The Most Recent Adventure:
Last night, I met up with Jen Kelly, an Irish girl who came to Montana a few summers ago and stayed with Brianne Handwerk. Well, we met up on Grafton Street near St. Stephen's Green and walked to her apartment not too far away and had some tea and a chat and all was well and good. At 11:00pm, she walked me to the bus stop so that I could get a bus before they stopped running. Not too long after she left me there, the Number 11 bus came along. Now, normally I take the Number 10 bus to a bus stop right on campus, but Jen thought that the 11 would get me there too. So, I asked the driver of the Number 11 if he went to UCD Belfield. Before he answered, he shut the bus door, trapping be abroad the Number 11. He then said that he went to Mumble Mumble Street, which apparently is near UCD. I rode for about ten minutes through neighborhoods that I've never seen before. The driver then tells me that the next stop is UCD.
Where I got off the bus was nothing like UCD. I was in some pseudoresidential neighborhood with no sign of any type of University building or campus of any sort. And not only that - but I had no idea which direction to even walk. So, I chose right. Seemed like an okay choice at the time. I walked for a while until I realized that there was probably no chance of finding campus in this direction. So, I turned around.
I kept thinking the whole time: If I make it back to campus, it'll be another adventure to add to my stories; if I die, well then shit.
I began walking back towards the bus stop and when I reached it, I looked around again. Still no clue. I kept walking a little further and there came an opening in a wall with a road leading down a dimly lit path surrounded on both sides by heavy vegetation. I spotted a sign — "John Paul Construction." Damn. And then, a smaller sign in the grass... "University College Dublin." Thank God!
I made my way down this road. And before, when I said "dimly lit," that was being generous. It was like walking into Jurassic Park. But I braved being eaten by a T-Rex or a bum and walked down the dark road. The road split and I chose left. (Right seemed like more impending doom than left.) This wrapped around a building that looked rather uncampus like and passed by another with exterior lights going off and on, which was not comforting in the least.
Running into a gated dead end, I began to doubt the validity of the "University College Dublin" sign. I figured I was being lured to my death. Like some kind of messed up fairy tale.
But I turned again and found another road which took me by some sports fields that looked like they could be vaguely familiar. I kept going until finally I saw a building that I recognized. That's when I knew — I was going to live. Arrive back to the Belgrove apartments at 12am, my hour long death march was over.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
And Apparently I Look Like I'm 12 in Ireland too...
A recent phenomenon:
As many of you know, the legal drinking age in the Republic of Ireland is 18.
I am 19 and a half years of age.
The other day, at Tesco Grocery store, I attempted to buy a few bottles of wine to bring over to our new friends' flat for dinner. But no. The Korean woman carded me and because I didn't have my passport or my "Irish Age Card," they wouldn't sell me the wine.
Later, my roommate Patrick went to another grocery store and bought wine no problem. He, of course, doesn't look like a little boy. He has a beard. Thus, I have decided that I will not shave any more.
This problem furthers itself when I was carded at pubs and at the Guinness storehouse when I received my free stout at the end of the tour. Many pubs in the Temple Bar area require people to be 21 or sometimes 23. Both of which, I am not. Not only am I not. But I look like I'm not. And being the youngest lad in the group from Arcadia, I sometimes feel like I am holding everyone back from hitting the pubs that they want to hit. Oh well, I guess they can just deal with it.
So far, the only "sites" I've hit are St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse. Both of which were very cool. St. Patrick's was very beautiful and old. And then at the Guinness Storehouse, you walk through a bunch of different levels and it tells you about the ingredients used in making Guinness and about Arthur Guinness (who, we found out on the bus tour, had 21 children -- "Yes, it's true. Guinness does give you strength.") It was really fascinating and I just wish that my dad could've been there. I think he would've really enjoyed the tour. And then at the end of the tour, you make it to the top of the storehouse on the 7th floor to a 360 degree panoramic view and, of course, a bar with a complimentary Guinness. The other Arcadia students and I sat, had a chat, enjoyed the view and watched the sun set over Dublin city. It was a pretty good day.
I am now officially moved into my flat. I have two roommates, one goes to Evansville (Harrison) and the other is from Massachusetts (Patrick). It was nice to finally not be living out of a suitcase in a tiny room with four other guys like I was in the hostel.
