Red Sox are World Champs

The Red Sox have blasted the Rockies 4-3 in a successful four-game sweep, thus making them the victors of the World Series. It was a nice moment to wake up to, but it really makes me miss the mood at home in Massachusetts. It's tough being here in Ireland, with no access to anything Red Sox. I am sure everyone is pumped back home.

My mother is here visiting, and we have a great couple of days so far. We have wandered the city and cooked some favorites from America. Getting all of the ingredients necessary for my favorite meals required going to all three grocery stores, the Dunnes, Aldi and Tesco. It was an adventure. Yesterday, we went to mass at the Rathmines Church and took a bus tour of the city, stopping off at the Writers Museum and grabbing dinner in Temple Bar.

Tonight we are taking a ghost tour, and getting into some more Dublin adventures.

-Liz

Free Tacos For All

Another day in Red Sox fandom, and the Red Sox have pleased again, not only by winning game two 2-1 against the Rockies last night, but also by giving everyone in America the gift of free tacos. Thanks to Jacoby Ellsbury, on October 30 between 2-5 everyone can get their free taco on. Unfortunately, ( or maybe fortunately) Ireland does not participate in Taco Bell. So, I am missing out on an amazing deal. I never say no to anything free. Especially food, so everyone be sure to get out there and show your Red Sox pride by eating a free taco Tuesday!

My mother will be here tomorrow morning bright and early, so I must get back to preperations.
Be back in a few days!

-Liz

New Music and Grocery Store Finds

I am currently deep within my third listen of In Defense of the Genre the latest album from the band Say Anything. My friend Andrew Valente from Stonehill was nice enough to send me over a copy, so as to not miss out from everything fun and musical at home. It is always great to get new music, and Say Anything is no exception. The band started off as a guilty pleasure for me, their songs bordering on absurd, with offensive (often politically incorrect) lyrics over catchy pop-punk riffs are just too addictive to ignore. Having seen the band three times live, I must say I am proud to call myself a fan now. The lead singer/mastermind of Say Anything Max Bemis is such a tragic figure, that he begins to stand out from the other bands of his genre. Although, I feel the media focuses too heavily on Bemis' mental health (or lack thereof) it is clearly a heavy influence on his art. It is empowering to see someone like him being not only open about their condition, but to have the strength and bravery to share it with the world in a free form such as music. This album is epic, covering 2 discs, clocking in at over 90 minutes. Listening to it more at once is a chore, but worth the time. I cannot stop listening to it. In a few weeks I am sure I will know all the songs by heart, all 27 of them. Believe it or not, there is no dead moments in between any of the songs, not to mention such great cameos from people like Gerard Way and Chris Carrabba. The style varies from archetypal pop-punk to harder bass driven songs, and even breaks down into electronic beats and hooks. It was a great surprise.

People in America, can go out and buy the album and see for themselves.

Today, my visit to Dunnes was punctuated by a couple of new finds. I was able to get coffee milk! I have yet to try it, but it was sitting right next to the jugs of chocolate milk. I had to do it. I also found a substitute for pepper jack cheese in chili pepper cheese. Subtract jalapenos for chili peppers, and its basically the same. Add some turkey, panini it, and you get a magical taste bud experience. They also sell Pop-Tarts here in obnoxious orange and yellow packages, as if to say "This item is dangerous! Hazardous! Chemical! AMERICAN!" I also bought some legitimate from an Irish Dairy vanilla ice cream, which was basically frozen cream. Surprisingly good for 4 euros. Topped off the brownies nicely.

In academic news, I am three acts into Shakespeare's King Lear for my lecture in Theatre tomorrow.

First game of the World Series tonight. I have noticed some Red Sox gear emerging in the Irish population (all Americans no doubt). I trust the Red Sox will make quick work of the Rockies tonight, and for the rest of the week . A girl can dream. I met another baseball fan from Los Angeles in my Theatre tutorial who was so thrilled to have another American to talk baseball with for a few minutes. Baseball is everywhere. He is also rooting for the Red Sox, obviously.

