Newgrange

Our third stop was Newgrange Tomb.

The tomb from a distance, with some standing stones in front of it.

The side of the tomb.
The entrance. The people should give you some sense of scale. Note the carved curb-stone. The original tomb would have been all white quartz and to enter the tomb, its builders would have had to clamber over that stone. When the site was unearthed they reinforced the walls with cut stone so the public would be able to visit.

The view from in front of Newgrange, looking out over the Boyne Valley.

Another carved stone at the base of the tomb's side.

The rear side of the tomb-- it really does blend, hill-like, into the landscape.

Mellifont Abbey

Our next stop on the tour was the ruins of Mellifont Abbey, established by an important Irish priest.

Monasterboice

This past Saturday, I went down to Dublin and, with Jason, went on a bus tour of the Boyne Valley. Our first stop was Monasterboice, a ruined monastery and site of one of the famous stone crosses of early Christianity.

The crumbling tower, probably built to protect the monks from Viking raids.

The cross itself, with a graveyard off to the left.

Sitting amongst the ruins of the monastery.

One of the scenes carved into the cross.

Closeup of the top of the cross.

Out and About

Some daffodils blooming outside, along the Falls road. Another sign of spring!

Another view of the horizon (St. Peter's Cathedral and Divis mountain) from the bridge.

Confiance moored in the Lagan Harbor at the edge of the city. The Thanksgiving statue and Queens bridge are in the background.

A closeup up the Thanksgiving statue, which celebrates the peace agreement in the city.

A big tiled fish down by the waterfront.

Saturday in the City

Today I went into the city again to explore St. George's Market, a large farm market that's open on Fridays and Saturdays, with some of the other girls. It was a great place, and quite lively. I got a bit of tumeric and garam masala spice, ate a savory Moroccan chickpea cake and a croissant, and got a few pieces of turkish delight. There was a lot to see and smell.

Some of the stands at the entrance.

Spices!

Fish!

On our way back through the city we saw a parade in celebration of the Irish language go by.

They were mostly students from various Irish-language schools, and normal people.

Nice end to the week

Spring is, amazingly enough, approaching! In parks and front lawns I can see crocuses starting to come up already. The weather's holding steady around or above the average coolest temperature (43 degrees). I've spent the past few days doing lots of walking.

Some crocuses in the park along Falls Rd.

On Wednesday, I went into the city with Deena for part of the International Students Festival (the first ever for Northern Ireland). The mayor of Belfast came and gave a short speech!

I went grocery shopping on Thursday, and as I got to the parking lot I remembered that because it was Thursday, it was farmers' market day! I treated myself to lots of lovely fruit, and some vegetables. They call zucchinis "courgettes" here... but they taste just as delicious.

Some of my spoils.... yum.

The market.

On Friday I went up to visit Queen's University again with the Dutch and Spanish students. We walked around the campus and the two greenhouses. They're a fun group and it was nice to be out and about.

Bas and Elena in the greenhouse.

Wow

It's hard to believe that I've been here for a little over a month now. I feel very comfortable here now-- I know how to get around and have established some familiar landmarks around the city that I can orient myself with.

I'm also quite proud that I've finally gotten accustomed to their coinage. It's a bit strange: there are pennies (1 pence), 2 pence pieces, 5 pence, 10 pence, 20 pence, 50 pence, one pound coins, and two pound coins. I never thought I'd miss 25 cent coins! But now I can tell them by sight, which makes counting out 1.10 at night in a taxi much easier...

One thing that I'll never take for granted is the sight of the hills around the city of Belfast.

This is what I see every morning when I walk to the college, if it's a clear day.

This is what I see on my way to the grocery store. The hill is even higher when there's no mist.

This Made Me Laugh

Sorry-- I just couldn't resist sharing this comic! Click the image to make it larger, and enjoy.

toothpastefordinner.com

History

I've been reading a book about the Spanish Civil War to educate myself, and though the author gets very detailed at times, it's fascinating.

The thing I love about history is watching it unfold, much like a novel does... I can just see the events building up and all of the individual actions and decisions coming together in this massive web... things build on top of each other; ancient histories and memories affect the reasoning of a nation, or of a government; and so it goes.

My Classes

My favorite class is, by far, Anglo-Irish literature. We started off with a discussion of Seamus Heaney and read lots of his poems-- I got the book because I know it's something I would like to own anyway. Now we've started a unit on the Irish short story with a different professor (that's confusing to explain... but we will have the course overseer prof. back after the break for teaching practice/work study). I've talked at length with Dr. D'Agostino, who also teaches my Unity in Diversity course.

