Arriving & Settling In

So far this has been the most rewarding experience of my life.  I've already handed my heart over to this country; it's more than I thought it could be.  Not only are the landscapes breathtaking and the cities exciting but the people are unlike people you'll meet somewhere else.  They're kind, hilarious, incredibly patient and slower moving - they live to have fun and be happy.  I couldn't ask for a better energy!

Both flights to Chicago and Dublin were just fine - I had the whole row to myself on each.  I slept for about 45 minutes on the flight to Ireland, and when I woke up I thought I was in for a long, tiring day in Ireland that I wouldn't get to appreciate.  How wrong I was.  There were about 5 or 6 students on the plane from Chicago to Dublin that were in my program, and we became instant friends when we landed.  We've stayed a great group of friends so far, we spend a lot of time together.  The drowsy feeling that I worried about was short lived, the second we left the airport I couldn't stop smiling.  We were greeted by the leaders of our program, taken to the hotel to have breakfast, drop off our bags, and our little group left to explore Dublin.  We found a pub, The Blarney Inn, had our first two Irish beers and got to know each other.

The rest of the day was spent getting our pay-as-you-go phones and exploring the gorgeous city.  That night all 38, or however many students are part of the IFSA Butler program, went to dinner together at Fitzsimons.  I had my first fish and chips meal - boy was it good and greasy.  After that, Nora and I went out on the town to listen to traditional Irish music, first at the Auld Dubliner where we were such giddy, excited American girls that people couldn't stop talking to; we didn't think our time here could get any better, and it was still our first night! Then we went to the famous Temple Bar where we met three of the friends from our group for more music.  We were in heaven.

Monday and Tuesday were spent doing a couple hours of orientation with IFSA Butler in the Hotel then many hours of free time to sight see and familiarize ourselves with Dublin.  We went to the Guinness brewery, it's something like 64 acres large.  It was incredible!  When we finished the tour we got a free pint of Guinness; I had convinced myself before coming here that I didn't like that beer, but I'll tell you it's because I've never had a real Guinness, and you probably haven't either.  It was unbelievably rich and cold and creamy.  The top of the factory where we had this beer was in a glass-walled room with a 360 view of Dublin.  I fell in love all over again with the country that I still hadn't really seen. 

I made sure to make it to the Abbey Theatre while I was there, so Nora and I saw the most gorgeous production I've seen on stage: The Plough and the Stars by Sean O'Casey.  It was about the 1916 Easter Rising and love and war and standing up for your country.  I didn't know at the time how incredibly important the Easter Rising is to Irish history, but I'm slowly learning.  The next day after we were oriented we went to the Book of Kells museum in Trinity College; I hadn't known about this either but it was a priority for Nora and I'm glad I tagged along.  The tour bus took us from here to the Kilmainham Jail on the other side of Dublin which holds loads of Irish History and I learned a little more about the Easter Rising.  Dinner and a long night of drinking at the Oliver St. John Gogarty followed.

Wednesday morning we left for Galway! Everyone was tired and hungover so the bus was full of sleeping kids and ipods. They dropped us off at our apartments, I'm in Menlo Park Apartments.  It's a cute square with an inner courtyard where everyone hops from place to place at night while drinking, and those Irish kids have no shame.  They walk in through the doors, or if it's locked they'll climb through your window.  Wednesday through Friday were spent doing school orientation things and settling in our apartments and Galway.  A week later, I'm starting to understand the location of things relative to where I live and where campus is. 

I had really thought I would spend a lot of time alone, that it would take a while to build a group of friends, especially ones that I could trust.  But these people are for me.  We have been having so much fun drinking on the deck and walking around the bay together and shopping for all of our bedding and food together. 

This week classes started so I have found myself spending more time alone, but it's much needed.  There are two ways to Campus.  One is down the busy street which leads into the City Centre and the other is a backway that gives you a better view of the country.  I'm a happy camper every time I walk to school. 

However, the University system here is much different than what all of us Americans are used to.  We're not registered for classes yet; the first two weeks we can hop around to any class we want to figure out what we want to take - we don't register until the 17th of September.  Lord, has this process been stressful.  All week we have been unsure about what time classes are because there is nothing simple like ISIS that lays out everything real neat for us and it has just been one hell of a process figuring out what we're aloud to take, what we have to do to take it, what time and where it is, etc.  There seems to be a lot of things people don't tell us and we're left to figure them out on our own.  I have most of my schedule together, but there is still one more class I need to find that fits.  As of now I don't have class Thursday and Friday and I'm really hoping to keep it that way. 

The classes I'm most excited for are Studies in Early Modern Literature and a Service Learning class for international students.  The first half of the literature course examines four of Shakespeare's plays closely; after my Acting with Verse class last semester, I can't wait to take this.  The second half of the course examines Milton's poetry, whom I know nothing about but I suppose that's why I'm in school.  The Service Learning course has a lecture and a discussion, as well as a once a week requirement to go the local Galway after school homework clubs and help kids with their homework.  I am thrilled to be submerged into the culture this way.  I'll be nervous as all hell when it begins, but I think my excitement will beat that. 

There is so much I can't describe.  The history, the beauty, the friendliness and the little differences in their lives that make me never want to leave.  Even their vocabulary tickles me.  Sometimes they talk too fast for me to understand, so I either ask "what?" over and over, or I smile and nod.  The latter makes me feel pathetic, but I had a new Irish friend tell me that it's okay.  The Irish are used to having many Americans over here, and because of their nature, we get teased a lot for it. 

The streets of the City Centre are full of people playing music or Irish dancing or building sand sculptures or spraying themselves with silver paint and holding poses for hours (I've seen this several times!).  It's so lively and perfect for me.  I am one lucky kid for being able to be here, this is something everyone should know and learn from. 

Myself and a couple others from the group have developed colds, so I've been laying low(er) on the drinking.  Last night we went to the College Bar, which, I didn't even know that concept existed!  There is a college bar where kids can go and buy pints and pizza and many other drinks and snacks, and hang out and listen to music or play pool.  It's great!  I went with some of my IFSA friends but met up with my three friends from Germany, Italy, and France who I can't wait to get to know more.  Today I didn't have class so I woke up late, made a big breakfast, and figured out the world of the web to start my blog.  Tonight I'll be going to a show at the Town Hall theatre in Galway to see a show called Penelope with Nora and then probably off to listen to more music - that's our favorite thing to do and it manages to steal our hearts every time!  Tomorrow we might do a tour of Connemara and the weekend is left for a trip to the Aran Islands.  Maybe I'll come back with one of those sweaters they're known for, or maybe even a music-playing gentleman? :)