Day Two

Like I predicted, life became better after orientation today. I got much needed information, which was good, and I also got into a tour group that was better than your average tour. We walked around the campus, yes, but we also took a hike down to Coleraine and walked around the city. The tour was led by an American student who studied at Ulster for a year via ISEP exchange and her husband who she met while at Ulster. He is a local to Coleraine, and so made the tour very interesting with stories about the local haunted house (which really did look haunted and creepy) and his old boarding school. We also found out where to do our shopping and get discounts and get good food. While at Tesco, their verson of Target, I even spotted some Doctor Who action figures, which made me super excited.

After walking around Coleraine for about three hours, we came back to campus and I found out where some of my exchange student friends live. Two of them were the ones I met yesterday during my travels, so that was nice. The married couple invited us to Londonderry on Sunday, so I think we're catching a train there in the morning and exploring all day. It will be great.

I was incredibly hungry after our escapades, so the two I met at the airport, Sarah and Casey, and I decided to get dinner. I haven't bought that much food yet, and most is snacky, so I wanted a good warm meal. Unfortunately, all the places on campus close at five, so we caught a bus to a nearby town so we could get something. We ended up going to The Anchor, which is a pub that's very popular with the students. I got lasagne (spelled different, I know), which was made with Coleraine cheese and tasted delicious.

My campus here is very gorgeous when the sun shines, which is rare. It rains a lot. But I'm very excited about spring because my tour guide was telling us that in the spring there is one field on campus that is covered in daffodils. There is also a waterfall and stream running through to the River Bann, so can't get better than that, can it?

Chelsea should be sending my camera soon, and in the meantime the couple of friends that I found are taking pictures that they said they will email to me. So there you go. If I'm not taking them, there will be more of me anyway.

Hope you are all doing well at home. I miss you all a ton, and I wish you could be here with me. I have fallen in love with the Irish accent, and am getting used to the different vocabulary they use. It can be confusing.

Well, I'm sure I'll have more adventures tomorrow!