Today has been a rather uneventful day, other than the start of classes. I've only had one class so far - Management of Change. It started at 9:15 this morning, but Kari and I headed to the main building early just to make sure we could find our classrooms.
From 9:15-11:15 I'm supposed to have the lecture part of my class. Today, Ian, my teacher and studies adviser, just went through introductory notes and then let us have a forty-five minute break between lecture and seminar. Ian (yes, students do call the professors by first-name) is fantastic and a real pleasure to listen to...maybe it's the Irish accent! The seminar part of the class is schedule from 11:15-1:15 and is supposed to be more of a small group discussion time where students and the professor interact rather than the professor simply dictating notes. Today seminar only went for an hour. So far the subject matter of this class sounds very interesting and I'm excited to see what the semester holds.
One thing I found rather interesting is that no one brings lap tops to class! Paper and pen are the means of notetaking here. I just hope I can write fast enough, because 65% of our course grade comes from the 3-hour exam we will take at the end of the term!
Another thing...I completely forgot what it's like being the new kid! It was so weird not knowing a single person in lecture or seminar. I did meet a nice girl named Kelly who was also new to the Jordanstown campus, having done most of her studies at Coleraine. She's here taking two modules this semester so she can finally finish her degree. I look forward to seeing her again next week.
Alright, I'm headed out to enjoy the last bit of sunlight on this beautiful day! The birds are chirping outside and it feels like spring! Jealous?!?!
Monday, 26 January 2009
Sunday...
Here's the report about Sunday as promised:
It was the most wonderful day of the entire weekend! Kari and I had done some searching for churches close to campus on Saturday, but didn't find many, and the ones we did find didn't post the time the service was to start. So, we decided to take the train back to Carrickfergus to attend one of the churches we had seen there on Saturday. It was a cold, windy and rainy morning, so the walk to the train station was less than enjoyable, but we survived and were looking forward to a nice cup of tea and a scone when we arrived. Unfortunately, we arrived in Carrickfergus to find the streets deserted and all the shops and stores closed! We wandered around the town for a while, but unable to find anything open, Kari and I went back to the train station to get out of the rain and sit in some warmth until the 11:30 church service at First Carrickfergus Presbyterian Church. Instead of tea and scones, we bought juice boxes and Kari got a Snickers from the station's concession stand.
At 11:15 we headed back to the church, and it was well worth getting wet in the rain and waiting in the train station. From the moment we stepped inside, people were greeting us left and right with heart-warming smiles and cheerful welcomes. I don't think I've ever felt so welcomed when visiting a church as I did there. Another one of God's many blessings I suppose! Anyhow, Kari and I went in the sanctuary and found a seat and a few minutes later the pastor, Cecil, sought us out to introduce himself and welcome us. He took a few minutes to tell us a little bit about how the service was going to go and to find out a little bit about Kari and I. We told him we were both from Wisconsin in the US, which everyone guessed straight away by our accents. Coincidently, he was going to use a video clip of Lake Delton washing away that house this past summer during his sermon! He introduced us to a couple of church members sitting around us before leaving to finish preparing for the service, both of whom were very kind and invited us to stay for tea, coffee and biscuits after the service - just like church at home!
The service was fantastic. Pastor Cecil started out with announcements and included an announcement that "We have two young ladies visiting with us from America, Kari and Kelsey. Please make sure you make them feel welcome with us today." Of course everyone turned to look at us, which was slightly embarassing, but after the service we must have met twenty different people all wishing us the best in our studies and expressing their hope that'd we be back again. The rest of the service, other than the sermon, was led by the children of their Sunday School group, Christian Endeavor. I loved it! They announced songs, led the congregation in prayer, shared with us the various missions projects they were helping to fund with the day's offerings, read the Bible passage (the story of the house on the rock and the house on the sand) and even wrote and performed a skit to act it out! Kari and I definitely want to go back. We even got contact information from several individuals who offered to give us a lift to service next week and invited us to the college group.
So that was church yesterday. By the time we got back to campus the rain had stopped and the sun was shining again! I spent most of the afternoon figuring out my timetable (aka schedule) for classes this week, and then I went to the campus entrance to meet my dear friend Elsie. It was dinner time!
