So...sorry about the delay! My laptop died for the past week but it is FINALLY back!
So, I want to tell you guys about my trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. Last weekend, we took a trip to Scotland to explore the beautiful city of Edinburgh. And, I think this statement sums up our weekend,
"Um...is it bad that I kind of want to study abroad in Scotland now that I'm here?"
We had an amazing weekend exploring Scotland's castle-like exterior. Flying out of Shannon Airport on Friday night, I had such a buzz of excitement to begin my international escapades. Typically, many don't think of Scotland as one of the top trips to take while abroad, but it has such an amazing history and landscape that I encourage all to see.
Edinburgh is such a cool city. Right as we got off the bus from the airport, we looked to our right to see a beautiful castle-like cathedral staring at us. The pointed tiers lit up against the city lights casting an eerie yet peaceful glow over the surrounding area. Luckily enough, our hostel was right down the road from this cathedral! Now...our hostel was...interesting to say the least. Actually, we had a great experience with this place. The main staff was really friendly when we first arrived and our roommates were all really quiet, but totally normal people! (Though I was a little perplexed by the french couple who literally didn't leave their bed the ENTIRE time we were there!) It was everything you would picture in a hostel: a lot of young, artsy kids who are clearly not from the area all trying to look as authentically European and sophisticated as possible. I saw everything from chains to pink hair to a group of guys sitting next to me engaging in...um, well, let's just say illicit drug activity (once we noticed this we decided to move ourselves to a different part of the hangout room).
On Saturday morning, we awoke to a very filling breakfast of toast and more toast...
Then, we began our crazy escapades around the city! At first, we merely walked around trying to get a view of the beautiful buildings. Our walk led us through a large cemetery, cathedral, and eventually to an outside view of the southern face of the famous Edinburgh Castle. Eventually, we found ourselves on a free walking tour of the city (perfect for our poor college student budgets). Too much happened to fully detail, but here are a few of the fun things that occurred:
(1) We learned that the area I originally suggested to go out to for a pub was the worst area to walk around at night because of the stag/hen parties that erupted.
(2) That same area was once a famous murder ground for two serial killers trying to make bank by selling corpses to the local university as cadavers.
(3) I was brought up in front of a group and helped re-enact public punishments in Scotland...it involved my ear being nailed to a door and people throwing feces at me...enough said...
(4) Some college kids stole the "Stone of Destiny" from the English after centuries of Scotland losing it, only to drop the stone and crack it...way to be, college kids...
(5) I learned I would have been a "wonderful looking male prostitute"..I also had the option to be a pirate
Following this craziness, we went on a ghost tour later on at night exploring the darker history of the city. Most of that tour was a repeat of the day tour, but we did have some creepy encounters in the cemetery and tried to find some ghostly friends. Also, we learned that the Scots really need to rethink their building strategies, because they managed to build a half-replica of the Parthenon and an observatory in a country that has cloudy skies about 99% percent of the time.
But, in all seriousness, Scotland has an amazing and beautiful history that still resonates in the modern cities. Our group had a fantastic time that weekend, and I recommend everybody checking out Edinburgh at least some point. I'll update more about the Irish life soon! Until then...
With Irish Blessings,
Jim Jam
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Give Me Your Hand
So, I never thought I'd say this, but I REALLY miss SJU registration (allow me to explain).
So, registration here isn't online like in the states (or, at least not for visiting students). Basically, every department works in its own world. No department really connects with others, so every policy is different. Some classes require pre-registration while others don't, and some classes that look like they don't need registration actually DO need it. Classes are divided between lectures and seminars (lectures are big, seminars are small and only allow roughly 2 to 5 visiting students in each). What's great about this system is that for the first two weeks you can sit in on any lectures you want to get a feel for the class. Here is the lame part:
Today, I had to sign up for an English seminar. I waited on line for five hours to get into a class that meets once a week. Now, most readers now probably are shaking their heads saying, "Of course you would, Jimmy, you nerd!" or, "Wow, do you have a life?" But, it's crazy because I was still 30th in line!!! Here, you have to line up and sign up for individual seminar classes. Registration started at noon and I got to the line at 7:30 A.M. Picture a Hogwarts courtyard with a bunch of eager wizarding students waiting underneath a gorgeous stone corridor waiting in front of a maroon oak door to get into a class...it sort of looked like that (sorry for the Harry Potter reference). So, it was cold, it rained, about 20 people cut in front of us, there was no food or drink, and I left my pillow to sit against back in the room. To put it lightly, registration is mayhem, BUTTTTT, I did get the Old English Language class I had been dying to take! (Yes, once again, I'm a nerd.)
BUT, we made some new friends on line which was awesome! And, as a whole, it was a beautiful morning once the sun rose. So, I guess I don't totally miss SJU registration, but it would be nice if everything could be online.
So, this blog post is more of a rant than anything else, and if you've read this far, God bless you for putting up with this!
With Irish Blessings,
Jim Jam
P.S. Aside from registration, NUIG is basically the greatest school ever. 'Nuff said.
