Where to start.... First of all, I have been without internet at my apartment for the past, Oh I don't know, five days or so. Because of this, I have found a few places around town with WIFI, like McDonalds and a coffee shop, and of course the college library. But stores and places in Ireland aren't open crazy late hours like they are in the US so my computer access as been limited. Anyway, I survived and it was probably good for me to be disconnected for a few days.
Classes are now well underway and I am starting to get the hang of this unfamiliar way of schooling. Just a few examples, there are no required text books. Lecturers instead give out reading lists from many many many different books and sources. There is only one paper and one test per term per class so I have a lot more free time but then again more pressure on that one test/paper. Also, at IT the classes are only one hr at a time and meet a few times a week. At Carlow College, classes meet once a week for two hours each time but assessments are set up in a similar way to the IT. All my professors are great and I am excited to see where each course takes me.
This week in Carlow was named "Freshers week" and there were many events and parties going on around town at the colleges and in the pubs. Wednesday we went to our first Rugby match at the IT. It was an intersquad game and we actually knew some of the players for our apartment complex and from class. Next I want to see some curling! After the game we went out to "The Foundry" night club. It was a beach themed party and they splattered UV paint on us! It was a ton of fun and again, we saw a of lot people we knew.
Friday our Irish Experience class took a bus field trip around Carlow county to various tourist/historic sites. To name a few, we saw 5th and 7th century monastic ruins, the Milford Lock, St. Laserians Cathedral, a Penal Chapel and burial grounds, and also some castle ruins. I think, though, my favorite part of the day was when drove up to the top of a bluff and saw the most beautiful view spanning across FIVE COUNTIES. (check out my facebook pics!) It was a great field trip and it made me very excited for the next five. This coming Friday we are headed to Wexford where will get to see the beach where "Saving Private Ryan" was filmed.
Saturday we took a last minute day trip to Waterford which is about 1 hr and 15 min train ride from Carlow. It was the first time we have used the Irish Rail system and we were very pleased! It seems to be cheaper, faster, more direct and nicer than the bus system. (I do think though that taking a car would be the best way to see Ireland simply because then you can go exactly where you want when you want to. The public transportation doesn't go everywhere.... Just a tip if anyone ever travels to Ireland) Anway, taking the train worked out great for what we wanted and it was fairly cheap.
Waterford in on the River Suir and is a very old, historic town. We ended going first to the Waterford House of Crystal Factory for a tour. It was amazing and the crystal itself is, of course, beautiful. The rest of the day we toured the town Cathedral, Bishops Palace, Reginalds tower and an art gallery.
Coming up!!-- Going to London this weekend! Stay tuned to hear about London!
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