Elsie picked me up at 5 pm and together we drove to the apartment she rents to students and tourists. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by the couple that joined us. Larry and Jane are from Austin, Texas, but they have lived all over the world, in places such as Portugal, Peru, Brazil, Daytona Beach, Florida and Madison, Wisconsin (Larry got his master's degree there). They came to Northern Ireland through a Fullbright Scholar teaching program that Larry is part of. He will be teaching social policy classes here at Jordanstown. The best part about Larry and Jane...he is 72 and she is 71! I guess you could say I was hanging out with an older crowd?!
Elsie has a cute little house just up the road from the Jordanstown campus. Her son, Matthew, who is 29, also joined us for our delicious dinner of chicken roast, vegetables, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. As if that wasn't enough, we had fresh apple pie and custard for dessert and then tea with milk and chocolate covered biscuits (aka cookies) for second dessert! I was filled to the top. After dinner we went into the living room to watch the UK version of Antique Road Show. For a moment I thought I was living in a retirement village, but no matter. The conversation was pleasant and I had an absolutely lovely time!! I think I could listen to Larry and Jane's stories of all the places they've lived and their many adventures forever.
When it was time to leave, Larry and Jane gave me their phone number and email address and urged me to contact them if I needed anything at all. In Jane's words, "If you're feeling homesick, just give us a call and we'll come and pick you up and take care of you." Two more acquaintances whose kindness I will treasure for a very long time! Elsie's goodbye was no different. She told me to be sure to stay in contact with her and said she was going to invite me to have tea with her and her son's girlfriend the next time they get together. She also said I could call her and she would come pick me up if I just need to get away or talk through things or just for some advice from a local or a ride to the grocery store. She even referred to me as her foster child for the semester. Never have I known such kindness and love from complete strangers. God has blessed me tremendously with these guardian angels and I look forward to spending more time with them as the semester progresses!
It was the most wonderful day of the entire weekend! Kari and I had done some searching for churches close to campus on Saturday, but didn't find many, and the ones we did find didn't post the time the service was to start. So, we decided to take the train back to Carrickfergus to attend one of the churches we had seen there on Saturday. It was a cold, windy and rainy morning, so the walk to the train station was less than enjoyable, but we survived and were looking forward to a nice cup of tea and a scone when we arrived. Unfortunately, we arrived in Carrickfergus to find the streets deserted and all the shops and stores closed! We wandered around the town for a while, but unable to find anything open, Kari and I went back to the train station to get out of the rain and sit in some warmth until the 11:30 church service at First Carrickfergus Presbyterian Church. Instead of tea and scones, we bought juice boxes and Kari got a Snickers from the station's concession stand.
At 11:15 we headed back to the church, and it was well worth getting wet in the rain and waiting in the train station. From the moment we stepped inside, people were greeting us left and right with heart-warming smiles and cheerful welcomes. I don't think I've ever felt so welcomed when visiting a church as I did there. Another one of God's many blessings I suppose! Anyhow, Kari and I went in the sanctuary and found a seat and a few minutes later the pastor, Cecil, sought us out to introduce himself and welcome us. He took a few minutes to tell us a little bit about how the service was going to go and to find out a little bit about Kari and I. We told him we were both from Wisconsin in the US, which everyone guessed straight away by our accents. Coincidently, he was going to use a video clip of Lake Delton washing away that house this past summer during his sermon! He introduced us to a couple of church members sitting around us before leaving to finish preparing for the service, both of whom were very kind and invited us to stay for tea, coffee and biscuits after the service - just like church at home!
The service was fantastic. Pastor Cecil started out with announcements and included an announcement that "We have two young ladies visiting with us from America, Kari and Kelsey. Please make sure you make them feel welcome with us today." Of course everyone turned to look at us, which was slightly embarassing, but after the service we must have met twenty different people all wishing us the best in our studies and expressing their hope that'd we be back again. The rest of the service, other than the sermon, was led by the children of their Sunday School group, Christian Endeavor. I loved it! They announced songs, led the congregation in prayer, shared with us the various missions projects they were helping to fund with the day's offerings, read the Bible passage (the story of the house on the rock and the house on the sand) and even wrote and performed a skit to act it out! Kari and I definitely want to go back. We even got contact information from several individuals who offered to give us a lift to service next week and invited us to the college group.
So that was church yesterday. By the time we got back to campus the rain had stopped and the sun was shining again! I spent most of the afternoon figuring out my timetable (aka schedule) for classes this week, and then I went to the campus entrance to meet my dear friend Elsie. It was dinner time!
