neglect to realize that sports are not institutions immune from reality. Sure, we see plenty of headlines regaling Mr. October, and the winner of this game or that, but all too often our sports heroes do something to shock us, and humanity as a whole. Terrifying tales of NFL hero's turned villains are a story too frequently revived. From OJ's infamous isotoners, to the damming elevator footage of Ray Rice knocking out his girlfriend. Especially in recent news, NFL Public Relations teams have been working overtime trying to fix each scandal before the next one e...

It's hard to believe that only a few years ago the game of soccer seemed nothing short of a call into the wind for majority of American sports fans. But judging by the fact that nearly every bar in downtown Iowa City was over capacity, bursting at the seams with people standing on tables and chairs just to watch the World Cup, I think the tide has turned when it comes to American soccer fans (finally). Some may think this plethora of new found fandom is nothing but a stint of bandwagon-ers. But I don't think that's the case, especially when it comes to a team that's essentially dripping red, white, and blue. When I think of jumping on the bandwagon, I envision a closet full of NBA jerseys, stacked chronologically from most recent championship winner…or any team that LeBron plays for. See, Bandwagon-er's usually identify with a single player, or a team that 'might be good' this year. But for the World Cup, American's don't identify with a single ...

“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”-- Morrie Schwartz Ever since my return to the states, it's been unbelievably difficult to even fathom writing a blog. I'm pretty sure nothing my future holds for me will be as adventurous or monumental as "studying" abroad (there, I admit it- you don't actually study) had been. However, as I returned to my sweet, humble roots of the best fly-over state there is (ok, bias), I've discovered how wonderful it truly is to be able to appreciate every single second of each day- whether or not you're floating in a gondola down a Venice canal, or simply just walking ho...

"I look around myself wildly, my heart bursting with grief and fear and joy. I am leaving, but I will take this place and its stories with me wherever I go"- Jennifer Donnelly To be honest, this is going to be a difficult blog to compose. I'm in an unusual state of mind because my emotions are still running rampant through my body, pinging from my heart to my brain like a pin-ball machine racking up a new high-score of uncontrollable emotional memories. Less than 48 hours ago, my European adventures came to an end faster than I could have ever foreseen.  I was told that your time abroad goes by exponentially faster than time at home, but much like a stubborn child, I've never been one to believe in the nay-sayers (Santa is real). But, it breaks my heart to accept that the nay-sayers were absolutely right in this case: time whizzed by, faster than Usain Bolt chasing a cheetah. As I sit in my bed (my glorious, heavenly, non-hostle bed), I'm already struggling ...

" No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow"-  Lin Yutang It's a surreal feeling, arriving back to Ireland after a full month of living in a fantasy. I anxiously watched the ocean stretch out below me, waiting what seemed like forever for the beautiful Irish green countryside to merge with the crashing waves below me. Once I saw the first glimpse of patchy greenery, a smile spread across my face- who knew I would miss this little island so much? Our final stop on our European tour was to Munich, Germany. Aka, my homeland. German blood runs deep through my veins, and definitely has something to do with my drink of choice (uh, beer please). So we checked into our hotel and found a restaurant where we promptly had our first liter of beer. Yes, a liter. The mugs were unreal sized, and the beer was extraordinarily tasty- and only a small glimpse as to what we would experience during Spring Fest. When ...

"There's no where you can be that isn't where you're meant to be" - John Lennon  I knew that time wold seduce us into believing that our European adventure would seemingly last forever; but believing in forever is naïve when it comes to time. It honestly feels as if it were only days ago that our seven city adventure kicked off in Dublin, tearing up as I watched the Backstreet Boys live out my childhood dreams (still in awe that I actually saw them after 8 patient years of waiting). Yet here we are, a mere two days away from returning to our beloved Ireland- a very bitter/sweet feeling this is. On Monday evening, after a long tour of Italy (chalk full of carbs, wine, and nights slipping into mornings), we gladly welcomed the slower pace of Prague, Czech Republic. As we wondered the streets, hoping on and off the wrong metro a few times, it wasn't hard to quickly stumble into a helpless love for the streets and sights of Prague. Our hostel was in a great locati...