Unity in Diversity is hard to describe. It seems to be interdisciplinary, from cultural studies to comparative politics, religion, history, and even a bit of geography. We just finished learning about Italy and how the cultural/political divide is similar to the divide in Belfast, and then we watched a movie set in the time of the Troubles. Next, we'll be reading parts of a book about a man who travels around Europe and observes the different traditions of Catholicism in different places. It's very interesting to pursue parallel themes in different parts of Europe.

In European History we're focusing on the rise of fascism, leading up to WWII, in Italy, Germany, and Spain. I'm very excited to learn more about the Spanish Civil War, because I hadn't gotten to learn about it before and didn't even know what Spain did during that era until I saw Pan's Labyrinth.

I'm taking half of this course called 'Ireland in Europe' (because of a scheduling conflict I can only make it to one of the lectures, but the professor is very accomodating). It's sort of.... well... I guess I would call it 'cultural geography'. We're looking all over Europe, but especially in relation to Ireland, at the geographical landscape and the constructed landscape (ie cities, towns, monuments, etc) and how it reflects a nation's culture and historical past. One interesting lecture was all about Berlin-- the fall of the Berlin wall and how they've been trying to reconstruct the city since then, and the parallels to Belfast.

I will also be taking an Irish Film Studies class, but that doesn't start until February, when teaching practice begins and all the ERASMUS students have arrived. I'm also going to take a two-week course (just one credit) called European Integration-- we'll see what that's about. And of course, March 3-6 is International Week, with seminars from visiting professors and trips for the ERASMUS students.

Another (Belated) Photo-Essay

Last Wednesday-- ie, over a week ago-- the ERASMUS students did a bit of light hiking on Cavehill, one of the hills at the edge of the city. The weather was perfect; clear and sunny and not too cold.

This is what I saw when we broke through the trees.

We had a great view of the city...

A closeup of one of the natural caves.

And back again to the city...

Looking down at the rest of the group from the base of the cliffs.

A Friendly Face

Well, after my first (and only) class of the day, I spent about an hour and 20 minutes outside. Why, you might ask? As I was going down the college steps, I saw a little ginger tomcat limping down the sidewalk and crying, so of course I had to kneel and see if he was ok. He was quite friendly, though I didn't manage to examine his front paw, which seemed swollen-- he wouldn't walk on it.

It had been drizzling on and off all morning so I spread my coat on the top step to sit down and continue to pet him. Then I ended up moving down a step, and he curled up on my coat. I figured he needed a rest, and so I just sat outside until he was ready to leave. He scampered off at a pretty good pace-- I think it's possible that the paw was an old wound, like a broken bone, that didn't heal properly. Also, he looked quiet well cared-for and well-fed, so I'm not too worried.

It was a bit chilly, but on the bright side, I did finish my book.

Important: Different Postcode

My address is:

28 Nansen St.
Belfast
Northern Ireland
BT12 6AT

Out & About

All of the ERASMUS (foreign students from the rest of Europe plus us) students went out often to get to know each other. That's Dominik behind me, a student from Germany who also studied here last semester.

I took a walk into the city, all the way up to Queen's University and back, with Katrijn, Lotte, and Jereon (all from Belgium). The building behind them is the Falls Road Fitness Center.

We turned off Falls Road to get to a slightly different side of the city and encountered this famous mural. The UFF was a Protestant paramilitary group. The red fist is their symbol, an adaptation of the red hand of Ulster. What's confusing is that both (or all) 'sides' in Northern Ireland use the flag of Ulster.

I love this view of the city... to the left are the spires of St. Peter's Cathedral. To the right is a building that the IRA once used as a watchtower. At the horizon is one of the beautiful rolling hills that I see every time I'm at a point where I can see past the houses or down a street.

This is Jereon, drinking hot chocolate.

Finally, some pictures!

Leaving the Dublin City Airport, on the bus to Belfast

My room, before I got anything unpacked or the bed made.

The front entrance of St. Mary's. It's just one large building and actually quite easy to get lost in.

It started snowing the evening after we arrived-- here's the front of our apartment.

Belfast wasn't very prepared for snow... this is Nansen St. (our place is about halfway down) in the afternoon.

Busy Day...

Well, my horoscope was pretty accurate. Today was busy!

St. Mary's has a very... shall I say... relaxed way of organizing classes. It seems to work, but I didn't know the full schedule of all the offered courses until 2pm and I got to the college at 9! I did go to two classes today; two sessions each with a break for lunch.

Oh well. I must go contemplate that schedule now...

Backdated posting...

