Woe is me.

So I'm taking this class "Epistemology and Metaphysics" in the philosophy department. Mind you, I'm a philosophy minor. By Mount Holyoke standards, this means I take any 4 philosophy classes of my choosing, as long as one is a 300 level course. So, basically, I can take whatever I want, whatever I find interesting. This allows for the freedom to stray away from the boring, made-up, nonsensical classes like logic. Haha. It's an excellent system, allowing me to take the flowery courses, not really learning anything, just kind of dipping my fingers into what I personally find interesting. Well, here at Trinity, the options are more limited. So, that leads me back to my present predicament. Epistemology and metaphysics. Sounds fancy and intriguing, right? Thought so. Theories of knowledge and truth, right? Well, unknown to me, theories of knowledge are not so flowery as they could be. It's all based in linguistics, logic and semantics. Booooringggg if you ask me. Metaphysics is more of a flowery conception....hopefully. 

I don't know where I'm going with this....But, I've got to write a 2000 word essay on epistemology, more specifically Quine's objection to logical and mathematical truths by convention. Bah, doesn't that just sound so dull and complicated at the same time? Thinking about it gives me a headache. I've had to read the articles multiple times just to grasp half the concepts. Oh my. I've even come across a book, basically 'Quine for dummies', called "Quine for the Perplexed" and its probably one of the only things keeping me going. 

Where was I going with this? Just a rant on my situation. Time to perfect the art of bull-shitting.

Long time, no see

Wow! I haven't made a post in over a month! Funny though, things haven't been busy enough to not make the time to post. I wonder where my head's been...

Anyways, what's been going on since February? Hum. Well, two weekends ago, I went to London to visit my friend Phyllis from Mount Holyoke. It was so much fun! I think London may be my favorite city by far! It's so easy to navigate, extremely cosmopolitan and international. So, I arrived early on Friday morning at Gatwick airport. Then took the train to Farringdon, close to Phyllis' apartment. Met her around noon and we headed off to explore the city! It was a gorgeous day, about 6o degrees even. We walked around Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, saw Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. It was nice to see them again! The only time I'd been to London before was in 2005 and all my pictures from that trip are gone, because freshmen year of college I broke my computer....oops! Haha. Around dinner time, we went to Covent Garden and had noodles at Wagamama. Delicious! 

Saturday was a bit of a late start, but we were out of the apartment by noon-ish. We went to Portobello Road outdoor market in Notting Hill. There were so many street vendors, selling fresh fruits and veggies, vintage and second hand clothes, crafts, antiques, you name it. The market was down the street about a mile long. Phyllis brought me to this great Falafel place for lunch, called "Falafel King" haha. It was soo yummy! We poked around for a couple of hours and then headed back into Central London. Poor Phyllis, before we could go home, I dragged her to King's Cross station to see Platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter. Hahah. And of course I took my picture, running into the wall. It was the highlight of my day. Then we went home and chilled out for a bit before going out for dinner and seeing a broadway show! We had dinner in Convent Garden and then went to the 8:30 show of Avenue Q. I bought us great tickets for only about 50 pounds. The show was hilarious and now the songs are always on repeat on my ipod. I'm addicted.

On Sunday we went on the London Eye in the late morning/early afternoon. I bought tickets online ahead of time so we didn't have to wait in any lines. The ride is about 45 minutes and you can see all of London. I took so many pictures, I probably have at least 4-5 shots of the same thing; Big Ben, etc. After the eye, we walked past the London Aquarium and took the tube to St. James Park and Buckingham Palace. Um, what else? We went to the movies that evening, and then had pizza and wine for dinner. It was a great ending to the weekend. 

I headed back to Dublin Monday afternoon. This past week was the last of Hilary term classes. I needed to get one of my 5 papers done and out of the way with, so I finished researching and by Wednesday night, my 1o page paper on resilience for Development and Mental Heath was complete. 

