On the whole, I am rather impressed by food in Northern Ireland. My expectations, based upon what I was told by other tourists to the UK and Ireland, were that food would be bland and overpriced. It is easy to find food that is both of these things, but good food can be fairly cheap. Being a college student, I especially like the cheap part.
On a day to day basis, I can make three meals in a day for about half of the price of one decent meal at a restaurant. This takes planning and some tolerance of repetition. Creativity is needed to avoid the repetition. This could sound a little scary, but nothing I've made so far comes anywhere near the scariness of what was concocted last year by my old roommate Larry and I. If the day comes when I need to make chickpea chili on rice, it's time to go home.
The Tesco supermarkets here offer just about everything I'll need for groceries. I may have to go without hot peppers for awhile, but I'll get by. Typical things eaten day to day are porridge (oatmeal), sandwiches, scones, soup, potatoes, pasties, pastas, and chicken pies. Sausage is quite good. I was surprised by the quality of the cheapo generic brands. Everything generic I've tried so far has been much better than any American generics. I may get wild and crazy some week and try some name brands to compare.
Prices for groceries are a touch higher than Montana prices, but this varies.
Eating out is necessary every now and then. Fish and chips places are everywhere, but I've only been in one once. That one experience almost convinced me that I would be eating bland, overpriced food for several months. Good food is not hard to find though, and my current favorite is drink/meal special at the Globe.
9/28/08
9/26/08
First Week of School
This last week I started the fall semester at the University of Ulster. My first class of the year was accounting for engineers. When I tell most people that I'm taking such a class, they look at me like I'm barbequing a kitten. This may be because it sounds like two horrible things mashed together. I'm sure it won't be a thriller by any means, but I'll bet it will be useful in the long run.
Also on Monday, I discovered the BAR IN THE SUB. This still amazes me, but I was told wrong about the prices. I was expecting to pay about a pound for a drink, but everything is the same price as any pub, between 2 and 3 pounds per drink. I guess that'll help me stay out of the place.
I have no classes on Tuesdays and only a one hour seminar on Wednesdays. This is for the Politics of the Two Irish States class, which has a lecture on Friday. Tuesday was not without excitement. I walked to a Tesco supermarket with two other Americans. We grossly underestimated the distance, and walked for an hour and a half each way. At least the sun was shining.
My third class is an engineering analysis class on Thursdays. I attended two hours of lecture and an hour of tutorial in the morning. This was plenty of math for one day, but I was surprised by a classmate later in the day when he told me that there was another three hour session in the afternoon, not just another section of the same material. Six hours of math in one day sounds like a lot, and it will be. Good thing it's only once a week.
The most obvious difference between classes here and at MSU is the scheduling. American classes tend to be shorter but meet more often during the week. This makes for easier sessions but longer days if you wind up with classes at different ends of the schoolday, as I often do. Classes here meet once a week but for longer sessions. It's nice to have class done all in one shot, but the lectures will feel very long.
On Tuesday, I attended a band night sponsored by the campus christian union. People from the union, some internationals, and freshmen got together. It was a good place to meet some locals. Several internationals also attended the iCafe dinner put on by the same union on Wednesday.
To conclude this long post, I've more or less met all of my flatmates. I've visited with three of them, and the four of us get along well so far. The fifth guy though, is elusive. I've had one official sighting, but only hellos were exchanged. The others have also had similar experiences, and it is generally agreed that he always seems to be in a hurry.
Also on Monday, I discovered the BAR IN THE SUB. This still amazes me, but I was told wrong about the prices. I was expecting to pay about a pound for a drink, but everything is the same price as any pub, between 2 and 3 pounds per drink. I guess that'll help me stay out of the place.
I have no classes on Tuesdays and only a one hour seminar on Wednesdays. This is for the Politics of the Two Irish States class, which has a lecture on Friday. Tuesday was not without excitement. I walked to a Tesco supermarket with two other Americans. We grossly underestimated the distance, and walked for an hour and a half each way. At least the sun was shining.
My third class is an engineering analysis class on Thursdays. I attended two hours of lecture and an hour of tutorial in the morning. This was plenty of math for one day, but I was surprised by a classmate later in the day when he told me that there was another three hour session in the afternoon, not just another section of the same material. Six hours of math in one day sounds like a lot, and it will be. Good thing it's only once a week.
