Céad míle fáilte
*Waves hand Jedi-style* This is not the picture post you are looking for...if you are expecting pictures of my actual college.
However, Pictures of Other Things can be found Here. - This is bizarre, odd, and centers around an OC…but I really, just love it. (Mom, if you're looking at this, just click on the "here" and it should come up).
I actually had to run all over hell and back for (non?)registration purposes.
So, dearest flist, I am in Dublin (actually Belfield) at University College Dublin.
I arrived at Shannon airport last Sunday and, together with other cluseless Americans tried to figure out how on earth you get a taxi to take you anywhere. After about an hour and a half of various failings on the part of about 6 of us, we finally got it worked out.
After a protracted nap, a few of my friends and I went to go watch the hurling match (Hurling being a game like hockey and rugby where people thwack a ball and other people with a "hurley"...which is essentially a large stick). Limerick, who was playing against Kilkenny (think the Yankees of hurling, for those Americans into baseball), unfortunately lost and the bars and the large crowds of people who went to see the big screen tv's set out in the streets wearing all of their green and white, went to drink their woes away. Went on a tour of two more pubs that night, including one with live traditional music. Also, I witnessed my first man peeing on a wall. Awesome.
Next day at orientation taught me three things: Irish people are obsessed with potatoes (in all forms...a meal is not comprehensible without potatoes, apparently, and I have yet to eat one served anywhere without them), drinking tea, and closing doors. Then went on a walking tour throughout Limerick.
This excerpt from a tour pamphlet of a cathedral that has been in use for 800 years amused me beyond belief: Walking west again, along the north aisle, you come to the Chapel of O'Briens. Murrough "Of the Burnings" O'Brien, an extremely unpopular man, was buried here in 1674. He was so hated that the next morning the citizens of Limerick stormed into the Cathedral, removed his body, and threw it into the Shannon. Lesson? Don't piss off the Irish people. At night we then went to a medieval banquet where I sampled mead and anachronistic music ("Simple Gifts" is a Quaker hymn....hmmmm.) Also, I confirmed that there is in fact a tourist set of music that they use that includes "Danny Boy" and "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling."
Next day, I tramped over Limerick some more, went to a pub, got annoyed with several East Coasters, and finally went to sleep so I could get up in time to get on the bus to Dublin.
My room in Dublin is comparable to my dorm room first year at UCSD (pictures are forthcoming), however, you have to pay for electricity by card...which is odd.
Registration over here is chaotic...they have no timetables for anything and the website is probably the most unintuitive thing that has ever ever existed. However, the arts building (where I am spending most of my time) is quite amusing. It was built to be riot proof, however, it was also built to be as confusing as hell. They actually color coded the floor to lead you to the various wings (which is actually so helpful because they only tell you what the colors mean at the entrances to the building...).
I went to a Céilí (traditional Irish music and dancing) and I have decided I am not nearly coordinated enough for Irish dancing. Although I did get a Foster's beer cowboy hat for free and hear more Irish covers of the Killers.
Tomorrow, more running around!
Now, The Short List of Strange and Interesting Things Concerning Ireland
* The plethora of The Killers songs that Irish bands cover, also, one inexplicable cover of "Man of Constant Sorrow"
* Subway is famous for free refills
* Being told "Americans are fantastic!" three times by different people in pubs
* Ireland has amazing water pressure. Beware hotel sinks.
* "Erotic Welsh Love Poetry" as a class *snerk*
* No tips...?
* Don't ask people in jerseys where they are from. They look at you like you're an idiot until they realize you're an American and don't even know which sport they support.
* The East Coasters overwhelmed by the size of the campus
* Euro coins
* Grocery Stores in Malls....?
* No, it is not like the T.V. show!
There's probably a lot more...but that should do it for now.
However, Pictures of Other Things can be found Here. - This is bizarre, odd, and centers around an OC…but I really, just love it. (Mom, if you're looking at this, just click on the "here" and it should come up).
I actually had to run all over hell and back for (non?)registration purposes.
So, dearest flist, I am in Dublin (actually Belfield) at University College Dublin.
I arrived at Shannon airport last Sunday and, together with other cluseless Americans tried to figure out how on earth you get a taxi to take you anywhere. After about an hour and a half of various failings on the part of about 6 of us, we finally got it worked out.
After a protracted nap, a few of my friends and I went to go watch the hurling match (Hurling being a game like hockey and rugby where people thwack a ball and other people with a "hurley"...which is essentially a large stick). Limerick, who was playing against Kilkenny (think the Yankees of hurling, for those Americans into baseball), unfortunately lost and the bars and the large crowds of people who went to see the big screen tv's set out in the streets wearing all of their green and white, went to drink their woes away. Went on a tour of two more pubs that night, including one with live traditional music. Also, I witnessed my first man peeing on a wall. Awesome.
Next day at orientation taught me three things: Irish people are obsessed with potatoes (in all forms...a meal is not comprehensible without potatoes, apparently, and I have yet to eat one served anywhere without them), drinking tea, and closing doors. Then went on a walking tour throughout Limerick.
This excerpt from a tour pamphlet of a cathedral that has been in use for 800 years amused me beyond belief: Walking west again, along the north aisle, you come to the Chapel of O'Briens. Murrough "Of the Burnings" O'Brien, an extremely unpopular man, was buried here in 1674. He was so hated that the next morning the citizens of Limerick stormed into the Cathedral, removed his body, and threw it into the Shannon. Lesson? Don't piss off the Irish people. At night we then went to a medieval banquet where I sampled mead and anachronistic music ("Simple Gifts" is a Quaker hymn....hmmmm.) Also, I confirmed that there is in fact a tourist set of music that they use that includes "Danny Boy" and "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling."
Next day, I tramped over Limerick some more, went to a pub, got annoyed with several East Coasters, and finally went to sleep so I could get up in time to get on the bus to Dublin.
My room in Dublin is comparable to my dorm room first year at UCSD (pictures are forthcoming), however, you have to pay for electricity by card...which is odd.
Registration over here is chaotic...they have no timetables for anything and the website is probably the most unintuitive thing that has ever ever existed. However, the arts building (where I am spending most of my time) is quite amusing. It was built to be riot proof, however, it was also built to be as confusing as hell. They actually color coded the floor to lead you to the various wings (which is actually so helpful because they only tell you what the colors mean at the entrances to the building...).
I went to a Céilí (traditional Irish music and dancing) and I have decided I am not nearly coordinated enough for Irish dancing. Although I did get a Foster's beer cowboy hat for free and hear more Irish covers of the Killers.
Tomorrow, more running around!
Now, The Short List of Strange and Interesting Things Concerning Ireland
* The plethora of The Killers songs that Irish bands cover, also, one inexplicable cover of "Man of Constant Sorrow"
* Subway is famous for free refills
* Being told "Americans are fantastic!" three times by different people in pubs
* Ireland has amazing water pressure. Beware hotel sinks.
* "Erotic Welsh Love Poetry" as a class *snerk*
* No tips...?
* Don't ask people in jerseys where they are from. They look at you like you're an idiot until they realize you're an American and don't even know which sport they support.
* The East Coasters overwhelmed by the size of the campus
* Euro coins
* Grocery Stores in Malls....?
* No, it is not like the T.V. show!
There's probably a lot more...but that should do it for now.