Saturday Afternoon

I got back from getting groceries about an hour ago, and it is so nice to finally have real food! I went with a friend Erin who also lives in Farranlea (Yay!).  We wandered around a couple stores as I was looking for a hat (which I found, a simple white one for 6 Euro) and a blanket before heading to Tesco for food.  No luck on the blanket. But I got food which is wonderful: Chocolate ice cream, salad, pancake mix, soup in a cup, tuna, more eggs, cinnamon (for french toast and sauted apples!), and some other stuff for a little over 20 Euro. Not bad at all.  I have a Skype date with my good friend Rebecca from home at 4, which I am looking forward to since I haven't talked with her for a couple weeks. She received the letter I sent to her though! I was a little nervous about when it would get there, but it only took a week!

It appears as though the stress, little sleep, little food, and the elements had finally got to me as I fell ill on Thursday night.  I didn't feel all that bad until Friday morning, when my head was pounding, my entire body was aching, and my ears and throat both hurt.  I stayed in bed all day Friday, even though I had stuff to do.  Today is better, still a little plugged up in the ears so I can't tell how loud I am talking, and the throat is a little sore, but I got some meds at the store which will hopefully help.  

I can't believe one month of my trip is already done. It feels like I have been here for so long, but at the same time I feel like it has just started. Since I sort of "conquered" the city on my own first I feel like I am so knowledgeable with how things work here, but I realize how little I really do know.  Tomorrow looks like it should be a nice day, so perhaps I will do some more exploring to the more "historical" sites in town, but I need to make sure they're open first, as many things close down on Sundays.  More updates to come!

Another Amazing Evening!

Last night I went to a ball. It was only the second event like this I have gone to in my life, the first being last year's "President's Ball" at Gustavus, and I am sorry to say that last night was A LOT better. Perhaps it was the fact that I am in Ireland, or that it wasn't basically the entire student body like GAC's was, or maybe it was because everyone was  more relaxed due to the free wine and dinner and that everyone there could legally buy drinks at the bar.  I don't consider myself a "fancy" person so I felt a little out-of-my-realm at first. But after a while I got to thinking, "Hey, I could really live like this all the time!" And then I remembered how the world's economy is falling apart at the expense of our environment, and stuck with just enjoying the evening as is.  

Peter had invited me, and I already had met some of his friends that were also there, which was nice.  But I also met a lot of new people. I never know if it is just the people I tend to surround myself with without me really noticing it (that I am drawn to certain people) but everyone there was so nice. And I generally don't like using the word "nice" because it has kind of lost its definition. It wasn't the fake nice that people often get in situations like these, but rather a genuine overall feeling of goodness.  Or maybe it's just that I like to talk to people. My friend Anna back home would be proud of me for talking with strangers: I was always amazed at her ability to literally find a person sitting alone in the Caf, go sit with them, and start up a conversation. Well, I didn't exactly do that last night, but significant progress is being made nonetheless is the "Confident and Sociable" department of my life.  

They really lucked out on the weather last night, being that there was no rain and wasn't that cold out. Today's weather was just AWFUL! Windy and rainy all day, I even heard to storm and flood warning announced in the food store.  I can only imagine all those people trying to get to and then into the building in weather like this. There actually might be a ball tonight...suckers. I forgot to mention that these events are quite popular: Many departments of the college hold them, and this is generally the season for them to be held.  

I had an apartment viewing on Tuesday. I really liked everything except for the fact that it was a double, so I would be sharing the room with another girl, Katie. We didn't have time to chat at all when I was there. I am going to give it the weekend to think about...

Tomorrow I have a 9am class. Ugh.  I will probably open an Irish bank account too so I can get my immigration mess under control.  Than maybe a nap. I'm going out to dinner with two girls I met here so I am looking forward to that as well. Then it's the weekend!

Wednesday: The Longest Day of the Week

First of all, thank you everyone for posting comments! It's nice knowing that people actually read this, and gives me a purpose for writing instead of just rambling on and on and on and on...

Nothing too interesting with classes. Sorry. I did practice my bodhran today in the music building (the one far away from campus) and passed through a beautiful park. I was in no hurry so I took a stroll through and did some photo-taking.  It was actually sunny out today, which was convenient since there was a tree (or the remains of which - there were no branches) covered in small squares of glass, like a mosaic but all mirrors, and the sun reflected off it beautifully. 

The park was a nice distraction from my drama-filled morning after my visit to the Guarda (Police) Station to get my immigration card. I won't go into the details, but put simply I didn't have the correct forms from home so they couldn't give me my card. A quick procedure has now turned into days - more likely weeks - worth of effort on my part to get the right stuff. Unfortunate.

Last night was fun. I went to the New Bar for dinner with a friend, Steph, who I met at Obama's Inauguration viewing last week.  After that we both went to the Choral Society rehearsal, meeting up with another girl, Kelsey, I met here who actually goes to the University of Minnesota and is from Wisconsin.  It was a long rehearsal - 2 hours - which I don't think Kelsey or Steph were "mentally" prepared for since this was their first time coming, but I appreciated their company! After rehearsal Steph and I went to the Old Bar (also on campus) for a singer/songwriter competition, but since the audience wasn't the judge it was basically a "come and listen to some free music at the bar" night, which we both enjoyed either way.  

