Greetings from Ireland

So I set this up back in September and I fully intended to write the occasional post about my time in Ireland, and it is now the end of November, and I have yet to add a single post.  Currently, I should be doing work, but instead, I am writing a blog post, I think its a somewhat productive use of my time.

For those of you who don't know, I am studying for a master's degree at Trinity College in Dublin.  The program is Comparative European Politics.  Why do a master's degree and why go to Ireland for it?  I was unsure of whether or I not I wanted to continue on to law school after finishing up at Lyco or pursue a PhD in political science, so I applied to law school, MA and PhD programs, as well as some fellowships.  As part of the Fulbright application, I had to apply to a specific school, and I had found a program I liked at Trinity College.  I did not get a Fulbright, but I was accepted to Trinity (and wound up getting a scholarship from them) and I had always wanted to study abroad, so it was a pretty easy decision to come here for the year to help me decide my future plans.

When I first arrived in the emerald isle, I was picked up at the airport by a family friend, Mary, and stayed at her place for a few weeks until I was able to secure a room on campus.  I got a room in an on-campus apartment.  I have my own room and share the "house" with three other students.  My program is great, and the people are really nice as well.  There are 13 of us in the program and we have all our classes together.  Hopefully, I will keep up with this blog more than I have in the past few months.

 This is the main entrance to Trinity College, its at the bottom of Dame Street in an area called College Green.  The big window in the middle of the picture is the room where the choir practices.

 The view as you walk into campus.  This is front square, which is dominated by the campanile.  The Graduate Memorial Building is on the left and the Long Room (and the Book of Kells) is the building in the far right.

Regent House and Front Arch, the main entrance to TCD.