Hey Ortiz- hit one for the girl in Ireland. :)

-Liz

Swans and Free Dinner

Walking home from class this afternoon, I spotted some swans in the Grand Canal. I have never seen so many swans assembled in one place, it is a very calming sight. I look forward to spotting them on my way back to Lissenfield. Today, I snapped a few pictures of them to share with everyone. I can't wait for spring to see all their little signets! Adorable.

Today, I had my poetry tutorial and another amazing lecture for Literature and Sexuality. I must say, Literature and Sexuality has been my favorite class so far here at Trinity. It really has kept me engaged, and I think that if i do end up going to grad school, I could definitely see it as my focus or speciality. I have just been so interested in the lectures, and the tutorial was the first one where I really was into the discussion. It is a shame it only goes on for Michaelmas Term, I would really love to be in there all year. It is nice to be excited about an English class, makes me feel less awkward about not being sure what to do with my major. Time will tell.

Tonight was also an opportunity to get together with the other Stonehill students who are currently undergoing internships in Dublin for a dinner with Mrs.Cronin from the Study Abroad office. We went to Ciao Bella Roma in Temple Bar for some Italian food, which of course was on the Stonehill dollar. :) I ate way too much calamari and gnocchi, but it was great to catch up with some other students and realize that they are having a very similar experience as I am. I am not the only one panicking, or missing home, or having problems feeling like a foreigner. I feel better about being here now.

My mom gets here Friday, I cannot wait! I am sure she is as excited, if not more.

I was also very happy to see the Red Sox had won while I was sleeping. The 5 hour time difference has been a real killer. I can only imagine how everyone is feeling at home! Shoutout to Lori who managed to get Game 2 tickets! Yell "Youk!" for me!




-Liz

Red Sox on the Other side of the World

To the left, is a photo of a beautiful pub I discovered while walking along Pearse Street near Trinity. The name is obscured by the growth of flowers, but I liked it just the same. I might have to take a trip there some night and see the inside. I am very curious.

I am having alot of difficulty this October, being separated from the Red Sox. All of my updates come from emails, accounts from Lee, phone calls with my father, and visits to MLB.com. I can only imagine the amount of tension and excitement in the air at home. Everyone is probably so anxious about tonight's game. I really miss the anxiety. Here, I see alot of Yankees apparel, worn mostly by people who probably know very little about Baseball. A visit to a local sporting goods store proved my fears, the only non Rugby and Soccer items in there were Yankees hats, jackets and shirts. Blasphemy

Meanwhile, the Yankees are out, and the Red Sox are still in, hanging on by a thread. This seems very familiar, because the Red Sox have done this before. Oh yeah, 2004. Which got me thinking about 2004, and I miss camping out on the couch with my Dad nervously watching every pitch. There is something really magical about the wanting to know what happens, but not wanting to see it at the same time mentality of watching the game. Sometimes, the policy of ignorance as bliss works best.

It is amazing how integrated into New England culture the Red Sox are. You literally can walk into any plac eof business and find some sort of Red Sox related product, item, or hat wearing customer hanging around. It is everywhere. I miss it most from Dunkin Donuts (In general i miss consistently good coffee, iced or not) and WB Mason, who emblazon the Red Sox logo all over their products. I even have a Red Sox sticker on the G-Ride. The Red Sox are just a way of life.

Today, during my daily check of MLB.com I stumbled on this article. I found it very worthwhile, and very nostalgic, even for me, a Red Sox fan of barely 20 years. I live with two Yankees fan, and an apathetic non-fan from New Jersey. I could not be more seperated from Red Sox Nation here in Ireland. My heart is with the Red Sox. And more importantly, with all the Red Sox Fans who will be watching tonight, biting their nails to see if Schilling can do it again. Game 6 is a magical thing.