This past Thursday we left for our Institute for Study Abroad-Butler University trip to Northern Ireland (free t-shirts and everything, haha!) We left Dublin around 1:45pm on Thursday and arrived at Jury's Inn in Belfast by 4:30pm. This trip was planned for all Butler students at all schools in Ireland, so there were over 140 of us. After we checked in, Anni, Stephany, Lucy and I went exploring the city. My great-grandparents were from Belfast. It was really cool to think about being in the same place they lived. I tried to find the church they were married at on Shankill Road, but I couldn't find it. Anyways, we walked up to Queen's University Belfast. It's beautiful! All Georgian and brick. Looks a little bit like Mount Holyoke. Belfast is very very different from Dublin. Hard to explain, but it's a nice different. 

Friday we had a long packed day ahead of us. A tour of basically all of the North. We drove along the Antrim Coast road, it was breathtaking! Absolutely stunning weather as well. We stopped first at Carrick-a-rede rope bridge. The rope bridge connects to a small island that fisherman would go to to collect and catch salmon. The water was so clear, green and blue. Walking across the bridge was a bit frightening because it swayed back and forth. But, so worth it. The views were incredible. After spending some time there, we headed to the seaside town of Portrush for lunch. Then we stopped for 20 minutes at the ruins of Dunluce Castle. Much of it apparently collapsed into the sea. Oh my. Last stop of the day was the world-famous Giant's Causeway. The weather started to get really crappy by this point, and we were soaked. Walking around the Causeway was slippery and wet, but quite an amazing experience. If you ever get a chance to go to Ireland, it's a must see.

Saturday was our free day and we did a black cab tour of Belfast. They took us around to all the murals and paintings on the walls, explaining the history of the Troubles. It was so eery to think about the violence that went on only about 30-40 years ago. We went to Shankill Rd, and Bombay street, famous for the most violence of all the Troubles. After the tour, I went a little coffee shop for lunch and then took a bus tour of the city. We went to the Titanic ship yard and dock. I was so excited! I think I've done maybe 3 or 4 school projects or papers on the Titanic. It fascinates me. So, we saw where it was build, the pump house and the type of cranes used to move materials. Wow. So cool. After that, I went shopping-it was great because the pound is not at strong as the euro, so I could buy more and spend less. Haha. Plus it was a rainy, crappy day, another good excuse to go shopping.

Sunday morning and we headed back to Dublin. Now, this week is all about writing another 10 page paper before spring break next week when Sarah and Beth come to visit! Gahhh schoolwork is really a drag here.....

A Day in the Life

It's been exactly one month since my arrival in Dubin (okay, plus one day). It definitely hasn't felt like a month. It's felt like much longer. Maybe because my roommates and I have a routine worked out. I've got a schedule of what each day is like, my classes for the day, dance classes at night. I have a route I take when walking to school everyday. I know the good coffee shops, where to avoid in the library. We know a few pubs, what the weather is going to be like (always unpredictable) and how expensive it is for a cup of coffee. So, here's a profile of daily life. Today I had one class, a psychology course called 'Models of Development and Mental Health' at 11:00am. So, I woke up at 9:30, got dressed and got my backpack ready. I made a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast, checked my email and was out the door by 10:20. Believe me, in the morning, those 4 tasks take quite a while. As my roommate and I were leaving the apartment for class, we looked out the window and it was snowing outside! Like heavily snowing! A snowstorm in Ireland, what? We took the LUAS into St. Stephen's Green cause it was not fun outside, but by the time the train actually came, the snow had stopped and it was sunny out. We stopped at Cafe Sol on Dawson St. right near Trinity and got yummy warm coffee. They have a good deal in the morning, any hot drink and any pastry for 3.50 euro. Not too bad (until you convert back into U.S. dollars- but let's not go there). 

Went to class in the ugly concrete Arts Building. Today we had a guest speaker, a women who works for this teen/adolescent clinic therapy center(s) around and in Dublin. Despite her disorganized powerpoints, it was interesting to hear. She does a lot of community work, assessing the clients with their parents, in and out of school, etc. I enjoyed it because it seems something that is right up my field. I would preferably like to work with children in clinical settings, but I have no problem tackling adolescents as well. 