I am looking forward to my bodhran lesson tomorrow. I think Colm will be impressed.  I also wish there was a way to record voice recordings on here so you all could hear my Gaelic, but Blogger hasn't thought of that yet, I guess. We can now tell the time! To say "It's five o'clock" you would pronounce it "Toh shay coo-ig a ghlug" I think. Maybe that's not right...We just learned it today!

A Miracle Happened Today

Guess. What. Happened. Today?! The boys took out the garbage! I was so excited and kinda cold as they also opened the window above the sink. But I'll take chilly over smelly any day.  

I finally got groceries this afternoon (and by groceries I mean eggs, wheat bread, and cookies) and they were playing the song "Still The One" by Shania Twain in the store so of course I was singing along with it. There was another young woman in there too, and I could see she was softly mouthing the words as well and it made me feel a little bit more normal regarding my singing habits in public.  When I got back to the apartment I made myself two eggs sunny-side-up, two pieces of toast (one jelly, one butter), and had two cookies.  Quite tasty.  

I was able to watch an episode of House yesterday on my computer, which started me off on a fun adventure for the day, mind you it was all within the compounds of my cozy room. The episode was called "Painless" I think, it's not the most recent but I have no TV and sometimes I can't watch it online because it will take 3 hours to load. Anyhoo, at the end some song was playing and it was really pretty and I made it my mission to find it. I do this a lot with TV shows: I hear like 30 seconds of the song, decide I want to hear more and possibly purchase it, listen intently to try and pick up at least a 4 word phrase, and then Google it. Unfortunately I heard the phrase incorrectly, so Google-ing took me longer, but it turns out it was a song called "I Still Care for You," by Ray LaMontagne, WHO coincidentally is playing in Cork on Saturday! The reason I know this is that I have seen advertisements around town, and I think someone was either selling or looking for tickets on a post board on campus. SO I then went to YouTube, the best source for free music, and listened to some of his stuff and like it a lot. THEN I Googled to see if any more tickets were available for the concert Saturday, which, to my sadness, were all sold out.  That's kinda where I stopped, the only further thing I can do is to see if anyone is indeed selling tickets on campus and purchase then ASAP.  Either way, I found it interesting that the world was somehow connected in such a way as to have me watch that certain episode, hear that certain song, find it to be LaMontagne, and remember he was playing in Cork, where I am currently living. 

I really want the visit to the Spires, the other apartment complex I might be moving to, to go well on Tuesday. I know I shouldn't be driven by jealousy, but when I hear of people going out with the flatmates or at least just having someone there to talk with every once in a while or at the very least just having someone LIVING in the same apartment I feel like "why shouldn't I have that too?" And people have been very nice saying I can come up to their apartment any time, but I should be able to say the same thing, right? Like have people over? I am really crossing my fingers on this one. 

OH! Haha yesterday someone in the complex was practicing an instrument - I like an oboe or a saxophone - somewhere near my apartment. (They also just started playing now- How weird?!) but they were trying to play the beginning part to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and not doing very well. I laughed to myself.  I would be too embarrassed to practice an instrument in a building like this, even if I were a pro, because really everyone can hear you. You have to admit, that is kinda weird, right?! Wow, I wish I could record them playing right now: They just hit a note that sounded like a horse was stuck in some mud and calling to get out.  

I wish them luck with all their musical aspirations, because they sure need it.  (Mean, sorry.)

Warning: Long Blog Entry Ahead

My apologies- it has been quite a while since I have posted anything!  I finally am developing a social life here. I shall begin with Monday, as the weekend was quite boring, me being alone and all. 

Monday: Difficult to get up again, I forget if it was because of the "noise issue" or if it was just me being lazy. I went to my only class of the day- Philosophy of the Mind- which went smoothly. We discussed the idea of Zombies (not the kind you see in movies). These are "philosophical zombies" which provide us an outlet for examining the ideas behind what is consciousness, what it means to be "conscious." Philosophical zombies have the same physical manifestations of a "real" human being, they look like us, talk like us, same actions, etc, but they do not have a conscious. Basically we ask if this is even possible, how we would even know inside their minds, what if "I" am the zombie and everyone else is "real," what if "I" am the only "real" person and everyone else is a "zombie," etc etc. Yes, wonderful stuff, I say! That night I went to the Enviro Soc meeting/movie watching (I found my Greenies!) which was cool. They told us all the upcoming events and projects we're doing, how we can help, and then watched the last part of the documentary "Planet Earth." I had never seen any part from this series, but it was really eye-opening. It brought up literally every aspect of protecting our environment, and made me think a lot about what is currently being done and what we should do in the future. (Example: In Africa a certain  has been kicked off the land they had inhabited for years because the land was turned into a wildlife refuge. They could not longer hunt the animals there that they used to food and trade. Is this right?) I met a girl from the States there, Mary Kate, who was here for Fall Term but then decided to stay for Spring. She invited me to go along with her and some friends to a pub in town (I think) where UCC students play traditional music.  I hadn't planned on going anywhere so I left my homework to do at night, so I graciously declined, but perhaps we will go next Monday, eh?! I got homework done back at that apartment (Um...yeah the garbage still hasn't been taken out and the dishes still haven't been done. I'm starting a day counter: It's up to 14 at least on the garbage, maybe 8 on the dishes?) and chatted with Brittany online which was really fun.  I was telling her that I had been thinking about cutting my hair short (I actually have been thinking about this for months now) but that I wasn't quite sure what I wanted so I'd better wait. At about midnight though I was playing with my hair, kinda seeing how it would look short. And then I just cut it. I made two pigtails and snip snip snip! It's wierd because I used to be so attached to my hair and basically cry at the haircut place, but this time I didn't even think twice about it. It looks really cute I think, and much easier to manage.  My long hair was getting to cumbersome and scraggly.  Now I can't even picture myself with long hair, and when I look at pictures from before I feel like I don't recognize that person! It was grand. That was Monday.