I will check MLB.com tomorrow and see how it all panned out. Until then, ignorance is bliss.

-Liz

Tutorials and More

Sorry for the delay in posting. the past few days I have begun tutorials, and unfortunately have also been battling my first cold here in Ireland. Nothing is more uncomfortable than being sick in a foreign country. I am starting to feel better, albeit congested.

Tutorials are an intersting beast. For the most part, the tutorials are fairly straightforward. Out of the four I have had, two are taught by professors, and two by grad students. That being said, each is about 10 students or so and are basically an effort to enhance the content of the lectures with student discussion and debate. My tutorial for Fables looks to be the most difficult so far, half the problem being the grad student has such a thick accent I can barely understand what he says half the time, but the subject matter is also quite difficult as it is. Alot of Chaucer. Lame. My other grad student is alot more relaxed, and was dressed head to toe in Abercrombie and Fitch. Tomorrow is my busiest day of lectures.

A phenomenon I have recently observed in fashion here in Ireland is the sheer amount of Abercrombie worn by everyone. I see more here, than at home. Everyone from 14-30 is decked out in Abercrombie emblazoned sweatshirts and polos and sweatpants. I did some research. The closest Abercrombie is in London. All of the other locations are in America and Canada. This is always couples by a pair of attractive Ugg Boots, and bleached blonde hair. I do not know what to make of this. Eight of ten of these people are Irish, not all American tourists and students. Maybe they all long for the mall culture of America? I do not know. But Abercrombie also does not sell the standard of European fashion that is typical overall. The clothes are decidedly American. Hoodies, fake fur, logos. Slouchiness. None of that screams Ireland to me, but hey apparently it is cool. I do not pretend to understand.

What is going on with the Red Sox. I am so out of the loop. I am still baffled at the Colorado Rockies making it to the World Series.
I hear Stephen Colbert wants to run for President? Sounds like I miss everything fun in America!

How are things where everyone is?

-Liz

Day Trip to Powerscourt and Glendalough

This morning, Meg and I were brave enough to rise early, and go on a free day trip sponsored by Arcadia to the Powerscourt Estate and Glendalough in County Wicklow. I was surprised more students on the program did not take advantage, to be honest many were too hungover. I never say no to a free trip anywhere, and I do not party my nights away too often, so I was obviously there. It was a busy day but an excellent chance to go out and explore some of the beautiful scenery Ireland has to offer, and get outside of the hustle and bustle of Dublin for a few hours.

The day started at the Powerscourt House and Gardens. The house itself is gorgeous and unfortunately due to a fire in the 1970's, only the facade remains original. The exterior style reminded me alot of the Breakers in Newport. The gardens on the estate are magnificent, and include two separate ponds, a tower, a Japanese Garden, and a Pet Cemetery. Not to mention countless beautiful trees, plants and flowers. It was a great chance to wander around in fresh air. I really think Lee and I should settle in a huge house like it someday. :) ( A girl can dream)

My updated Flickr link includes a new album featuring more pictures from the estate and everywhere else I went today. I am considering upgrading to a Pro Account so I can upload more pictures and share more of what is going on with everyone. It is a great idea for a birthday gift! (hint hint)

After a lovely lunch at the house, we went on to see the Powerscourt Waterfall, the tallest waterfall in Ireland. It truly was a gorgeous sight, and they allow you to get right up next to it and climb the boulders surrounding the bottom, Our Graduate Residence Advisor Rory was all over this and led a couple of people over the rocks. I kept my distance and took pictures.

We finished the day with a tour of Glendalough, the sight of an ancient Monastic City from the 12th century. I had been here in 2005, the last time I was in Ireland, but the pouring rain prevented me from truly enjoying the place. Today there are alot of ruins significant to St.Kevin, and two lakes. We got a chance to take a walk to the lakes, and also explore the ruins ourselves. Lois and I engaged in some ice cream from "Kevin's Cones" before the bus ride back to Dublin.

