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.

Support

Having a good support system at home has made this trip possible, but having a good support system while abroad has made this experience and transition to a foreign country much easier.  Eric, our academic advisor, has been very helpful with anything pertaining to school.  While we have someone to help us with school , we also have someone who makes sure we are getting along well with living in a foreign place, with foreign people.  Sister Mary has gone above and beyond making sure we are well taken care of and feel at home.  She checks in with everyone as often as she can, has made herself available to us whenever we may need her, and is like a mother away from home to all of us. 
All my professors are very accommodating as well.  Unlike at home, people do not change classes after the first semester and some people have had the same people in their class since freshmen year.  Sometimes a previous class they were all required to take is referenced in class and because I was not in that class, I may not make the connection.  All my teachers made sure to let me know that if I didn't understand something or needed extra help out of class, they are available.  Although I do not have a favorite teacher, I do have a favorite class.  My abnormal psych class has never failed to grasp my attention, and I believe I have retained more from that class than any other class.  However, overall I do enjoy all my classes and all the people who have made this journey much more enjoyable. 

Transportation

Carlow College campus is just as small, maybe smaller than Carlow back home which made finding classes and getting around the school much easier.  At Carlow University, I would normally leave my room about ten minutes before class started depending on which building it was in.  But because all my classes are in the same building here, I leave five minutes before class and usually still have time to spare once I am in class.  One thing I do miss is inner-city public transportation.  In Pittsburgh, hoping on the bus to get from point A to point B was very easy.  Although to go from one town to the next is fairly cheap (with a student discount), I am not able to get on a bus and go somewhere a few miles away.  However, I am glad that transportation is provided at reasonable prices if I wish to explore outside of Carlow, Ireland. 

Class

This semester in Ireland, I did not have to purchase any books.  The majority of them have several copies available in the library for students if they need to access them, and some of them are also online.  Back home, the total cost of books could cost around 200 dollars or more, and that is if I rented the used books out of the bookstore.  Even for the Irish Experience class, which has a required book for the second half of the class, we were given enough books to use and share with someone else.  Because we have to pay everything (food, personal items, transportation), not having to buy all of my books has definitely helped me financially. 
The first week of class was very interesting.  During orientation we learned that in the beginning of class we are given an essay question and a date that essay will be due.  Besides reading, I have not yet been given any other assignments to do outside of class.  Classes are usually two hours long, with a break after the first hour, and the class sizes are bigger compared to the class sizes at Carlow.  Overall the teaching styles are generally the same; teachers have lecture notes or a power point they read from.  Sometimes it is difficult trying to understand the teacher's accent, especially when they begin to talk fast, but it gets easier to understand everyday. 

Electronics

Before going abroad, a good friend of mine who had already studied in Ireland the previous year, offered to let me use her international phone while I was away.  Having a phone here with an Ireland carrier makes it a lot easier to keep in contact with my teachers and fellow house mates.  This generous offer also saved me money, for I did not have to go and buy a new phone.  My only purchase was the plan for the phone, which came out to be 20 euros a month for free texting, internet, calls on the weekend and to anyone else who has the same carrier.  Because I have my both my iphone and computer, I can also keep in contact with friends in family back home with imessage, facebook, whatsapp and other applications that can be used as long as I have a wifi connection.  Every building on campus, including the building we are living in, has a connection. The only time I use my international phone is when I leave campus, and some establishments also have a wifi connection the public is allowed to access.  So far, keeping in contact with everyone has not been as hard as I thought it would be.     

 While abroad, all the international students are staying on campus behind the main building.  The building is named Lennon House, and it has been on campus since the 1930s.  We are housed on two different floors, and each student has their own room.  On each floor, there are three bathrooms, one at each end of the hall, and one in the middle, as well as two kitchens.  I would definitely compare the living arrangements to an apartment style of living.  Having our own rooms has made living with new people much easier because you can be around everyone if you choose, but you can also have your own space and have alone time whenever you might need it. Being in a new country has also helped everyone get along.  We are all out of our own comfort zone and we are all able to relate to each other which has made this transition a lot easier.  Although we all wish to make friends outside of the group, being able to have people who remind you of home and knowing that there is someone always looking out for you is very reassuring.  We are from all different places, but that common ground we all share has made good friends already.   

First Impressions

My first impression of Ireland was most definitely a positive one. The roads, houses, people, and overall scenery  were all different and made me excited to explore more of the country.  Driving on the opposite side of the road, cobble stone sidewalks, and green, open fields are not sites you see while living in the city.  Neither is living on a historical landmark. It was exciting to see all of the pubs along the streets and how many different shops and everything they have to offer. I also noticed that there where a lot of American style restaurants such as, McDonalds, Abrakabra and Road House. Overall, the town is extremely beautiful, with a few reminders of home and I can't wait to explore more of it. 

Orientation was not only informative, but it also gave us all a chance to see where we will be studying for the next few months.  During orientation, we attended a cookout where we got a chance to meet and interact with the Irish students. We also got to meet with the head of the student union and were informed on how we are able to get involved with extra curricular activities and be informed of the events going on around campus.  Because all of our classes are in one building, it was easy to see where all our classes would be while on the tour and it made the "first day of class" anxiety die down.  Orientation helped all of us become more well informed about the campus, and also gave us a chance to see new faces and meet people we will be taking classes with.