Tuesday: First class of the day was Early Celtic Lyric Poety at 9am (even more difficult to get up for since I couldn't sleep after I cut my hair because I was SO HUNGRY! I don't think I have been eating enough here...I need to work on that.) which, to be honest, is kind of boring and not what I expected. I thought we would be discussing more of the poems themselves, not the history and sort of general characteristics like we're doing now. I guess today in that class though the prof did ask us what he though of some poems, so maybe it will get better?! Then I had my Sexuality and Writing class, discussing Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis." Quite an aggressive and sexual poem. It was a good discussion.  THEN IT WAS TIME TO WATCH OBAMA'S INAUGURATION! A new friend I made in the Sexuality class, Tess, who was going to watch it at the same time I was - at 4:30 in the Old Bar on campus - so we decided we'd meet there when it was time. (Skip to 4:30) I went to the pub (there are two on campus! They also sell wine at the food shop on campus too...nothing like walking around with a bottle of wine in your backpack! I DIDN'T do this by the way...) and met Tess, who had brought two other friends, one of whom I recognized from the plane trip over from Philly! I got myself a pint of Guinness and greatly enjoyed the company of the strangers who were at the same time friends as we all watched the historic moment.  Every one was quiet when Obama began his speech, which was impressive considering there has to be at least 200 people in the place (I was standing in the middle and couldn't really see behind me, I'm short).  We all applauded, of course laughed when Obama made the word fumble while "oathing-in."  THEN I went to the Choral Society meeting/rehearsal and sang! It's quite a fun set-up they have: Anyone can show up, pick up the music, and join in! So even though I missed the first rehearsal last Tuesday, I just jumped right in! I made some new friends too -Karen, Gwen, Roz - and I got to sing with males for the first time ever! (I've been in the all women's choir at GAC).  We sang "I Predict a Riot" by the Kaiser Chiefs, a pretty sweet rock song. It was grand. That was Tuesday. 

Wednesday: First class was Intro to Modern Irish, which, as I have mentioned before, is where I am learning Gaelic. (It actually started on Tuesday...) So far I can say what my/other's name(s) are, how I am doing, and where I am from.  I forgot how hard it was to learn a new language, since I've taken Spanish since basically 1st grade. (Puedo hablar mas mejor y rapidamente en espanol, pero no es posible cuando estuve en una clase de Gaelic!= I can speak better and faster in Spanish, but it is not possible when I am in a Gaelis class! I'm pretty sure that's right...without the accents of course...) So I will need to practice, but the prof is really nice and funny, and completely understands that we have no experience whatsoever with this language! I had another class too, not worth mentioning more as it was quite uneventful.  At 6pm I met an Irish boy, Peter from Cork, to go get a drink in town. I had met him at the Inauguration on Tuesday.  The first pub we went to I forgot the name of, but we both got ourselves a Beamish (I think it tastes like melted ice cream. OH! About ice cream! I don't know if people know about the food we have a Gustavus, but let's just say it's basically amazing. My friend Rebecca and I would generally split one (or two, let's be honest) which seems like it would be "healthier" than eating an entire plate ourselves, but we both realize we did this everyday.  My point is that UCC does not have the desserts I crave!!! There are breads and "cakes" and things, but not the Robert Redford Dessert (I still don't know why GAC calls it that) or the Earthquake Cake (consisting of brown cake layer, cheesecake layer, frosting layer, and a coconut/graham/choco chip crust, basically heaven on a plate) or the 8 cookie selection or...yeah I am missing the desserts.  ) But I digress. We chatted for a while, some lovely American tunes playing in the background, then went over to another pub called the Thirsty Scholar around 9, where some live music was playing. It's not like a concert, but more of like a public jam session where the 6 guys brought their instruments, sat down around a table, and started jammin'.  Well, long story short, I ENDED UP PLAYING WITH THEM!!! They were at a break in tune playin' so I figured, what the heck, might as well go talk to them, as there was a guy playing the bodhran (for which I am taking lessons, remember?!). I told them I was learning, and he's like "Well sit down and give it a go!" SO I PLAYED THE BODHRAN IN A SESSION IN A REAL IRISH PUB IN THE REAL COUNTRY OF IRELAND! I think I did quite well considering only one lesson, and the guy too said that I had the "pulse" for it.  Peter and I stayed there until about 1am I think. I couldn't thank him enough for taking me out, it seriously was one of the best moments of my life. I can't picture a better night: A nice, charming Irish boy, a cute pub with a fireplace, surrounded by wonderful Irish people, the musicians singing their hearts out and switching instruments, all the while the rain is splashing down on the streets of Cork.  I swear it was out of some movie.  And it wasn't just grand, it was "coolio" as I say, it was incredible, it was beautiful, it was inexplicably awesome. And that, my friends, was Wednesday. 