We had a few days of Orientation with Arcadia, which was nice. They fed us nicely and the staff was really cool. We went to a show on Tuesday night at the Abbey Theatre, The School for Scandal. It was definately interesting. The set was like a perspective drawing of a room, but bright white and they lit it all sorts of colors. Panels opened from the walls to reveal more lighting effects. The costumes were very bright and colorful and period, but not. (You UET kids know what I'm talking about). However, after long days and short nights, my tiredness got the best of me and I kept nodding off. It didn't help that the language was archaic and hard to understand sometimes. And so, I fell asleep. I was just worried that I would fall forward, thwacking the woman in front of me's head with my own and cause a big old ruckus. But I didn't. It was okay.
So, I'm moved in and everything is grand. We are all registered for classes that start on Monday. I think this weekend, we are all taking some time to sit back and relax and still get into life here at UCD. Tonight, a group of us are going to a pub to watch a rugby match on TV. They get pretty riled up here, so that should be exciting.
Next weekend, we do our Irish homestay near Galway, so that'll be an adventure. But I should go because this is getting rather long, but thanks for checking in. I am still kicking over here and I'll be sure to update sometime next week.
As many of you know, the legal drinking age in the Republic of Ireland is 18.
I am 19 and a half years of age.
The other day, at Tesco Grocery store, I attempted to buy a few bottles of wine to bring over to our new friends' flat for dinner. But no. The Korean woman carded me and because I didn't have my passport or my "Irish Age Card," they wouldn't sell me the wine.
Later, my roommate Patrick went to another grocery store and bought wine no problem. He, of course, doesn't look like a little boy. He has a beard. Thus, I have decided that I will not shave any more.
This problem furthers itself when I was carded at pubs and at the Guinness storehouse when I received my free stout at the end of the tour. Many pubs in the Temple Bar area require people to be 21 or sometimes 23. Both of which, I am not. Not only am I not. But I look like I'm not. And being the youngest lad in the group from Arcadia, I sometimes feel like I am holding everyone back from hitting the pubs that they want to hit. Oh well, I guess they can just deal with it.
So far, the only "sites" I've hit are St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse. Both of which were very cool. St. Patrick's was very beautiful and old. And then at the Guinness Storehouse, you walk through a bunch of different levels and it tells you about the ingredients used in making Guinness and about Arthur Guinness (who, we found out on the bus tour, had 21 children -- "Yes, it's true. Guinness does give you strength.") It was really fascinating and I just wish that my dad could've been there. I think he would've really enjoyed the tour. And then at the end of the tour, you make it to the top of the storehouse on the 7th floor to a 360 degree panoramic view and, of course, a bar with a complimentary Guinness. The other Arcadia students and I sat, had a chat, enjoyed the view and watched the sun set over Dublin city. It was a pretty good day.
I am now officially moved into my flat. I have two roommates, one goes to Evansville (Harrison) and the other is from Massachusetts (Patrick). It was nice to finally not be living out of a suitcase in a tiny room with four other guys like I was in the hostel.
We had a few days of Orientation with Arcadia, which was nice. They fed us nicely and the staff was really cool. We went to a show on Tuesday night at the Abbey Theatre, The School for Scandal. It was definately interesting. The set was like a perspective drawing of a room, but bright white and they lit it all sorts of colors. Panels opened from the walls to reveal more lighting effects. The costumes were very bright and colorful and period, but not. (You UET kids know what I'm talking about). However, after long days and short nights, my tiredness got the best of me and I kept nodding off. It didn't help that the language was archaic and hard to understand sometimes. And so, I fell asleep. I was just worried that I would fall forward, thwacking the woman in front of me's head with my own and cause a big old ruckus. But I didn't. It was okay.
So, I'm moved in and everything is grand. We are all registered for classes that start on Monday. I think this weekend, we are all taking some time to sit back and relax and still get into life here at UCD. Tonight, a group of us are going to a pub to watch a rugby match on TV. They get pretty riled up here, so that should be exciting.
Next weekend, we do our Irish homestay near Galway, so that'll be an adventure. But I should go because this is getting rather long, but thanks for checking in. I am still kicking over here and I'll be sure to update sometime next week.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
I've Been Awake Too Long
January 13/14, 2007
The Adventure Begins.
Well, first off, I was pulled out of line going through security in Great Falls, Montana. They patted me down and what not and took out every thing that was in my backpack and scanned it through the x-ray. Of course I'm going to blow up the plane. With my iPod and my PowerBook charger? Naturally.