Elsie picked me up at 5 pm and together we drove to the apartment she rents to students and tourists. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by the couple that joined us. Larry and Jane are from Austin, Texas, but they have lived all over the world, in places such as Portugal, Peru, Brazil, Daytona Beach, Florida and Madison, Wisconsin (Larry got his master's degree there). They came to Northern Ireland through a Fullbright Scholar teaching program that Larry is part of. He will be teaching social policy classes here at Jordanstown. The best part about Larry and Jane...he is 72 and she is 71! I guess you could say I was hanging out with an older crowd?!
Elsie has a cute little house just up the road from the Jordanstown campus. Her son, Matthew, who is 29, also joined us for our delicious dinner of chicken roast, vegetables, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. As if that wasn't enough, we had fresh apple pie and custard for dessert and then tea with milk and chocolate covered biscuits (aka cookies) for second dessert! I was filled to the top. After dinner we went into the living room to watch the UK version of Antique Road Show. For a moment I thought I was living in a retirement village, but no matter. The conversation was pleasant and I had an absolutely lovely time!! I think I could listen to Larry and Jane's stories of all the places they've lived and their many adventures forever.
When it was time to leave, Larry and Jane gave me their phone number and email address and urged me to contact them if I needed anything at all. In Jane's words, "If you're feeling homesick, just give us a call and we'll come and pick you up and take care of you." Two more acquaintances whose kindness I will treasure for a very long time! Elsie's goodbye was no different. She told me to be sure to stay in contact with her and said she was going to invite me to have tea with her and her son's girlfriend the next time they get together. She also said I could call her and she would come pick me up if I just need to get away or talk through things or just for some advice from a local or a ride to the grocery store. She even referred to me as her foster child for the semester. Never have I known such kindness and love from complete strangers. God has blessed me tremendously with these guardian angels and I look forward to spending more time with them as the semester progresses!
Sunday, 25 January 2009
What a wonderful weekend...
I had the most wonderful weekend - busy and filled with lots of adventure and confusion at times, but altogether wonderful!
Friday:
Friday morning we had a couple more hours of orientation meetings. A lot of the information was just a repeat of the day before. We did have a new presentation from the local constable about crime prevention. He handed out these mouse key chains that have a flashlight and alarm built into them. So don't worry mom and dad, I have everything I need to be safe now! After orientation I came back to my room to figure out what classes I was going to take and then I headed off to meet my studies adviser, Mr. Pyper, to finalize the registration process. I decided on Management of Change, Managing Behaviour, and Business Strategy as my three modules or courses. Previously, I thought the registration process at Grove City was bad, but I have since changed my mind. In order to complete registration here, I had to get an enrollment form from the international office, then I had to meet with my adviser, then I had to get the form stamped by the Ulster Business School Faculty, then I had to register online, then I had to go to the Finance Department and finally I had to go to the registry to process the paper work and get my student ID card made. As I'm writing this on Sunday, I've only completed half of the steps. But no one here seems to be in any rush to get registration taken care of, so I'm not stressing myself out about it.
After partially taking care of registration, I came back to my flat for a bite to eat and then four of us took a cab to Abbey Centre to pick up a few more groceries at Tesco and also to get cell phones. Everything is so confusing in a foreign country! Trying to get a SIM card for my roommate Emily's cell phone involved stopping at two different shopping centres and took nearly two hours! But she finally found what she was looking for, and after some additional confusion as to where the taxi was going to pick us up, we finally made it back to campus.
That night we headed over to fellow-Grover, Bethany McCune's apartment and were treated to a lovely cup of tea with milk (very Irish) by her roommate Jordan, who happens to live just a half hour away from Bethany in PA. Since we don't have television in our flat, we took full advantage of the TV and DVD selection at Bethany's and kicked back for a viewing of the classic Julia Roberts-Richard Gere flick, Pretty Woman. Oddly enough, our dear Austrian male-friend, Bernie, had seen the film more than most of us girls. We also enjoyed a competitive game of spoons before heading back to our flat for a couple of drinks and then bed.