All in all it was a great way to spend the day. Tomorrow's priorities are laundry and reading.

Go SOX!!

-Liz

Full Schedule

Here is my full schedule, for those who are interested:

Monday: 1:00 Poetry Tutorial
2:00 Literature and Sexualities Lecture

Tuesday: 11:00 Fables Tutorial
4:00 Theatre Tutorial
5:00 Critical Theory Tutorial

Wednesday: FREE

Thursday: 9:00 Critical Theory Lecture;
12:00 Fables Lecture
1:00 Theatre Lecture
2:00 Renaissance Poetry Lecture
4:00 Renaissance Poetry Tutorial

Friday: 9:00 Literature and Sexuality Tutorial
10:00 Poetry Lecture

Thursdays are still crazy, Wednesdays are free!

-Liz

Lectures, Bookstores

Thursdays are really going to be my busy day for the next year. Today I had four lectures. I began with Critical and Cultural Theory. Today, they devoted the time to having a librarian come in and explain the way the Ussher Library works. It was actually more different than the American library system than I would have thought. Surprisingly, Trinity has been recieving a copy of every book published in the UK and Ireland for over 150 years. Therefore, most of the collection is in storage at some place by the airport. But they do have alot of stuff! I finally found a useful bookstore, Hodges Figgis, on Dawson Street near campus had all of the books I needed, and they were easy to find. No competition against the other stores nearby. 230 Euros later I have most of the necessary materials for the year.
The afternoon consisted of lectures for Fables and Other Narratives, Theatre, and Renaissance Poetry. Back to back to back. It went rather smoothly, they are all in the same building, just on different floors, so it worked well. Fables and Theatre were both very straightforward, Renaissance Poetry might be a little dull.
Right now I am working on Thomas Hughes' Tom Brown's Schooldays for my Literature and Sexuality lecture on Monday and drinking mint hot chocolate.

Go Sox! (Thanks to mlb.com, I can try to keep track of the ALCS!)
-Liz

Slow News Day

There is not too much going on here at Lissenfield. With no classes today, I spent the day lazing around the house. Much to my delight I received an amazing package from my mom, filled with American goodies, Goldfish and peanut butter included. Thanks again.

Lee also hooked me up with a copy of In Rainbows the new Radiohead album, which came out today on the web for download. The box set will set you back 40 pounds, but it contains 2 cd's and 2 vinyls. Naturally, the website is horribly overloaded and I am lucky enough to have a computer literate boyfriend to get me a copy of the album. Thanks Lee. I have been rocking out all day. Granted, most of the tracks are not gracing my ears for the first time, it is still nice to have a crisp new set of tracks in my Foobar. Hopefully, more artists in the future will continue to release their material online. This very well could be the beginning of an all digital music revolution.

I highly encourage everyone to try and get their paws on a copy of In Rainbows or if not, just download Foobar and experience the amazingness of that instead.

Tomorrow is my crazy full day of lectures. Expect a big report on that tomorrow.

-Liz

Becoming Legit

Today was a busy, yet difficult day. Don't get me wrong, I am having a great time living in Ireland but, some of the experiences I am having make me really miss America. First of all, America is just way more organized and efficient at government agencies. Sure, we may all loathe going to the DMV or the Social Security Office, but I have never had as much difficulty at those places as I did went I went to the Garda Naturalisation and Immigration Bureau. For the record, today marked my second attempt at registering. I was turned away last Friday at 930AM after being told they were already closed for the day. As an America citizen, I am fortunate that I do not have to apply for a visa to study in Ireland, but I do have to register within 30 days of arrival with proof of study, and a valid bank statement from an Irish Bank that has 1000 Euro in it. Let it be known, that this requirement came into effect last week, previous you just needed the equivalent of 3000 Euro in a bank account in America. No matter, I had the bank statement, I just needed to get through the doors. I went back this morning at 830 and got in a line that literally went around the block. It slowly became obvious that I was the only Caucasian in the line. Everyone else hailed from Malaysia, Nigeria, India, China, and Estonia. Alright. I stayed in line. An hour later, I got a ticket with a number, much like at the deli counter in America, and was told to come back after 3 pm. Whatever, I had nothing else going on. So, I left to my second adventure, buying books.

