Getting there/First day in Galway!

I'm the world's best procrastinator. Saturday I got up at 5:30 AM and worked til 3:30 PM then had my little going away celebration with family and friends. Up until that point I still hadn't packed. Long story short, I got a 30 minute nap before having to head to Charlotte for my flight leaving at 6 AM Sunday morning. Definitely felt like a zombie! Anyway, Mom, Dad, and Kelly took me to the airport...luckily I wasn't flying US Air because it was paaacked. My nerves really hit me while standing in line at the security check point but I think fatigue won that battle. My flight wound up being delayed due to a dead battery, so we didn't leave until around 9:30 AM and I got a free breakfast out of it :-) so definitely not complaining there! Luckily I had an 11 hour layover scheduled at JFK so I didn't have to re-work my plans...others weren't as fortunate. One family had to be put up in a hotel. I slept most of the flight over of course, though not well. I had an aisle seat :-(. When I got to JFK, I realized how grateful I was for that delay...Charlotte airport is just nicer even if it doesn't have fancy shops and such. I walked a mile or two trying to get out of my terminal and rode the airtrain to the one I needed after stopping a few times for directions haha. I wound up sitting for a few hours on the floor in what looked like a warehouse and was hot like one too waiting on the check in desk for Aer Lingus to open. Once in line though I started talking to a girl from NC going to Galway through CEA as well, which was really nice! I also met a man from Massachusetts originally from the midlands of Ireland. After we all got new boarding passes we went to an Irish pub by our gates so he could treat us to a meal and a beer.

By this point, I was just ridiculously exhausted and delirious.  I'm not sure when I fell asleep on the plane to Shannon but I don't think we had taken off yet.  I slept on and off for most of it and missed dinner haha.  I sat beside a really nice lady from Ireland.  I'd wake up every now and then and watch the TV screen on the back of the seat in front of me that showed exactly where  the plane was and how fast we were going, how long it'd take to get there, etc...which was really cool!  The seats weren't as nice as Jet Blue's but I survived. 

Getting into the country wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be.  We were given a card to fill out with just basic info about who we were and how long we were staying in Ireland.  Got through customs in a flash!  I was super nervous though that my luggage had been lost after having such a long layover.  Buttt it came around on the belt and I was majorly relieved.  After all of us had our luggage we went out to find the site director waiting for us.  He's a psychology PhD student at NUI Galway and super adorable!  I'll have to get a picture with him before I leave!  Anyway, we all hung out in a little cafe and got to know each other while we waited for a bus.  I really like all of the girls and think we're gonna have a blast together.  I definitely can't wait to see what things we get into!  I'm not sure how long the bus ride was...maybe an hour and a half?  Didn't seem that long but that's what everyone is saying.  The scenery was beautiful....a lot of green hills and COWS! and stone fences...which is the part I love.  No castles yet.  We took the bus to Galway's city center and took taxis to the apartments...which are really nice though kind of deserted.  I live on the third floor of the apartment...so 4 flights of stairs for me!  Awesome built in exercise haha  After we unpacked a few things, several of us took off to find a grocery store, which wound up being about a 5 minute walk.  The director gave us reusable bags since Ireland charges you to use the bags in their grocery stores...weird but a good idea.  I just bought a few basic things until I figured out my routine and plans, etc.  I know some of the girls really enjoy cooking and may cook for all of us too.  I'm not complaining because I'm really not a fan of cooking! :-p

After the grocery store I had some down time while waiting for Dana to get here.  She wandered around all over Galway trying to figure out where I was and finally gave in and took a taxi...silly Dana.  She rested and I got a much needed shower, even though it was cold!  Apparently you have to heat the water before using it by using a control dial where the hot water heater is.  I don't think I waited long enough before I got in because it got slightly better than freezing cold and then just stayed freezing.  Apparently the heater comes on automatically for 4 hours in the morning so hopefully the girl I'm sharing a bathroom with isn't going to take super long showers because I doubt I'll be up during those hours haha!  So Dana and I went off to see the city...which wasn't hard to find.  We walked around, poked around in a shop or two, and had dinner at Mcsomethinganother...I forgot the name.  The food was really tasty though a little pricey.  We had a really great time though and I had my first Guinness!  When I tried it in the US it was soooo disgusting!  I could actually drink this though.  I think it's stronger too...or maybe I'm just a lightweight :-p  Either way, it was great and I'll probably have another at some point. 

Galway is such a cute city, I love it already!  And let me just say, my calves and butt are gonna be bangin with all this walking by the time I come home! haha  Luckily I've been going to the gym so it's not completely horrible, my calves just like to protest from time to time haha  And I bought a new pair of tennis shoes before I left home that I'm definitely glad I got.  Anyway, I'm just sitting here now on my bed with the window open enjoying the breeze...and I think it's raining a little too.  Some of the girls may go out for drinks tonight...not sure if I want to join them since I've already ventured into the city.  I may just rest but then again I don't want to miss out on the fun.  Orientation is tomorrow at 10:30 and I think Brian may give us a tour of the city and campus....so definitely more pictures and blogging tomorrow!