The past 3 days have been a whirlwind of maps, rain, wellies, tea, and not getting nearly enough sleep for all the excitement each hour holds. I can definitely say that I have my bearings after studying a map, a walking tour, and a hop-on, hop-off bus tour. I'm so thankful I inherited my dad's sense of navigation, because understanding where you're going in a city with inconspicuous street signs is imperative.
Yesterday I attended a day-long orientation at Dublin Business School (included scones, library tours, a sexual conduct talk, scheduling, and 3 cups of coffee) before getting some free time in the Creative Quarter. Yes, I go to school in a place called the Creative Quarter. This is because Georges Street, where DBS has 2 of its buildings, is in an area full of boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and theatres. It's full of culture, whether you're admiring the graffiti or passing through the excessive amount of music shops (one is from Onces, but I have yet to go inside it).
Our group, accompanied by the wonderful and all-knowing Genevieve (our program director), went out for an early-bird dinner special (Dubliners normally eat dinner around 8-9 PM) and I enjoyed a magnificent, paid-for three-course meal of sweet potatoe soup, duck, and a chocolate fudge brownie dessert. I need to learn how to say "delicious" in Gaelic.
Last night we hung out with our first Ireland native, Connor, who is rooming with one of the boys on the trip. We all got a taste of the famous Irish banter, and I can't wait to finally go out to a pub and experience it one-on-one. Statistically, Ireland is the most sarcastic and witty country in the world. I only hope I'll be able to keep up!
This morning Sarah, Victoria, and I woke up to head over to the city center and stumbled upon Dublin Castle, which is now a series of rooms open to the community, it houses a cafe, and is home to the Guarda (police force). The gardens were beautiful, and the grass and flowers were exactly what I think of when I think of Ireland. The sun actually broke through the clouds while we were in the gardens, making it even more magical.
Next, we explored a market and I purchased a dream catcher, now hanging on my bed post. I hope it'll help me get a night of uninterrupted sleep tonight! After the bus tour with the group, we "hopped off" on O'Connell Street and did some shopping for warm clothes, rain-proof shoes (3 pairs for 25 Euros), and groceries.
I'm really excited to be shopping for and cooking my own food! This is new to me, as a 20 year old who had a decent meal plan for the first half of college. There's a grocery store called Sparr a block away from our flat, and the prices were more reasonable than I could have hoped.
After helping a stranded American college student at the gate (she was arriving to stay with her friend in the same apartment complex, but had no key or phone number to call), I'm now sitting down to unleash all that has happened in the past 2 days with a cup of tea.
Dublin has been amazing so far, and I'm extremely happy with my decision to study abroad in Ireland. This land is so rich in cultural, political, and literary history. I'm becoming somewhat of an Ibernophile, and I hope that my love for this country helps me to better understand its traditions and people. To close my blog entry, I'd like to share a "rose" and a "thorn," or the best and worst parts of the trip so far:
Rose: Buying a piece of artwork along St. Stephen's Green from an artist named Hugh McLaughlin. I was his first patron...ever. He was extremely grateful and delighted to have a customer.
Thorn: Being woken up at 3:30 AM when my flatmate came home from the pub.
