Exploring Galway (a little)

Yesterday was orientation and it was actually helpful, go figure! I met Mandy there, the only other person from TSU, always nice to see a familiar face. I met a couple of people, including some very friendly German girls who already know Galway pretty well and offered help in getting to know town. Orientation was long but worth it b/c we were treated with a most delicious lunch at break. My first Irish potatoes. I think if I can learn how to prepare potatoes like that I might become a convert and learn to love those starchy roots!

After orientation I went with Mandy and we got me a cell phone. I was going to hold out, but by "topping off" at twenty euro, you get free text, so now I can talk to people and arrange hooking up before going out and so forth, quite useful. Then we did some shopping for her and I got my duvet... Alleluia!

I went out with Caitlyn, the girl I'd met the previous day who lives in my same complex, and upon leaving we ran into another girl entering the building, another Caitlin. Oh the fun of new friends and ease of learning new names ; ) Meeting up with another girl, we took a taxi (so expensive, ugh) to the City Centre and hit up a couple of pubs. Just a few sips of Guiness off of them tells me I'm not going to like it... I'll try it...later. We found a diverse assortment of pubs, my favorite being the one with live music.

On the famous Shop Street we were directed towards a club called GPO for 90s music fun. First time hearing Spice Girls so close to their homeland... and it wasn't just one song. Dancing was fun, but I wish my company had danced more. I'll have to find some good friends for dancing and loosen up the other ones enough to join me. Only complaint, I was way under dressed! I don't plan on wearing heels out, but I need some kind of clothing on me besides just leggings and a miniskirt! And they were very obviously American... I fail in fashion, but I can dance better than them... lol, ego has entered and is now leaving the building, sorry.

Called it an early night because there was more orientation stuff the next morning.

Today, I tricked the hot water system and got hot water before 8 am! I walked with Caitlin to school, yay, a speedy walker. And we attended different seminars from the various schools. Basically we got time tables for the courses offered to us. Sadly, many of the classes I want to take aren't available after all to visiting students. I will need to email Truman and figure some things out. Registration here is a bit complicated, but once it's all figured out it'll be fine.

Between seminars Caitlin showed me around the Eyre Square center. Between that and tomorrow's walking tour I should have a better hold of what's where.

Now I'm going to try to figure out what classes I'm going to take. So far, if TSU is ok with some of the substitutions I want to make, I wont have class on Fridays! And I'm highly thinking about taking Irish (the language). Hopefully it wont conflict in time!