New Chapter

Hello everyone,

Sorry it's been so long. I'm back in Dublin now, and finished with my orientation week and first week of classes as a graduate student. Most of you know, but for those that don't, I am pursuing an MA in International Relations at the school I studied abroad at last fall, University College Dublin. I'll give a really quick rundown of classes I'm taking this semester before I talk a little about some other things.

This semester I'm enrolled in:
International Security
International Economic Crisis
Theories of International Relations I
Dissertation Design seminar

So far the classes are great. The lectures are all really interesting, and several of the lecturers are entertaining. I've met a few of my other classmates and most of them are international students like myself, including two other Americans. It's pretty neat getting so many views of the international political system all in one room. Students I've had classes with have been from Ireland, Somalia, United States, Romania, Russia, China, Canada, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, and many others I can't remember right now.

Mostly it looks like I'll be writing a ton of research papers, and I have one 25 minute presentation (which will be easier now that I don't have to do it alone due to class size). Each class has multiple large papers, and a lot of reading to do for each class period. I'm sure it will keep me plenty busy to make up for the lack of class time I have. I'm hoping I'll get the motivation to do these papers early on so that I won't be very busy come December and can enjoy some time here.

Now we can move on to non-school related things. I'll be honest, it's been terribly difficult adjusting to coming back. I've had a lot harder time this trip than any other. I think it is a combination of it being my last year of school, starting something totally new and some other factors. One, it is always hard to be away from people and places for so long and have them be the same when you return. Also, I've had that grinding feeling that everything has gone a little wrong since I've gotten here, whether it be my financial aid, doing laundry, getting groceries or other simple tasks everything is that much more time consuming and frustrating in a new place. It hasn't helped that I'm living in a new part of Dublin that I didn't know, so even though I'm in the same city I can't depend on doing the same things I did last year I was here and have had to go through the total adjustment period all over again.

Things are looking up though now that Sarah is back in Dublin with school started, which gives me someone to make me feel at home. Also, I'm getting the hang of where I live in Dublin now and small things are becoming routine. I have some of the same complaints though, such as laundry being outrageously expensive and the bus I need never being on time but these are things the Dubliners complain about as well and is something I have to come to terms with.

Last weekend I went to Wexford and stayed the weekend with Sarah and her family, which helped a lot with my initial homesickness. Sometimes it is hard to really know how much you've missed someone until you finally see them again, and even after the predictable problems after being apart for so long I am happier than ever have her back.

There was always going to be some anxiety about moving my life across the Atlantic, and I definitely felt my share, but I don't see any way that I could end up regretting my decision. Moving anywhere was going to be hard but it's something I really wanted to do and feel that I had to do. I like my life here in Ireland, even when it gets hard and while there are definitely a lot of people I wish I could have packed up and brought with me to Ireland, there are also a lot of people already here that I am extremely happy to have in my life as well. I'm thankful for modern communication technology though, because without that little slice of home every once in a while I'm sure, no matter who is with me, I'd feel a little lonely. I always know how my Wildcats are doing, and I am still able to defend my Fantasy Football trophy. If any of my friends from home want to talk, I'm always happy to have a chat on Skype or Facebook messages.

This is a little longer than I was expecting, and I have a lot of other things I would like to talk about but I have a weekend ahead of me that I can write another post if need be, so I'll let you all go.

Love you all,


Edwords