After class ended, I headed over to the gym to sign up for the 1pm yoga class. Turns out, due to the weather, the instructor didn't come in today. I tell ya, Ireland is really on it's own schedule and things are not organized. Oh well. I went to the library to do a bit of philosophy reading. I met my Trinity mentor, Aisling, at 2:30 in the Buttery for a cup of tea. She is really really nice. She's a post grad studying clinical psychology and is also a nurse. She's awesome. A few weeks ago I met her for the first time and she showed me how to get to my dance studio and some tips about getting around Dublin. I love chatting with Irish people. Seems odd, but I usually just hang out with the American crew, so I don't hear the Irish accent that often (from peers, anyway). When I listen to the accent and start conversing, I pick up the brogue so quickly its funny. 

After tea, I headed home. I stopped at the mall to get a birthday card for my Grandpa and my friend who is turning 21 soon. I went to one of the Irish gift shops and picked him up a few things I could mail as well. Came home, and it was snowing again! Pelting actually. The hailstorm was kind of a freak show, to be honest! Got home, ate, went on the computer, watched tv. I wasn't able to go to dance class tonight because it was so cold and the weather was horrible. Tara, Sarah, Morgan and I went to a coffee shop in the evening to have some tea, chat and just get out of the house. We then watched the new series of 90210 and here I am! Quite the thrilling life, I know. But, more adventures to come on the weekends and when the weather gets nicer. Fingers crossed!

Reflections

So, it's been about 4 weeks since my arrival in Dublin. Once in a while when I'm walking down the street to class or to do some grocery shopping, I reflect on everything that's happened so far. So much has happened in only 4 weeks that I feel like I've been living here forever. Not in a bad way, of course. I mean, my roommates and I have a sort of routine going, chores list, etc. We have a certain route we take to and from school everyday, we've got some coffee shops we enjoy, this great crepe place, and a local pub to go to for a pint on evenings. Sometimes I'm really happy I'm here in Dublin, experiencing a new culture and lifestyle. And, other times, I get really homesick and crave the security and familiarity that is not only home and Mount Holyoke, but also the United States in general. Life here is a lot slower, less tense. Living in a city is something that bothers me often. It's loud and crowded, the apartment is small. Coffee shops are always packed. The library is never quick, you can't find a place to study. There's no where to really hang out. Dublin is quite international. It's not the quintessential Ireland at all. The college system at Trinity is extremely different than anything I've ever experienced. I mean, just going from a school from 2,000 to 17,000 is a shock. 

Shopping, cooking, cleaning, locking the apartment--these simple things seem so foreign. It's fun and exciting sometimes, but then I realize how much work it is to live on your own. 

It's only been 4 weeks but already I've learned so much. Things I already know about myself have been confirmed-that fact that I don't like cities or big schools. It's expensive, I've learned and it's tempting everyday to stop and get a coffee and croissant. I think that being here is great. Difficult, but great. It make me realize how much I take for granted all that I have back home and at Mount Holyoke. 

Well, roommates are getting ready to go out clubbing-music is blasting and people are dancing. I've decided to stay in, drink some tea, eat some and watch tv. My kind of night. 2 classes in the morning. Sigh

DUISS Galway Trip

Just got back from the Dublin University International Students Society (DUISS) weekend trip to Galway, which was absolutely amazing. You can't experience the heart of Ireland without going ot the West. 