Well here I am, writing this blog entry for later posting, taking a break from unpacking and sitting on my somewhat squisy mattress and listening to David Bowie on my thankfully un-fried computer. My bedroom is one of the smaller ones, but really I got first pick and I like it the best. It'll be easier to keep warm, after all. It is purple, with a big painting (doesn't match the purple) over the bed and lots of drawers. There were some hangers left behind in the closet-- perfect-- and I have a nice mirror. On the downside, most of the sheets were dirty and had to be washed, so they're currently drying. But for tonight, I have an airline blanket, my own pillowcases, and a comforter that seems to be relatively clean.

Travelling went smoothly, and upon arriving at the Jury's Hotel in Belfast, we called the St. Mary's people and they sent someone to pick us up. Then we were served some tea and cookies and got a tour of most of the college building, some introductory packets, and got to call our parents. Then we were dropped off at the closest shopping center and told how to walk back (it's very close to our apartment) along with another American girl from Iowa who lives one street up. Friday morning we have an orientation session, and have to find the store to load up our gas and electric cards (it's a strange thing... but good because we can keep track of our utilities). Our landlord explained everything, and was cleaning the apartment when we arrived. He seems very nice and helpful-- he's certainly used to exchange students staying and Briege (the international office secretary lady) also knows him.

I feel so totally jet-lagged that my body hasn't been telling me it's afternoon when it's really evening here. Hopefully I should adjust more easily to the time zone this way. Either way, I am sure that I will sleep well tonight.

Update: Am posting this from the Uni computer lab... the keyboard is a little funky. Slept well and warmly, fiddled with the heat some more, and had a nice hot shower (though little water pressure and chilly bathroom) etc. One of the Millersville students who studied here last year is visiting and we talked with him last night and got some advice (like how to turn the power on for the stove!) There's also an electric kettle, so I boiled up a pot of water for my tea this morning! Surprisingly I didn't have too much trouble getting up... I seem to want to eat light meals more often than normal but that's ok. I think my sleep schedule will work itself out just fine.

We got to meet some (most) of the other Erasmus students who are here already-- about 10 of us-- at a very nearby bar last night. We also chatted this morning over tea in the staff room while Paul and etc. were setting up the presentation.

Oh! I almost forgot-- it snowed last night! We got 2-3 inches, probably, and it's a bit heavy now but was light and fluffy last night. Belfast is so not used to snow... the roads were not cleared at all! --which is why the international office people were running a bit late. St. Mary's is literally a two minute walk from our apartment (which, I hear, is one of the nicer ones) and I had no trouble getting around. The closest shopping center is about a 5 minute walk or less.

We had an orientation session today, just a little talk really, and will be discussing courses a bit more today. On Monday we should have a tentative schedule worked out. Yay!

We're going to try to get in touch with the landlord (his name is Fiontin but it sounds like Fenton... he left his number but we don't have phones yet) about the circuits in our room, which seem to have been tripped. I couldn't find a circuit box last night so it's probably in some weird place.

I guess I'm more in a euphoric/excited stage of culture shock at the moment...? But it probably hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm in a totally different place. Once I get over jet lag, maybe. The people are fun though :)

I do get sporadic wireless in my apartment (courtesy of someone in the neighborhood...) but until our upstairs circuits are fixed I will probably be saving my laptop battery until Sat. or Mon. when I can take it here with me and charge it in the computer lab. I think I saw some free plugs somewhere...

Anyway, pictures will come later.

Time for a New Year

Happy New Year, everyone! I fly out tomorrow at8:40pm from JFK airport in New York City. We're scheduled to arrive in Dublin at 8:10am, local time (3am our time...) and after resting for a bit we'll take the Aircoach into Belfast.

As far as I know, this is my address:

28 Nansen St.
Belfast
Northern Ireland
BT12 6FE

If there is an apartment number, of course I will let everyone know.

Being a spell to fly:

Upon 40 days of Prayre and Fasting, with purest faith and calling unto the Gods…

~ Clasp near thy rod of power (a.k.a., a telephone)

~ Call forth for ye Spirits of Travelle and theire nefarious Agents

~ Yea, state and visualize thy destination –thrice, for the Agents of Travelle to Comprehend thee…

~ Yea, Task them and overcome them in Ye Test of Wills

~ Speake the words of power: ‘Visa,’ ‘MasterCard,’ ‘Amex’

~ Two weeks hence, take ye under the New Moon to Clearing of the Travel

~ Present Thyself in Trembling and Loathing to the Guardians of the Towers of the North, East, South, and West and Present to them the holy scroll of the High Priestess: ‘Ticket’

~ Pass ye surely through the Elemental Detector and its “Ever Alert” guardians of Thy safety (but not Thy Rights)

~ Wait until the Stars show, the wind blows and the new grass grows

~ When your Gryphon of Metal arriveth (and, ha, craven fool, it arriveth not when ye expect but only upon the winged beast’s good and fickle pleasure), board it and fly away.

Introspective

I can't believe it's almost time to leave...