Fully settled in! Enjoying Limerick more and more each day

Before I will tell you about the rest of my wonderfull adventures here in Ireland, I want to give my dear readers a heads up.
For the remainder of this travel log, I won't be describing each and every day, because some of my days don't consist of anything more than just college, dinner, Netflix and sleep. With that being said, I hope you will enjoy reading about the rest of my Irish adventures! Enjoy!
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Day 7. 
29 - 1 - 2019

I wake up feeling quite stressed. I realize that I still have to figure if there is any possible way for me to follow a new course. After calling with mom, dad and Kirsten and asking for advise I decide to call my university at home, hoping they would be able to come up with a solution! After hours of trying to get someone on the phone who's able to help me out I finally get to talk with Yvonne. She tells me that I don't necessarily have to do the exams and that my time being in Ireland is not based on passing a digital marketing course, but my goal is supposed to be focussed on improving my English and learning something about the Irish culture. 
This news makes me feel extremely relieved! Yvonne tells me that this means I can follow courses of my own choosing and liking and allows me to have more spare time to go traveling and go sightseeing across the country.

I head over to the International office and I give them the news. Luckily Fiona is truly happy for me that I have finally found a solution to my problems, and she immediately creates a specially designed schedule for me where I will follow lectures from the social care worker course and the early childhood care and education course! 

Fiona tells me I can start the very next day! 

I go home feeling relieved that I can finally start to enjoy Ireland without having to worry about college!
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Day 9. 
31 - 1 - 2019

15.00 pm. I walk out of the lecture hall and I get a text from Wayne Flemming, the sports coördinator at LIT. He asks me if I want to play a practice match with the local team later on that evening. I hesitate for a second, since I've just played 2 matches yesterday and I feel that my legs are still a little bit sore, but I agree regardless. After all, playing basketball is the perfect opportunity for me to get to know new people and work on my English. My aim is to become more fluent when speaking English as I still sometimes have a hard time coming up with words or can't fully interact within a conversation.

I go home real quick to eat a sandwich and get my gear. The bus leaves at 18.30 in front of LIT and I don't want to be the fool that's late for his first match with the local team. I hop on the bus and introduce myself to all the boys I haven't seen before yet. I sit myself down next to Zaief and he tells me that all the local team matches are played at Munchkin's college. This secondary school's gym is the homebase for all the local team's. Zaief (nickname: Z) and I get to know each other a little bit and we hit it off quite well right away. He invites me over for drinks at his place after the match.

Sadly enough, we don't stand a chance against the opponent (I wish I could tell you the name of our opponents, but I forgot). But honestly, I don't care all that much, I had the most fun playing with the boys and even though the way basketbal is played in Ireland is so different compared to back home I notice that I can still learn a thing or two.

We get back on the bus and head home. After a quick bite and a shower we all meet up at Z's place in Thomond Park.
Thomond park is the other student accomodation besides Cratloe Wood for students who attend LIT
I'm the first to arrive and introduce myself to Z's good friend Daniel. We open up the first of many cans and approximately 30 minutes later the other boys join us. I explain to them my reasons for being in Ireland and they start laughing. Z tells me that since I need to experience the Irish culture I met the right people. After all, drinking and going to the pub IS part of the Irish culture ;)

We head out around 23.00 pm and go over to Costelloe's. Boy's night out it is!
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Day 11. 
2 - 2 - 2019

It's the second of February and 23 years ago today, I saw daylight for the first time. Yes dear readers! Today is my birthday.
Those who know me know I don't care all that much for my birthday, but it does feel weird celebrating my birthday in a different country for the first time ever. 

I sleep in and when I wake up at around 12.00 pm (don't judge me) I can smell something amazing coming from the kitchen! I open the door and notice that Emma made me birthday cookies! And trust me, they were soooo delicious.

After freshing up I put on my boots and head out for the city centre. It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining and it feels like 15 degrees, I can almost walk around without a jacket! Instead of taking the bus I decide to walk to the city centre. I walk past the most beautiful buildings and an amazing view over the river Shannon.

I arrive at the Milk Market and decide to have a delicious hotdog like I did the week before. As I order I notice Ellie standing behind the grill, Ellie is one of the girl's who plays on the girl's team at LIT. We chat a little and apparently she works here every saturday, I start laughing because I completely missed her last week. 

After a stroll through town I head home and decide to hit the sack a bit early. Not the most exciting birthday ever but I honestly don't mind. I like it like this.
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Day 12. 
3 - 2 - 2019 

It's Sunday and honestly, I wasn't planning on doing much today.

Besides going to the city centre for some groceries and cleaning my room, today is going to be quite uneventful.
While doing my weekly shoppings though, I decide to treat my roommates on some lovely nacho's later on today.
So at around 18.00 I put on my apron and start making my beloved nacho's. 

After dinner I get make myself ready and meet up with Z at the Spar next door. We each buy a crate of Canadian beer and grab a taxi to UL (University of Limerick). We arrive at Daniel's place and all his housemates are already sitting on the couch placing bets and drinking beer. Because tonight is Superbowl Night! 
The Superbowl is an annual event in the USA between two American Football teams. It's one of the biggest sports events in the world. And since sports like rugby, Gaelic football and hurling, all sports with similarities to American Football, are immensely popular in Ireland, a lot of people (especially students) are more than willing to stay up all night long to watch the clash of the 2 top teams in the USA.

Next to that, the Superbowl provides a perfect opportunity for students to throw a party and have fun  all night long. And even though I have no idea how American Football works, I have heard of Superbowl parties and I have always wanted to go to one!
The game itself was, in my opinion, truly boring. The final score was 3 - 13 in favor of the New England Patriots. Don't ask me to elaborate on the game, because this is all I can tell you about it.

The game is finished and I ask Z if he wants to go home. In my mind I'm hoping he will say no, because I'm having so much fun myself. Luckily enough he is enjoying himself and he suggests to stay at Daniel's for the night. I'm not the one to complain and we stay up all night! I don't know who, but out of nowhere someone screams: "Sleep is for the weak". 
And in all honesty, right now I couldn't agree more!
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Day 13 
4 - 2 - 2019

07.00 am and never before have I regretted a decision more than I do now. Staying up all night definitely was a bad idea. But I have to man up, off to college it is! Luckily for me the hangover isn't all that bad. Nothing that a strong cup of coffee can't fix.

Four hours later and I walk out of college. No time to catch some well needed sleep, because after a quick lunch I head over to the gym again for an hour of shooting practice. I don't even feel all that bad to be honest. I'm way more focussed than I'd expected.
I meet up with Callum at the gym and after an hour of shooting hoops, he talked me over to go to Galway with him for a game with the College team against GMIT. My hangover is not present anyway so I don't see the problem with going.

Sadly enough it would have been a smarter decision to stay home and catch some sleep instead of going to Galway for nothing. The moment we arrived at GMIT it became clear that the coach had no intentions of playing me and grant me any game time. I it on the bench during the entire game watching the rest of the team playing. At least we won and thank god there's a free dinner at Supermac's with the team waiting for me afterwards.

I get home at 23.30 pm and even though I felt quite good this afternoon I feel absolutely broken right now! I see Emma sitting in the kitchen en we chat for a little bit. But I have to excuse myself because I can hardly keep my eyes open.

I take a quick shower and the moment I get in bed and close my eyes I fall asleep.