The most obvious difference between classes here and at MSU is the scheduling. American classes tend to be shorter but meet more often during the week. This makes for easier sessions but longer days if you wind up with classes at different ends of the schoolday, as I often do. Classes here meet once a week but for longer sessions. It's nice to have class done all in one shot, but the lectures will feel very long.
On Tuesday, I attended a band night sponsored by the campus christian union. People from the union, some internationals, and freshmen got together. It was a good place to meet some locals. Several internationals also attended the iCafe dinner put on by the same union on Wednesday.
To conclude this long post, I've more or less met all of my flatmates. I've visited with three of them, and the four of us get along well so far. The fifth guy though, is elusive. I've had one official sighting, but only hellos were exchanged. The others have also had similar experiences, and it is generally agreed that he always seems to be in a hurry.
9/21/08
The First Weekend at UUJ
On the 19th I tracked down a very helpful professor who has handled many of the school's international students in the past. The most time-consuming part of registration was figuring out which classes I wanted to take, but once I had that nailed down, the process flew by so fast I didn't realize it happened. I walked into the building quite frustrated and walked out a short time later almost bewildered and holding an official student ID.
That evening I was invited to eat with a Portugese fellow I had only visited with briefly during orientation. We ate, visited, and had some wine in my mostly empty kitchen, as his was already crowded. My opinion of the Portugese, in my two instances of visiting with them, is that they are friendly, very willing to converse, and love their wine. Bruno tends to drink two bottles a day.
On Saturday, I rode my first train into Belfast to see the Garden Gourmet festival at the Botanic Gardens with Bruno, a French-Irish student named David, and two Americans named Zach and Jillian. We explored the park, enjoyed its flowers, trees, and grass and browsed the various exhibits of the festival. Everything from flowers to Bonzai trees to homemade wine were exhibited. The day was quite warm with plenty of sunshine, so we were glad to take advantage of it.
After wandering through Belfast, we rode the train back to the University. We had planned to ride another train north to Carrickfergus to watch the fireworks and Royal Navy Band, but missed not one but two trains. Our best alternative was to buy ice cream, walk to Belfast Lough (the shore), and play in the playground. We watched the fireworks from afar on a very nice evening. I am very grateful to David McAdams for his knowledge of the area and willingness to show around a bunch of foreigners.
On Sunday, 26 international students loaded a bus and rode to Newcastle in County Down. We walked along a deceptively large beach, walked a little into the town, and walked into the Mourne Mountains. It was another sunny afternoon well spent outside. I have a feeling sunny days like that will become a distant, fuzzy memory.
That evening I was invited to eat with a Portugese fellow I had only visited with briefly during orientation. We ate, visited, and had some wine in my mostly empty kitchen, as his was already crowded. My opinion of the Portugese, in my two instances of visiting with them, is that they are friendly, very willing to converse, and love their wine. Bruno tends to drink two bottles a day.
On Saturday, I rode my first train into Belfast to see the Garden Gourmet festival at the Botanic Gardens with Bruno, a French-Irish student named David, and two Americans named Zach and Jillian. We explored the park, enjoyed its flowers, trees, and grass and browsed the various exhibits of the festival. Everything from flowers to Bonzai trees to homemade wine were exhibited. The day was quite warm with plenty of sunshine, so we were glad to take advantage of it.
After wandering through Belfast, we rode the train back to the University. We had planned to ride another train north to Carrickfergus to watch the fireworks and Royal Navy Band, but missed not one but two trains. Our best alternative was to buy ice cream, walk to Belfast Lough (the shore), and play in the playground. We watched the fireworks from afar on a very nice evening. I am very grateful to David McAdams for his knowledge of the area and willingness to show around a bunch of foreigners.
On Sunday, 26 international students loaded a bus and rode to Newcastle in County Down. We walked along a deceptively large beach, walked a little into the town, and walked into the Mourne Mountains. It was another sunny afternoon well spent outside. I have a feeling sunny days like that will become a distant, fuzzy memory.
