Hmph... anywayzz ...

Today I had a heated debate with one of my Irish flatmates. We were both making fries for dinner, or so I thought. My flatmate insisted that they were called "crisps" and that calling them French fries was simply ridiculous. After getting disciplined for referring to "football" as "soccer" and a "lift" as an "elevator," it has become even clearer to me that there are many little differences between American English and Irish English, in addition to the somewhat well-known ones I have just pointed out.

Here is a brief dictionary of words or phrases I have heard so far in Ireland. For a complete list, you are more than welcome to borrow my copy of "Ireland for Dummies," which my father was gracious enough to purchase for me before I left, or Arcadia University's "Ireland Handbook."

An Lar: City Center
Boot: Car trunk
Bin: Garbage can
Biscuits: Cookies
Cheers: Thanks
Class: Great
Craic: Good times, fun
Cute: Wise-guy
Deadly, Brilliant: Great, excellent
Dear: Expensive
Footpath: Sidewalk
Garda: Police officer
Give out: Complain
Grand: Great
Hash: Pound sign on the telephone
Hole-in-the-wall: ATM
Lads: group of people
Off-license: Liquor store
Petrol: Gasoline
Press: Cabinet
Ring: To telephone
Slagging: Teasing
Till: Cash register
Tins: Canned goods
Toilet: Restroom
Windscreen: Windshield

Additionally, the Irish often make statements with semi-questions added on at the end. For example: "Yer goin' to the grocery store are ya?" Despite all of this and the accent, I haven't had too much of a problem understanding people. Context clues are key...

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It is apparent that the academic side of this trip will be more of an adjustment than the semi-language barrier. First of all, I have six classes that meet two hours per week each. Back at Bucknell, I have only four classes that meet for three hours a week each. That fact, in addition to my month-long spring break, the final exam study week, and the three-week final exam period, means that the time spent in each class is much shorter than it is back at home. I like the idea of learning a wider variety of material, but we obviously won't be able to go into as much detail in the subject matter.

Another distinction: Rather than having one or two required text books and weekly readings and homework assignments, the professors in Ireland give you a huge list of "Suggested Books." You are not expected to buy all the books (you can, but a few copies are usually in the library) and there are no assigned readings. You are free to pick and choose what books you want to read, and what areas you want to focus on ... independent from any instruction from the professors (or lecturers, as they are called here). All the classes are grade-based on one or two criteria (any combination of essay tests and papers). Obviously, students have more freedom to study what they want, which I think is a good thing. However, preparing for exams with this style of teaching will be a challenge for me.

Lastly, registration for classes is quite different here. Classes (which are called modules) started on Monday, Jan. 7. Official sign-ups for classes aren't due until Jan. 16, however. This gives students the opportunity to try out multiple classes and professors until they settle in on a schedule they are happy with. Back home, we have to pick classes months in advance, and changing a class requires you to get about 250 signatures (your old professor, your new professor, your advisor, your advisor's advisor, eight different department heads ... well not quite, but you get the idea). So far this week, I have attended nine different classes in an effort to find the ideal schedule. I feel a system like this is better for both students and educators, and would be beneficial to a liberal arts institution like Bucknell.

In any case, even with all the adjustments occurring in my life right now, I'm doing my best to reflect on this experience and take it all in. I feel like I have been here for so long and so much has been going on, even though it hasn't even been two weeks yet. So I guess the expression "time flies when you're having fun" does not apply here, because, with my adjustments going smoothly, the trip thus far has been brilliant.