In America, there is a campus bookstore, where required books are clearly labelled, easily available and relatively cheaper if you can get them used. In Ireland, I was given a "suggested reading list" and set free on Dublin. I went to 3 local bookshops and found all of them pretty useless for my needs, and instead tried the SU Used Bookshop on campus. This bookshop is really nothing more than a small room with piles of disorganized books. I did manage to wrangle a few anthologies out of there and headed back to Lissenfield to unload.

Around 2pm I headed back An Lar to go back to the GNIB. I was lucky I did, because I arrived to a frenzy, and my number was being called as I got there. (Forty minutes earlier than I was told.) I gave the rather unpleasant woman behind the glass my info, she took my passport and I was told to take a seat. Now I am not sure, but I think it must be some unwritten rule that you cannot speak English and are not allowed to wear deodorant in order to sit in the GNIB. It was not a pleasant experience. The place was beyond chaotic, it was unclear where one was supposed to go or wait or when, and there were not nearly enough chairs or employees to manage the surge of people. I was at a great advantage, both knowing English and being personable enough to get someone to help me. On more than one occasion I saw employees denying and walking away from people asking basic questions in broken English, walking off with a frustrated and annoyed grimace on their faces. Children were running amok unattended, one with a water balloon (of all things!) which had sprung a leak, spewing a trail of water behind him everywhere he ran. At this moment, the GNIB has my passport hostage. It was unclear where I was supposed to wait for the passport to be reunited with me. Randomly names were announced inaudibly over the loud speaker, or a random employee would come out from behind the glass and hand passports back out, once again inaudibly shouting names. An agonizing hour later I was given back my passport with a brand new Registration Card. Granting me access to Ireland until June 30th, and allowing me to work within the country. All of this did not occur before I witnessed one person being dragged out for not having a valid passport, and a man from Estonia who was being denied for apparently the 5th time. There has got to be a better way for them to manage the demand put upon this office. It was unreal how busy this place was. People have to line up at 8am just to get a number, which may or may not provide them with an ID once they get inside. It was frightening in there. It made me realize just how lucky I am to be an American, oddly enough. I had alot more rights in Ireland than the man from Estonia did, and that was only the beginning. I did not have to go to Ireland to survive, it was not a last resort. I came because I wanted to. There were so many suffer ring and vulnerable and desperate people in the GNIB. I just wanted out.

When I got back onto the street, and I saw the River Liffey, and I felt the cold breeze across my face I wanted nothing more than to go home. The reality of being separated from my homeland sunk in, and I walked back down O'Connell Street to the bus stop wondering what everyone at home was doing. A phone call from my mother, and some thai take out with Megan later, I am here typing this blog and I have returned to normalcy and comfort inside Lissenfield.

Who knew I would ever embrace being American?

-Liz

First Day and Food Cravings

Today I had my first lecture at Trinity College. It was for my class Literature and Sexuality. It went rather well, today's topic was on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I was already familiar with all of the material and sources noted in the lecture, which was a nice surprise. The only downside was the 60 freshmen in the lecture with me. It is so strange to realize just how much you mature as a student only over a couple of years. They were all loud and bored, even though it only lasted 50 minutes. In my day, class was always 2 and a half hours long, get used to it. It was a nice transition into the year, and I am looking forward to my other lectures on Thursday and Friday.

