Week 2 is starting off so much better!

Hi everybody!

I have been here for almost exactly a week to the minute, and it has been quite a whirlwind of activities and emotions. I now finally have roommates, who are really great and fun, and I got to go to my first Irish class today! The system for signing up and finding classes is kind of messy compared to what I am used to, but I think I pretty much have it all figured out now. Each of the major departments has a registration day for classes where you go and fight a crowd to get into some of the smaller seminar classes, but then the big lectures don't have a capacity so you don't register for those until later when I register with the school. I just hope I do it all right so I can get all the classes I want and need! Some classes start this week, some next, and finally some the following. It is so much different for me because at home everything starts the same day and ends the same day, which is not at all how it works here. Lecturers have much more freedom. One of my classes began today but meets four times a week and is finished Feb 20, compared to the rest of them that only meet 2 times a week and are not done until the beginning of April.

Right now these are the classes I am hoping to take:
The History of the English Language
The Archeology of the Medieval Castle in Europe
Environments and Landforms
Imagining Modern Ireland
Twentieth Century Literature
Northern Ireland: The Politics of a Divided Society

I have only had the castle class so far, but that was really interesting and I think all the rest definitely have potential. I am also taking an extra class on speaking the Irish Language, which I am really pumped about. It isn't for credit and I have to pay for it, but I think that is so much a part of this culture, especially in the Western Ireland where I am staying where many people still speak the language. It is not a class about writing or grammar, but more about being able to communicate and put in effort to speak in the native language, which could not be more what I am looking for. It doesn't start until next week, but I will keep you posted!

This weekend was not all that eventful, but it was really fun. I had a few rough patches last week when I wasn't busy and would get sad or homesick, but the more people I meet and the more of a routine I find the better I am. I feel like I should be totally acclimated, but I have to keep telling myself I have only been here for a week! I explored a lot of the pubs this weekend, but many of them were pretty empty of only full of Americans because the Irish students hadn't moved back to school yet. It was fun to hang out with the American students I have met so far, but I am even more excited to start making friends with Irish students! Many of the pubs have live music a few nights a week, sometimes Irish and sometimes more modern cover bands, but so far all have been a lot of fun. On Thursday we went to one of the bigger pubs called the Kings Head, and they had a really fun cover band who played everything from AC/DC to Lionel Richie, and even a few Irish pub songs. Most of you know that I am not a huge partier or clubber, so I am really enjoying the more chill pubs with bands and conversation.

On Saturday we were supposed to have a walking tour of Galway, the city I am staying in, but it was very rainy (surprise surprise) and the tour guides didn't show up so it was canceled. I was really disappointed! But we did have a very cool historian come and talk about the history of Galway and point out some of the important features and stories through illustrations. It was very interesting, and I can't wait to learn more.

It is a lot like home here in some ways, but then out of nowhere things will be completely different. I am getting more and more used to everything, and the craziness that I was complaining about last week has been put more into perspective. My apartment really is not as bad as I was saying, and the walk into town is actually very refreshing. I am trying to take the words of everybody who has done this in the past that soon I won't ever want to leave, but it is still tough to believe that right now especially being away from all of you! I am so thankful for all of your thoughts and prayers, and know that I am thinking of you often! I love the comments and e-mails (hint hint) and would love to hear about life back home!

Love from Ireland!