We left Friday night around 6pm and make it to the hostel in Galway around 10pm. The hostel was really nice. We had to climb up these very very steep stairs. There were hand painted murals on the walls, one was a girl sitting on a windowsill looking out at the water in Galway harbor, another one was a old looking gate of an inn, with one candle lit in the corner. It was like beckoning wearing travelers into the inn. Upstairs in the hostel, there was the reception, big dining area with tables and chairs and a mural on the wall. Down the corridor was a kitchen area. I've never seen a hostel before or knew how they worked. Apparently you can bring your own food and use the kitchen to cook all your meals. The rooms of the hostel are dorm style, we were 8 to a room, complete with summer camp style bunk beds. One big bathroom for girls at the other end of the hall, boys as well. After arriving and settling in, we headed out to the pubs! We only had about a 3 minute walk to the downtown area of Galway. The street where the strip of pubs were located was cobblestone, it reminded me a lot of Nantucket actually. We went to the King's Head pub which was great! It was huge, for a pub, complete with live music. The lead singer was a women with a great voice and she sang tons of popular songs so we could dance and sing along. We found a place to sit near the stage to hang out and put our coats down. Almost at the end of the night, a guy randomly got on stage and started making a speech. We didn't really know what was going on but after a few minutes, we realized he was....proposing to his girlfriend! On stage, at the pub! We're not sure, but he was pretty gone at that point, his speech went something like this, "I've know you for 8 years, I met you in gym class and you made me sweaty, will you marry me?" Haha, it was great and unexpected all at the same time. Of course his girlfriend said yes, she gave him a big hug (no kiss?) and everyone cheered. We got back to the hostel around 2am, pretty late considering we had to wake up the next day at 8am.

Saturday we woke up at 8, had a breakfast of cereal and toast and headed out for Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, famous for their wool sweaters and 'Gaeltecht' or Gaelic-speaking region. It took about an hour to drive to the ferry. It was a really great ride to the ferry because we got to watch the sun really hit the sky. We drove along the beach as well; our introduction to some beautiful Irish scenery. At 10:30am we got on the little boat to take us to Inis Mor. The water looked a bit choppy because it was windy, but I thought it'd be okay. I'm pretty used to boats, going to Nantucket and all. I made the mistake though of sitting in the front of the boat and it was quite rocky. Back and forth, up and down, hitting waves. I was not a happy camper. Thank goodness it was only a 40 minute ride. Getting off the boat, I got a wonderful wiff of fresh sea air. It was nice to be back on an island again. The air was so crisp and fresh. Right at the dock was the bike rental place and we all rented bikes for the day, only 6 euro. Then we headed off to go exploring. We were hungry and wanted to find some place to eat, but the only thing we came across was a SPAR and a little coffee shop. There were two cats hanging around outside, they were so cute! I had to pet them, of course. One of the cats had some sort of tumor or something on its nose, so we said the cat was Jewish, it had quite the Jewish nose. So, not being able to find a place to eat, we just decided to keep biking. The bike ride was wonderful! We saw cows, goats, horses, dogs and cats. I can't even describe the landscape, it was gorgeous. The Aran Islands is exactly what you think about when you imagine Ireland. Stone walls everywhere, beautiful green fields, rocky coastlines and everything. About ten minutes into our ride, we got hit with a terrible hailstorm! It only lasted about 5 minutes but it was so painful I had to get off my bike and run for cover. It was a really rainy and wet day, especially riding on the dirt roads through puddles. By the end of the day my pants were soaking wet. We stopped so often to take pictures as well it was just so beautiful. We biked for about 45 minutes down the road, looking for this stone ruin, I forgot the name. After a while, we were tired, wet, cold and hungry and decided to just head back into town. We took a path along the beach. It was quite long but a lot less hilly, less difficult to bike. We saw cows and goats along the way. The animals seemed very intrigued by our presence and walked right up to us. About an hour later, we were back in town. We went to the little coffee shop for some tea and bread and cheese. After that, we returned our bikes at the pier and went shopping at the Aran Island Sweater Market, complete with handmade original Aran Island sweaters. The shop was beautiful, I got myself a really nice button down sweater and a few things for my family as well. Apparently, different Irish family clans created different patterns on the sweaters. So, depending on the patters, you could tell what family someone was from. They had lots of those family sweaters which was cool. Of course, I didn't think Cooke would be there, it's pretty much an English last name, and if Irish, from the North. 

At 5:00pm it was time to head back to Galway. At this point it was so windy, and freezing. The water was horrible and I was not looking forward to the ride back. It was going to be miserable. Luckily, Jeremy had some dramamine and I took one without question. We also sat at the back of the boat, right above the motor, the stablest part of the boat. The ride wasn't actually that bad on the way back. Back in the hostel by 6:30. At 7:30pm we had a group dinner at a pub/restaurant downtown. It was really really good, I had Irish vegetable soup and lasagna. After dinner we went to a pub called The Quays (pronounced 'Keys'). That was nice and low key. We found some tables away from the crowds and the bars and just chatted most of the night. I was exhausted from our trip and was happy to head to bed. 