Today (Thursday): I had my bodhran lesson at 12:30. When I first told Colm that I played the bodhran the night before he was a little put back. He wants to make sure I am learning correctly, and, more importantly, not giving bodhran players a bad name. Okay that sound's really mean, he didn't say it exactly like that, he was really nice about it, and enjoyed my enthusiasm nonetheless. BUT once the lesson was done he said "I take back all the things I said before" because I had done really well. I definitely feel my cello playing has given me a head start in the bodhran playing because it is all about quick hand and wrist movements. I also feel that I can pick up instruments pretty quickly, not that I can "master" them, of course no!, but just that I am really interested in all instruments and understanding how they all work.  I still have lot to learn with the bodhran, and the new rhythm I need to work on for next week is really hard. It will be difficult to explain here. Perhaps I will show you all when I get home?! More classes, nothing big. Saw Peter again on campus. OH! So one food item that I did find from home is POTATO SALAD! My Mom makes a ton of it in the summer and I could literally eat the entire bowl-full.  Well, in the salad line here they have something that tastes quite similar and it made me really excited.  I will probably end up getting it everyday.  I could spend the rest of my life on that stuff.  But now I am back in my apartment, answering my many daily emails and updating the blog (finally, right?!).  

But since this has taken me over an hour to type I probably should go practice some of my Gaelic for my 9am class tomorrow. I have met some other American girls who are kinda on their own like me who said they'd be up for doing some things this weekend, so I am looking forward to that very much.  It doesn't look like the homework load for the weekend will be that tough either.  I hope you all are glad and a little relieved to hear that I am doing better! Take care!

Anyone want to see "messy"?

I realize I never posted photos of the rest of my apartment. Enjoy.

1) The living area now soiled by the boys after I cleaned it. Note torn curtains.

2) Garbage that has accumulated for the last two weeks that I refuse to take out as it is not mine. 

3) Dishes left in the sink by the boys that have been there for at least four days. I wash and keep what I need in my room.

4) The Hallway of Doom, upon entering the apartment. It really is this dark as the light at the end has burnt out.

It's Been Two Weeks!

These past two weeks have been the longest of my life, but I know I have accomplished a lot in what is really a short period of time considering the circumstances. The first photo was taken on my way back to the UCC campus after my Bodhran lessons (more about that later). The Music Department is located up on a hill across the River Lee's north channel (the south channel runs through campus), quite a walk both from my apartment and the main campus, especially when it's uphill! The second one was taken from the red and white bridge seen in the first, called St. Vincent's Bridge. Once I crossed it I was in the northwest corner of City Center, and then had to walk back to campus for the rest of my classes. Wew! I wish there was some way to point on a map where this all is, but my computer skills are limited there. I am sure if you look it up on GoogleMaps you could find it.  

Thursday was quite busy and at the end of the day I was exhausted. First was my Bodhran lessons, which I got to an hour early since I didn't know how long it would take me to walk there. It turns out it is a private lesson! The "professor" is a really cool guy, probably in his 40's, who's kind of kooky and a lot of fun. He could tell that I would enjoy learning to play. For those who don't know, the bodhran (pronounced like bow-rawn) is the traditional Cetlic frame drum . It is becoming increasingly popular with the rise of traditional Irish music, and my family even saw one played when we went to "A Christmas Charol" at the Guthrie this Christmas.  Colm, my teacher, was explaining that it most likely originated in North Africa and then came to Ireland through the trade routes and whatnot. He says that many think it was brought over as a joke but the Irish didn't get it (and thus they still play it!)  What's interesting is the similar drums are found all over the world, in the Middle East, Spain, among Native Americans, and the rest of Africa.  You play it while holding it sideways on your knee, then hitting the skin with a small wooden thing (I forget the name of it).  Again, another thing to look up as it is hard to explain! Either way, this looks like it will be a lot of fun and I am really excited!

After the bodhran class I ate some lunch (soup and baguette for 2 Euro) and found out the schedule for my last class, the one where I speak Gaelic. It turns out that I now have class on Fridays starting next week, AND they're at 9am! At least it gets me up for the rest of the day...Then I had my other two classes, nothing too spectacular.  The meeting regarding my possible move took place as well, but nothing was determined. Hopefully more about this next week.

