My First Long Weekend

So, since I have no classes on Fridays I was essentially done with college for the week after I wrote my last post.  I went to a pub for an international students event that night with a bunch of Fairfield students and others we met in our apartment building.  Friday was a very lazy day for me, which I very much enjoyed.  That night I went out dancing to celebrate a new friend's 22nd birthday.

Saturday was another lazy day, although I did go to the market that takes place every weekend in Galway.  As I am not much of a vegetable or bread person, I bought fresh doughnuts.  They were delicious.  Sunday I went with a group of about 15 students on a bus trip to Connemara.  We stopped a variety of places to take amazing pictures of the land and buildings and sheep on the way to a small town called Cong and then to Kylemore Abbey.  See facebook for pics (I think I took more than 150 lol).  It was a great first trip and I cannot wait to go on another one!

First Week at College

So, my first week of classes is basically over at this point.  I'm eating lunch on campus right now and have one class left for the week.  As predicted, I am 95% sure what courses I am going to take for the rest of the semester.  Also have learned that it is not called 'going to class,' instead one 'goes to college.' 

I am going to take a math module (suprise... not), a history module (modules are lectures/classes, remember), an archaeology module, an economics module, and two latin modules.  Very excited about the modules I've chosen. 

I attended around 3 or 4 extra classes this week, before I decided on these six.  Was very happy to find a schedule that worked for me, and allowed me to have Fridays  off. 

Other than classes, I didn't do too much these past four days.  I joined a bunch of societies (clubs) on campus, including the international students society, a volunteering society, a potter (as in HARRY) society, and a craic (fun) society.  I listened to some more live music in a pub.  All in all, it was a pretty great week :)

First Weekend Snoozefest

So, the jetlag must have hit me a bit late.  I slept for over 24 hours this weekend, and still don't feel quite well-rested.  Explored more of Galway, although I am still very prone to getting lost.  Bought a bunch of pairs of warm socks... u can never have enough here.  Have now tried 3 kinds of beer and 3 kinds of cider, none of which I disliked. 

Planned my possible schedule (since I don't actually register for classes for another couple weeks), but will decide what I'm taking for sure by Thursday I think.  Attending a few extra classes until I figure it out for sure.  Excited to go to classes... less excited to go to six classes tomorrow, five of which are in a row.

Picking Modules

So Friday was filled with information about classes, called modules here, and registration for said courses.  I managed to find the Archaeology corridor with minimal difficulty as well as the Math building (for info sessions), which was not listed on the map of campus :/

I found my way back to the apartment from campus on my own for the first time.  Very proud of my navigation skills.

The sink in the apartment started to leak profusely, which thankfully was fixed the next day.  It's cold enough without having to stand in cold water lol. 

Orientation

So Thursday was my official orientation to NUI Galway as a visiting student.  I learned a bit and then went on a campus tour, where I realized I will be very lost the first few days of classes.  There are a LOT of buildings... and I have no sense of direction to speak of.  Thankfully, there will be thousands of other students walking around who I can ask for help. 

I also got a phone with an emobile plan, yay for free texting, and went food shopping.  Will have to strategize my shopping in future.  I forgot I have to actually carry all the groceries back to my apartment once i buy them :/

Second Day, Better Than the First But Raining Miserably

So, I figured out how to work the electric shower in the apartment, which is a 3 step process that you start an hour before you actually want to shower.  Then I ventured into the city (of Galway) for the first time, and found the two euro store, to buy a towel to mop up all the water from the shower (which only has half a door).  I met my two new flatmates, Steph and Dorothea.  We had dinner at Monroes, where I had my first real meal (yum, lamb) in Ireland.  I also tried two new kinds of beer that night, as well as a delicious cider.

Travel Mishaps

While wasting 5 euros figuring out how the payphones in Ireland work, the bus to Galway filled up.  I waited another hour for the next bus, and finally left the airport.  Then, after 10 minutes of standing in the rain in the wrong spot, I managed to get a taxi to my new apartment building.  I'll post some pics of it later.

That first day I stayed in and went to bed early, since I slept for about two hours the night before... 

I've Arrived

As usual, I was running super late and was packing 1/2 hour AFTER I was supposed to leave for the airport.  Thankfully, I managed to arrive with plenty of time to spare.  After a rather bumpy flight in which I did not sleep but watched two movies (Straw Dogs and Real Steel), I landed at the Shannon Airport.