So I've decided to start a separate blog dedicated to my semester aboard because I've been running into too many difficulties with my e-mail accounts -- photo uploading, mass messaging, and all that jazz. It was just taking so long. This is a place where not only I can look back on in years to come, but it can keep you guys up to date on all the different trials and tribulations I may encounter within the next 5 months!
I've finally gotten into the swing of things here on campus and am not getting lost as often, although the architect of many of my school's buildings must have thought it'd be fun to build classrooms in a maze format. I'm taking four classes this semeser: Irish Archaeology, Philosophy of the mind and consciousness, History of the media in Ireland, and an English class on The Canterbury Tales. The class structures in Ireland are much different from those in the U.S. Almost all my classes here only have one assigned essay and a final exam...the rest of the time is merely lectures and reading. They hardly outline either, in most of my classes they just give a long list of books I should be reading till the end. The Irish students are big procrastinators! I'm beginning to enjoy my classes and most are with a majority of Irish students in them.
As far as my dorm goes, i'm not as happy but i'm surviving. I get my own bedroom, but the whole sharing a bathroom and kitchen with 5 other girls has become a little tiring. I have 3 roommates who are from Shanghai -- they keep to themselves very much and I hardly see them! However, I get along very well with my other two roommates. Lily is from San Francisco and attends UC Davis and Kelly is from Australia! Us three mostly hang out together while the other three girls hang together too, i guess, if they ever leave their rooms. haha My cooking skills have even gotten a bit better. I successfully cooked Chicken Tikka Massala with Basmati rice the other night! They love curry over here.
Here's a picture of us three in front of the main quad on campus.
Kelly is on the left, Lily in the middle, and of course me! :)
I haven't met too many Irish students yet, but i'm hoping to get involved in some clubs here on campus soon. I'm most excited to join the rock climbing club here! My school has a wonderful gym less than a 5-minute walk from my dorm and it has its own swimming pool and rock climbing wall! I've been so sore the last couple days from taking a fitness class that i'm slightly limping. hahaha people must think i'm pretty strange. My two roommates and I went exploring around downtown Cork last weekend and I finally got my camera out to document it. It's so beautiful here. The weather is much like Seattle -- always raining or looking as if it's going to rain. When I do see a little blue in the sky it makes me so happy! Below are some pictures from this weekend:
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| DOWNTOWN CORK |
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| MY CAMPUS |
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| UCC'S HUGE LIBRARY! |
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| MAIN QUAD |
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| BLUE SKY! |
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| VISITED THE JAIL...CREEPY |
This weekend Kelly, Lily, and I are hoping to visit Blarney Clastle and the Cliffs of Moher. We won't know if the trip is for sure until enough people sign up. i'm crossing my fingers! More updates to follow soon. I'm hoping to make entries weekly, if not daily!