Today (Friday) was a pretty relaxing day even though I did get a lot done. I woke up at noon.  For some reason I find myself sleeping later than I would at home, probably because I don't really have a reason to get up. Waking up in the mornings is the hardest thing for me now because I know I will probably be alone so it's just as easy to stay in bed. Kind of depressing, I know, but once I get up and going I am a lot better. For example, after a quick breakfast of a spoonful of peanut butter (I wasn't that hungry, I ate two chocolate bars the night before), I went into town and over the next two and a half hours got the following: a Shakespeare book I needed for class, a GIANT map of Ireland, my own wooden thingy I needed for the bodhran class, a 70's mug and shawl from a charity (thrift) store, AND stamps to send letters home! What's even better is that I made my way about town and back to the bus stop without asking for directions! Yippie! I felt so in-control as if I knew what I was doing!  After a crowded bus ride home I ate a grilled cheese sandwich, broccoli and rice, banana, and more Dubliner cheese, and feasted in the glory of my new purchases. It was grand. 

I really hope all the second-hand smoke I am inhaling doesn't have repercussions in the future. I forgot how much Europeans smoke despite the fact that it says bluntly "SMOKING KILLS" on the packs of cigarettes.  

Tomorrow shall be a day of homework now that I have a decent amount, as well as seeing if I want to go ahead with an adventure on Sunday. It's supposed to be rainy, but hey, there's always a chance for rain in Ireland! 

I Can't Help but Giggle when Umbrellas Break

Both yesterday and today where windy and rainy.  I was sufficiently protected with my new rain/windbreaker coat with nice hood, but some people took the umbrella route. Literally within one minute of walking around campus I saw three people's umbrellas flip inside out after a gust of wind, and I just couldn't help but giggle to myself. There's something so funny to me about seeing people clutch to little twigs with canvas on top and having it fail completely.  I feel bad for saying it, I do, because it must be embarrassing for those people, but it's still funny. Gustavus has taught me well to check the weather forecast and anything above 10 mph winds indicates no umbrella.

My classes are progressing nicely, nothing I can't handle. I am such a dork that I actually look forward to when things get tough and I need to be very efficient with my time, as right now I can just take my time with it and there's no real pressure.  I had my first discussion class yesterday which consisted of us 8 students and the professor. Thank goodness I had thought to email the professor asking at which text we would be looking! (I, and the other two American students in the class, had missed the first class last week.) I crammed and read the play in time, but one student didn't even have the text and the professor totally ratted him out about it. This was in the first two minutes of class, which left me a little nervous to say the least.  It went really well though and everyone was able to jump right in and start talking. The professor is, however, kind of a creeper. He is British, head of the English Department, and, since it is a Sexuality and Writing course, seems to be very open about talking about people "shagging" and all the other things one wouldn't picture a professor to talk about.  He didn't give us a syllabus either, so at the end of class he just said "Read this Shakespeare play for next week" and I have to now go find it and read it by next Monday.  

I almost started crying yesterday, not tears of sadness but rather of cuteness. There are a lot of seeing-eye dogs here at UCC (and lots of dogs in general, I am pretty much guaranteed to see one every day-Yay!). Yesterday I was sitting on some couches in the O'Rahilly Building waiting for class while reading a book, and a middle-aged woman comes in with her seeing-eye dog.  He is big, white, and fluffy, perhaps a labradoodle, and his tail is wagging. I can hear the woman talking to it, I can't make out what she is saying but I can tell that she is wanting the dog to lead her to an open spot on the couches. AND HE DOES!!! The woman kind of feels around the seat to make sure and sits down. The dog too then sits down facing her, and the woman gives it a big kiss on the head, saying things like "What a good boy! Good dog!" while the dog is just sitting there, wagging its tail, enjoying being petted. I wanted to start crying then and there, but I held back and just smiled.  I wonder if the dog knows what I difference he has made in that woman's life, how much he is helping, and the simple love he has for his owner (and visa-versa). I can only image the bond the two must have, the trust that is required, the patience. Just thinking about it gets me choked-up. 

The "noise problem" has not improved, and I am meeting with a woman at the International Education Office here to go over my options tomorrow.  Last night a birthday party was hosted somewhere near my room, it sounded like outside but I wasn't really sure how that would work. I could tell it was a birthday party because at some point in the night they starting singing "Happy Birthday" (as best as they could, I'm not sure if they had all been drinking or if they were just bad singers, it's hard to tell sometimes with that particular song).  Either way, I am VERY excited.  All I hope is that something, anything, can be worked out. I am trying not to get my hopes up though, in case nothing can be arranged.  

I just caved in and ate my last Tesco brand "Chocolate Brownie Cookies: American Style." I must purchase more immediately.  

Tomorrow is a busy day: the meeting, my Bodhran drum class, Early Celtic Lyric Poetry, Intro to Anglo-Irish Lit, and finally seeing when my other class (Intro to Modern Irish where I learn to speak Gaelic!) is scheduled.  I will, as always, post as to how it went!

-Susan

Pictures of the UCC Campus

1) One of the many gates separating campus from the city. Some of them are open 24/7, others close at night and during the weekends. 

2) The O-Rahilly Building, where I have my English classes.

3) View from campus over River Lee 

4) The East Wing (Used to be the President of the University's house back in the day, but now is his and other staff's offices.)

5) A fun walkway

I am taking more photos than this, but Blogger will only allow me to post so many at a time. When I get back home I plan on creating a book with all my photos from the trip, and maybe even include some of these blog entries. I guess there are websites were you can do this, where you upload your pics and then can get them professionally printed and bound.  I think you might even get an IBSN number...My friend did this after his trip to China and it ended up looking very nice. 

