Yesterday was my first day here, and um, it was interesting, to say the least. The campus is extremely large and you have to go through buildings and bridges and secret paths in the middle of a forest to get anywhere. It's lovely though, I can hear cows outside sometimes, and the crows here are as big as chickens and they sit on the roof, with the gray heron looking things and just chill out. I live in the Robin building of Thomond (pronounced Tommand, by the locals) and it's pretty nice except it's farther away from stuff, but really, everything is far from everthing.
So, I got here and I didn't sleep. I unpacked and went to go explore the world. I was hungry, so I tried to find a place to eat. I saw kids walking into a little room, so like the lemming I am, I followed. It was a nice and cozy little cafe where they served hot and cold food. There was no menu, you pretty much went up there and looked at what you wanted and asked for it. I looked at the selection and didn't know what anything was. I asked for a chicken sandwich because I saw pieces of chicken breast in a tray thing, but no, the lady gives me chicken slices, on white bread. I don't like mayonnaise, so I asked for mustard and everyone around me stopped what they were doing and stared at me. "Mustard is it?"
"Yeah...mustard"
"We've only got eh, Dijon. Is that all right?"
"Mmm, yea, I think."
So, she slabs on this dijon and asks me what else I want, I didn't understand most of what was in my selection, but I noticed cheese. And I didn't want to be that guy who has the server list everything on the menu to say, "No, I don't want any of those" SO I TOOK THE CHEESE. It was shredded cheese, and I have less hatred toward shredded than sliced.
Then she cut the sandwich into four triangles!
I wandered around some more and made my way into a market looking place, with fresh fruit stands and things. I also walked around a bookstore, walked into one building took the stairs up, and then walked back down and out, and then I picked up some little groceries at a Spar. I need to do real shopping though, and I need to get money from an ATM.
Also, a bee flew into my room because the windows don't have screens (blockers, as per local term) So I hid in the hallway til he found his way out.
My place is really nice though, my own room with my own bathroom. The kitchen is lovely as well, they had food when I got here waiting on the table, and in the cabinets...and the fridge...and the cupboard. Brilliant.
My roommates thus far are two irish lads and a girl from new york. Really great people. Brian, Sean and Lauren. Sean's supposed to show me around eventually, and take me to limerick city to a bar.
