After the first few weeks I realized I should probably blog so I can remember this amazing experience for the rest of my life. So far I have been loving Ireland. Leaving home knowing I would not be back until Christmas was hard but already its almost October and the time really is flying. Once I moved into my apartment I met a big group of other Americans who live on my floor in different apartments. We all became friends quickly which does not surprise me at all because we were all in the same boat, didn't know anyone and we were all together in a different country. Little did I know class did not start until the second week after I got here so the first few nights we all went out, became more familiar with the city and got to know eachother.
First day of classes, first day of classes! I was very excited to start and introduce myself to others and get to know so many other people. The classes here are very different from Bonaventure classes. There are at least 100 kids in all of my classes and they are lecture style. I am not used to the professors not knowing who I am, and there being no tests and quizzes on a regular basis.I like the change even though it was very hard to get adjust to at first. I was so lost on the campus because its huge and the Bonaventure campus is way smaller and easier to get around. Other than that so far so good with the classes & not to mention the campus is beautiful! Even the walk to class everyday is so scenic. I live about a mile from campus which is not bad.. EXCEPT when it is raining and the wind is out of control, which is pretty much every other day! By the time I get to class I am wide awake and soaked. The first week I saw so many umbrellas thrown on the floor turned inside out. This is when I found out most people here do not even use umbrellas, they just use their hoods because it is so windy. Good thing I brought two rain jackets..
My friend Elise and I- our walk to class in layers! Prepared for the wind
I am now feeling very settled here in Ireland and I am so happy I will be spending the rest of the semester here :) I can already tell I am making friendships that will last a lifetime, I will be getting a great education, I get to see all of my family that lives here & I will be learning more and more about the culture which means so much to me because this is where my roots are. Also I will be traveling around Europe! I can definitely get used to all of this :)
The first tour I went on was The Cliffs of Moher. One of my roommates, Amber, and I booked this tour online the day before. We knew it would be a whole day thing. Not only did the tour include The Cliffs but on the way we saw castles and got to even go into one. Of course we went out the night before telling everyone else about it, everyone said they wanted to come haa but in the morning it was just me Amber and Elise who trooped it. The bus driver picked us up outside our apartment, im telling you this would only happen in Ireland- the people here are way too nice.