Reflection on Noise-Making

Here are some more pictures! The first is of my bedroom after I just moved in, not much has changed since then, though. The second is of my tiny bathroom (shower is around to the left) with no shelves.  The last two are from my walk to/from campus today, to kind of give you a feel of where I walk every day. 

  

I swear I am am magnet for noisy living places.  Some have said that I just must have good hearing and that I hear things normal people either can't or that they simply ignore, but I would like to add that my frustration with noise comes from the fact that I have been places where said noise is non-existent. In this case, I have been to different apartments within the same building and in different complexes altogether, and have yet to experience the amount of noise that is present in my flat. Last night was quite bad. It literally sounded as if the people above me where washing metal dishes with baseball bats in a metal sink whilst doing aerobic exercises in a bathtub, taking breaks every once in a while to play marbles on the tile floor and file bricks in steel filing cabinets. I really want to know what is going on up there.  This persisted from about 11 pm to 1 am. I thought I was able to finally sleep until I was awoken by (drunken?) screaming and singing from somewhere in the complex, intermingled with the stomping of feet and slamming of doors. I swear people where not taught how to shut doors quietly, and the same things happen at Gustavus.  I recall my first dorm room last year where our neighbors upstairs would nightly , as Rachel my roommate and I would call it, "build their ark," as the hammering and animal-like noises coming from their room sounded as if they were constructing a giant ark right above us.  The noises in Ireland don't stop with day-break either. No, at many points of the morning I am awaken by the sound of an Irish Devil-bird (a non-scientific name), producing a squawk that is reminiscent of two cars crashing on impact, scaring the bejeebus out of me while I lie in bed.  I also find it a little unsettling yet humorous that my relationship with my flatmate in the the room over consists solely of hearing him use the bathroom and snore at night.  There are, of course, non-animal sounds, such as airplanes and police sirens, that I can handle, but at least three times each morning I am as well awoken by bells. I don't know if they are church bells, or clock bells, or some special Irish magic bells. All I know is that a paranoid student like myself who is terrified of oversleeping their alarm does not like to hear 12 bells go by when their body is telling them it's surely not even sunrise.  And when the bell dings continue to 20...and 25....and up to 35, one can become a little curious of what time it truly is to say the least, perhaps even a little confused.  

It is at times like these when I wish I had my leopard blanket from home, the one which, in my sluggish early-morning half-sleep, I would find among my covers, manage to swirl into a shape not unlike a cinnamon roll, and place on top of my head, blocking out the Minnesotan Devil-birds (also not a scientific term) who would screech away outside my window.  The many layers of fleece created by the swirling provided that many more layers for the sound to penetrate before reaching my ear, I concluded. And it worked.  Alas, I am without my leopard print blanket and am left at the mercy of the Irish Devil-birds, the bells chiming it's 35-o'clock, the bathroom habits of my flatmates, and the unusual exercise routines of the neighbors upstairs. 

Other than that, the last few days were quite uneventful.  My Dad recommends that if next weekend appears to be the same as this past one (me alone and nothing to do), that I might take a trip somewhere near Cork. I think that is a wonderful idea, and will do research. It is just unfortunate that I do not have anyone to share this with, but as I have told my Mom, I prefer to be alone than with people who I prefer not to be around or who don't like me.  I did laundry for the first time here, utilizing both the sink and the shower for hand-washing and "line" drying. All thus far seems okay with that.  I only felt like crying once today, so that's good (?).  I also picked up some books for class at the bookstore on campus, which was not organized in any fashion (the "h" is "fashion seems superfluous considering the "sion"...) so it took me an hour to find 4 books, and I didn't even get all that I needed.  I was also going to go to a Charity Store (Ireland's thrift shops) to find some stuff for my room, but by the time I would ride the bus to town it would be too late.  I had my philosophy class today too, "Philosophy of the Mind," and there are actually two young professors teaching, and they both seem very cool. The male is also nice to look at, so that made my day a little easier and will hopefully make Mondays easier in general, too.  

I think I actually have homework tonight, so I will go work on that after making a grilled-cheese sandwich for dinner (Yum!).

Each Day is a Lesson

I would like to share an entry from my travel journal that I just wrote. I find myself writing notes to myself in it whenever something is bothering me. This one was in response to me being alone on a Friday night:

"Take it one step at a time, Susan. You got groceries today. On your own. That is good. It has only been one week, and a very unorganized on at that. Much of that was not your fault.  People love you and support you, that's all that matters. If anything, this was a trip for you, to show you something about yourself.  If you are able to picture yourself going home at any point in this trip and being comfortable with that decision, you have grown. If you are able to learn more in one week than in the rest of the semester, so be it. Each moment, each day is a lesson. Figure out what that lesson is. You're smart, you'll figure it out."

Sometimes it just takes me writing freely to truly understand.  I realized that with each second here I am being pushed beyond my comforts, pushed beyond my idealized expectations, and each push takes a little bit out of me, wears me down.  I need this grounding force - reflection through writing- to build me back up.   I keep thinking of the line from one of Coldplay's songs, "Nobody said it was easy," and that's so right, nobody said this was going to be easy for me. I guess I was thinking that is was. 

