Galway

This weekend we had a fabulous trip to Galway and the Aran Islands! We left Friday morning to go to the bus station to catch the bus to Galway. Our bus was about 30 minutes late, but the ride was probably one of the most strange/weird/awful/hilarious rides ever imaginable. The bus was packed to the max, so Josh and I head to the back row. Little did we know that that was the worst decision of our lives. I sat next to a nicely dressed, nice looking man; Josh sat next to a larger man who took up about a seat and a half. What's so bad about that you ask? Well first off, nice guy gets up and walks off the bus and asks us to watch his bag while he goes to get his umbrella. I was thinking, "Yeah, right...it's a bomb. We're going down." Luckily, he came back. It was actually a computer. But then... big starts to sneeze. Not just what i would like to call a "dry sneeze" but nasty, gross "wet sneezes." We were about to die. Josh, nice guy and I burst into laughter. It was absolutely the nastiest noise EVER, and this continued for 2 & 1/2 hours to Galway. I thought the guy was going to die. And no, he did not have a handkerchief. Yeah. Gross.

But once we got there we had only one more problem...where was our hotel? Well, it was a 20 minute walk away from the city center...boo. So we finally decided to go back to town and stay in the hostel. Good decision.

The rest of the day we shopped and walked around town. That night we met up with Josh's friend Aioh (pronounced E) for dinner. He showed us around town and showed up the club that he worked in. We went to eat at a restaurant called Fat Freddy's which was delicious. I had an amazing sweet chili and chicken pizza. After that we went to the club E works at. Bazaar is Morrocan themed and I felt like I was living in Aladdin. We had a great time and went back EARLY by Irish times...midnight.

We got up the next morning at 8 to get tickets for the Aran Island ferries. Shannan and I rented bikes to ride around the island. That's right 8 miles round trip... my booty is definitely sore! This is an island where the people still speak Gaelic and have an old, old, old fashioned lifestyle. We got to see everything first hand and feel the wind (very STRONG wind at that) in our hair. We went to the beach and to the cliffs and fort. Also to the 7 churches ruins. We had a great time. Some of those hills were rough though. We ran into some more American students studying in Dublin from Boston College. The cliffs were huge and we could go right up to the edge and lie down and hang our heads over the edge and look down! It was great. The hike was interesting with my current foot pain, but everyone was great the whole weekend about not walking too fast. The ferry rides were absolutely sea-sickening and the stuffy bus rides were car sickening, but the Aran Islands were great!


We finally got home Saturday night, and got to come take showers (my first in 3 days, by the way). Yesterday, I got to sleep in and go to my friend Johnny's house to wash clothes. It is brillant because I had no clean jeans left... and clean is a relative term these days for sure.

Plip, plop goes the rain.

Well, it finally started raining this morning. Hopefully it won't stay too long, because I have been enjoying the great weather we have been having.

Yesterday I started rowing training for the first time!! I loved it! They actually thought that I had rowed before, which of course proves my point that this is my life calling and that I am a natural! Ha ha! Anyway, we rowed for about 2 hours and it was great. We even went out onto the river for the first time. I was seat 7, which is the 2nd strongest person in the boat! I was very proud.

Afterwards I met up with my friends Josh and Shannan to go grocery shopping. They had to tell me all about Riverdance that they went to the night before. They loved it! We did the grocery shopping and I thought my feet were about to fall off! I have the worst blisters...ever! Yesterday was the first day I had put on real shoes ( I've been wearing flipflops so they wouldn't get worse) and I think it did the blisters in. They are feeling better today, and I didn't go to rowing so they wouldn't get even worse. I am going to the Dr. tomorrow to make sure that they are ok.

Last night we ate some Chinese and we hung out with my rugby playing roommates. It was actually pretty fun. Ireland played Georgia in rugby and we all watched the match together. They were hilarious. We were all asking each other questions and getting each other to explain things.

All in all I had a great day yesterday, and am going to probably take it easy on this lazy Sunday.

First week of Class

I successfully completed my first week of class. It was very fun- almost like a game of hide and seek. Classes are scattered all about campus, but most are in the main building. Almost all the buildings are connected by skywalkthingies because of the rain. I am taking Physics, Microbiology, Intro to Irish Music and Dance, and Intro to Human Geography. And I think I am going to like them all. I have one lecture on Monday afternoon and NONE on Fridays!! It is amazing! In my Irish music class I am going to learn to play the Bodhran... an Irish drum!!

