Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Pictures of Limerick City
Here are a few pictures snapped from the neighborhood surrounding my campus
RAG Week
Coming up for the third week of the semester is RAG week at Mary I
it stands for Raise a Grand week and it is for raising money for charities.
There are events planned all week and students buy a rag pack of tickets that allow them entrance. They are 30 €
Basically what it amounts to is no one goes to class and just drinks all day. There are concerts each night, The Strangelets, The Saw Docotors, The Coronas, The Prodigy etc. And then themed after parties at the night clubs. Scotts bar right near our campus is kicking off the week by providing free beer and pizza during Monday
our student lounge on campus will have a bar from 1-6 pm each day of the week as well.
it stands for Raise a Grand week and it is for raising money for charities.
There are events planned all week and students buy a rag pack of tickets that allow them entrance. They are 30 €
Basically what it amounts to is no one goes to class and just drinks all day. There are concerts each night, The Strangelets, The Saw Docotors, The Coronas, The Prodigy etc. And then themed after parties at the night clubs. Scotts bar right near our campus is kicking off the week by providing free beer and pizza during Monday
our student lounge on campus will have a bar from 1-6 pm each day of the week as well.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
A few Friends
From Left to right:Agathe (France)
Christophe (France)
Jonathan (France)
Stephanie (Belgium)
Monday, January 26, 2009
Pictures?
I know many of you probably want to see some pictures. Soon I will go and take some. Lately I have been forgetting to bring my camera when I go out, I don't persay want to look like a tourist.. Limerick is not the most safe town, infact its the dodgiest in Ireland.
I have free time now that classes are running, we are not out and about all day everyday so I will go to take pictures of my town and of my campus.
I have free time now that classes are running, we are not out and about all day everyday so I will go to take pictures of my town and of my campus.
Tentative Schedule
So they do things differently here as registration for classes. Where in the states we are sued to the schedules being set in stone in advance and registering well before the semester begins, here you have until the end of first week, or second week for internationals, to register. So you can go to many classes the first week and find the ones that are suitable.
Tentatively I am going to be taking 4 modules (classes) and auditing one other one.
Irish Poetry and Prose 18th and 19th Centuries
Global Environment Change
Urbanization, Urban Growth and Planning
Gaelige: ab initio -----> Introduction to Gaelic -----> Irish Language!
I will be auditing (sitting the class but not being registered or taking the exams)
Abstract Algebra, which is the only math class left for me to take for my major.
Tentatively I am going to be taking 4 modules (classes) and auditing one other one.
Irish Poetry and Prose 18th and 19th Centuries
Global Environment Change
Urbanization, Urban Growth and Planning
Gaelige: ab initio -----> Introduction to Gaelic -----> Irish Language!
I will be auditing (sitting the class but not being registered or taking the exams)
Abstract Algebra, which is the only math class left for me to take for my major.
Weekend Without the Irish
Weekend without the Irish —
The Irish students were still on break as we moved into our flats at City Campus.
Also, they tend to go home on the weekends. So this first weekend our flats were relatively empty so all the international students banded together.
I have made great friends with a lot of them. On Friday night we went to Doolan's pub to see some traditional music. All together there are probably 40-50 international students so we tend to ravel as a big group, but it soon thins out as the night progresses as those who like the late nights stay out to drink but many retreat to their beds. My friend Agathe and I tend to be in the group that finishes out the night.
After leaving Doolan's as it was closing time we went back to our flats at City Campus. That night it was the birthday of Gael, a student form Belgium who lives in the flat below me. We returned to his flat and continued on our night. Agathe brought up her guitar as I told her I'd buy her a drink if she let me use it. I wasn't able to bring a guitar over for the journey it was too much hassle. Our friend Shane played first and he is a brilliant guitarist though is main instrument is the Double Bass. He was able to play Hotel California after just a minute or two of trying to figure out the song. Accompanying Shane was Thomas from Oklahoma on vocals so the thick accent worked well.
We finally left Gael's just after 5 in the morning.
Saturday I went to meet my friend Maggie, ( from Saint Louis but studying at University of Limerick) down in City Centre but we missed each other. To remedy the situation I went and purchased a mobile. There is a company here that is pay as you go and free calling between their companies mobiles so that all the international students buy them and we can call each other cheaply. Later in the day I was able to meet up with my friend down in City Centre after she finished the tour of King John's Castle. We came back to my flat and Maggie met my international friends. Then she had to depart to meet her flatmates. Agathe stayed to watch a movie with me so we watched 10 Things I Hate About You (popular in France apparently). Then we cooked pasta for dinner for a few of our friends and baked a chocolate cake for Gael.
Gael had another party at his flat but this time much larger. We learned a german drinking game involving dice and lying (similar to our card game B.S.)
