Saturday, November 30, 2013

Purschases, People

What is the most interesting thing you’ve purchased abroad?  How are you adjusting to using a different currency and keeping within a budget?
The most interesting purchase I have made is a beautiful scarf from a boutique in Scotland that I plan on giving to my sister.  My sister and I where tons of scarfs, and although I wanted to keep it for myself, I knew as soon as I seen it that she would love it.   It was not a big purchase, and to anyone else it might not even be interesting, but because we both love scarfs and I purchased it in Scotland, I know she will love it just as much as I did. 

Explain the best way you have found to meet the local people.
The best way to meet local people is at the local pubs.  The Irish tend to go out on weekdays and go home and do homework on the weekends.  Certain pubs are popular on specific days, and it is the best way to meet and mingle with other students. 

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Studies

Although I enjoy all of my classes, as of right now my most interesting class is my Age of Romanticism course.  When I first began, I was worried I would not like the course, but it has slowly become one of my favorites.  We talk about writers in the romantic era and depending on what time period they are in, what events could have possibly influenced their work.  While studying different writers, we also go through important times in history, and because history is my least favorite subject, being able to learn about important times through literature has helped me better understand Irish history.  As far as studying, my favorite place to do work is my room.  Back at home, it was hard for me to concentrate and study in my room because I had a roommate who might not have been studying at the same time.  However, not having a roommate makes working in my room easier. 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Language

Miscommunicating with my teachers and peers was one of my fears before arriving here.  I was afraid that I would not be able to understand their language/slang as well as their accents.  However, I have realized that communicating is a lot easier than I thought.  Sometimes their accents and how fast they talk make it hard to understand, but generally, the way they talk is not much different from us.  When used in a sentence, I can guess what some of their slang words mean and can relate them to the slang words we use back home.  For example, "what's the crack?" is equivalent to asking someone "what's up?".  Although the majority of the population speaks English, there are also some who still speak Gaelic. It is a very interesting but difficult language to learn. In Irish Experience, we have learned some phrases we can use in our everyday conversations, but I have not yet met anyone who speaks Gaelic, and I am sure I would not be able to pronounce anything correctly.  Overall, aside from the accents, I have not had any problem communicating with anyone.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Landmarks

Carlow is full of historical landmarks, including the very building we attend classes in. One of my favorite places is a landmark we have learned about recently.  During the Carlow rebellion, there was a brutal battle that took place on the street adjacent to our school, named Tullow Street.  Hundreds of people died on the street I walk up and down almost everyday.  It is amazing living in such a historical town and learning about the history that surrounds us. 
As far as my favorite field trip, it would have to be the trip to Glendalough.  The scenery was absolutely beautiful.  We seen forests with beautiful trees and walked to the top of a waterfall.  We learned legends of the rivers that flowed through the county and what monsters where suppose to have lived there.  I usually do not care much for nature, especially when I am back home, however, Glendalough was not like any other part of nature I have seen.  Overall, it is, so far, one of the most beautiful places I have seen since I have come abroad, and it is definitely a place I would revisit. 

Friday, November 1, 2013

Food!

The two main differences between Irish food and American food are the portion sizes and the amount of preservatives put in the food.  Because the portions at home are so big, the portions we get here seem small, but I believe they are the right amount of food we are suppose to eat.  They also put less preservatives in the food which makes the food fresher, but it also goes bad faster.  I find myself having to go shopping more often here than I did when I was home.  Most of my meals are eaten in our kitchen because going shopping once a week is cheaper than going out to eat everyday.  Since I have been here, I haven't really had any traditional Irish food. However, when we were in Paris, I had a falafel and it was the best thing I've eaten since I have been away from home.  I am a little scared to branch out and try new food, but I am sure I will before leaving.