9/18/08
Orientation Week
This week hasn't been terribly exciting. Orientation sessions were exactly as you'd expect. Between the sessions and tours I try to line up necessary details for school, which has been difficult because very little about this university is straightforward, simple, or even described. I have been sent or given no information on registering for classes and have had to seek out the necessary people. The engineering office didn't have a scrap of paperwork about me. I found out who my advisor is this summer, but have yet to find her. I sent her an email yesterday but the soonest I can meet with her is Monday midday, after classes have started. Another American engineering student has had the same runaround, but was told to talk with another professor, which I plan to do, since being able to go to classes is sort of important.
Other things such as student IDs are occasionally hinted at, but the methods of obtaining one are discreet and subtle. Do they have to be smuggled in? Is it like a drug deal?
All of my flatmates are apparently local because only the international students are living in the student housing and I am the only one living in my apartment section. The exception is one Irish kid down the hall who moved in yesterday, registered this morning, then went home again. The place is rather quiet when I'm the only one there.
I got my fiddle out tonight for the first time since I got here. The fun was soon over though when I broke my A string, the only one I don't have a replacement for. I sure hope they let me figure out how to register cause sitting around here is boring, bumming around is rather expensive, and it's a long way home.
Other things such as student IDs are occasionally hinted at, but the methods of obtaining one are discreet and subtle. Do they have to be smuggled in? Is it like a drug deal?
All of my flatmates are apparently local because only the international students are living in the student housing and I am the only one living in my apartment section. The exception is one Irish kid down the hall who moved in yesterday, registered this morning, then went home again. The place is rather quiet when I'm the only one there.
I got my fiddle out tonight for the first time since I got here. The fun was soon over though when I broke my A string, the only one I don't have a replacement for. I sure hope they let me figure out how to register cause sitting around here is boring, bumming around is rather expensive, and it's a long way home.
9/16/08
Finding my way to school
On Monday morning Etienne and I rode from Portstewart through Coleraine to Belfast. The buses were surprisingly more difficult to work with on a Monday than a Sunday, but eventually I got all the way from the northern coast to Newtownabbey. I found where I was supposed to go without too much trouble. I was very glad to finally set my fiddle and 34 lb pack down, but a little disappointed to have to live out of the pack for at least another day, as the first box that I shipped had not reached Newtownabbey yet.
While exploring the campus that evening I was shocked when the first person I ran into was a girl from White Sulphur who goes to school in Billings. We even knew several of the same people. What a small world this is.
After a night of sleeping on a bare bed under a jacket with pants for a pillow, I started the international students' orientation. Not all the international students were there, but the larger European countries were represented, and about a quarter of the students were from the states. All those I spoke with were quite friendly.
One gentleman I talked to was a computer science student from Calcutta, India. He had worked there in tech support. It is very possible one of you had talked to him while calling Dell to complain about a computer problem. It's just funny to me to actually meet one of them.
At the end of the day I took a walk down the street to the shore. I admired the green hillside behind me, the port in the distance on the other side of the bay, and the ship headed to it.
While exploring the campus that evening I was shocked when the first person I ran into was a girl from White Sulphur who goes to school in Billings. We even knew several of the same people. What a small world this is.
After a night of sleeping on a bare bed under a jacket with pants for a pillow, I started the international students' orientation. Not all the international students were there, but the larger European countries were represented, and about a quarter of the students were from the states. All those I spoke with were quite friendly.
One gentleman I talked to was a computer science student from Calcutta, India. He had worked there in tech support. It is very possible one of you had talked to him while calling Dell to complain about a computer problem. It's just funny to me to actually meet one of them.
At the end of the day I took a walk down the street to the shore. I admired the green hillside behind me, the port in the distance on the other side of the bay, and the ship headed to it.
9/15/08
Arriving in the UK
I flew into Heathrow airport the morning of the 12th. I had misunderstood some entry requirements, and had accidentally left my information in my pack, which I had to check instead of carry on from New York. I was almost denied entry because of this, but was given a visitor's stamp for the time being. There is some work to do there.
I traveled by bus to Stansted airport and flew from there to Belfast. Very tired, I stumbled into Arnie's hostel at about 6 in the evening to find they had one whole bed left, which I claimed. After dropping my pack and fiddle there, I had as Irish an evening as I can imagine: I had fish and chips for dinner, followed by a pint of Beamish stout at one pub and a pint of Harp at another. When I went to bed that night, I believe I had been awake, except for very short naps, for about 31 hours.
