Improved Navigation and Ocean Paths

Dia Duit, readers! (Hello in Irish, I'm working on it.) It's been a few days since I have arrived, but I already feel that I am getting my bearings as far as navigating around town, finding the bus stops, and locating my favorite pubs and food joints. So for those of you that were worried about me and my terrible sense of direction, be relieved that it has turned around.

The Quad of Campus

I love taking pictures at weird angles

My University, NUI Galway (National University of Galway), held a campus tour for us yesterday. I was blown away by the size and the beauty of this University. With a 16% international student population, I've felt welcomed and like I have the proper resources to do well here. They specifically stress joining student clubs, and I think that the hiking, surfing, and rowing club will be the place where I will enjoy most of my time and meet Irish students. The main square of the campus is called the "Quad", and it is straight out of a Harry Potter movie. I have attached a few pictures so you can get an idea. I can't believe the historical beauty that the campus offers can equally match its credentials. With the percentage rates of successfully employed post-graduate students and the reputation this University has around the world, I am more than grateful to call myself a student of this place. Today we attended an orientation for International Students, and there are upwards to 1,500 of us this semester. One of the staff members at the University was giving a speech about student life and literally said, "Americans think that they party hard, but really they just don't put a candle to the Irish. You should all study, but getting drunk out of your head is okay sometimes." This woman was in her fifties and has kids. The honesty here.. I tell you.
This orientation session was a time when I had to "stretch my neck out" and approach strangers to make friends, but I realized that everyone is in the exact same boat in regards to feeling awkward and out of place. Like I experienced before, it was as simple as saying hello and introducing myself, and our group had grown like wildflowers. Here's a picture of a bunch of us grabbing a "casual bite" after Orientation outside of a cheap sub shop near campus. We spent this time discussing the differences in education around the world. For example, in Germany, kids are categorized into three classes at age 10 by their parents depending on the amount of intelligence the kids have displayed. They are put in either the lower class, middle class, or upper class. The upper class students will have the opportunity to attend the University and study a serious profession, but for the middle and lower classes, it is more of a tedious life of average jobs and little opportunity to economically grow. Who knew? Let's just say I am extremely grateful to be a college student in the USA, we aren't aware of how many opportunities we have to better our lives for our future families, regardless of our family background or unfortunate circumstances.

On a less serious note, last night we attended "Irish Dancing Wednesdays" at our new favorite pub, The King's Head. I swear, if you don't head out before 8 pm, you can barely even walk into a pub because it is so crowded. There were massive amounts of international students there and we were kissing cheeks and BREWING (Cobbers will appreciate this) like it's nobody's business. It is naturally our instinct to back away when someone goes in for a kiss to the cheek which can be a bit awkward and startling for the other person, but I am warming up to it with practice. The more Spaniards I meet, the more comfortable it gets, they seem to be especially friendly.

Probably my favorite photo so far.

In other news, one of my goals is complete - I have found an absolutely gorgeous running path beside the ocean. The water is about five blocks away from my apartment, so it is an absolutely beautiful and quick run, and the ocean streets are filled with cafés, pubs, and amusement stores. There were Irish people swimming, kayaking, and enjoying their "holiday" when we saw the scene for the first time, and it had a humble, small town feel that I appreciated.

On the roommate front, the three of us have settled in and are doing splendidly. Our third member is ironically from Minnesota as well, so we have enjoyed talking about local things and seeing the differences between our colleges. We have created a little game of labeling household things in our apartment. I will label them in English, and Astrid will label them in Dutch. By the end of the semester, I hope to learn a bit of Dutch and she will be proficient in English appliances and dishware.

I hope to do some hiking and visit the nearby castle, the Kylemore Abbey, this weekend. So more to come. Thank you for reading! I'm grateful.


Some more things I have learned:

• Europeans have spray-on deodorant. Genius.
• It doesn't matter what weekday it is, the pubs are always hoppin'. Always. Work hard, play harder.
• Dogs aren't on leaches in Ireland, there are constantly random dogs running in the streets without a concerned owner behind them.
• Macklemore is Irish, and he's going to be in Dublin in late September. Safe to say me and my roomies are going. 
• Dutch music sounds like a combination of Taylor Swift and Daft Punk.
• I now have an Irish cell phone, and it's ridiculously small and portable. I like it.
• Once again, GET OUT OF THE STREET AND LOOK BOTH WAYS.
• Don't stare at the pointy ears of the locals you meet. It's hilarious and awesome, but try to avoid staring.

One last photo, because the kid's photobomb is awesome.