Saturday:
We all decided to skip the alarm clocks on Saturday morning and sleep in. When we all got up at around 11:30, we packed lunches and headed to Loughshore Park, just across the street from the Jordanstown Campus. It was a crisp, cool, and wonderfully sunny morning, perfect for the adventures we had planned. We walked along the shores of the lough and then planted ourselves on the benches along the beach for a nice picnic breakfast/lunch. Then it was a short walk to the train station for a ride to Carrickfergus. Carrickfergus is a small town just up the shore of the lake from Jordanstown. When we got off the train and out of the station we were greeted by quaint little buildings and the sight of the North Gate - part of the original walls of the village a few hundred years ago. The main reason for coming to Carrickfergus was a few more blocks walking distance away, right on the shore of the lake...Carrickfergus Castle. Yes, that's right, I spent my Saturday afternoon touring the remains of a castle!!! The view from the castle walls was spectacular - you could see the shore on the opposite side of the lake, the Mourne Mountains in the distance and the town of Carrickfergus stretching along the shoreline. The thing that struck me the most was that I was standing in a structure built hundreds of years ago that now sits next to a marina and is surrounded by modern civilization. All of us enjoyed storytelling time and music in the castle, and then it was back to town to stop by St. Nicholas' Church, which is also a few hundred years old. Unfortunately, the church was not open for tours, but we got to walk around the building through the graveyard that surrounds it. This graveyard was exactly like something you'd see in a scary movie - just picturing it on a dark, foggy night gave me the chills! The rest of Saturday was spent taking the train back to Jordanstown and then enjoying a few drinks and card games in our flat before heading off to bed. Oh, and I was able to watch a full episode of Law and Order on YouTube...my first taste of American TV since arriving! Yippee!
Alright, I know I still have to write about Sunday, but other adventures are calling...
Friday:
Friday morning we had a couple more hours of orientation meetings. A lot of the information was just a repeat of the day before. We did have a new presentation from the local constable about crime prevention. He handed out these mouse key chains that have a flashlight and alarm built into them. So don't worry mom and dad, I have everything I need to be safe now! After orientation I came back to my room to figure out what classes I was going to take and then I headed off to meet my studies adviser, Mr. Pyper, to finalize the registration process. I decided on Management of Change, Managing Behaviour, and Business Strategy as my three modules or courses. Previously, I thought the registration process at Grove City was bad, but I have since changed my mind. In order to complete registration here, I had to get an enrollment form from the international office, then I had to meet with my adviser, then I had to get the form stamped by the Ulster Business School Faculty, then I had to register online, then I had to go to the Finance Department and finally I had to go to the registry to process the paper work and get my student ID card made. As I'm writing this on Sunday, I've only completed half of the steps. But no one here seems to be in any rush to get registration taken care of, so I'm not stressing myself out about it.
After partially taking care of registration, I came back to my flat for a bite to eat and then four of us took a cab to Abbey Centre to pick up a few more groceries at Tesco and also to get cell phones. Everything is so confusing in a foreign country! Trying to get a SIM card for my roommate Emily's cell phone involved stopping at two different shopping centres and took nearly two hours! But she finally found what she was looking for, and after some additional confusion as to where the taxi was going to pick us up, we finally made it back to campus.
That night we headed over to fellow-Grover, Bethany McCune's apartment and were treated to a lovely cup of tea with milk (very Irish) by her roommate Jordan, who happens to live just a half hour away from Bethany in PA. Since we don't have television in our flat, we took full advantage of the TV and DVD selection at Bethany's and kicked back for a viewing of the classic Julia Roberts-Richard Gere flick, Pretty Woman. Oddly enough, our dear Austrian male-friend, Bernie, had seen the film more than most of us girls. We also enjoyed a competitive game of spoons before heading back to our flat for a couple of drinks and then bed.