Sunday morning, today, we woke up at 9 and had to be on the bus by 10 to head to the infamous Cliffs of Moher. It was a two hour ride to the cliffs in County Clare, but the most scenic ride through the Burren. It was indescribable. We drove right on the coast, seeing beautiful rocky beaches, beautiful water and enormous crashing waves. The Cliffs of Moher were absolutely breathtaking. I've dreamed about going there for as long as I remember and it was almost surreal to be there. The Cliffs seemed almost too perfectly crafted. It was freezing and so windy but BEAUTIFUL. We spent about a hour there. 

We then started to head back to Dublin. We stopped in a town called Bunratty, famous for its Bunratty Castle. We headed to a local pub for some good pub grub. I had fish and chips, a classic of course. The pub was really quaint with a fireplace and everything. Around 4:30pm we hit the road and got to Dublin around 8pm tonight. All in all, it was a wonderful trip, I saw the most beautiful parts of Ireland. I met some more American students studying at Trinity as well. It's nice to come back home to the apartment, but kind of sad to be back in Dublin. One cannot go to Dublin and say they've experienced Ireland. The West is really where I feel most at home, its so open, fields and landscape for days. I will visiting the West often and always. Great weekend, and for 95 euro a great experience. 

Not so typical

So, I'm in Dublin, right? Heck, I have all of Europe at my fingertips. Go out to the pubs, go clubbing, drink, meet some new people. Stay out all night and party it up? Right. Sounds like the perfect plan of action for a group of twenty/twenty-one year old Americans. It's odd but that sort of typical young person sort of entertainment doesn't really interest me. It's what I've been saying to people for a few years now. I don't want to be 20, or 21 anything. I'm probably the most boring twenty year old you're ever going to meet. My idea of a good night is honestly staying in, eating junk food, watching a disney movie and heading to bed around maybe....12:30pm. Lame. I know. Clubbing, getting dressed up, going out is not my cup of tea. Awkward social situations, drunken people, hurting feet, loud noises. Not so fun. I'm twenty years old but ready to be like, 30, have my kids and settle down. Like, last weekend at the homestay when everyone went out to the pub, I chose instead to go to the movies with CJ (who is 12 by the way). I'd rather be babysitting or hanging out with kids, baking, watching tv, lounging around. I dunno. I guess you don't meet people that way but it's comfortable and secure and normal. I've probably got the most boring life on the planet but I love it. 

Traveling around Europe is definitely still going to happen. I love traveling and doing all the touristy things. But, going out around Europe to hit the bars is not on my itinerary. 20 going on 30. The honest truth. Works for me!

Cross Cultural Adjustments

Ugh. Not such a great day. The Irish academic system is so different from the United States and something that's going to take a long time to get used to. It's not very nice, but I really see Trinity and maybe Ireland as "technologically deficient." Professors maybe, just maybe know how to use power point and computer programs. People are sometimes in their office if they feel like it, and a lunch break could last a whole afternoon. The pace of life is a lot slower, which could be a good thing, but from the U.S. perspective it's a hard adjustment. We, in the U.S. are so technologically advanced and obsessed with going fast and quick, getting stuff done here and now. Being here gives me a lot of perspective about how we do things in the U.S. It's hard though cause I'm so used to, and even, programmed to being constantly going and getting things done, that when something doesn't go right, its really stressful.

Also, the classes are huge. At Mount Holyoke, my largest class was maybe 50 people, and that was just one intro level geology class. Here, the professors don't know you, they are not personable or approachable. They are teaching to the class and not to "you". I miss my small school. Also, there are no assignments or homework. You just go to all the lectures and there's one final exam or paper. Yikes! And there's no like real reading assignments, just a list of books that you should read. I'm not going to sit down and read a giant textbook for hours. The system is overwhelming. 

And it was wet and rainy today. Sigh. Just going to have to get used to a new way a life....