Worrysome times for the first day in Ireland

This post is the first I am making from my actual spot here in Dublin.

I am living in Roebuck Hall which is one of the dorms on campus here at University College Dublin. Right away one can tell a lot of differences between this and a US school. The dorm is in fact a six person apartment with a shared common room and kitchen. I have my own single bedroom and have a nice view of the football pitch through the window. I spent most of the day taking things out of my bags and placing them to resemble some semblance of order here in my room. Pictures will be following shortly.

I feel a mixture of emotions right now. First off everything feels simply weird. Most of it is the little things, like not knowing the campus to grocery shopping for the first time to eating dinner with my roommates whom I hardly know but still seem to get along with quite well. I keep forgetting that the bathroom is literally ten feet away, and I have only what I was able to pack in my suitcases. I am not as accessible anymore, as my cell phone does not connect to US calls and computer conversations are good but also an inconvenience being that I am six hours ahead of everyone else back home. And when I do come home, I will be arriving in a world that I have not been a part of for a very long time. TV, my cell phone, my family and friends always easily accessible, everything so much more familiar will be awkward once again. There are a million things flying at my head and I feel much like I did as a freshman; like I am not ready.


On the other hand, I feel excited. I am somewhere new, learning a lifestyle I have never come into contact before. The country is only a small part; living in a city, taking different classes, meeting new people, and expanding my worldly experience all seem like wonderful opportunities many people only can dream of. And to top it all off, I am in another country! For an entire four months, long enough to learn more than what I would on a vacation, time enough to really dive into the culture of a society older than our entire country.


I am working my way through all these feelings and emotions. Overall I still have a positive outlook, and I am sure as time goes on those small things will become more and more familiar until they seem just like home does.

Dinner was good, as I said I will be posting more pictures soon, so stay tuned.