Back Tracking

Alright, I know this is a little out of date, but I’ve been rereading some emails I’ve sent since I’ve arrived in Galway and realized those things are worth mentioning in this blog, too. This should explain the conflicting date on the blog and the actual text. Hope you don’t mind. Also, I’ve rewritten the text in the blog so don’t think you’re getting a sneak peak into one of my emails.

One thing I should explain before we go further is the NUI Galway week of introductory classes. Technically the first week of classes isn’t really a week of classes at all. I wasn’t even registered for any classes when I sat down in my first Irish classroom. The whole point of the first week of classes is to “shop” for classes. First you go to the different departments you are interested in and pick up the timetables they have for their classes. After that you go and sit in on the classes you’re interested in. It isn’t until the next week that you stand in line to register for classes you will be taking for the next semester. It’s actually a pretty good system because it gives you a good idea of whether or not you would like or could handle the course load for some of these classes. There’s also the chance to assess your lecturers (got to call them lecturers and not professors) and whether or not you like their method of teaching. The only complaint I have is the actual registration process. Apparently NUI Galway has not graduated to paperless registration. Once you write down what courses you want on a registration form you are expected to stand in line and be registered. Thankfully, international students can turn in their forms early to the international office and the secretary registers the students. This cuts out standing in long lines UNLESS you want to attend seminar classes. Seminar classes are what Americans would call discussion classes. They’re smaller and therefore more competitive. The most competitive are the English seminars. I’m an English major. This means I’ll be standing in line an hour or more before registration for English classes even start. There are rumors of people bringing sleeping bags the night before. It’s crazy.

Anyway, the following description is one of me running around campus and figuring out registration processes for different departments.


January 15th


While I was walking around campus today going to classes and turning papers in something unexpected happened. I was in one of the buildings looking at my schedule when suddenly a little black puppy ran out from behind me! He was so cute and just about two and a half feet long! I think he was a black lab. Even though he was wearing a collar it didn't look like he belonged to anyone and it was so weird he was in the building. Everyone petted him but no one picked him up to take him outside.

Anyway, I giggled and watched him for a bit, but then I had to go to the international office. To leave the building I have to open this very heavy door, but when I did the puppy came outside too! He followed me down the stairs on the outside of the building and through the parking lot and to the international office where I finally had to shut the door on him! It was so sad! I wanted him to find his home! He had a collar! I told the women working in the international office and they assured me campus security will find the dog and send him home to his owners. They also laughed and made me promise not to let the dog follow ME home. They called me a big softie.

Later, it was another wild night at one of the clubs in the city center. It was the Monday after all the Irish students came back from winter break so the clubs, pubs and bars were PACKED. My friends and I didn't have much fun so we left the club early even though we paid 5 euro to get in. We ended up walking towards the pubs when we ran into these two guys asking for directions. We couldn't help them seeing as we still weren't familiar with the city, but to compensate we invited them to come to the pub with us instead. They agreed and the rest of the night was spent talking to these guys and drinking some hard cider. The boys actually drank water. They said it was their New Year's resolution to drink less. That was interesting because most of the college lads (slipping into the vernacular is fun) I’ve seen so far love their Guinness and other beers. These boys were nice and harmless, though. At the end of the night the girls and I took a taxi home and said goodnight to them. They were actually students from Dublin and only in Galway for the week to visit a friend. One was named Kevin and he was 19 years old and liked to read my friends’ palms. The other one was named Colin and was 20. He wore a silver chained bracelet that he said his Grandmum gave him.

----
I never saw the black lab after that day.

Currently listening to: Beauty and the Beast score --- Alan Menken & Howard Ashman