Settling in!

So I'm starting to settle into life in Ireland but I feel like these last few weeks I've been taking everything in and amazed by everything around me! I feel like I'm at the stage where everything fascinates me and I'm starting to realize the differences between here and my life at home but getting used to them at the same time.

I started classes at NUIG (National University of Ireland, Galway) on Monday and it's almost the complete opposite from college at SMC but I'm still having a great time getting to know the college and I'm looking forward to the different atmosphere here! I'm taking 6 classes here but the fun thing is you are allowed to try out classes and then register the next week. I'm taking Castle Development in Europe (we go on a field trip to castles in Ireland! ), Irish Contemporary Poetry, a Theatre and Drama Studies class, Gender in Celtic Society and Literature, Philosophy of Language and Logic and Irish Women in Society. I'm excited to take some classes that are focused on Ireland and Irish history. I want to learn as much as I can about Irish culture while I'm here!

Last Saturday, I went on a historical tour of Galway! It was absolutely freezing that day but I got some beautiful pictures of Galway in the snow. :) Here's a picture of the oldest building on campus in the middle of our quad. These past few weeks have been crazy weather here with snow, ice, cold rain, you name it!I don't think the Irish are quite used to it and I think it's been colder here than Vermont!

My roommates and I have gone grocery shopping, settled into our rooms, and are starting to find our way around! We've found our favorite pubs and restaurants and the shortcuts to walking to campus. My favorite spot is Taaffe's on Shop St. because they play traditional Irish music almost every night! ( SO MUCH FUN!) Most of the locals and the Irish college students are friendly to us here. I'm so excited to meet more Irish students and really become immersed in the Galway college life! I have a lot of friends I met this summer that worked on the Vineyard that are from Ireland. I'm excited to go visit them in Cork, Dublin, and Limerick some weekends very soon! I think I'm also planning to travel to London and our program sponsors excursions to Connemara, Co. Clare, and PARIS in February!!!

It still is so weird to me that I'm in a different country! I'm glad to be settling in though and getting a routine down. I only got lost a few times the first day and I'm finding out where the buildings and classrooms are. I'm finding that being thrown into the whole new-surroundings thing is definitely making me more independent. I was nervous the first day when I found out I'd have to walk 15 minutes to campus (cut me some slack it's a 1 minute walk at SMC!), to the grocery store and to the city. But this morning, I got dressed, put on my iPod and walked to campus with no problem. :) On my walk to school, there's a small farm with beautiful horses that everyone stops to pet. Here's a picture of my friend Megan saying hi to one of them! We also see sheep on a daily basis and just today when the snow melted I started to realize how green Ireland actually is! It's definitely not what I'm used to but that's what I'm finding out I'm here for; to step out of my comfort zone and see what all these new places and people will bring me! This weekend I think my friends and I will be taking a few day tours and getting out to explore the country! I hope everyone back at home is having a smooth transition into Spring Semester! I'll keep you updated of all my adventures and talk to you soon!!