Round 1 am we left from Gael's flat and went to a late nite pub that has very loud music and dancing so we all danced until they closed round 3 am. The music was mostly American, they really like Kings of Leon here and their new song Sex on Fire is very popular.
Sunday was Rugby Day. We Watched the match at Clohnessy's which is a pub run by a famous rugby player. Ireland is divided into 4 sections. Limerick lies in the section Munster. The Munster Rugby Team is the best team in all of Europe. We watched them play a French team, Mont Aubain perhaps? , and they won pretty handily. The match was the quarter final in the Heineken Cup.
Sunday afternoon we were all tired. We met our flatmates as they returned to school. My flatmates are grand. Fiona, Michelle and Emma. They are very nice, friendly and outgoing. I left them after a bit so I could return some things to Agathe as she had left them for the baking of the cake at my flat. I again bargained with her that if I returned her whisk we could play guitar again. So we did that as well, and it turned into a lot longer of a playing session then I imagined. We then invited friends over to watch a dvd as we were too tired to go out for the fifth night in a row. Agathe and I decided to cook for ourselves as well. However our guitar playing went long, and we began to cook right as our friends arrived. It also turns out that most of the international students came, so as we thought it would be only 5 or 6 friends coming, it became 20. Agathe and I made Rissoto with onion, tomatoe, zuchinni, garlic and sour cream.
We watched Oceans 11 and turned in for an early night as we had classes the next morning bright and early.
The Irish students were still on break as we moved into our flats at City Campus.
Also, they tend to go home on the weekends. So this first weekend our flats were relatively empty so all the international students banded together.
I have made great friends with a lot of them. On Friday night we went to Doolan's pub to see some traditional music. All together there are probably 40-50 international students so we tend to ravel as a big group, but it soon thins out as the night progresses as those who like the late nights stay out to drink but many retreat to their beds. My friend Agathe and I tend to be in the group that finishes out the night.
After leaving Doolan's as it was closing time we went back to our flats at City Campus. That night it was the birthday of Gael, a student form Belgium who lives in the flat below me. We returned to his flat and continued on our night. Agathe brought up her guitar as I told her I'd buy her a drink if she let me use it. I wasn't able to bring a guitar over for the journey it was too much hassle. Our friend Shane played first and he is a brilliant guitarist though is main instrument is the Double Bass. He was able to play Hotel California after just a minute or two of trying to figure out the song. Accompanying Shane was Thomas from Oklahoma on vocals so the thick accent worked well.
We finally left Gael's just after 5 in the morning.
Saturday I went to meet my friend Maggie, ( from Saint Louis but studying at University of Limerick) down in City Centre but we missed each other. To remedy the situation I went and purchased a mobile. There is a company here that is pay as you go and free calling between their companies mobiles so that all the international students buy them and we can call each other cheaply. Later in the day I was able to meet up with my friend down in City Centre after she finished the tour of King John's Castle. We came back to my flat and Maggie met my international friends. Then she had to depart to meet her flatmates. Agathe stayed to watch a movie with me so we watched 10 Things I Hate About You (popular in France apparently). Then we cooked pasta for dinner for a few of our friends and baked a chocolate cake for Gael.
Gael had another party at his flat but this time much larger. We learned a german drinking game involving dice and lying (similar to our card game B.S.)
Round 1 am we left from Gael's flat and went to a late nite pub that has very loud music and dancing so we all danced until they closed round 3 am. The music was mostly American, they really like Kings of Leon here and their new song Sex on Fire is very popular.
Sunday was Rugby Day. We Watched the match at Clohnessy's which is a pub run by a famous rugby player. Ireland is divided into 4 sections. Limerick lies in the section Munster. The Munster Rugby Team is the best team in all of Europe. We watched them play a French team, Mont Aubain perhaps? , and they won pretty handily. The match was the quarter final in the Heineken Cup.
Sunday afternoon we were all tired. We met our flatmates as they returned to school. My flatmates are grand. Fiona, Michelle and Emma. They are very nice, friendly and outgoing. I left them after a bit so I could return some things to Agathe as she had left them for the baking of the cake at my flat. I again bargained with her that if I returned her whisk we could play guitar again. So we did that as well, and it turned into a lot longer of a playing session then I imagined. We then invited friends over to watch a dvd as we were too tired to go out for the fifth night in a row. Agathe and I decided to cook for ourselves as well. However our guitar playing went long, and we began to cook right as our friends arrived. It also turns out that most of the international students came, so as we thought it would be only 5 or 6 friends coming, it became 20. Agathe and I made Rissoto with onion, tomatoe, zuchinni, garlic and sour cream.
We watched Oceans 11 and turned in for an early night as we had classes the next morning bright and early.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Erasmus and Insomnia
Things are swell here.
