i started classes monday. after spending two and a hour hours registering. there was a queue of internationals sitting, waiting to be called. apparently you were supposed to have the classes you wanted to take, a slip of paper about releasing your grades to your home university, and your passport. i had two of the three. of course. and then it said that one of my classes wasn't even available (which is false, because it definitely is). sooo talk about frustration city.
finally, i got all registered and sturff and started classes. they're okay. they are huge class sizes. not a huge fan, though, because i want one-on-one, you know. i want a teacher to know my name, to realize that i have thoughts about what he's lecturing on, and then i want him to expect me to pitch those to the class. that may sound obnoxious, but that's just how i roll in class. and it mostly gets me A's. this is a whole new ball game. i guess i'll just have to go introduce myself and be the innocent, but smart, American girl with the sweet smile and occasional attentive nods. dadgummit.
so yesterday i saw all of my ole miss friends' statuses (stati?). it was how they all just wanted to sleep because it was rainy and blah and meeh, blah blah. and i was right there with them this time last year. heck, i would've been right there with them this year, if i would've been in oxford.
but instead, i am in the middle of THE rainiest, cold rainiest, place. have i mentioned it rains? i'm not complaining in the least - i'm definitely the one who decided that i was going to come to ireland! but i do like this weather. i'm sure once i get used to the weather, it will be much better, but all i want to do is just lay in bed! because cold rain = lazy weather, right? NO. it means.. get used to it, sucka, you're here for four months!!
my 'merican frands are great. becca (from texas, plays softball at trinity), liz (from rhode island, goes to assumption, wherever the h-e-doublehockeysticks that is) and i found the gym yesterday. it was great fun. i ran a couple miles (can you say out. of. shape), did about 10 minutes on a piece of weight equipment specifically for rowing (daaaannngg, stuff is real! real hard), some free weights and then just cardio stuff. and then we played a little basketball (i made them play, they're not big fans. I JUST WANT TO PLAY BASKETBALL WITH PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO PLAY.) and then we did an aerobics class. too much looking like an idiot for my taste, though.
there were posters up about joining different teams. think i've narrowed it down to basketball, kayaking, and gaelic football (ha!). a girl was trying to explain it to me yesterday. apparently it's a mixture of soccer and rugby and gets INTENSE. in tents? i wish i was somewhere in a tent. so i guess we'll see how that goes. i'm going to get out there with 30 of the most manliest irish women and just be taken to the house.
tonight we're going to some fresher's ball thing at a pub. because everything is at a pub. seriously. all meals, drinks, nights - all spent in pubs. you win, ireland. you win.
until something else interesting comes about, love love you all :)
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
my goodness, my guinness!
tomorrow marks officially one week since i've been across the pond. it has been absolutely terrific. full of new friends, lots of walking, a new appreciation for public transportation, and pints of beer. talk about growing up. adjusting to the local culture has been a smoother transition than i thought it would be. everyone is so nice and welcoming. i'm excited to get settled, start classes and get into a groove.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS WEEK:
-honey came to maynooth on friday and we toured the town and campus. (i like it much more!) and later that night, we watched a movie and had pizza with the american girls i met
- pearl and i went to the guinness storehouse. we both poured the "perfect pint." it was really neat - you go through all 7 steps of pouring guinness, and then you drink it. and do you know what guinness tastes like? vomit. put into a blender with tar and other terrible things. and then blended into a thick smoothie. it. is. gross. but pearl and i were determined to finish. she owned it. and the guinness owned me.
- we went shopping in dublin. there's a place called penney's that's a lot like forever 21. so that was fun.
- honey moved into her apartment. it's a cute, little loft above the light shop of an old man. old and so dublin.
- pearl and i almost got hit by the bus illegally crossing the sidewalk, after she dropped a euro in the gelato - that was behind the glass, and, when we got to maynooth, she pulled out her mace and threatened me with it. i'm sharing a two-foot space with a crazy. #getmeoutofhere hahaha
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS WEEK:
-honey came to maynooth on friday and we toured the town and campus. (i like it much more!) and later that night, we watched a movie and had pizza with the american girls i met
- pearl and i went to the guinness storehouse. we both poured the "perfect pint." it was really neat - you go through all 7 steps of pouring guinness, and then you drink it. and do you know what guinness tastes like? vomit. put into a blender with tar and other terrible things. and then blended into a thick smoothie. it. is. gross. but pearl and i were determined to finish. she owned it. and the guinness owned me.- we went shopping in dublin. there's a place called penney's that's a lot like forever 21. so that was fun.
- honey moved into her apartment. it's a cute, little loft above the light shop of an old man. old and so dublin.
