That's class.

   I've been in Limerick for almost a week now, and am beginning to pick up some of the lingo. For instance, they use words like "class" to mean that something is awesome, and they say "grand" way too frequently for me not to make internal allusions to Jane Austen books.  And since I know you're all wondering, it's spelled "craic." And yes, they do say it constantly.  I think I'm going to try to bring this use of the word back with me to America...

   All the signs and whatnot here are written in both Irish and English.  

   But apparently they sometimes decide to do away with the English part all-together.  This might make things like finding the right bathroom in a small-town pub fairly interesting. 

   Classes began on Monday, but are not actually called classes. They're called modules, which makes me think of building blocks or Legos, but whatever. I've only actually had two so far. Yesterday I had a two-hour lecture for the History of Ireland: Revolution and Independence.  He threw all of these names around as if I'd been studying the troubles of Ireland for my entire life.  I spent most of the class trying to look moderately intelligent, laughing along with jokes I didn't get, and also trying to withhold yawns.

   The reason I was so tired is because Sunday night/Monday morning I couldn't sleep.  See, here in Ireland, Sunday night is the big night to go out to clubs and throw parties.  Yes, I think it's crazy, too.  I mean, Sunday? Really? Anyway, some friends and I opted to be less cool by just relaxing and watching the Lost season premier, while just about everyone else on campus was getting wasted the night before the first day of school.  Some of these lovely people later stood on their porch above my room yelling like lunatics until 4 AM.  Quaint. 

   Today I went to my first lecture in Marketing: Consumer Culture and Consumption, which seems like it will be pretty cool. It's basically about the reasons why people buy what they do. I am especially eager to lean why some feel the impulse to buy something as ungodly as, say, a pair knee-high gladiator sandals.  

   Right now, I think I am just stressed about classes overall. I don't want to take anything too hard, because I want to have fun while I'm here.  Also, I'm kind of lazy.  But at the same time, all of the classes I am interested in happen to be at the same time, and trying to work out my schedule is going to send me to an asylum, I swear.  

   My room is really nice, though.  I get my own bathroom! And a double bed!  I share a kitchen and living room with my five flat-mates. One is an American guy who came in the group with me, and then the others are Irish first-years (aka freshmen).  Three are girls who all play on the school's soccer team, and one is a guy who apparently gets drunk a lot and is a little crazy. But hey, they all seem pretty nice so far. 

   Where I live is about a ten-minute walk to the main part of campus, which is actually in a different county than my residence hall.  Most of the walk is comprised of crossing the River Shannon by way of the LONGEST BRIDGE EVER CREATED. 

Just the beginning of it, on the campus side. You can't even see the end!!

   It is already the bane of my existence, and I have to cross it at least twice every day.  With one especially strong gust of wind, that thing could literally be the death of me.

   I'll write more when I have something more interesting to say...

-B

Obama is Irish

   Or at least his great-great-great grandfather or something was. But the Irish love him.  And I am currently sitting in the basement of our Dublin youth hostel watching inauguration with the people in my group, and some random foreigners.  Aretha sang to us all on TV.  She wore a great hat.

   I finally got to meet all of my group when three of them rolled into my room at about 8:00 AM on Sunday.  Once I really woke up, I got to meet them and eventually the six others, making us Limerick folks a group of ten.  There are also four other girls going through orientation with us who are going to Ulster University, in Northern Ireland.

   We got started with the mass amounts of orienting later that Sunday, by going to lunch with the Arcadia staff.  Lots of jet-lag + meeting people = weird conversation.  

   Then we hung around the hostel talking some more.  Then all fourteen of us met up and tramped out into the Dublin streets and invaded a tiny restaurant called O'Shea's, but which was run by a little Indian woman.  Something tells me that she was not an O'Shea herself.

   Then we found a pub called Fitzgerald's where we watched the NFC Champ game because a lot of the group are from the East Coast, and one, Kristin, is from Philly.  So we all hung out there, and some of us got our first pints of Guinness.  And I know Temple Bar is an expensive area, but really, I think €4.60 for a beer is a bit much.

   The next day we were dragged out of our tightly-cramped hostel room early and set off for our first real day of orientation, which took place at the Arcadia Dublin office.  It's housed in the building where Samuel Beckett once lived. You quickly learn that just about everything here has some sort of historical significance.

