Well, I finally made it to Galway!! I left New Orleans on the 4th at 9:30 and landed in Newark, NJ around 1:30. I had a 5 hour layover so I went ahead and went to my gate. I had to change gates, but no big deal. I did, however, have to sit in an airport 5 hours and just sit there and people watch because I couldn't get the internet to work. It was loads of fun. As is got closer to my departure, more and more college age kids began to fill up my gate. As it turns out, the majority of them were going to Galway. It was nice to fianlly have people to talk to, haha! Luckily, I met one other girl who was doing the same program as me, API, and it was nice to have someone to go through customs and immigration wiith! We left Newark at 7:30 and landed in Shannon, Ireland at around 7, we were supposed to land closer to 6:45. Once we got through customs and got our bags, we were supposed to wait in the arrivals area for our a lady holding an API sign and we were supposed to leave around noon. So, once we got through with everything, the other girl and I, went to freshen up and get soehting to eat since we thought we had plenty of time. As we were sitting and waitimg, we noticed one group of people leave around 7:30, but wew didn't think anyhting of it, since we were supposed to leave at 12. SO we kept waiting and waiting for more people to walk out of the baggage area and noone came. We kept waiting and waiting for someone to walk in with an API sign, but noone did. It got to be 11 and we still had not seen anyone! Luckily, the other girl had a cell phone and we were able to call the lady who wsa supposed to pick us up. Turns out that group we saw was our group leaving! She said that someone had emailed and said our flight was iced in and was delayed, so they left without us and we did not seen an API sign when tey walked by. So, we had to find a bus to Galway by ourselves and make our way to Galway alone. We of cousre had NO idea where we going! But, we found a bus to Galway and made the 2 hour drive there. When we got off, we had to call the lady again and she told us we ha to take a cab to our apartments. Well, we both are livinng at different places, so we had to separate. Around, 2:30, I fianlly made it to my apartment but had no way of getting in because you needed a code an noone was in the office to help me. Luckily, a girl who happened to also be in API, and she let me in showed me where my apartment was. Now, I am all settled in and have taken a shower and feel SO much better. I am exhausted though, because I hardly got any sleep on the plane.
Despite the stress of being left, the ride to Galway was AMAZING!! It is a stereotypical as you think. It is so, so, so green with rolling hills and shrubs, rocks, and wooden fences fencing in pastures that have sheep, cows, and horses grazing in them. All of the houses have such character. It also flurried a little during the drive!! That was exciting haha! Galway has a bunch a cute little shops and appears to be a fairly busy city. The bay is really rocky and some of it was frozen. I haven't seen the universirty yet, but we have a meeting tonight and have a tour tomorrow.
Our apartment is nice but very European small haha!! So far, all of my roomates seem to be very nice!
I'll post pictures of my room and apartment and the city later!
Miss you all!!