First Times!

Blog
1/22-1/23
So I made it safe and sound to Ireland! The plane trip wasn't bad. Got a lot of reading in, took a short nap, then got some more reading in. They showed 'Mr. Woodcock' on the plane, no interest to me. But they played Scrubs while we were eating (chicken, it was actually not bad) so I enjoyed myself. I remember thinking when we hit turbulence 'at least if I have to go down in a plane, it can be while I'm watching scrubs.' But we didn't go down, we got there all right, and when we went through customs, the guy had all the students wait to one side, so I found all the other Limerick students there. There's one from a school right next door, can't remember which one. Moravian? no, something like that. Anyway, she's nice, her name is Bret. A couple other nice people, but I couldn't get their numbers or anything because I didn't have a phone, and no one knew their extension, e-mail, or room number. So hopefully I'll see them tomorrow for orientation.
The plane got in at 5 in the morning Limerick time (we're 5 hours ahead over here, so it would have been midnight back at the states). It was pitch black, which I wasn't expecting, and raining, which I was. I thought we were getting in at 7am, not 5, but I guess that's when the plane was flying back out to Dublin. So all us American kids were standing around, waiting to be picked up. Eventually someone came and got us, and me and three girls and another guy went to our respective dorms. I'm the only one from the group in Dromroe, but it's a nice place. Not to far from everything, have my own room, my door locks, own bathroom, and we have a full kitchen and living room, pretty much. So that's cool. The houses themselves kinda look like they belong in an old western; they're wooden and all connected. I guess it's kinda cool.
So I got in, went to the desk, the lady gave me my key, but I could only wrangle one suitcase at a time. (she also gave me bed linens until I got my own. I thought they were provided. shucks). So when I got to the door, the key didn't work. So I had to go back anyway, and she fixed it so it worked, and I got in. I guess this is all about 6:30 or 7 in the morning, I didn't really have any sense of time, what with no watch, clock, or anything. So I got settled in, unpacked and all. There is so much space here, it wasn't hard at all. Lots of shelves, I guess. Probably could fit twice the number of clothes I have. So unpacking didn't' take long. I got my computer unpacked, and that gave me the time, so I got my clock, so now I've got a good sense of time. The alarm clock also has a 2nd time function, where it shows me what time it is in the States, which is cool. It's also 24-hour, so I'm trying to get used to that. It's taking me a while.
So I got unpacked, and by this time it was 8:30 or 9, and only starting to get light outside. I would have thought it'd have gotten much lighter much earlier, but it's a pretty cloudy place, and even when it's light out, it's not bright. So I went for a walk around, up to some of the other dorms, went to the library to use the internet, since I don't get internet until I get my student ID number, which I don't' get until orientation tomorrow. So I've been going over there fairly frequently to use internet. The keyboards are different over there, it's kinda weird. Different buttons over the numbers, like when you hit shift, and the return key is only the long half of the backwards 'L' that it is, so I kept hitting the asteric, which is where the arm of the enter key should be. (I hope that makes sense, I guess you just had to be there.) They've got lots of books, but they're all non-fiction. -sigh- I can interlibrary loan books, I guess, but we'll see how much time I have for pleasure reading. (Speaking of pleasure reading, I finished Narnia. I don't' remember reading it before, though I know I did. Good books, but got a little preachy towards the end.)
So where was I? The rest of yesterday I didn't' do much, went for another walk, saw my roommate Amy for a few seconds between her running to work and whatnot. Did some more reading, and took a nap at 12, which was a bad idea, because I didn't wake up until 3. Then I went to the library again, went for another walk, and came back and went to bed at 8. Not very exciting, really.
I woke up at 1:30, finished the last book of Narnia, went back to sleep, and slept until 10, when I made myself get up. Then I went to the registration thing, to see how to get a Sim card, and she said I should go into Limerick, which I did. I took the bus (which was extremely clean. I wish we had public transportation back in the States) and it was only 1.35 euros. Dropped me off, and I wandered around for a bit. Eventually I found a phone place, and the lady was really nice and got me a card and everything for about 10 euros. It's prepaid, for 10 euros, and I just have to keep topping it off. So then I shopped a bit, had a delicious wrap, and came back around 2. I just called Taryn, and we're going to meet for a pint in half an hour, so I figured I'd write before I forgot what happened. Oh, interesting things I saw in Limerick: Down by the water, they had about 8 swans, swimming around, just like we would ducks. They were beautiful. (And when I came back to campus, I saw a heron in a tree. It was cool!) Also, there was an internet cafe called “LOL!” which I thought was funny. There is a gas station called EMO, and I saw a store that was from the UK called French Connection, or something, so the acronym they chose was FCUK. (Close, but no cigar).
And that's it so far, I'm sure I'll update soon in the beginning, then forget as time goes on, but what can you expect?

Love,
Justin