 

I finally got the picture upload to work! I took the first three on my way to get groceries this afternoon and the last two on campus yesterday.  The road you see in the first photo is the main (national) road into the City Center. Walk about a half hour from this point and you'll be there. I walked in the opposite direction from town to get to the food store, Tesco, the European version or Target. I got apples, a half-loaf of bread, laundry detergent, shampoo, pasta sauce, cookies, frozen broccoli, organic peanut butter, and strawberry jam for just 14 euro, as most of it was what we would call the "general" brand. 

I find this funny: I received an email yesterday saying that I should contact the bodhran instructor by phone and give him the times I am free on Thursday, and then he would call or text back when to come to class. I did this and got everything scheduled, I just think it is funny that texting was the mode of communication!

My First Classes and Beautiful Men

Today was my first day of classes, and they went okay I guess.  But first I had to register this morning to take this seminar class (more discussion as opposed to a lecture) called "Erotic Bodies: Pornography, Sexuality, and Writing in the Early Modern Period." I am thinking about possibly doing a Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Major or minor as well as English and Philosophy, so it will apply somewhere. If not, it will cover and English Major elective. For some reason though I just couldn't get out of bed. I did go to bed quite late (like 1am-ish) because I was writing in my journal, so waking up at 8:30 was hard. I had to book it over to campus, which I made it in like 13 minutes walking VERY FAST. My legs hurt really bad afterwards and I was kinda sweaty, but you couldn't tell. My hips and legs hurt in general the last few days just from walking everywhere and keeping pace with the Irish who walk surprisingly fast considering their laid back attitude. (I figure if I walk fast people will think I am Irish not American and won't judge me or try to abduct me.)

But I made it in time to register and then had 4 hours to waste until class. Luckily I had brought a book with me per suggestion of my friend Jeff who's in Dublin (he says he read a lot the first few weeks he was here and had a lot of free time and didn't really know what to do).  I read for about two hours, albeit really wanting to just go back to bed.  At about 1:30 I went over and got some lunch (soup and roll for 2 euro!, I had brought an apple with me too) and then just chilled until class at 3. 

I was somewhat surprised to have an American professor (he reminds me for some reason of uncles Bob and Dave), considering the study of  early Celtic poetry requires extensive knowledge of Gaelic.  But boy did he move fast through the information! I don't know if it was because I missed the first class but it felt like he was all over the place. Perhaps it was because I was not mentally ready to just jump right in without any previous reading. He talked about filid (highly knowledgeable celtic poets, not to be confused with bards, who were often for entertainment...I think that's right...) and rankings among poets. I took 2 pages of notes in a matter of 45 minutes, and my notebook has big pages and I condense a lot.  I was also unsure about what we are required to know and what reading we should be doing. Yes, the syllabus had some selected readings, but he was also providing quotes from other sources, which he said could be found in the library.  Since I am taking 35 credits (also another 2.5 for the Bodhran class) which is equivalent to taking 5 full classes at Gustavus, I might drop this classes depending on how the others go. Friends back home who took 5 classes found it to be VERY difficult, so I'm not sure if I can handle it.  I'll give it another class or two. 

The other class I had today was "Intro to Anglo-Irish Lit" where we look at poetry, drama, and prose by Irish authors (written in English). This class seems more laid out, if that makes sense, where I know exactly what sources we will be looking at. It's only for visiting students however, so I won't be interacting with fellow Irish students, but I will be able to in my other classes. There were about 50 or 60 students in this class, about a dozen in the other. 

I forgot to mention that in the Celtic Poetry class there were 4 adults ("mature students")! I never saw this at Gustavus.  I'm just not used to going to a school with undergrad, grad, and post-grad students. 

I also forgot to mention in yesterday's post that I saw one of the most beautiful men while eating lunch yesterday. He sat at the table across from me. I'd say he was somewhere between 24 and 28. He was dressed so nicely and was well groomed: slacks, collared shirt with rolled up sleeves, vest, black sweater, scarf thingy, a good haircut, tall. He looked smart (he was reading the newspaper). See, why can't I room with these types of boys?!  I hope I see him again and I will start up a conversion. I was too impressed by his handsomeness the first time to say anything. Oh and walking around town I see very good looking men too in their nice black pea-coats! Perhaps they are young hard-working businessmen or they just like to dress nice. Either way, they are wonderful to look at.

I don't have class tomorrow so my plans for the day include (not necessarily in order): sleeping in, getting groceries (I am out of travel shampoo!), taking pictures while exploring, figuring out how to do homework and then doing some. I got some groceries today but the store didn't have as much as I thought they would. I did get some Dubliner cheese. Oh, it is so good, I highly recommend it. We've had it at home so it can be found in the States. I also got some Irish butter, which is supposed to be quite good, and some pasta for dinner.  I cleaned out the smelly fridge and fixed the freezer so I can get some real food now.

It does get hard not thinking about home and how it would be so much easier if I were there, but I am trying my best to take advantage of this amazing opportunity I have. I hear the weather is nasty at home though, so at least I am missing that. Although, there are record lows here, some people actually froze to death as there is a cold wave across Europe. 

