Lectures began last Monday and when I first walked into my first class, I had to step back a moment and say Wow. At Saint Mary's, I am used to being in a room with usually about 20 or so other girls with the professor knowing our names by the end of the week. Here, I walked into a huge lecture hall with hundreds of other students, even some who looked about sixty--the "mature" students. It was completely different, but also it will be a nice break from the magnifying glass that can be held over you at Saint Mary's. Luckily, I made it through that first class of Irish Studies and then was able to make it to my second which is held on the gorgeous South Campus in this room where everyone sits on long benches and write on long desks. It is just like being in an old film. This class, which may be one of my favorites--Ireland since the 1800s, is about the history of Ireland to the present and goes through everything that fascinates me such as the Troubles and the Easter Rising so I'm fair excited for that class to progress. I also experienced the nightlife in Maynooth by going to the free night at this place called Mantra, it was fun and I ended up meeting up with my flatmates!
The next day I started sociology class which I can tell I might not end up liking, but I will have to give it time. We also have a class on Tuesdays for SMC with our program director over here so that's a good time to catch up with all of the girls. Then I watched Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives even though they are a bit behind the States. On Wednesday I was finally able to register for classes and be an actual student at NUIM. I received my student ID where I look one of the Boondock Saints, it's lovely. I also began my Victorian English class and my Theology class, both of which are held on the South Campus. Victorian English seems as though it's going to be awful, but Theology is all about the Just War Theory and reminds me a lot of the Peace Studies class I took at Notre Dame, so I'm pretty excited for that lecture.
On Thursday I had my Theology and Victorian lectures again...class times are not set up here like they are back home. For one class it meets Wednesday at9 and then Thursday at noon and then sometimes the same class might in one place on Tuesday, but the other day it will meet across campus. Needless to say it doesn't exactly make sense, but it is simply another way to do things and so far it has worked out for me. I also experienced the infamous Thursday night at the Roost, which was fairly exciting. Once Friday came, I was extremely exhausted from trying to get things done and figure everything out--after times had been confused for my Irish studies lecture, we were let out early and my friend Jackie and I headed in to Dublin for the night. We did some shopping on Grafton Street and my friend Niamh, who had stayed with my family this past summer, were able to meet up. She was able to show Jackie and I her favorite shops and then we headed towards Temple Bar and had a nice dinner, catching up. We then walked around the Temple Bar area and down O'Connell St. After leaving Niamh, Jackie and I went to the train station to catch our train back to Maynooth and with only a few minutes to catch it, we sprinted back to the platform and barely made our train. Once we got back, we were tired and had an early day so we went to bed.
The next morning four of my friends and I headed to Bray for the day. Bray is a beautiful seaside town just south of Dublin in northern Co. Wicklow. We had some lunch in the town and then headed out to the beach. When we first left Maynooth it was a gray and cold day and I was nervous about being cold and miserable along the coast, but as soon as we left lunch the day had turned around. I walked out into the street and the sun was glaring in my eyes. As annoying as it was, it was beautiful. The fact that Ireland does have the four seasons in one day can be annoying, but it generally turns out to be a wonderful ideal which constantly surprises me. As soon as we reached the beach and started running to the water's edge, for some reason I was overcome with emotion and tearing up. Dear Lord! I thought, I am insane and a sap. But genuinely, I am constantly caught in moments where I forget and then remember that I am in Ireland. I just so happened to be caught up in one of those moments as I looked to my left and saw a gigantic hill full of lush green pastures and to my left an old Irish couple walking along. So once I got over my outrageous moment, we walked along for awhile and came upon a group of rocks which we climbed and began to have our very own America's Next Top Model photoshoot. After spending nearly an hour on the rocks, we decided we wanted to try and climb the top of the hill which had a large cross at the top. Well...after about 45 minutes of walking along cliffs..we realized we weren't going up at all and we were on the wrong path to go to the top. The path was completely muddy and along the way we reached a giant area of mud that was nearly impossible to cross. So Jackie and I were debating as how to cross the mud when a man and his son came up behind us. Hopping on his father's back, the son was carried across the mud. The man then promptly turned around and asked the two of us if we wanted him to also give us a ride across. When in Ireland. The man turned around and I jumped onto his back. Making it safely across the way, I quickly became aware that this was one of those great moments of Irish hospitality and I didn't hate it. After only wandering a few more feet, I realized the time and had to literally run part of the way back so I could make a train back to Dublin and then to Maynooth for dinner with my relatives. Turning back on the path, I dived back through the mud and then across the town of Bray to the train station and climbing on a train, which I hoped would stop at my stop and not be an express. Luckily for me, I did make my stop in Dublin and was able to catch a train to Maynooth. Unfortunately, I was also joined by thousands of rugby fans who were let out of the Ireland/Italy match of the 6 Nations at Croke Park just as I was making my way back, which also so happens to be right by the train line. Thankfully being the stop before, I was able to get a seat.
As soon as I made it back to my apartment, I was picked up by one of my relatives Luke, who took me straight down the road from NUIM to Kilcock where his son Kevin lives. There I had another wonderful dinner with Luke, his 3 sons, their wives, and children. It was great to play with their kids and to have a homecooked meal. I thoroughly enjoyed another night with them and after loads of food, wine, and fun, it turned out to be midnight and after a long day, I was ready for bed. The next day I slept in and was able to get things sorted and cleaned around my room. I later went to mass at the local church and then had dinner with my friend Kellie which was enjoyable to spend some time with her and then we planned a trip to Oslo, Norway which we are taking in less than two weeks and I am greatly excited since it was originally only 10 euro roundtrip until handling fess came into place...
But that was the end of last week...
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