If you are wondering what it is like to live here in Kilmurry I could describe it best as a Fratenity house... or at least my house. I live with a Rugby player from Ireland's team (which is a BIG deal here) who constantly brings his LOUD rugby playing friends over to party. I cannot describe how loud and messy they can be. I walked down the cleaning aisle in the supermarket today yearning for all the cleaning supplies. It's definitely a change from my clean friends! I live with all Irish students-two girls and two guys. I have no idea how to spell their names; they are all Gaelic.

My American friends are really fun, too. We are heading to Milan in 2 weeks. I think we are going to the Aaron Islands next weekend.

I joined 2 clubs for the semester: rowing and kayaking. These are awesome! I have had one session of training for each. The boat house is about a 30 minute walk down the Shannon river. It is the only facility of its type in Ireland. I am learning th technique and tomorrow I am actually going out on the river!

We had kayaking last night, too! We started out in the pool at the arena. It was grand. We practiced getting in and out and some strokes. We watched a video at orientation of the club on some rivers we are going on. It looks awesome! I can't wait. We have 6 trips all around the country. If anyone would like to donate a pair of Chaco's to my need river shoes fund, I would appreciate it!

All in all I am having a great time. I am a little cold, I won't lie about that. Skype is the greatest thing since indoor plumbing and everyone should get it so we can talk for free!

Old Stuff

September 5, 2007

I am writing this on my first day here in Limerick. I haven’t slept much in the past 24-or is it 36?-hours. My flights were quite eventful. From Chicago my flight to Philadelphia was cancelled and I had to hop on another flight right when I got there. I left Philadelphia at about 9 p.m. EST, and arrived at Shannon airport at 8:10 a.m. I sat between two very nice people, that’s right- in the middle. The gentleman by the window was an Irishman, and the woman on the aisle- a Californian. Both were very chatty and I enjoyed their company and advice. The lady, whose name was Claudia which I discovered by reading her passport over her shoulder, even lent me her neck pillow because she thought I looked so uncomfortable on the plane sleeping. I mean, who can really sleep sitting straight up in between two strangers? I did have my eye mask, which made me feel like quite the celebrity. Airplane food consisted of chicken, “mashed potatoes” (I put that in quotes because I have no idea what it really was), and carrots. Luckily there was cheese, crackers, bread and butter on the side. I even tried to eat the room temperature vanilla yogurt, telling myself it was just like a McDonald’s fruit and yogurt parfait-only without the yogurt. Eh- it just wasn’t the same. So we finally land after I think it was 6 hours of flying, and I have to go through passport control. I have to wait awhile because I am a student, and I met another girl from Seattle who was going too. Her name was Lauren, and I am relieved to find that she has no idea what she is doing either (that’s pronounced aye-ther now, it sound more Irish and cool). But much to our dismay, neither of our bags arrived with us! Not to mention that the computer was broken, so when we register with the police that’s what we are supposed to tell them when we aren’t in the computer. I bet I am going to get deported. Anydoodle… our bags are supposed to arrive tomorrow, and luckily I have some clean underwear, pjs, and a shirt to wear tomorrow. A girl I don’t know lent me a pillow to sleep on, too! I finally made it to the bus with everyone else and without getting left. There were about 10 other American students-NH, MI, KS, FL, WI, AZ, WA, and the great state of MS! I was the only one coming to Kilmurry village. I live in house 53, room 6. I am one of 4 girls and 2 guys. The guy across the hall- I’m sorry corridor- is Nile. I have no idea how to spell that, but he is from Ireland. From the accents I gathered the girls were, too, but because of the accents I have no clue what their names are. The other guy plays rugby, but I haven’t met him yet. So, my little room/home away from home is PINK- more of a mauve really, with matching (USED) pink duvet. It has fleur de lies so it reminds me of Cathy. My first guest here was a dead snail in the middle of my floor. He might have been alive when I got here- I think I stepped on ‘im. So there was no t.p. in the BR- I have to buy it.!?! That’s when I knew this was no BSC. I wanted to call my mom and tell her I was here, but the phone in my house had no receiver. Good times, right? Haha, well I think I must nap until I go to the store and see what I can buy to get me through. Good thing that jar of peanut butter I packed isn’t here. I am starving and have no idea where to get food.

