Rainy Days of Orientation

So the last few days have been action-packed. Well, not ACTION packed, but they have been extremely busy! We had two days of orientation, and let me tell you...waking up at 8:00 am while still adjusting to a six hour time difference is no easy feat! It was much easier today, as I went to bed at a reasonable hour last night. The only reason I was able to do this, though, was that none of the electrical outlets in our house worked! I thought I was going to go insane. My computer had died during the day, so I couldn't check email, Facebook, or anything else. I didn't have my cell phone yet (I had to pick it up from the International office). How did people used to live without these things? I would never have survived. 

Today it finally rained, the Irish way. As I type this, I can hear the rain coming down just outside my window. I love rain so much! I don't know if that will change as the semester progresses, I may get tired of it, but for now, I am in love! 

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Ok, maybe not in love...we went on a bus tour of Limerick City right after I typed the above. We sat on the top, despite the rain, of the open double-decker bus. You can pretty much guess how that one ended up. If you would like an image to take with you: 

Before the bus tour!

After the bus tour...

I feel like I will never be warm, ever again. But the tour was fun despite the freezing cold rain whipping us in the face. We got to see the city, all the old buildings and such. We crossed over the River Shannon, and saw a bunch of old churches, buildings, and homes. I would tell you the specifics, as the driver was talking about everything we saw, but we were outside and so I heard very little of what he was actually talking about...

I won't put all the pictures on here, but I will put up a few of the better ones! 

Fort/Castle (couldn't hear which) on the banks of the River Shannon. 

Pretty homes in Limerick City.

Limerick City on the banks of the River Shannon.

This house still has bullet holes in it from the Irish Revolution!