So, registration here isn't online like in the states (or, at least not for visiting students). Basically, every department works in its own world. No department really connects with others, so every policy is different. Some classes require pre-registration while others don't, and some classes that look like they don't need registration actually DO need it. Classes are divided between lectures and seminars (lectures are big, seminars are small and only allow roughly 2 to 5 visiting students in each). What's great about this system is that for the first two weeks you can sit in on any lectures you want to get a feel for the class. Here is the lame part:
Today, I had to sign up for an English seminar. I waited on line for five hours to get into a class that meets once a week. Now, most readers now probably are shaking their heads saying, "Of course you would, Jimmy, you nerd!" or, "Wow, do you have a life?" But, it's crazy because I was still 30th in line!!! Here, you have to line up and sign up for individual seminar classes. Registration started at noon and I got to the line at 7:30 A.M. Picture a Hogwarts courtyard with a bunch of eager wizarding students waiting underneath a gorgeous stone corridor waiting in front of a maroon oak door to get into a class...it sort of looked like that (sorry for the Harry Potter reference). So, it was cold, it rained, about 20 people cut in front of us, there was no food or drink, and I left my pillow to sit against back in the room. To put it lightly, registration is mayhem, BUTTTTT, I did get the Old English Language class I had been dying to take! (Yes, once again, I'm a nerd.)
BUT, we made some new friends on line which was awesome! And, as a whole, it was a beautiful morning once the sun rose. So, I guess I don't totally miss SJU registration, but it would be nice if everything could be online.
So, this blog post is more of a rant than anything else, and if you've read this far, God bless you for putting up with this!
With Irish Blessings,
Jim Jam
P.S. Aside from registration, NUIG is basically the greatest school ever. 'Nuff said.
I'll Tell Me Ma
This is why I love Ireland.
So in our first few days here we decided to travel to this beautiful part of Galway called Salt Hill. Our initial journey to Salt Hill turned into curious foreigners' need to explore, so we began walking around the local high school and more high class areas. What struck me right away was the beauty yet simplicity of these high class homes; sure, they had beautifully paved driveways and perfectly cut lawns, but none of the houses had ornate decorations out front or flashy colors. In fact, most of the homes looked similar to each other. It was refreshing to see a beautiful development that still maintained simplicity in appearance. The local schoolkids were all hanging out on the sidewalks, laughing and enjoying the beautiful sun.
As we walked further through the development, we noticed a group of four irish guys just hanging out on one of the street corners. They looked about our age, maybe a little bit older. We thought nothing of them until they called after us, asking where we were going. They asked us what a couple of Americans were doing wandering around the neighborhood, and they laughed at us when we told them our original plan.
"That'll take you furever!" one of them chuckled.
After small banter, we were invited to join these guys for a drink at their hanging spot. Slightly unsure yet intrigued, we all decided to follow suit. The next ten minutes consisted of typical irish bawdy humor, slurred irish songs ringing through the streets (oh yeah, these guys were pretty sloshed), and random questions about life in America. Eventually, we found ourselves sitting on a grassy knoll with these guys, watching people go by as we enjoyed a drink. We asked them a lot of questions about daily life in Ireland, places to see while we are here, their impressions of Americans (no, they don't drink Guinness warm; Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Aran Islands were all brought up; they don't hate us for being American), and we thoroughly enjoyed their company. The weather had been beautiful all week, so we asked them how it felt to see the sun for more than a few hours at a time. One of them responded,
"It's so bright out we don't know what to do with ourselves! So, we drink!"
We also picked up a few great life lessons/phrases while hanging out with them. Essentially, they told us to make the most of the time we were here and not to allow ourselves to miss out on anything (I think these guys meant drink as much as possible, but I'm choosing to interpret it in a much deeper fashion). "See ya' in Alaska!" is now a common phrase for us (if curious, ask for meaning). But, the wisest words we heard all day came towards the end of our hangout session,
"If there's one thing an Irish man fears...it's his mam!"
So, moms around the world, congratulations on holding a universal claim on your children's behavior at home and abroad!
With Irish Blessings,
Jim Jam
So in our first few days here we decided to travel to this beautiful part of Galway called Salt Hill. Our initial journey to Salt Hill turned into curious foreigners' need to explore, so we began walking around the local high school and more high class areas. What struck me right away was the beauty yet simplicity of these high class homes; sure, they had beautifully paved driveways and perfectly cut lawns, but none of the houses had ornate decorations out front or flashy colors. In fact, most of the homes looked similar to each other. It was refreshing to see a beautiful development that still maintained simplicity in appearance. The local schoolkids were all hanging out on the sidewalks, laughing and enjoying the beautiful sun.
As we walked further through the development, we noticed a group of four irish guys just hanging out on one of the street corners. They looked about our age, maybe a little bit older. We thought nothing of them until they called after us, asking where we were going. They asked us what a couple of Americans were doing wandering around the neighborhood, and they laughed at us when we told them our original plan.
"That'll take you furever!" one of them chuckled.
