Christmas and Wednesday I learned about how confusing and disorganized registration is going to be. Registration is already stressful enough, how could it possibly get any worse!? Let me tell you. First, Irish classes do not meet at the same time each day of the week or even from week to week. For example, one class can meet at 9:00 on Monday, 3:00 on Wednesday, and then 5:30 on Wednesday again! Oy vey! Second, science classes are all taught on the block system so you have one class for six weeks. The International Education office lady describes it as "An Irish solution to an Irish problem." A very confusing system, but I'm sure everything will work out brilliantly, as the Irish would say.On a more exciting note, this week we went on our second archeology (archaeology, if you're Irish) field trip! We started with Late Mesolithic Labbacallee Wedge tomb. The name means bed (labba) of a witch/wise old woman (callee) for the body of an elderly woman buried there. Quite the monument for an old woman-the largest
capstone weighs 10 tons! Despite its great size, it's not quite as photogenic or noticeable as you might think, but for those brave enough, it was pretty cool to climb in! No offense, Mesoliths!From the Wedge tomb we bussed over to Mitchelstown Caves, not quite an archeological site but still pretty cool. They are a complex tunnel of caves discovered by some guy who dropped his pick ax in eighteen tirty-tree (in an Irish accent). The highlights of our spelunking consisted of the tower of babel, an ancient column, and a rousing round of 'Amazing Grace' led by our instructor when the tour guide told us to test out the amazing acoustics in one cavern. We are quite the talented class!
Famished from navigating our way through the caves we went out for a lunch of bread and butter with plain chicken on it. Not the most satisfying sandwich, but it made for lively conversation among our usually awkward class. Full of off-white food we moseyed over to the rock of Cashel, which until we got there I thought was actually a castle because the Irish accent tends to have a lisp. In reality it is the site of the main stronghold of the Kings of Munster during the early medieval period consisting of an impressive bunch of churches, high crosses, and a stone house on the top of a huge hill.
Archeology, although not quite my cup of tea, has been a pretty awesome class with all of these field trips! Monday, though, we have a quiz and I am really starting to realize how much we have learned, how many dates, people, and much history we need to memorize! A weekend at the library is in my near future. Time to get back into school mode, after a Friday night out of course!
