A Very Irish Week (Week 7: Oct. 12 - 18)

Dia duit! That means "hello" in Irish, by the way. This week has been very Irish for me. I've continued to go to my Irish language class, one of the few classes that I attend on a regular basis...oops. I also went to rugby training Wednesday evening and that was a lot of fun! The girls on the team are very welcoming and nice, and we have our first match sometime next week. How exciting. I also had my first fish and chips meal this week at Galway's oldest fish and chips bar. It was delicious. Our friend Mary, the "original Galway Girl" from University of Richmond, was here for the whole week and introduced us to some of her Irish friends who lived in the area and we went to their house a few times. Always good craic to meet some new Irish kids. Remember, "craic" means fun. Not drugs. Also, people have asked for my address abroad. Well here it is, and what better time to give it out than right before a very important day in November, I believe it's November 8th. No, it's not a national holiday in Ireland or Amurrica (though it should be)...it's my birthday! And I'm turning 21 this year, so it's not as special abroad as it would be back home, but no matter! I AM ABROAD. Here it is:

Amelia Vogler

27B Cuirt na Coiribe

Headford Road

Galway

Ireland

Ireland doesn't do postal/ZIP codes...maybe because it is so small or maybe because they are just lazy? The world may never know. Also, Mama Allison has corrected me with some fast facts about the UR vs JMU football game from last week. Here they are:

JMU vs Richmond football games have never had more than a 7 point difference in the final scores.

Since we have been playing each other (started in the 1980s) after last week’s game total points scored UR 876 JMU 874.

Finally, no player on either team last Saturday had ever won a JMU/UR game on their home field so that continues until next season.

I guess since this week was a bit more eventful than last week, I'll revert back to a day-by-day synopsis.

Oct. 12

Well Monday was a pretty scholarly day, in some respects. I went to my Irish language class, of course. I like it and I think I am improving. The teacher is super nice and personable, a change from most of the boring professors during lectures. Then I spent the rest of the day studying for my midterm in Human Sexuality and working on another midterm for my Irish Emigrant history class; luckily, the test wasn't too bad. The Irish Emigrant midterm paper though....WOOF! So boring. Oh well.

Monday was also my friend Liz from the basketball team's birthday; she lives in the neighboring student apartment village of Gort na Coiribe, so we went over there to celebrate. I decided not to go pubs & clubs afterward since I had to wake up early to work more on the Irish Emigrant paper.

Oct. 13

Spent the majority of the day working on the Irish Emigrant paper, so going to basketball training was a much deserved break. Since I've joined the "B" team, they start training at 8 p.m. and I didn't get home until around 9:45 p.m., thus decided to catch up on some much-needed sleep instead of go out.

Oct. 14

Finished up the Irish Emigrant paper and went to two out of three classes...not too bad, considering the one I didn't go to was the Irish Emigrant class. Turned that paper in and headed home to prepare for rugby training. It was quite a hike to get over to the pitches (aka playing fields), so that was a warm-up of sorts. What a fun and interesting sport! We play rugby union, which has 15 players per team. The coaches and Irish girls were impressed at my skills for my first time playing. SCORE! Our first match is against UC-Cork sometime next week. Should be a good match. Got a lift (aka ride) home with some teammates and got ready to go out. Met up with the Fairfield kids and we went "stamp-hunting", which is when club promoters line Shop Street with special "free in til half 12" deals, etc. for each club. We first went to Karma, then to Cuba, though the line for Cuba was too long. We decided to forgo Cuba and go to Bar 903, which is the bar associated with Cuba, but different buildings. Actually, the Irish say "Bar 9 0 Tree" because that's how they pronounce "three". Quite a good joke and a good night.

Oct. 15

Went to both classes AND the tutorial for one of them today. Big day. Then after tutorial I went to work out at the gym. Came home and we hosted a mini Amurrican pre-game with the Solo cups and pong balls Mary brought us from home. We then went out to Hole in the Wall, then "stamp-hunted", ending up at Cuba. Cuba seems to be our go-to club.

Oct. 16

Since I don't have class on Fridays, I decided to go down to Shop Street and peruse, while making a few purchases in preparation for my trip to France next week. Just a few scarves and leggings to look more European. I also mailed some more postcards and got rugby boots and a gum shield (aka cleats and a mouthguard). Well, turns out that my Bank of Ireland account had run dry...my funds were going through a famine (ok, inappropriate reference to the Great Famine, but it was necessary!) So, yes, I am now THAT girl abroad...the one who runs out of money. Frustrating Irish Moment of the Day! No matter though, because my WONDERFUL, LOVING PARENTS (Big Jim and Mama Allison) and I figured out a solution. I'm only abroad once, gotta make the most of it, though it is depleting my funds. When in Rome...

I didn't realize that I had actually run out of money until the next day, but I had a sneaking suspicion. Came home from my afternoon out and Mary's Irish cousin Marian came over for the night from Sligo in northern County Galway. She was so nice! We played flip cup and pong with her, though she admitted that her skills were a little lacking since she only plays those drinking games with other Americans. From our apartment we went to the Cellar bar and then on to Cuba, again.

Oct. 17

Woke up rather late (like almost 12 p.m.) and I REAAALLLY don't like to wake up that late because I feel like such a waste and that the day is gone. No matter, I quickly recovered the day by going to Shop Street with Mary and Bryeanna and we went to McDonagh's for fish and chips. Wow. So. Good. It's on Quay Street, down near the Claddagh and it is one of the oldest fish and chips bars in Galway. It was delicious. I didn't need to eat anything for the rest of the day. Bryeanna and I tagged along with Mary so she could make some souvenir purchases and I scoped out the great touristy shops. So many cool things that I've added to my list. Then we came home to rest some more before Mary's last night out in Galway. We went to Mary's friends' house near city centre to hang out beforehand. It was fun meeting some Irish guys who weren't creepy (normally the ones out in pubs are older and fairly creepy. ew). From there we went to Bar 903 and to the Roisin Dubh, more of a hipster scene but very cool (clearly because the hipsters go there). It was a successful night to end Mary's return to Galway.

Oct. 18

Well Mary left today, and she took the good weather with her. It was a gloomy day, the kind where you just stay home all day and clean and pretend to do work. We went on a cleaning rampage in the apartment and then I began my midterms with much procrastination (hence the blogging). I only have a few paragraphs left of one paper and then one more paper before I head to France! Ooh la la!

Well, that sums up my week. I don't know if I will be able to blog while in France because I am hesitant to take my computer (though I don't want to run out of memory on my camera and would like to upload them onto my computer if needed and I need to register for classes next week, yikes!). But I'm excited to spend 3 days in Paris with my friends Chelsea, Elizabeth and Sloane (who just booked a Thanksgiving trip to Galway, score! No more lonely Thanksgiving!) and then go to western and southern France with my friends Martha and Rachel. Should be a trés bon voyage pour moi. I know my Francais is a little rusty...good thing I'll be surrounded by fluent friends!

Au revoir from Ireland!