I have met a lot of new friends; they're really great people. Most of them are Erasmus students.
Erasmus is a study abroad program in Europe. Many of them are French, some are Belgian, and there are others from elsewhere.
Agathe (pronounced 'a got') has been very welcoming. She is here for her second semester as she was here in the Fall. She is from France and has helped us adjust as much as she can. We went out to the pub together last night; it was good craic (pronounced crack, gaelic for fun).
I have not been able to sleep well. The beds are not comfortable at all. But I think it has more to do with the time change than the beds.
We have orientation this morning where we will tour campus and choose classes, which begin Monday.We are meeting to walk to campus at half 8; its just about 8 am right now over here.
Hope all is well back home. I will try to get some pictures up soon; the internet here is a bit dodgy.
I have met a lot of new friends; they're really great people. Most of them are Erasmus students.
Erasmus is a study abroad program in Europe. Many of them are French, some are Belgian, and there are others from elsewhere.
Agathe (pronounced 'a got') has been very welcoming. She is here for her second semester as she was here in the Fall. She is from France and has helped us adjust as much as she can. We went out to the pub together last night; it was good craic (pronounced crack, gaelic for fun).
I have not been able to sleep well. The beds are not comfortable at all. But I think it has more to do with the time change than the beds.
We have orientation this morning where we will tour campus and choose classes, which begin Monday.We are meeting to walk to campus at half 8; its just about 8 am right now over here.
Hope all is well back home. I will try to get some pictures up soon; the internet here is a bit dodgy.
More frist day
Apartment is awesome! my roommates are three girls. Though none of them are here yet.
Got to the apartment freshened up and dropped my stuff off then it was off to shop a bit to grab a few essentials with Catie.
Did some rudimentary grocery shopping at Lidl (Aldis). Groceries = college food = ramen noodles, spaghetti o's, Kidney beans, Tuna and beer.
After shopping, unpacking, cleaning, and eating I promptly flopped down and passed out in an not so comfortable position on my bed. Woke up about 20 mins later with crazy cramps, drank some water and went right back to bed
but I did remember to set an alarm to wake myself in 2 hours.
Catie was too exhausted to go out at night so I went out alone for a quick pint with intentions to meet someone later. My downstairs neighbor had invited me out for diner but I was waiting for Catie before she decided to stay in. I was going to meet him at Dolan's pub later in the night, this was somewhere I had read about and thought I knew the location.
Turns out I really didn't quite know where it was so I just meandered about by myself in the rain until I came past a small pub called The West End, I decided to stop in for a pint an turns out there was an important football match on so I caught the tail end of it. The team I was rooting for wan but did not deserve to. Tottenham Hotspur advanced to the final of the Carling Cup by beating Burnley on 6-4 aggregate but really Burnley should have won and advanced. The final is against Manchester United.
Had some red kidney beans as late night snack and watched the first half of Eastern Promises before turning into bed at 11:30.
Got to the apartment freshened up and dropped my stuff off then it was off to shop a bit to grab a few essentials with Catie.
Did some rudimentary grocery shopping at Lidl (Aldis). Groceries = college food = ramen noodles, spaghetti o's, Kidney beans, Tuna and beer.
After shopping, unpacking, cleaning, and eating I promptly flopped down and passed out in an not so comfortable position on my bed. Woke up about 20 mins later with crazy cramps, drank some water and went right back to bed
but I did remember to set an alarm to wake myself in 2 hours.
Catie was too exhausted to go out at night so I went out alone for a quick pint with intentions to meet someone later. My downstairs neighbor had invited me out for diner but I was waiting for Catie before she decided to stay in. I was going to meet him at Dolan's pub later in the night, this was somewhere I had read about and thought I knew the location.
Turns out I really didn't quite know where it was so I just meandered about by myself in the rain until I came past a small pub called The West End, I decided to stop in for a pint an turns out there was an important football match on so I caught the tail end of it. The team I was rooting for wan but did not deserve to. Tottenham Hotspur advanced to the final of the Carling Cup by beating Burnley on 6-4 aggregate but really Burnley should have won and advanced. The final is against Manchester United.
Had some red kidney beans as late night snack and watched the first half of Eastern Promises before turning into bed at 11:30.
Flight to Ireland and more!
January 20 – Chicago:
Eat lunch at Thai grill. Kill time with my replacement roommate until Nora picks me up for the flight. Bags don't seem too heavy as at this point I'm relatively rested and energetic.
Flight is on time, take off at 6:30 PM, with no troubles getting through security. In fact this is the first time I've gotten through security without getting the extra security check, I guess I used to be on some list suggesting I may pose a domestic threat to the country...