Saturday:
We all decided to skip the alarm clocks on Saturday morning and sleep in. When we all got up at around 11:30, we packed lunches and headed to Loughshore Park, just across the street from the Jordanstown Campus. It was a crisp, cool, and wonderfully sunny morning, perfect for the adventures we had planned. We walked along the shores of the lough and then planted ourselves on the benches along the beach for a nice picnic breakfast/lunch. Then it was a short walk to the train station for a ride to Carrickfergus. Carrickfergus is a small town just up the shore of the lake from Jordanstown. When we got off the train and out of the station we were greeted by quaint little buildings and the sight of the North Gate - part of the original walls of the village a few hundred years ago. The main reason for coming to Carrickfergus was a few more blocks walking distance away, right on the shore of the lake...Carrickfergus Castle. Yes, that's right, I spent my Saturday afternoon touring the remains of a castle!!! The view from the castle walls was spectacular - you could see the shore on the opposite side of the lake, the Mourne Mountains in the distance and the town of Carrickfergus stretching along the shoreline. The thing that struck me the most was that I was standing in a structure built hundreds of years ago that now sits next to a marina and is surrounded by modern civilization. All of us enjoyed storytelling time and music in the castle, and then it was back to town to stop by St. Nicholas' Church, which is also a few hundred years old. Unfortunately, the church was not open for tours, but we got to walk around the building through the graveyard that surrounds it. This graveyard was exactly like something you'd see in a scary movie - just picturing it on a dark, foggy night gave me the chills! The rest of Saturday was spent taking the train back to Jordanstown and then enjoying a few drinks and card games in our flat before heading off to bed. Oh, and I was able to watch a full episode of Law and Order on YouTube...my first taste of American TV since arriving! Yippee!
Alright, I know I still have to write about Sunday, but other adventures are calling...
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Let the adventures begin...
I'll try to keep this one brief because it's already 11:30 and I'm tired, but here it goes...
This morning I woke up at 9am after a wonderful night's sleep. The bed wasn't terribly comfy, but anything is better than the chairs in the airplane. The orientation program started at 10:15 in the main campus building, which, in my humble opinion, is pretty ugly and has the most confusing set up of rooms I've ever seen.
The "orientation" lasted for a few hours and was far from anything like the orientation week at Grove City...but this one had tea and scones! The women from the international office gave a brief history about the University of Ulster, which as actually a fairly new university, having been first established in 1984. The University is made up of four campuses - Jordanstown, Coleraine, Belfast and Magee (or Londonderry) - each with different schools. I'm at the Jordanstown campus because it houses the school of business. After the brief presentation, we were taken on a "tour" of campus, which basically consisted of all the international students talking amongst themselves, sharing stories about our journeys over here while the tour guides pointed out only three or four buildings on campus.
There are around thirty other international students here at Jordanstown for the semester. Today I met people from Washington state, Hong Kong, Turkey, Boston, Oshkosh Wisconsin (small world!), Finland, Texas, and Austria. I was so thankful after talking to two people from the States whose luggage didn't make it to Belfast. Thank you Lord!
After the orientation, I went with my roommate, Kara, who is from North Carolina, to meet our studies adviser, Mr. Ian Pyper, a wonderfully Irish old fellow. The meeting went well, but unfortunately only two of the four courses I had planned to take are actually available. So, I have some searching to do for at least one more course. For those of you at Grove City, three courses sounds ridiculous right? Well, each course involves not only class time, but also seminars and a lot of independent studying. I think it's going to be a lot different than school in the US, but I think it will be good. And, after all, studying abroad is also about being submerged in a different culture, not just about learning in the classroom.
Now for the fun stuff...I made my first trip into Belfast City Centre this evening. A group of us decided that sitting in our rooms for another night was too boring. So, Anya and Erin (aka Baz) from Boston, Amanda from Texas, Kerry from Wisconsin, Emily from Canada, Kara from North Carolina, Bernie from Austria (the only guy) and I took the train from Jordanstown to Belfast Central Station and then the bus from the station to Belfast City Centre. We wandered around the city a bit - saw City Hall and Victoria Square - and then headed down a well-lit alley to Whites, which claims to be Belfast's oldest tavern. We found it only after Bernie stopped for probably the tenth time to ask a kind Irish soul for directions (he would stop a few more times throughout the night). I thought about ordering my first Guinness, but I wasn't feeling it, so I went with a deliciously sweet pear ale...girly, I know. After drinks we headed to McHugh's pub and restaurant for a late dinner. It was fairly pricey, so most of us got a combination of starters and side orders. I had pumpkin soup and a side order of seasonal vegetables in basil oil. It was delicious! All in all, a wonderful night on the town!
A few things I've realized since arriving: (1) Everyone here likes to party. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who hasn't been completely drunk and who has never played drinking games like pong and such. I don't think that will change, but I'm not opposed to having a drink or two with supper. (2) I'm not sure there are many Christians in this group of international students. I could be wrong, but if I'm not, I keep praying that God will use me and give me the perfect words to say at the perfect point in time.
