As happy as we were to arrive in Dublin and have our first pints, we looked forward to the students arriving and getting started on our classes. We have an excellent group of students this year, and as they arrived they immediately proved their adaptability, curiosity, and sense of adventure. I don't think the students realize how much they can impact their experience based on their attitudes, and the first two days have shown that they are going to have a really great time here.
The highlight of the day the students arrived was the tour of Dublin provided by an expert in Irish history who has written several books on the Irish Revolution. We told him that we wanted a very political tour, and he did not disappoint. In typical Irish fashion he was funny, opinionated, and loved our American students. The biggest surprise and laugh from the students was his bluntness: "I know American politics well. Republicans are the right cheek, and Democrats are the left cheek, both parts of the same arse. Of course, the Tea Party is the arsehole."
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| This is the exact moment he delivered the punch line. (Notice the man in the back who somehow joined our tour for a while.) |
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| There is history on every street corner in Dublin. |
Our tour guide also told us he was Tik Tok famous for talking about a loaf of bread. Of course I had to find it. Sure enough...
Every day includes a walk to and from the campus. Dublin is an excellent city to walk, both for its history and its architecture. That is, unless Peyton and I are walking and talking and forget to make a turn, in which case we end up sweating two miles later with pastries in hand, worried that Darci is going to yell at us for being late. (To be fair, the worry was unfounded as Darci equally enjoys pastries and our misfortune.)
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| My view on the way to campus. |
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| The river Liffy (derived from the Irish language Magh Life, or plain of life) |
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| Our classroom building. |
Another highlight of the first few days is some Irish shopping. I am not into high fashion or gourmet food. Instead, I like day-to-day Irish life, which turns out to be just like American life with an Irish twist.
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| Tourists switching out the right glasses to wear in the mall. |
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| TJ Maxx is TK Maxx here. |
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| McDonalds has cool sauces like curry and garlic mayo. |
The third day here is a classroom day, followed by an experience of Gaelic Games. Student interest in our topics makes class time go by fast. Immediately after, we go on a public transportation adventure together to get to the games experience across town.
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| We all learn how to use the train, which requires you to scan your card at the station. My intentional misinformation (the students quickly accuse me of being a "dad") lead them to trust Peyton more than me. |
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| Because he made the mistake of developing trustworthiness, Peyton becomes in charge of making sure everyone gets on the right bus. |
We finally arrived at the Gaelic Games center, and the students learn about the insanely competitive, physical, and community-based sports of hurling and Irish football. If you have a chance, I highly recommend looking up some short video highlights of these two sports. They each pre-date any sport we have in the U.S., and seem to be a combination of several of them. Imagine the rules of lacrosse, hockey, baseball, and soccer (hurling), and the rules of soccer, volleyball, basketball, and rugby (Irish soccer). They both seem dangerous and violent, but the experience is great and the coaches provided us with all of the correct equipment.
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| Darci realized these sports are permission for violence. |
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| The students are excited to try hurling! |
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| The students were worn out after hours of the games, and we decided they deserved a pint at the historic Gravediggers Pub at Glasnevin Cemetery |
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| Finally, for some reason Darci likes to take photos of my insightful commentary giving students headaches. |
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