- pearl and i almost got hit by the bus illegally crossing the sidewalk, after she dropped a euro in the gelato - that was behind the glass, and, when we got to maynooth, she pulled out her mace and threatened me with it. i'm sharing a two-foot space with a crazy. #getmeoutofhere hahaha
Friday, September 16, 2011
ireland. day one.
soo we pearl (mariah) and i got here yesterday. talk about a cray cray day. i left mississippi at 11:50 pm, had layovers in hotlanta and new yawk and then flew over to dublin. loved my flight from nyc to dublin. the flight attendants seemed to be enjoying their job (but really, i love it when people look like they have positives about and are having fun with their jobs) - they were making jokes, etc. i sat in the middle of a window and an Irish guy in college who was my age. aka: best of both worlds. so that was fun. we chatted about our summers, took naps, attempted to watch a terrible movie, had dinner, then had brekkie, and i recruited him to work at GAC. we'll see how that goes. :)
so i get into dublin, find mariah, and we attempt to take two 50-pound suitcases, two duffels, two backpacks, and two purses and cart them around the city (DUMBEST. MISTAKE. OF. OUR. LIVES.) we had tons of the nicest irish people coming up to see if we needed help (of course we did, we were struggle boatin' hard and it was definitely apparent), but only the serous ones grabbed our bags and started telling us where we were going. finally, we took a bus (after a really charming irish lad gave us directions, helped put our bags on the bus, and told us what to not do to look like americans). it was then that i decided i was very much going to like this place.
so we took a bus to the train station, then a train to maynooth. once there, we got more help from a mother and daughter - we had to climb (really, really steep) stairs, and then go down them to get over this channel in the town. so we thanked them and were on our way. slowly, but surely. and with great huff and puff (seriously. we were in the middle of the effects of hurricane katia - and the wind was supa crazy). so we finally made it to the middle of the town where there was a literal fork in the road - going to north campus or south campus. we flipped a coin, decided on south.
whaddaya know, it would be the wrong campus. by about two miles. haha. SO we asked a rando stranger (story of our lives. at this point, there's no shame. we have no shame) and he tells us how not in the right place we are, then tells us where to go and walks off. so we're like "okay, let's do this," and then, about two minutes later, the stranger comes back, offers to take us to our housing and then grabs my bag. WHAT. how awesome are these people? so i find out that he is a first-year (soo... i am a complete american. about 50 things have reminded me of harry potter. 1) pearl carrying all her luggage on a trolley.), business major, skinny blonde boy named emmett, who is from maynooth, who has the cutest little lisp and the nicest manners. seriously. he would fit in great in the south.
so after we finally got to our housing and bid emmett farewell, we slept for four hours, got internet, skyped honey (erika) and then took a train to meet her in dublin.
so on the train ride, we sit across from this irish girl (named something i can't write, much less pronounce). she's telling us how great maynooth is (she went to school there) and the town and people, etc. and then she warns us to be careful at night, because she and her friend got beat up/stabbed and were in the hospital for a while. WHAT.
that's when i started freaking out. so i was silent the entire ride. just thinkin', ya know. sooo... that's fun.
then honey, pearl and i had dinner and drinks at an irish pub (duh, had to) and came back to stay at her friends' apartment in the city.
that's all for now. my computer is about to die. i'm ready for day two already! :)
we're going to get phones, groceries, showers, and explore dublin, then maynooth.
so i get into dublin, find mariah, and we attempt to take two 50-pound suitcases, two duffels, two backpacks, and two purses and cart them around the city (DUMBEST. MISTAKE. OF. OUR. LIVES.) we had tons of the nicest irish people coming up to see if we needed help (of course we did, we were struggle boatin' hard and it was definitely apparent), but only the serous ones grabbed our bags and started telling us where we were going. finally, we took a bus (after a really charming irish lad gave us directions, helped put our bags on the bus, and told us what to not do to look like americans). it was then that i decided i was very much going to like this place.
so we took a bus to the train station, then a train to maynooth. once there, we got more help from a mother and daughter - we had to climb (really, really steep) stairs, and then go down them to get over this channel in the town. so we thanked them and were on our way. slowly, but surely. and with great huff and puff (seriously. we were in the middle of the effects of hurricane katia - and the wind was supa crazy). so we finally made it to the middle of the town where there was a literal fork in the road - going to north campus or south campus. we flipped a coin, decided on south.
whaddaya know, it would be the wrong campus. by about two miles. haha. SO we asked a rando stranger (story of our lives. at this point, there's no shame. we have no shame) and he tells us how not in the right place we are, then tells us where to go and walks off. so we're like "okay, let's do this," and then, about two minutes later, the stranger comes back, offers to take us to our housing and then grabs my bag. WHAT. how awesome are these people? so i find out that he is a first-year (soo... i am a complete american. about 50 things have reminded me of harry potter. 1) pearl carrying all her luggage on a trolley.), business major, skinny blonde boy named emmett, who is from maynooth, who has the cutest little lisp and the nicest manners. seriously. he would fit in great in the south.
so after we finally got to our housing and bid emmett farewell, we slept for four hours, got internet, skyped honey (erika) and then took a train to meet her in dublin.
so on the train ride, we sit across from this irish girl (named something i can't write, much less pronounce). she's telling us how great maynooth is (she went to school there) and the town and people, etc. and then she warns us to be careful at night, because she and her friend got beat up/stabbed and were in the hospital for a while. WHAT.
that's when i started freaking out. so i was silent the entire ride. just thinkin', ya know. sooo... that's fun.
then honey, pearl and i had dinner and drinks at an irish pub (duh, had to) and came back to stay at her friends' apartment in the city.
that's all for now. my computer is about to die. i'm ready for day two already! :)
we're going to get phones, groceries, showers, and explore dublin, then maynooth.
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