So much for being brief...
This morning I woke up at 9am after a wonderful night's sleep. The bed wasn't terribly comfy, but anything is better than the chairs in the airplane. The orientation program started at 10:15 in the main campus building, which, in my humble opinion, is pretty ugly and has the most confusing set up of rooms I've ever seen.
The "orientation" lasted for a few hours and was far from anything like the orientation week at Grove City...but this one had tea and scones! The women from the international office gave a brief history about the University of Ulster, which as actually a fairly new university, having been first established in 1984. The University is made up of four campuses - Jordanstown, Coleraine, Belfast and Magee (or Londonderry) - each with different schools. I'm at the Jordanstown campus because it houses the school of business. After the brief presentation, we were taken on a "tour" of campus, which basically consisted of all the international students talking amongst themselves, sharing stories about our journeys over here while the tour guides pointed out only three or four buildings on campus.
There are around thirty other international students here at Jordanstown for the semester. Today I met people from Washington state, Hong Kong, Turkey, Boston, Oshkosh Wisconsin (small world!), Finland, Texas, and Austria. I was so thankful after talking to two people from the States whose luggage didn't make it to Belfast. Thank you Lord!
After the orientation, I went with my roommate, Kara, who is from North Carolina, to meet our studies adviser, Mr. Ian Pyper, a wonderfully Irish old fellow. The meeting went well, but unfortunately only two of the four courses I had planned to take are actually available. So, I have some searching to do for at least one more course. For those of you at Grove City, three courses sounds ridiculous right? Well, each course involves not only class time, but also seminars and a lot of independent studying. I think it's going to be a lot different than school in the US, but I think it will be good. And, after all, studying abroad is also about being submerged in a different culture, not just about learning in the classroom.
Now for the fun stuff...I made my first trip into Belfast City Centre this evening. A group of us decided that sitting in our rooms for another night was too boring. So, Anya and Erin (aka Baz) from Boston, Amanda from Texas, Kerry from Wisconsin, Emily from Canada, Kara from North Carolina, Bernie from Austria (the only guy) and I took the train from Jordanstown to Belfast Central Station and then the bus from the station to Belfast City Centre. We wandered around the city a bit - saw City Hall and Victoria Square - and then headed down a well-lit alley to Whites, which claims to be Belfast's oldest tavern. We found it only after Bernie stopped for probably the tenth time to ask a kind Irish soul for directions (he would stop a few more times throughout the night). I thought about ordering my first Guinness, but I wasn't feeling it, so I went with a deliciously sweet pear ale...girly, I know. After drinks we headed to McHugh's pub and restaurant for a late dinner. It was fairly pricey, so most of us got a combination of starters and side orders. I had pumpkin soup and a side order of seasonal vegetables in basil oil. It was delicious! All in all, a wonderful night on the town!
A few things I've realized since arriving: (1) Everyone here likes to party. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who hasn't been completely drunk and who has never played drinking games like pong and such. I don't think that will change, but I'm not opposed to having a drink or two with supper. (2) I'm not sure there are many Christians in this group of international students. I could be wrong, but if I'm not, I keep praying that God will use me and give me the perfect words to say at the perfect point in time.
So much for being brief...
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Trying to stay awake...
All I wanted to do when I got here was go to sleep and never wake-up...at least not for 8 hours or so. But everyone told me I shouldn't do that, so I filled my day with other things instead.
When I got to the residential services office, I had to fill out even more paperwork - imagine that?! Apparently there had been a few last minute room changes. Anyway, I filled that all out and then the resident assistant named Ronny helped me drag all my suitcases to my building - Dalriada Student Village, Block 2, Suite 5, Room 5. The poor guy was out of breath after lugging my 50 pound bag and my smaller carry on up to the top floor!
The set up here is great. I have my own, very basic bedroom - we're talking one bed, a shelving unit for books, a shelf for a desk, a rod to hang clothes and two shelves above it for folded clothes. I also have my own, and also very basic bathroom - toilet, wash basin, mirror, and shower. There is nothing extra included in the room fees, and I mean nothing, not even a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom when you arrive. That was a slight problem when I got here... There are four other rooms like mine, each having its own bathroom. The five of us who will be living here also have a large kitchen and living room to share. I guess I should've brought along some recipes...or my dad to be our personal chef.
