Arrival

I arrived safely in Dublin just a little over 12 hours ago. The plane ride was fine- only a bit of turbulence at the start and then perfectly smooth the rest of the way. It's freezing here, a lot colder than I thought it would be, but at least there's no wind and no rain so far.

After getting here they gave us our rooming assignments and gave us until 2pm to settle in, but we were advised to stay awake to avoid jetlag. So after unpacking and showering I ventured off to the local convenience store in search of something to eat. To my surprise, they don't have normal peanut butter. Oh well, I'll just have to make sure I actually take the time to cook meat.

The orientation meeting was long and I know I won't remember half the information. Some highlights include the fact that there are security cameras everywhere, even in our common rooms and kitchens, which is mildly creepy. We can't have any overnight guests, which is utter bs and a rule that many intend to break. The heat is "economical," meaning they don't bother to heat the classrooms or buildings, and the rooms are only allowed heat at certain hours of the day. I think Irish people are totally immune to the cold. I am going to invest in a good fleece blanket tomorrow when we go to Penney's in downtown Dublin.

The rooms are really nice and the bathroom situation is awesome (only sharing with my roommate). And while I'm on the subject of roommates, apparently mine has gone missing. She never sent in her flight information and they can't reach her parents. They don't even know if she's coming anymore. So we'll see how that pans out.

After the tour around campus I went with a few girls to the EuroSpar to pick up a few basic groceries. It's weird and kind of cool actually being on a campus. Now I'm going to make some food and hang out with people. Everyone seems pleasant, no complaints. We might go out later, but it's up in the air. Everyone is exhausted.

Even though I'm in Ireland, it still hasn't sunk in. Maybe it will tomorrow after I've slept. It was a good if slightly uneventful day. Tomorrow we'll be going downtown to do a scavenger hunt to get to know the area.