The next day, I played pool at a pub with a South African from the hostel. His name is Etienne Wagner, and he is a professional pool shark and free rock climber. Luckily, we didn't play for money. He showed me around the city on a surprisingly sunny day and we went to a club later.
The next day Etienne and I took a bus along the coast to the Giant's Causeway. Rocks there have regular shapes and form in straight columns. It was a great way to get my first good look at the coast of Ireland. From there we traveled to Portstewart and stayed at Rick's Hostel. At one point I was in a room with a Brit, a Portugese guy, an Aussie, a French girl, our host Rick, and the South African. There were some Germans somewhere too. I thought it was quite a mix.
I traveled by bus to Stansted airport and flew from there to Belfast. Very tired, I stumbled into Arnie's hostel at about 6 in the evening to find they had one whole bed left, which I claimed. After dropping my pack and fiddle there, I had as Irish an evening as I can imagine: I had fish and chips for dinner, followed by a pint of Beamish stout at one pub and a pint of Harp at another. When I went to bed that night, I believe I had been awake, except for very short naps, for about 31 hours.
The next day, I played pool at a pub with a South African from the hostel. His name is Etienne Wagner, and he is a professional pool shark and free rock climber. Luckily, we didn't play for money. He showed me around the city on a surprisingly sunny day and we went to a club later.
The next day Etienne and I took a bus along the coast to the Giant's Causeway. Rocks there have regular shapes and form in straight columns. It was a great way to get my first good look at the coast of Ireland. From there we traveled to Portstewart and stayed at Rick's Hostel. At one point I was in a room with a Brit, a Portugese guy, an Aussie, a French girl, our host Rick, and the South African. There were some Germans somewhere too. I thought it was quite a mix.
Leaving Montana
I have a lot of catching up to do with this thing, and this is mostly from memory. I flew out of Bozeman on the morning of the 9th. I visited with Gary Flynn in the Denver airport, which was a nice surprise. I got to New York with little trouble, and my cousin Noah was waiting to pick me up. I had dinner with Noah, his fiancee Jean, and some friends of theirs at a Korean barbeque place. Jean did a far better job ordering than I would ever hope to do. I was then taken on a tour of downtown Manhattan, which included driving by the World Trade Center site.
The next day I took on the city by myself. I rode a bus from Weehawken, New Jersey to port authority on 42nd street then took the subway to Spring street, near where Noah works. After having some authentic NYC pizza on Carmine street, I wandered around the area. I had about 5 hours to spend, and in that time I believe I walked at least 40 or so blocks. After being sized for a tux (I am Noah's best man), Noah and Jean took me to a Belgian restaurant. The mussels and Stellas were amazing.
We then went to a comedy club. We watched six or so acts before we decided to head back. The surprise came when the bouncer told us it was a bad time to leave. I looked up the stairs beside me and down strolled Chris Rock. Needless to say, we stayed for his set.
I flew out of the country the following evening, and got to see Noah at port authority on my way to the airport. I am very grateful to Noah and Jean for the hospitality, time, and knowledge of the city. Noah has offered to show me around the city many times, and I'm glad I finally took him up on it.
The next day I took on the city by myself. I rode a bus from Weehawken, New Jersey to port authority on 42nd street then took the subway to Spring street, near where Noah works. After having some authentic NYC pizza on Carmine street, I wandered around the area. I had about 5 hours to spend, and in that time I believe I walked at least 40 or so blocks. After being sized for a tux (I am Noah's best man), Noah and Jean took me to a Belgian restaurant. The mussels and Stellas were amazing.
We then went to a comedy club. We watched six or so acts before we decided to head back. The surprise came when the bouncer told us it was a bad time to leave. I looked up the stairs beside me and down strolled Chris Rock. Needless to say, we stayed for his set.
I flew out of the country the following evening, and got to see Noah at port authority on my way to the airport. I am very grateful to Noah and Jean for the hospitality, time, and knowledge of the city. Noah has offered to show me around the city many times, and I'm glad I finally took him up on it.
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