Anyway, when I arrived no one was in the suite, but a few minutes into unpacking (which only took me about thirty minutes), Emily arrived. Emily is an environmental engineering major who goes to school in Ontario, Canada, but is from British Colombia, Canada. We talked briefly and decided that after we goth got unpacked and after I finally got to shower we would take a taxi together to Tesco's - the Walmart of Northern Ireland.
Shopping was really confusing, having to think in pounds and pence instead of dollars and cents. But we survived and came "home" with enough food to last through the confusion of finding our way around campus and figuring out what exactly our meal plan is.
And now it's 9:15 pm and I am absolutely exhausted! I haven't tried out the bed yet, but I hope it's comfy because it's time for some much needed sleep!
When I got to the residential services office, I had to fill out even more paperwork - imagine that?! Apparently there had been a few last minute room changes. Anyway, I filled that all out and then the resident assistant named Ronny helped me drag all my suitcases to my building - Dalriada Student Village, Block 2, Suite 5, Room 5. The poor guy was out of breath after lugging my 50 pound bag and my smaller carry on up to the top floor!
The set up here is great. I have my own, very basic bedroom - we're talking one bed, a shelving unit for books, a shelf for a desk, a rod to hang clothes and two shelves above it for folded clothes. I also have my own, and also very basic bathroom - toilet, wash basin, mirror, and shower. There is nothing extra included in the room fees, and I mean nothing, not even a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom when you arrive. That was a slight problem when I got here... There are four other rooms like mine, each having its own bathroom. The five of us who will be living here also have a large kitchen and living room to share. I guess I should've brought along some recipes...or my dad to be our personal chef.
Anyway, when I arrived no one was in the suite, but a few minutes into unpacking (which only took me about thirty minutes), Emily arrived. Emily is an environmental engineering major who goes to school in Ontario, Canada, but is from British Colombia, Canada. We talked briefly and decided that after we goth got unpacked and after I finally got to shower we would take a taxi together to Tesco's - the Walmart of Northern Ireland.
Shopping was really confusing, having to think in pounds and pence instead of dollars and cents. But we survived and came "home" with enough food to last through the confusion of finding our way around campus and figuring out what exactly our meal plan is.
And now it's 9:15 pm and I am absolutely exhausted! I haven't tried out the bed yet, but I hope it's comfy because it's time for some much needed sleep!
And so it begins...
Well, I have finally arrived. After mountains of paperwork and planning for months, after spending two days packing two suitcases nearly fifty pounds each, after shedding a few, okay a lot, of tears saying goodbye to my family, after over 15 hours spent in airports or airplanes flying from Chicago to Newark to London to Belfast, I am now sitting at my desk in my on-campus apartment at the University of Ulster Jordanstown just outside of Belfast. I can't believe I'm actually here and this is really my new home for the next four and a half months!
A few highlights from the trek across the pond...
1) Reading the entries in the journal my GCC friends gave me. I've been dying to read it since my surprise going away party, but it was definitely worth the wait and exactly the encouragement and humor I needed while I passed the time at Newark Int'l Airport. Thanks guys!
2) (Laura this one is for you) Sitting at the gate in Newark listening to a Russian woman speak to a friend...our accent needs a little work!
3) Being served lunch, dinner, breakfast and countless beverages on my two longest flights and having lots of free movies to choose from.
4) Boarding my flight to London to find it was nearly empty, which meant ample space for every passenger to have his or her own row to spread out on, which also meant I got a solid two hours of sleep during the five and a half hour flight. The only bad part about that flight was that the man in the row in front of me had this horrendous cough!
5) Meeting two girls while transferring from my London flight to my Belfast flight - Carrie and Casey - who were heading to Coleraine to study at the University of Ulster campus there. God sent me two guardian angels in these girls because we all had never traveled outside North America and we were all exhausted, confused, nervous and alone. It always helps to know you're not the only one!
6) Being surrounded by British accents as I walked through London Heathrow airport...Adam, you do a pretty darn good impression!!
7) Making it through customs without a problem.
8) Seeing green fields and snow covered peaks of mountains as my plane landed in Belfast.
9) Finding both of my suitcases at the baggage claim in Belfast.
