Shopping for Classes & Set Dancing

I've been in Galway for a week and am starting to get used to things. The weather has finally started to get warmer, turning the freezing snow into good, old Ireland rain. I just got back from the store and bought some cold medicine and vapor rub because I haven't been feeling too hot. Hopefully it will help and get rid of this awful cold I caught.

Technically, classes began this week. They do things so weird here, and we're all extremely confused by the registration process. Apparently these first weeks of classes are for students to decide what classes they want to take. I can go to as little or as many lectures as I want, and shop around until I find ones I want to register for. I w

ent to to two classes today, and they both seem good enough for me. Seminars don't start until next week, so I've had a lot of free time.

Last night, we went to a pub called Monroe's. We had been there before, and one of the locals had told us that Tuesday night was "set dancing" night. Set dancing is like step dancing, but they are paired off and dance in groups. We got pizza and Irish coffee's, and waited around for the dancing to start. While we were sitting at the bar, a man next to me stuck up a conversation. His name was Paul from Dublin, and he was in Galway for work. He was telling Mary and I all about Ireland, where we needed to visit, and was very interested in hearing about Boston. He told us that Monroe's had some of the best Guinness he'd ever tasted, and even bought us each a glass. We were talking about him after, and Bri brought up a really good point. If we were in America sitting at a bar having a few drinks, and a fifty year old guy started chatting with us and telling us what drinks to order, some girls might find it creepy (except for me and the Melrose girls, who will talk to anyone for a good laugh). However here, it's completely normal. He loved Mary and me, and even offered us a place to stay if we were ever in Dublin! And he has a twenty year old son, so we might be taking him up on it! Mary joked that we've had excellent luck getting the old Irish men to talk to us, but no such luck with the young ones yet!

This weekend is our homestay, and I'm so excited. I'm going to a little town in Galway and am staying with a single mother with two girls, ages 16 and 18. I'm a little nervous to meet them, but excited at the same time. I'll be sure to write all about it on Monday.