   Afterwards, at about 2:30, we were released and provided with tickets for a bus tour where you "hop-on, hop-off" to the different destinations they bring you to.  It was great to see a bit more of Dublin.

 

The Dublin Castle

Christ Church Cathedral

   Then we made our way to the Guinness Storehouse! And on our way, what did we see?...

Ahhh, globalization.

   It was a really interesting place, you really big and full of information on the brewing process. You worked your way up through the levels, and then finally reach the "Gravity Bar" at the very top. It had an amaaaaaaazing view of Dublin and we all got our free drink!

   Today we had more orientation, then we were taken to lunch at a place where we felt way too underdressed, and then more orientation.  Finally we were released, have been watching inauguration, and in about an hour we're being taken to go see a play.  Then pubs? We'll see... It is our last night in Dublin, after all. 

-B

Dublin has seagulls!

   The past few days have been a complete whirlwind of preparations, packing, and mild panic (whoo for alliteration!).  I had to go all over Kansas City tracking down things that I might need while overseas.  I had Kim's help cramming as much as possible into my bags (which, I am proud to say, barely made it under the maximum combined total of 80 lbs).  I also made sure to appreciate the little things in life by committing myself to activities such as eating as much Lucky Charms cereal as possible during the days before I left.  I have the sneaking suspicion that this habit will not be able to continue here in Ireland.  They might look down on poor Lucky and his hearts, stars, and horseshoes.

   But finally, yesterday, or today, or sometime a while ago, I left cold, snowy Kansas City for colder Chicago.

I was not upset about leaving behind the crazy Midwestern weather.

   Then from Chicago, I got on my flight into Dublin. I spent most of the flight curled into a ball, trying to conform to the seats. And I got maybe an hour and a half of sleep in.  Finally we landed, and it was still dark.  The ramp-thing that connects the plane to the terminal was broken, so it took while to get off.  The repair people were actually busy repairing another ramp-thing, which makes me wonder about the overall safety and quality of said ramp-things. 

   I caught a bus into Dublin City Center and walked a bit to my hostel, which is bright blue.  I checked in and got some much needed help hauling my bags up the stairs to my room.

   I have a pretty view of the river from our window. I'm the first to arrive, so I have the four-bed room to myself for the day.

   My whole day today has been basically spent trying to stay awake.  I decided to go on a walk to Trinity College, which was a really pretty place.

   It's also a very confusing place, and I had trouble finding my way out.  I like to think that this was due to me being very sleepy, and not me being very stupid.

   Then I accomplished my one task for the day:  I bought a hairdryer and some towels.  This task was growing more and more dire as the day went on, because I was pretty gross from the traveling extravaganza. 

   I have found WiFi sanctuary in McDonalds.  The problem is that I feel like I have to buy something in order to use my computer here, which is a problem, because McDonalds food is pretty damn disgusting.  

   My current goal is to stay conscious until 8 PM, which I've officially deemed as a not-terribly-embarrassing time to pass out.  To wrap up, let's talk about some things I have learned so far.

1.  Of all the Irish accents, the voices of the McDonalds' employees here in Dublin are the most difficult to understand.  I was trying to get a simple hamburger, but I somehow ended up with a chicken finger meal. Suspicious...

2.  I think it's the stupidity kicking in again, but I did not realize that Dublin would have seagulls.  I mean, yes, it is right next to the water, but still.  Oh, and they're GIANT... and stare at you.

   Finally, the most important lesson:

3.  Crack means fun.  While buying towels, I got into a conversation with some guys who were ringing me up, and they commented on me being "not from 'round here", so I said that I'd just arrived and would be in Dublin for a few days.  They started suggesting places to go.  Guy A said something about some place that I cannot really remember.  My lack of memory probably stems from the fact that I was so surprised by what Guy B added to this.  "Oh (place Guy A mentioned)? Yeah, there's a lot of crack to be had there."  At this point, disturbing images of the Paseo were coming to my mind.  I must have looked extremely confused, because Guy A had to stop to explain that, somehow, the word crack is slang for "fun" in the local lingo.  It might have a different spelling than crack, but it made me wonder if other words, such as heroin or LSD, translate to be equally enjoyable. 

Until next time and place,

B