Day Eight

It's hard to believe, but I've already been here for over a week. When I'm out in the city or on campus it's obvious that I'm in Ireland, but when I'm back in my apartment it doesn't really feel any different. Well, besides my very-accented suitemates and the random Irish soaps and Australian drama shows on TV.

I haven't left Galway since I got here last Tuesday, but it's been good to get to know my way around the city. Courtney, Alice, and I made a list of places we want to visit, like I wrote last night, so once we start traveling there won't be as many opportunities to enjoy this city. So for now, we're taking our time seeing the sights!

The only bad thing that's happened is my knee problem has come back. It hurts to move my left knee, probably because we do so much walking here and because the ice affects my balance. Most of it finally melted today, but too late. I guess I'm not joining the Mountaineering Club after all. Alice and I looked at boots for that today anyway, and they're way too expensive for my budget, so maybe that's a good thing after all.

So I had four classes today: The Development of the Castle in Europe; Vikings, Normans, and Celts; European Women's Studies; and King Arthur and the Holy Grail. The first two started yesterday, so I already had met the professors and I like the courses. The second two were both more boring. The Women's Studies course was especially disappointing--apparently it's only offered to international students, so it's just a bunch of American girls sitting around. If I'd wanted that, I could have just stayed home. But it'll count for credit, and it's only once a week, so I'll suck it up. It might be interesting.

The King Arthur class is the only one of the five that I will be taking that I did not get pre-approved at school; I found it in the catalog yesterday and decided to try it on a whim. The professor is a bit...dry...let's just say, but the topic is interesting. We aren't discussing traditional Arthurian stories like Tenneyson or even Disney, since it's in the Celtic Studies Department, but are focusing instead on the very far back, WELSH origins of King Arthur. It should be a unique class, and certainly nothing that URI offers.

Besides that, I didn't do too much today. I finished reading a really corny zombie book, ate some fake Ramen, looked at hiking boots, and enjoyed the first official rainfall since I've arrived. Which was perfectly fine--it meant it was warm enough for the ice to melt, which I've been waiting for. Tomorrow should be pretty relaxed too--I have classes at nine and ten, and then maybe an API meeting at 7 p.m. So a pretty chill day. Oh, and a meeting to sign up for an additional, not-for-credit Irish language class. Tuesdays are my busiest days, with four whole classes.

Next week, things should start to pick up after the clubs and societies days. Even if I can't do Mountaineering, there are six other clubs I'm interested in. Plus newspaper and volunteering and traveling. There should be enough to fill up my schedule!

I feel pretty bad that I really haven't had any new pictures to post in a while, but like I said, I haven't seen any new scenery. I'll be sure to put some up as soon as I find new places!

So for now, that means good night!