This afternoon, Meg and I went to our local Dunnes Store to get more groceries. So far, the Dunnes is my favorite grocery store, it is set up most like an American store and seems to have the best prices and selection, plus it is a closer walk than Tesco. It is all preference I suppose. I got a few different items to try, and attempted yet again to locate a Goldfish alternative. I have had an insatiable craving for good peanut butter, and Goldfish. I even dream about Goldfish. I even dream about them now. They did have Chatham Village Croutons and Pop-Tarts, but alas no snacks that smile back.

Tomorrow I will adventure to City Center and try to register with the Garda. Wish me luck!
-Liz

Homestay Adventures

I have just returned from my homestay in County Limerick. More specifically I was in the town of Bruree, which is only 9 kilometers from the line of County Cork. It was a four hour bus ride out there from Dublin, through gorgeous countryside dotted with thousands of cows and sheep.

The Homestay

One of my roommates Hannah and I were joined by another girl who is studying in Cork named Kendall. Our hosts Helen and Tom are a retired couple who are currently taking in an exchange student from Germany named Moritz besides us. It was a very full house, but inviting. Helen informed us that the front walls of her home are 400 years old! A touch cluttered, and stereotypically Irish, we ate large quantities of unidentifiable foods with several kinds of potatoes. They had a large amount of chickens, four dogs, and two cats. On Saturday, Moritz, Kendall, Hannah, and I took the bus to Limerick, the closest city. The closest bus stop is literally on the side of the main road in a field. The adventure was only beginning. We arrived in Limerick and proceeded to wander around the city, amongst some unsavory looking people at the bus station, and eventually found our way to a castle. St. John's Castle overlooks the Shannon River and has a rich history dating back to the 1200's. We also visited St. Mary's Cathedral near by, which is the oldest cathedral in Ireland, dating back to medieval times. It was a beautiful day for sightseeing.

On top of the castle

This morning, Hannah, Kendall, Moritz and I took one of the dogs for a walk to a nearby cemetery that was from the times of the famine. I also got some great photographs there, but it was heartbreaking to see such a beautiful place of historical significance so neglected and forgotten. The grass was very overgrown and the grave markers broken and worn. It reminded me alot of the Jewish Cemetery in Berlin, also long neglected and dilapidated. There was a stray dog there eating a bone, Hannah and I tried to get a good picture, but we can only hope it was not a human bone. Bizarre.

Neglected cemetery

I am very happy to be back at Lissenfield with my computer!

This video, is a commercial airing here in Ireland that is so graphic and over the top I had to share it in my blog. We all agreed it is one of the most disturbing anti speeding commercials ever, and would probably not be shown in American. Effective.

Comment.

First day of lectures tomorrow.
-Liz

Homestay

Posts are going to be absent for a few days, I am heading out to my mandatory homestay in county Limerick until Sunday night. I will be sure to take pictures and post when I get back!

Have a great weekend everyone!

-Liz

Timetables

Today was a gorgeous day here in Dublin. They are experiencing weather described in the media as "Indian Summer". (Just another example of how politically incorrect the Irish are, but more on that another day.) There was few clouds in the sky, no rain or drizzle, and it was actually warm! I was running around most of the day, but was able to take a few moments to enjoy the weather in St. Stephen's Green in between engagements.

This morning was the official meeting for Visiting Students to the English Department. We received alot of pertinent information about the department and how it works, but more importantly got the lecture TIMETABLES! I have become slightly obsessed with recieveing them all week. I could barely hold in my excitment. Thankfully, none of the courses Stonehill pre-approved have conflicting lectures so it should all work out.

As of now this appears to be my timetable:

Monday- 2:00 EN1002 Literature and Sexualities

Tuesday- free

Wednesday- free

Thursday- 9:00 EN1001 Critical and Cultural Theory

12:00 EN2005 Fables and Other Narratives

1:00 EN1006 Theatre: Genre, Period and Theme

2:00 EN2006 Renaissance Poetry

Friday- 10:00 EN1009 Poetry: Form, Language, Interpretation

Looks like, just as Lee does, my Thursdays will be a bit insane. Although I am sure alot of the free time in my schedule will be filled by tutorials that will be going into my schedule next week.