After small banter, we were invited to join these guys for a drink at their hanging spot. Slightly unsure yet intrigued, we all decided to follow suit. The next ten minutes consisted of typical irish bawdy humor, slurred irish songs ringing through the streets (oh yeah, these guys were pretty sloshed), and random questions about life in America. Eventually, we found ourselves sitting on a grassy knoll with these guys, watching people go by as we enjoyed a drink. We asked them a lot of questions about daily life in Ireland, places to see while we are here, their impressions of Americans (no, they don't drink Guinness warm; Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Aran Islands were all brought up; they don't hate us for being American), and we thoroughly enjoyed their company. The weather had been beautiful all week, so we asked them how it felt to see the sun for more than a few hours at a time. One of them responded,
"It's so bright out we don't know what to do with ourselves! So, we drink!"
We also picked up a few great life lessons/phrases while hanging out with them. Essentially, they told us to make the most of the time we were here and not to allow ourselves to miss out on anything (I think these guys meant drink as much as possible, but I'm choosing to interpret it in a much deeper fashion). "See ya' in Alaska!" is now a common phrase for us (if curious, ask for meaning). But, the wisest words we heard all day came towards the end of our hangout session,
"If there's one thing an Irish man fears...it's his mam!"
So, moms around the world, congratulations on holding a universal claim on your children's behavior at home and abroad!
With Irish Blessings,
Jim Jam
Monday, September 13, 2010
Come Out Ye Black and Tans
It's 2 P.M. as I sit in my apartment blasting The Dubliners' "The Lord of the Dance." I had promised to create a blog at some point to commemorate my experience in the Emerald Isle, but I'm realizing with every letter that this will be much harder to do than originally thought. Today marks my 2 week anniversary in Ireland, and I'm already dreading that 2 weeks have flown by.
I guess I should begin with the blog title. While here in Ireland, I promised myself I would do everything I could to acclimate myself with the culture and heritage. In an effort to do so, I decided that learning the Irish language would help me bridge gaps (and look really learned/awesome compared to most other Americans). Next week, I will begin my 4-hour-a-week class on Irish for beginners, and I cannot wait to get started! Having the language in mind, I looked up classic Gaelic phrases and settled for the simplistic, yet utterly beautiful phrase, "Sláinte," meaning "Cheers." It's actually really fitting that I settled for this because the word "Cheers" has been on my mind since I first landed in Galway. Whenever I would buy something at a store or thank someone for their help, I would get the response, "Cheers!" It made me uncomfortable at first because I never knew if I should respond with the phrase or make a comment about the T.V. show or crack some joke about everybody knowing my name. Every time I think of the word, I think of a smile, because I have not yet received the phrase without some genuine smirk or smile from the person saying it. It seems that "Cheers" can be used both as a "Thank You" and "You're Welcome," but it really means "Health." Now, I'm only working off assumptions here, but I took this to mean that every time I've received the phrase, "Cheers," somebody has wished me good health. This is what I have fallen in love with: a land that genuinely wishes to provide me with good health, whether it be through the people I encounter or the places I explore or the stories I hear.
So, my hope for this blog is that I can share this health with you. That I can cheer you up (see what I did there? Wordplay? I'm so clever, aren't I...) with ridiculous anecdotes of my life abroad. Alright...enough of the mushy, sentimental nonsense. Let's have some fun!
With Irish Blessings,
Jim Jam
P.S. Each post title is the name of a classic Irish drinking song. A friend of mine from the states sent me a bunch to listen to, so I wanted to share the awesomeness. Hopefully I'll have them all memorized soon!
I guess I should begin with the blog title. While here in Ireland, I promised myself I would do everything I could to acclimate myself with the culture and heritage. In an effort to do so, I decided that learning the Irish language would help me bridge gaps (and look really learned/awesome compared to most other Americans). Next week, I will begin my 4-hour-a-week class on Irish for beginners, and I cannot wait to get started! Having the language in mind, I looked up classic Gaelic phrases and settled for the simplistic, yet utterly beautiful phrase, "Sláinte," meaning "Cheers." It's actually really fitting that I settled for this because the word "Cheers" has been on my mind since I first landed in Galway. Whenever I would buy something at a store or thank someone for their help, I would get the response, "Cheers!" It made me uncomfortable at first because I never knew if I should respond with the phrase or make a comment about the T.V. show or crack some joke about everybody knowing my name. Every time I think of the word, I think of a smile, because I have not yet received the phrase without some genuine smirk or smile from the person saying it. It seems that "Cheers" can be used both as a "Thank You" and "You're Welcome," but it really means "Health." Now, I'm only working off assumptions here, but I took this to mean that every time I've received the phrase, "Cheers," somebody has wished me good health. This is what I have fallen in love with: a land that genuinely wishes to provide me with good health, whether it be through the people I encounter or the places I explore or the stories I hear.
So, my hope for this blog is that I can share this health with you. That I can cheer you up (see what I did there? Wordplay? I'm so clever, aren't I...) with ridiculous anecdotes of my life abroad. Alright...enough of the mushy, sentimental nonsense. Let's have some fun!
With Irish Blessings,
Jim Jam
P.S. Each post title is the name of a classic Irish drinking song. A friend of mine from the states sent me a bunch to listen to, so I wanted to share the awesomeness. Hopefully I'll have them all memorized soon!
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