Today's goings-on
Wednesday, September 20. 2006
Lots of class today. That sucked because I woke up with one of the worst sore throats I've ever had. Getting sick was inevitable, but I just want it to pass. It sucks that it had to be on THE week of fall semester. Oh well. I'm feeling better now.
I had my first tutorial today (which is basically a recitation). It is nice being a 4th (or 6th) year in a room full of 1st years. I have the balls to ask questions that everybody wants to ask without worrying about "looking stupid." The label of "exchange student" helps, too. Too bad people kinda chuckle when they hear my accent say, "I'm from the US." They're like, "yeah - that's obvious." I also got laughed at the other day by a the 30+ fast food service guy when I ordered, "A cheeseburger and fri...uh....chips."
A small side-bar from the events today, the woman who sold me my mobile phone had a masters degree from UCD. Apparently arts degrees ARE worth about as much as toilet paper. Good thing I'm not graduating from this education highway.
So after tutorial - I picked up some papers and swung by the college tribune office. I gave them my phone number if they needed a photographer and took a look at their equipment. It was, no joke, a pocket sized digi-cam. Needless to say, I'd be a huge asset to them. I'm going to the Observer tomorrow to see what they're like.
After that, I doled out my 15 Euro to the mountaineering club so I can use the wall during club times. Yes mom, I'm going to climb. I need the exercise and it is another way to meet people. I'm not going on hikes/outdoor climbs that require additional insurance, though.
Next was the iron stomach competition. The C&E society got about a dozen people to ingest fear-factor worthy fair. Round 1 was drinking a beer through your sock. Round 5 was a glass ram sperm. They were also bonging funnels of pea soup. Pretty funny to see the guys puke, though.
Couple more boring classes + a painful lunch (throat). Then there was a buddy program meet-up thing. If nothing else, it would be yet another way to meet more students. I've learned that I do like meeting Irish kids, but I think I like meeting people from other European countries as much. I've met kids from every western European country I can think of (including Luxemburg). The group was pretty nice. 2 Irish buddies, a german guy (lots of Germans here), and a french girl. I think she took to me rather quickly. I'm seeing them all again for ESN's oktoberfest on Friday.
Then, the porn debate put on by B&L soc. In addition to students demonstrating the hight of Irish wit, they had 2 guest speakers: a porn director and a porn "actress." To be honest, it lasted a bit too long, but the director was surprisingly funny and made some good points. The actress admitted to not being so educated (deferring college for opportunity to do what she loved... girls) and spoke with the most heinous British lisp I've ever heard. Her points were considerably less thought out, but funny none the less.
As for the weather - its Irish. It has already started to turn and the sun sets about 30 minutes earlier than when I got here. I've learned that the weather reports don't attempt to predict rain or shine (I joke that they predict, "eh - its ireland"). You really are better served to just look up. I've learned that such evaluations are good for only about 2 hours max, though, due to the obscene wind. As I'm writing this, the wind reports for tomorrow predict 40km/25mi per hour. That was a little lower than the prediction for today - both being about double average. Still, a sustained 12 mile an hour wind is substantial.
Okay - it is late and I'm still sick. I need to get into bed.
I had my first tutorial today (which is basically a recitation). It is nice being a 4th (or 6th) year in a room full of 1st years. I have the balls to ask questions that everybody wants to ask without worrying about "looking stupid." The label of "exchange student" helps, too. Too bad people kinda chuckle when they hear my accent say, "I'm from the US." They're like, "yeah - that's obvious." I also got laughed at the other day by a the 30+ fast food service guy when I ordered, "A cheeseburger and fri...uh....chips."
A small side-bar from the events today, the woman who sold me my mobile phone had a masters degree from UCD. Apparently arts degrees ARE worth about as much as toilet paper. Good thing I'm not graduating from this education highway.
So after tutorial - I picked up some papers and swung by the college tribune office. I gave them my phone number if they needed a photographer and took a look at their equipment. It was, no joke, a pocket sized digi-cam. Needless to say, I'd be a huge asset to them. I'm going to the Observer tomorrow to see what they're like.
After that, I doled out my 15 Euro to the mountaineering club so I can use the wall during club times. Yes mom, I'm going to climb. I need the exercise and it is another way to meet people. I'm not going on hikes/outdoor climbs that require additional insurance, though.
Next was the iron stomach competition. The C&E society got about a dozen people to ingest fear-factor worthy fair. Round 1 was drinking a beer through your sock. Round 5 was a glass ram sperm. They were also bonging funnels of pea soup. Pretty funny to see the guys puke, though.
Couple more boring classes + a painful lunch (throat). Then there was a buddy program meet-up thing. If nothing else, it would be yet another way to meet more students. I've learned that I do like meeting Irish kids, but I think I like meeting people from other European countries as much. I've met kids from every western European country I can think of (including Luxemburg). The group was pretty nice. 2 Irish buddies, a german guy (lots of Germans here), and a french girl. I think she took to me rather quickly. I'm seeing them all again for ESN's oktoberfest on Friday.
Then, the porn debate put on by B&L soc. In addition to students demonstrating the hight of Irish wit, they had 2 guest speakers: a porn director and a porn "actress." To be honest, it lasted a bit too long, but the director was surprisingly funny and made some good points. The actress admitted to not being so educated (deferring college for opportunity to do what she loved... girls) and spoke with the most heinous British lisp I've ever heard. Her points were considerably less thought out, but funny none the less.
As for the weather - its Irish. It has already started to turn and the sun sets about 30 minutes earlier than when I got here. I've learned that the weather reports don't attempt to predict rain or shine (I joke that they predict, "eh - its ireland"). You really are better served to just look up. I've learned that such evaluations are good for only about 2 hours max, though, due to the obscene wind. As I'm writing this, the wind reports for tomorrow predict 40km/25mi per hour. That was a little lower than the prediction for today - both being about double average. Still, a sustained 12 mile an hour wind is substantial.
Okay - it is late and I'm still sick. I need to get into bed.