After boarding the plane it comes to my attention that I actually didn't have a flight direct to Shannon, rather it stopped in Dublin first. I had all intentions of sleeping on the flight however that was never the case. Food is lack luster, special request lacto-ovo- vegetarian meal, and in flight movies fail to amuse.
Flight to Dublin luckily doesn't seem too long which is nice because I couldn't sleep.
Land at 7:25 am Dublin time = 1:25 am CST. Bad weather in Dublin = lay over for plane de-icing. Still arrive right on time in Shannon on the shortest flight ever at 9:25 am. Literally I think the Dublin to Shannon flight takes longer to taxi, take off, land, and taxi again then it spends actually in the air, maybe 20mins air time?
Line to enter country an Shannon is a bit long. Convert $600 to € gives €431.xx
Bus to Limerick transit hub costs €6.80 and is a quick trip, quicker than expected. Note during trip I have seen the biggest hills in quite some time, Chicago is flat.
At customs I met up with a friend from Loyola, Catie Houlihan and we traveled together to Limerick. We are attending the same school and staying in the same apt. complex.
Not quite oriented right as we begin the trek to our apt complex and we walk the right direction but the wrong street. At this point we are unbelievably exhausted and have to stop every two blocks or so to rest. We are tired, wet, sore and hungry. Taxi would have been a good choice, but better would have been closer inspection of a better map than we had at the time. (note today on the adgenda is go buy a decent map. Limerick doens't have the nice grid system we are used to in Chicago and the streets are not labeled as frequently or clearly as we are used to) We were initially real close to our apt but we took the long tiresome route and ended up detting directions from a nice stranger.
Eat lunch at Thai grill. Kill time with my replacement roommate until Nora picks me up for the flight. Bags don't seem too heavy as at this point I'm relatively rested and energetic.
Flight is on time, take off at 6:30 PM, with no troubles getting through security. In fact this is the first time I've gotten through security without getting the extra security check, I guess I used to be on some list suggesting I may pose a domestic threat to the country...
After boarding the plane it comes to my attention that I actually didn't have a flight direct to Shannon, rather it stopped in Dublin first. I had all intentions of sleeping on the flight however that was never the case. Food is lack luster, special request lacto-ovo- vegetarian meal, and in flight movies fail to amuse.
Flight to Dublin luckily doesn't seem too long which is nice because I couldn't sleep.
Land at 7:25 am Dublin time = 1:25 am CST. Bad weather in Dublin = lay over for plane de-icing. Still arrive right on time in Shannon on the shortest flight ever at 9:25 am. Literally I think the Dublin to Shannon flight takes longer to taxi, take off, land, and taxi again then it spends actually in the air, maybe 20mins air time?
Line to enter country an Shannon is a bit long. Convert $600 to € gives €431.xx
Bus to Limerick transit hub costs €6.80 and is a quick trip, quicker than expected. Note during trip I have seen the biggest hills in quite some time, Chicago is flat.
At customs I met up with a friend from Loyola, Catie Houlihan and we traveled together to Limerick. We are attending the same school and staying in the same apt. complex.
Not quite oriented right as we begin the trek to our apt complex and we walk the right direction but the wrong street. At this point we are unbelievably exhausted and have to stop every two blocks or so to rest. We are tired, wet, sore and hungry. Taxi would have been a good choice, but better would have been closer inspection of a better map than we had at the time. (note today on the adgenda is go buy a decent map. Limerick doens't have the nice grid system we are used to in Chicago and the streets are not labeled as frequently or clearly as we are used to) We were initially real close to our apt but we took the long tiresome route and ended up detting directions from a nice stranger.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Train trip disaster
So I left Saint Louis today for Chicago via train.
Our train made it to Carlinville IL before it hit a Garbage truck and partially derailed.
I am fine and no one on the train was seriously injured however the driver of the truck is still in the hospital.
A full story can be read here
http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=164862
Our train made it to Carlinville IL before it hit a Garbage truck and partially derailed.
I am fine and no one on the train was seriously injured however the driver of the truck is still in the hospital.
A full story can be read here
http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=164862
Saturday, January 3, 2009
My trip to Ireland
I am going to be studying abroad this semester in Limerick City, Co. Limerick, Ireland at Mary Immaculate College. (Mary I for short)
I am leaving from Chicago on January 20th on an overnight flight and will be arriving at Shannon Airport around 9:30 their time.
I'll know a few people when I get there. A friend of mine from Loyola will also be going to the same school in Limerick while my friend Maggie from Saint Louis will be going to a different school, University of Limerick, in the same town. I met a few students from Mary I this semester as they studied at Loyola.
If all goes well I hope to try and play some water polo with the club team at University of Limerick while I'm there. Also if I get the chance I'd like to do some traveling hopefully to Prague, Norway, Croatia and more.
I will keep everyone posted with information on here now and then as well as post pictures from my travels.
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