College in Ireland

I know I haven't posted in the last few days, but it's cause not much has happened. Really. All that I've done is work the Ironman, and I couldn't begin to tell you how wet and tiring that was. It made me hate triathlons and promise to never work one again...well, at least in the rain. Longest day of my life on Sunday, and so these two days have kind of been catch up.
My classes officially started on Monday, but NUIG is really confusing and laid back about classes and scheduling. Yesterday I was supposed to have two classes, but one doesn't start until the 19th and the other the teacher just didn't show up for. Luckily, today I had both the classes I was supposed to-- Stories of Medieval Wales and Literacy Learning and Teaching. Wales was a great class with a quirky teacher and I know I'll enjoy it. LLT was everything I hoped for. It's a service learning class that's centered around homework clubs and we get to participate in a local classroom one afternoon a week. I feel so much happier knowing that even in Ireland I will be in a classroom this semester. Other than the long trek to campus and back, my days haven't been filled with much and my nights have even less. The Irish students came back this weekend, and haven't stopped partying since. I have never been more thankful for my earplugs and ipod. It's hard coming from a place where all you hear at night are peepers to one where you'd never know there was wildlife over the screams of drunken college kids.

Kelsey and I got a third roommate, Claire, who has her own room and bathroom and doesn't socialize with us much. I've seen her twice since she moved in on sunday and both times she was heading out of the apt. I hope that she'll open up a bit more and I can get to know an actual Irish person, because so far they haven't been very nice. Irish students regard all Americans as pure trash and thus treat us as such. It's been really hard to feel welcome when you're always getting laughed at. But Molly and I have bonded together more, and Colleen has started to hang out with us as well. I feel like we've become the "Boyfriends while Abroad" club, cause all three of us have someone at home. It makes it hard to go out and enjoy the pubs because all the other girls here go out to pick up boys and we feel quite awkward.

So Molly, Colleen, Mollys roommate Megan, and Sarah are coming over tonight for a real dinner and some hang out time. I'm really looking forward to it :)

Save me some sunshine,
k