I also got a flu shot today at Health Services. A rather uneventful experience, but prompt. I did not anticipate getting an appointment as soon as I did, so it was a nice surprise. Well, as nice as a surprise that shots can be.

Not sure what my plans for the night are, might go to a Phil event at The Turk's Head, might stay in and read and be a dork, who knows.

-Liz

Registration

Today I finally registered with Trinity College and made it official. I am now a student here in Dublin. Megan and I got up early to get in line outside of the Exam Hall in Front Square, in the pouring rain of course, to get out student ID and Academic Diary. Afterwards I went to an informal meeting at the English department about course selection, and discovered that timetables are not out until tomorrow. Surprise. Surprise. We were assured that the timetable will be available tomorrow after the official English Department meeting and we should be able to finalize our schedules tomorrow.

I cannot wait.

I got back to the flat in time for lunch, and relaxed all afternoon. I took a trip to the third and final grocery store near by, Dunnes Store. Dunnes is sort of an Irish Walmart, but way smaller and more like a department store that has groceries. They did have carrying baskets, but a weird selection. Grocery shops here are not as varied and have less convenience items. It seems you have to almost make everything from scratch, there are no mixes or Lean Cuisines or Mac and Cheese. Somehow I am surviving however on alot of fruit, vegetables, cheese, cereal, and soups. And the occasional take out experience. Once I master the oven and cooktop I will get more adventurous with my cooking.

I will finish this post with a few pics from Fresher's Week.



A view of Front Square and the many clubs and societies trying to push their causes.


Looking down on the wine reception.

-Liz

Fresher's Week

All this week at Trinity College is Fresher's Week. Yesterday, was rather uneventful. Today, however, kept me busy from 9am to 11pm with meetings, wine receptions, and theatre.

The educational system in Ireland is much more relaxed when it comes to orientation and course selection. In America, we are so used to being able to create our college schedules not only for the upcoming semester, but also for all the semesters of our entire college experience. This creates a rather frustrating task for all Visiting Students who hail from America. No, I do not know my class schedule. In fact, no one knows their schedule because the college has not posted any of the timetables for any of the courses as of yet. This morning my first stop was to check in at the English Department. I was supplied with some reading lists and a course list, but was informed that timetables would appear in the next few days...whenever they were done, on the board. I am so anxious to just get a solid routine down here!

The following orientation meetings catered towards Visiting and International Students helped to calm those fears, and help to make more sense of the whole wacky system. In between the boring yet informational meetings, there was a great amount of excitement around the front square of the college, which has been populated by a ring of tables representing the 92 clubs and socities on campus all badgering you with free food and goody bags and party tickets all in an attempt to get your membership fees from you. Apparently, at Trinity this whole society and club thing is a big deal. Depending on the amount of members, the club can get more money and sponsorship from a brand, say Heineken for example. There is literally a club for everything. While navigating the chaos I managed to sign up with Literary Society, the radio station and the notorious Phil. The Phil and the Hist are the two largest and oldest societies on campus. Established as debating societies, these groups are a huge deal on campus and sponsor a large amount of events on campus and host various celebrity speakers. Apparently the Hist is the older and more prestigious, with the Phil being more snooty yet casual. At least thats what I can gather from the sales pitches we recieved from their very eager members.

Joining the Phil guarantees you admission to all their speakers ans events, not to mention admission to a great study spot on campus, and free food. I know my brother is jealous. Not quite the Stewards, but it is a start.

There was also a free Wine Reception that I was able to get one glass of wine in before we rushed off to a dinner and a play with the rest of the Arcadia students. The play was a modern adaptation of The Playboy of the Western World at the Abbey Theatre.

Now I am completely knackered, and ready for bed. Tomorrow I formally register, and time table publication willing, enroll in classes.

until tomorrow....good luck.
-Liz