That's all for now! Take care.

 

Wednesday Night

These last few days have been a whirlwind of emotions.  One minute I am happy and comfortable and the next I really want to come home.  People have said that it will get better once I have a set schedule and I agree. But let me update you all on events that have happened!

Well, I got into Cork on last Friday and checked into my apartment around 7ish.  Oddly, when I opened the door to my room someone else's stuff was still there! There were clothes hanging up, papers still on the desk, food on the floor. Not exactly what I expected. I called the warden and he moved me into another room within the suite that was empty. I was all alone. No one was in the suite. I was not expecting this either. I was also without internet. The entire suite was a mess too. Dirty, molding dishes were in the sink, the fridge had frozen over and its door was propped open from the giant ice cube, the floor had clearly not been vacuumed for months. THe worst part was that they hadn't taken out the garbage. It smelt quite bad despite all the windows being open (it was maybe 38F out= COLD!).  I have cleaned it up now. 

The next morning I was awoken by someone coming in to the suite, a girl named Kelly from Montana, and she was supposed to be in the room I was (and am) currently in. SHe saw the condition of the place and we went immediately to the warden. She has gotten switched to a different suite, but I am still here. I have two flatmates, two boys named Oren and Phillip (thanks goodness I have my own bathroom!). Oren is from Waterford, Ireland, the county right next to Cork on the East, and I don't know much about Phillip as I just met him tonight for a quick second (he had to leave for a rugby game). I'm pretty sure they're 18 or 19. THe other two rooms in the flat are empty.  

The apartment complex, Farranlea Hall, is about a 15 minute walk from campus. I take the more "residential" route up College Road to look at the pretty houses and things, but if I needed to go by shops I could take the main road that actually goes into Cork City Center (downtown).  I haven't walked directly to town from the Hall, but I am guessing it would be 25 or 30 minutes. But from the UCC campus I can then walk into town in about 10 minutes. So basically campus is between my apartment and town, which is pretty nice. 

I have been to town four or five times now, twice by myself. For the first few days I was hanging out with Kelly and other friends she knew from Montana, but yesterday I decided I would branch out and explore things on my own, and I ended up getting a lot done. I haven't seen them since but I am guessing they are doing okay.  Traveling on my own is nice because I am in control of everything, and I never am scared (Cork is known for being very safe, and the locals are quite helpful when I ask for directions), but sometimes I do just get lonely. I don't really know anyone here, unlike some groups who have come from the States. Thankfully I am good at meeting people, it would just be nice to have someone to be able to be with for longer than 15 minutes. My classes will help with this, I think.  

That's another thing I forget about. I have gotten frustrated many times because I feel like I am not doing anything, I have too much free time and don't know how to go about spending it. I must remember my priority here is school, that is why I came for an entire semester and not just a J-Term trip with fellow Gusties.  The act of actually registering for classes is kind of amusing to me. At Orientation on Monday the director said to just go to whatever classes interest us this week and then hand in our registration sheet on next Monday. What I don't really understand is that some classes started on Monday so if we wanted to join those classes we are already behind.  At a meeting I had tonight for English Majors, the instructor said that the classes here are really just like recommendations to students on how to acquire the information, but it is the responsibility of the individual student to go about doing the work, reading, whatever they need to do to learn.  I like that approach: The professors don't hold your hand. I am going to my first lecture class tomorrow, "Irish Celtic Lyric Poetry," so I will let everyone know what it is like.  (I'm interested to see how a lecture class in an English Department works, as my classes at Gustavus are mostly discussion based...)

The other classes I am interested in taking are "Intro to Anglo-Irish Literature," "Philosophy of the Mind," "Intro to Modern Irish" (I'm going to learn Gaelic! Which will be very helpful as many people speak it, more than I thought, it is the official language after all...), and then possibly a music class in which I learn to play the Bodhran, the traditional Irish drum. This is still pending. 

I tried chatting with my parents online last night via Skype and was quite upset that it was not working. I could hear and see them just fine, but I guess they only heard the first word I said, and I am not sure if they could see me or not. I at least got to see Bobber who was handsome as usual. Dad lifted the poor boy up onto the seat and he just looked embarrassed.  

Taking pictures is not as easy as I thought it would be, as there never seems to be a "good" time to take them without looking really silly. Because my only regret from Scotland was that I didn't take enough photos, I will try my best to keep a good pace of picture taking. I just need to have my camera readily accessible so I don't have to stop, put my backpack down, get the camera out, take a picture, then put it back. I will put up a couple I have taken. 

I hope this was a good update! I am going to do some more research about classes and clubs as I need to find ways to meet more people!

Cheers,

Susan

You get a lot done by yourself...

Hello everyone!

I am here at Cork, and man was it a long trip! I am currently using the wireless here on campus, as I forgot to bring my ethernet cord from home. The one thing I forgot and it is the one thing I REALLY need. I am going to go to into town to buy one, and I will be able then to enter more posts regarding the progress of my trip thus far. 

As for now, just know that I indeed did make it to Cork and am getting by just fine.