September 7, 2007

Day 3

Well, I have officially been oriented to UL. Yesterday, we started orientation at about 9 am. Shortly thereafter I began the blood sugar crash of the century. Not eating since I got off the plane, with the exception of a fruit roll up Jeff gave me a week ago and the left over sour patch kids that Claire gave me at the airport, left me very sick. I threw up in the bathroom and a nice professor from New Hampshire gave me a coke and a banana. I have made some cool American friends, and I am meeting the Irish slowly, but surely. Still not sure who I live with, but I am positive that they are filthy people! Ew! Last night I went to the Aldi and bought groceries, and a “green bag.” I also went to the Stables for my first time for dinner and for my first pint of Cider. Later we went to the Lodge night club, and tore up the dance floor listening to 80’s dance remixes. Finally I got home, and I GOT MY LUGGAGE!! So I got to unpack and take my first shower this morning. A nice girl from Chicago who transferred here from the US after study abroad gave me some stuff to get by and went out with me. All in all it was a good time. Can’t wait to tell you about the class schedule. After this I might never return to BSC.

September 9, 2007

It’s Sunday, and I don’t have anything at all to do. I love it! I am lying in bed right now typing this. My feet, however are killing me. All this walking has left me with some serious blisters on my heels that I think are infected. They are throbbing. For some reason, we didn’t pack any Band-aids so I have to walk somewhere later to get some. Well, Friday night Shannan, Josh, Brad and I went to the city center to get Brad and me “mobiles” and for dinner. We went to Charlie Chaplin’s pub, and then another pub that seemed straight out of Sex and the City-it was super chic- to have a few drinks and watch the Rugby match. Holy cow that game is intense. Someone was seriously injured about every 10 minutes. I’m talking blood and broken bones. So we came back to UL after that and stopped at the Stables for a few minutes, but we have learned that the Irish “go drinking” on the weekdays, and go home on the weekends. How backwards is that? Saturday morning I decided to sleep until my body woke up, and that was 2:30 pm. I guess I haven’t quite adjusted to the time difference yet. So Saturday afternoon I got on the bus and went shopping for a few things. I went to 2 sporting good stores to get goggles, a swim cap, and some tennis shoes. Unfortunately, I can’t wear them yet with these blisters! I also went to Dunnes, which is their equivalent to Super Target. I had to get a pillow and some towels, and I also got a few groceries. I had to get Woolite to wash clothes in my sink. It costs about $10 to just wash a load of clothes, let alone dry them! When I got back, my housemate Owen was here with his rugby friends watching the US play England. It’s currently the rugby world cup, so there are matches all the time. I have yet to learn how to play it, but maybe one day. I met up with Shannan, Josh, and Meg to go to the Off Licence- yeah that is how you spell it- to get some wine. I got some organic wine from Chile, and a little thingy of Irish whiskey to try. I also got some Chinese take-away for dinner. We went back to hang out at Plassey 63 (Shannan and Camille’s) to chill and hang out. Brad and I walked home and I got to talk to the amazing Jeff before I went to bed!

Well, I didn’t do too much today. I cleaned the filthy kitchen up and felt much better afterwards. I cannot live in filth! Everybody felt really bad because I cleaned everything up. Afterwards I met up with Josh and Shannan to figure out where we are all going to class tomorrow. That was a task. The main building on campus has 5 floors. G, 0, M, 1, 2… does that make sense? NO! Not to mention it is divided into blocks A-E. It is like a maze! Hopefully I will figure it out. My first class is at 4:00 tomorrow afternoon. Not bad, huh? No 8 o’clock for me. Actually there are no o’clocks at all! Classes start at 9 and the last one starts at 5. I like it! Most have 2 one hour lectures and a tutorial a week. My sciences have 2 one hour lectures, 1 one hour tutorial, and 1 two hour lab. Not bad compared to BSC. A lot less class time. I might actually get to enjoy life a little. They also do not assign tons of assignments every week. Our entire grade is our exam at the end of the course. I kinda like it. It motivates me to do a little at a time, and not have to worry about the massive amounts of homework and papers each week. Life is much more laid back here. College is free for Irish students, so they only strive to pass not to make A’s like we do.

It got COLD this afternoon. By cold I mean I was wearing a sweatshirt, while all the Irish were in spaghetti straps and shorts! We watched the rugby world cup at the sports bar. Ireland played Nimibia and won. I have no idea where Nimibia is, but I think it is Africa? Good thing I signed up for Geography! Rugby is starting to make more sense. I was hanging out with Owen (which I learned is not how you spell it) and his friend Keith (sp?) and they explained a lot of it to me. It is absolutely insane. They kill each other. Someone gets hurt like every 5 minutes-not kidding. They are bleeding profusely, and the trainers basically hot glue their wound shut and they keep playing.