10) HIGHLIGHT OF THE ENTIRE DAY: After a slightly terrifying moment that involved being unable to use the pay phone and my speedy pin number to call my parents, I went to get all of my US currency exchanged into British pounds and pence. There was the nicest lady behind the desk named Elsie (pronounced Elsa). She had just finished exchanging all my cash and I asked where I could get a taxi. Through casual conversation we discovered that I needed to get to the University of Ulster at Jordanstown and she lived just down the road from the Jordanstown Campus. Now get ready for this...she offered me - a complete and total stranger who looked like crap from 15 hours of airports and airplanes - a ride to campus!! Talk about another God-send! At first I said no because she didn't get off work for another thirty minutes and I just wanted to get to campus, but after finally talking to my parents, I took her up on the offer. Totally worth it! It was like having my own chauffeur and tour guide. She pointed out all the sites on the road to the University - the docks where the Titanic was built and set sail from, the capitol building, the new shopping center with a glass dome, a huge building - the name of which I can't remember - that has an ice hockey arena, arcades, restaurants and many other attractions, Belfast's castle, the parks and walking paths along the lake, Carrickfergus and more. As we neared the University, she told me that she rents a flat to students studying at the University and her currents tennets are two young men from Texas. The best part...she invited me to dinner at her house on Sunday night! All the books are right...the Irish are super nice and extremely hospitable. Finally, she dropped me off right at the door of the Residential Services building and left me with her business card and instructions to call her on Sunday.
And that's how I got to be here...at my desk just outside of Belfast.
A few highlights from the trek across the pond...
1) Reading the entries in the journal my GCC friends gave me. I've been dying to read it since my surprise going away party, but it was definitely worth the wait and exactly the encouragement and humor I needed while I passed the time at Newark Int'l Airport. Thanks guys!
2) (Laura this one is for you) Sitting at the gate in Newark listening to a Russian woman speak to a friend...our accent needs a little work!
3) Being served lunch, dinner, breakfast and countless beverages on my two longest flights and having lots of free movies to choose from.
4) Boarding my flight to London to find it was nearly empty, which meant ample space for every passenger to have his or her own row to spread out on, which also meant I got a solid two hours of sleep during the five and a half hour flight. The only bad part about that flight was that the man in the row in front of me had this horrendous cough!
5) Meeting two girls while transferring from my London flight to my Belfast flight - Carrie and Casey - who were heading to Coleraine to study at the University of Ulster campus there. God sent me two guardian angels in these girls because we all had never traveled outside North America and we were all exhausted, confused, nervous and alone. It always helps to know you're not the only one!
6) Being surrounded by British accents as I walked through London Heathrow airport...Adam, you do a pretty darn good impression!!
7) Making it through customs without a problem.
8) Seeing green fields and snow covered peaks of mountains as my plane landed in Belfast.
9) Finding both of my suitcases at the baggage claim in Belfast.
10) HIGHLIGHT OF THE ENTIRE DAY: After a slightly terrifying moment that involved being unable to use the pay phone and my speedy pin number to call my parents, I went to get all of my US currency exchanged into British pounds and pence. There was the nicest lady behind the desk named Elsie (pronounced Elsa). She had just finished exchanging all my cash and I asked where I could get a taxi. Through casual conversation we discovered that I needed to get to the University of Ulster at Jordanstown and she lived just down the road from the Jordanstown Campus. Now get ready for this...she offered me - a complete and total stranger who looked like crap from 15 hours of airports and airplanes - a ride to campus!! Talk about another God-send! At first I said no because she didn't get off work for another thirty minutes and I just wanted to get to campus, but after finally talking to my parents, I took her up on the offer. Totally worth it! It was like having my own chauffeur and tour guide. She pointed out all the sites on the road to the University - the docks where the Titanic was built and set sail from, the capitol building, the new shopping center with a glass dome, a huge building - the name of which I can't remember - that has an ice hockey arena, arcades, restaurants and many other attractions, Belfast's castle, the parks and walking paths along the lake, Carrickfergus and more. As we neared the University, she told me that she rents a flat to students studying at the University and her currents tennets are two young men from Texas. The best part...she invited me to dinner at her house on Sunday night! All the books are right...the Irish are super nice and extremely hospitable. Finally, she dropped me off right at the door of the Residential Services building and left me with her business card and instructions to call her on Sunday.
And that's how I got to be here...at my desk just outside of Belfast.
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