"Where ever you go, go with all your heart" - Confucius  No one ever really tells you that being a world traveler is exhausting. They usually skip that part because they're too busy regaling you with semi-unbelievable stories and breathtaking photos to warn you of the side effects that come along with such an adventure. Side effects that include fatigue, swollen feet, achy bodies and (at times) complete and utter mental failure.  But, at the end of each new adventure, every single ache and pain is worth it- especially when you get to eat a weeks worth of real Italian food, play gladiator in the Colosseum, hang out with the Pope, and finally live out a real life "Lizzy McGuire" moment at the Trevi fountain.  Our trip to Rome started out with a visit to Vatican City to attend the Papal Audience. The Vatican was packed with people, literally oozing out of the massive pillars and spilling into the square. The ever-growing crowd erupted when Pope Francis emerged in t...

"Sometimes when you lose your way, you find yourself"-  Mandy Hale Whilst sitting in a Gondola, strolling through the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, I had this sudden thought that life could not possibly get any better than at that precise moment. It seems so surreal, this European adventure of mine. It's as if I'm constantly checking new cities off my ever-growing bucketlist, seeing things I've only heard of, planting my feet on ground I've only dreamed of. Venice marked the halfway point of our extraordinary month-long journey that will end up taking us all across Europe, and back again (we had poor planning, ok?). Halfway through a month of unforgettable shenanigans, memories, and stories I only hope people won't get sick of- honestly, I'm sorry in advance to all my friends and family who have to listen (over and over) about that time I did this in this country, and that in another country.  But, for the past week, we've vacationed from our vacat...

" I fell in love like you fall asleep- slowly, and than all at once"- John Green I'm pretty convinced John Green had it right when he wrote this line in  The Fault in our Stars , "what a slut time is, she screws everyone". I had never really thought of it like that, but I find it hard not to apply it to my life right now. In the blink of an eye, it seems I'm saying both hola and adiós to Barcelona.  Oh but what an adventure it has been. In just three days we were able to explore most of this incredible city- of course, I have to thank my beautiful friends, Mary Kate, Dana, Cait, and Bridget, for being our personal guides, 100% wouldn't have been able to navigate without you guys.  We arrived pretty late on Monday evening, probably still a little drunk from our Budapest escapades. We checked into our hostel, a great location with free paella upon arrival. I can't even describe to you how beautiful free food is, yet alone absolutely tasty free food- it...

" Life's what you make it, so let's make it rock"- Hannah Montana (RIP) I'll be honest, I think this last week has 100% changed my life, and it may be directly associated with finally seeing the Backstreet Boys in concert (I have honestly waited since I was 8 for this magical experience). I'm also not afraid to admit that I cried (more than once) out of sheer joy- because dreams do come true and The Backstreet Boys are Most definitely back, alright!  After drooling over 40 year old men in matching outfits and some terrible choreography, we celebrated Heidi's 21st  birthday by exploring the Guinness Factory, and making friends with bartenders all throughout Dublin. The hotel pub, conveniently located directly below us made us, some beautiful birthday shots complete with a "birthday cake" made from a lemon and a candle. How sweet, honestly Monty (Python?) the bar tender was such a gem and adored us. 4:50 am rolled around way too early, but Budapest...

"How did so late, get so soon?"-Dr. Seuss It seems like it was just yesterday I was counting down the days to run rampant through the streets of  Dublin for the one day where Irish blood runs through even the most foreign of people - St. Patricks day. And now, I'm scrambling to remember all the details (maybe this is due to copious pints ?) They say that American's treat this holiday with more enthusiasm than the actual Irish; but I beg to differ. From what we experienced in this magical city, the Irish do St. Pat's pretty damn big. With an unnatural green tint to the city, the streets were flooded with people from all over the world, and pungent aromas of stale beer were unavoidable (ah, sweet, sweet tailgate). Of course the very first thing we did once stepping off that Godforsaken bus, was slurp down a shamrock shake. It almost felt like a necessary right of passage to truly begin the experience, and act like an American idiot whist doing so. After strug...

It's truly scary how fast the time flies. In the blink of an eye things pass you by, before you can really get a chance to grasp it, savor it, and live it. These past 10 days have been no exception to the ticking clock, in fact, I would argue that these past 10 days could have been faster than the time machine itself from Back to the Future. It's almost as if time abroad, much like the currency, is in double time. You always have something to look forward to, a new adventure, people to see, things to do- that it's often hard to simply just live in the moment, soak it all in, and really take the time to realize that i'm one lucky SOB, especially because i got to spend these last 10 days with my two favorite people on this planet: Mum n Pop. For a brief and fleeting moment as I was approaching my parents Bed & Breakfast, I couldn't help but question the reality of it all. After two long months without calling my mom six times a day, or racking up my dad's...