But through plane delays and low-speaking 90 year old women, I finally made it to Dublin. And I love it. Right now, we are all staying in a hostel across the street from Temple Bar (the kinda touristy part of town, but it's awesome). Ashlee Springer waited for me at the Dublin airport and we took a bus down town and had to carry my giant bags a few blocks to the hostel where we met up with everyone who was just leaving for lunch. We went to a very nice restaurant and lunch was on the program. (Well, I'm sure we're paying for it somewhere, it just seems nice that we didnt have to pay.)
After lunch, they let us off on our own. I took a much needed shower and discovered something rather interesting. You have to punch your key card into a thing by the front door of your hostel room to get light. Okay, fair enough. Except when that light only lasts about three minutes -- maybe. So, while I was showering, about a minute in, the lights went off and I had to finish my shower in the dark. It was pretty black in there. But after that, I went on an adventure to find cheap/free internet. I found a coffee shop with a really weak signal, and I checked most of my email and stuff, but it was too slow, so I walked around the Temple Bar area and found a place to write this and let everyone know I made it and I'm okay, but I have to use the computers provided and they are just a wee bit different than an American keyboard. And it's frustrating. And just the thought of everyone coming in here and touching the mouse and keyboard grosses me out. In an hour, I am meeting back up with the rest of the students and I think we're all going to dinner together. (Except this time, we have to pay.)
I think I'm doing pretty well as far as jet lag goes. I didn't sleep the night before I left and I kinda slept in the airports and a decent amount on the flight over. I'm definately tired because it should be a quarter to 10:00am (Montana time) but it's really 4:45pm Dublin time and I haven't had more than three hours of sleep since about 11:00am on Friday. Needless to say, I'll be ready to go to bed tonight. And then tomorrow we have to be up early for Orientation stuff. Oh well. It's been nice to have the day to do a little exploring, hopefully more in the next few days too. (Before we move further away from Temple Bar.)
I have a pocketfull of Euros and an empty notebook and I suppose by the end of my journey, they will have reversed themselves.
The Adventure Begins.
Well, first off, I was pulled out of line going through security in Great Falls, Montana. They patted me down and what not and took out every thing that was in my backpack and scanned it through the x-ray. Of course I'm going to blow up the plane. With my iPod and my PowerBook charger? Naturally.
But through plane delays and low-speaking 90 year old women, I finally made it to Dublin. And I love it. Right now, we are all staying in a hostel across the street from Temple Bar (the kinda touristy part of town, but it's awesome). Ashlee Springer waited for me at the Dublin airport and we took a bus down town and had to carry my giant bags a few blocks to the hostel where we met up with everyone who was just leaving for lunch. We went to a very nice restaurant and lunch was on the program. (Well, I'm sure we're paying for it somewhere, it just seems nice that we didnt have to pay.)
After lunch, they let us off on our own. I took a much needed shower and discovered something rather interesting. You have to punch your key card into a thing by the front door of your hostel room to get light. Okay, fair enough. Except when that light only lasts about three minutes -- maybe. So, while I was showering, about a minute in, the lights went off and I had to finish my shower in the dark. It was pretty black in there. But after that, I went on an adventure to find cheap/free internet. I found a coffee shop with a really weak signal, and I checked most of my email and stuff, but it was too slow, so I walked around the Temple Bar area and found a place to write this and let everyone know I made it and I'm okay, but I have to use the computers provided and they are just a wee bit different than an American keyboard. And it's frustrating. And just the thought of everyone coming in here and touching the mouse and keyboard grosses me out. In an hour, I am meeting back up with the rest of the students and I think we're all going to dinner together. (Except this time, we have to pay.)
I think I'm doing pretty well as far as jet lag goes. I didn't sleep the night before I left and I kinda slept in the airports and a decent amount on the flight over. I'm definately tired because it should be a quarter to 10:00am (Montana time) but it's really 4:45pm Dublin time and I haven't had more than three hours of sleep since about 11:00am on Friday. Needless to say, I'll be ready to go to bed tonight. And then tomorrow we have to be up early for Orientation stuff. Oh well. It's been nice to have the day to do a little exploring, hopefully more in the next few days too. (Before we move further away from Temple Bar.)
I have a pocketfull of Euros and an empty notebook and I suppose by the end of my journey, they will have reversed themselves.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
AH!
Well, I leave in less than eleven hours and have yet to pack. How Meier of me. Oh golly. This is crazy. It hasn't hit me yet, but I'm really anxious and excited to go. But I should go ... a lot of things to do still! Post when I arrive!
Matt
Matt
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