It’s the first day of our third week in Ireland, and we have settled in as much as we can. Everything we need is either here now or on order (internet gets hooked up Monday, my mobile sometime next week too) and Tuesday we both start classes. We both have class on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, meaning we both have four day weekends. We’ve already started planning trips out of the city. We get pretty good deals on bus tickets with the “Student Travel Card”, and con go pretty much anywhere in the country in an afternoon.
Meg is at a Rotary function at a four star hotel this weekend, so I have the apartment to myself. The more I re-arrange and find places for things the more I realize how big it is. We still have some things to buy (like a wifi router, a slow cooker, and a mixing bowl) but those are not too big of deals, the problem is finding them cheap. I might have to start looking on amazon if I can’t find a router or slow cooker in any of the stores here.
Also, I should have the first (and maybe second) videos up sometime Monday afternoon, once we get the internet hooked up. Starbucks (where we are getting internet currently) has a very slow upload link, and it will take around 6 hours to upload a 4 minute video.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Dublin days 1 and 2
Today is our third day in Dublin, and we got off to a late start. Luckily the last two days have been full days.
We were picked up from the airport by Kelley, a MSU alum that is getting her doctorate at University College Dublin and a friend of Megs.
Her car is very small.
She has an extra room she is letting us use for a few days until we find a place of our own.
Yesterday, Friday, we started looking at apartments. The first two, one in Temple Bar and another north of Trinity, were very nice, while the other two, on Bachelor's Walk, were more run-down. Luckily we had some free time to spend looking at Trinity and Grafton Street.
I rather like the main gates of Trinity, and in fact much of the older architecture in the college. The newer buildings are much more utilitarian in design, which is a shame as they clash with the old style. 
I also like this globe, if only because when you run up and push on it, it spins! We got a lot done, including getting a Starbucks MyRewards card, which gets us wifi at any Starbucks so we can check email and apartment listings throughout the day.
We also go to see this busker, who had pigions landing on him all day long.
We were picked up from the airport by Kelley, a MSU alum that is getting her doctorate at University College Dublin and a friend of Megs.
Her car is very small.
She has an extra room she is letting us use for a few days until we find a place of our own.
Yesterday, Friday, we started looking at apartments. The first two, one in Temple Bar and another north of Trinity, were very nice, while the other two, on Bachelor's Walk, were more run-down. Luckily we had some free time to spend looking at Trinity and Grafton Street.
I rather like the main gates of Trinity, and in fact much of the older architecture in the college. The newer buildings are much more utilitarian in design, which is a shame as they clash with the old style. 
I also like this globe, if only because when you run up and push on it, it spins! We got a lot done, including getting a Starbucks MyRewards card, which gets us wifi at any Starbucks so we can check email and apartment listings throughout the day.
We also go to see this busker, who had pigions landing on him all day long.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Gadgets Abroad
I am a firm believer in the use of technology to make our lives simpler. Digital cameras are smaller and don't require you to carry around film. iPods let you have your entire music and video library in your hand. To that effect, I have chosen the gadgets to take to Ireland very carefully. Some of these gadgets overlap in function, but my excuse for bringing so many is that I will be gone an entire year, and may not be able to afford a replacement if one should break.
Also, as part of the MSU Study Abroad Office Video Blog scholarship, I will have to produce a certain number of videos throughout the first semester, meaning I will need a primary video camera and a backup. So the list is as of now:
Panasonic HDD video camera: As part of the video blog scholarship they gave me a video camera! Standard definition video that can record to the built in hard drive (for around 55 hours) or directly to an SD card, for around an hour a GB. One quirk of the camera is that it must be plugged in to an external power source (like a wall plug) to show up as a drive, meaning it has to be plugged in to get anything off of it. The easy way around this is to just put everything on the SD card and transfer it to the computer through a card reader.
Samsung point and shoot camera: a pretty decent still camera I've had for a few years, sadly it has a proprietary USB/power connection so I have to take those cords too.
iPods: a 30GB video and Meg's old 40GB clickwheel are loaded with videos and music, in fact I only have a gig or two of music on my computer now.
Computer: Unibody macbook, the old powerbook is incapable of doing video editing at any reasonable pace.
iPhone: I don't use this as a phone, but have been using it as an ipod touch with a video camera and microphone (for Skype). I won't be using it over there either, as we are getting some phones through 3 (three.ie) since Skype to Skype calls are free on their network. This way we can get the cheap-o free on contract phones and still be able to call friends and family back home.
Backup drive: a Time Machine backup drive that should hold complete backups of both our computers.
Miscellaneous -
7-in-1 card reader: For the SD card from the video camera and for whatever else comes around.
Plug adaptors: three US to UK/Ireland plug adaptors and one "universal" plug for when we travel.
Headphones: travel and studio
Gorrillapods: Bendy tripods for the cameras.
Of course this seems like a lot, but in total all this weighs around 20lbs pounds in a pack, and some of these things (like the tripods) are going over in a suitcase.
Meg's gadget list is a lot shorter, consisting of laptop, kindle, ipod touch and a camera. Lucky her.
Also, as part of the MSU Study Abroad Office Video Blog scholarship, I will have to produce a certain number of videos throughout the first semester, meaning I will need a primary video camera and a backup. So the list is as of now:
Panasonic HDD video camera: As part of the video blog scholarship they gave me a video camera! Standard definition video that can record to the built in hard drive (for around 55 hours) or directly to an SD card, for around an hour a GB. One quirk of the camera is that it must be plugged in to an external power source (like a wall plug) to show up as a drive, meaning it has to be plugged in to get anything off of it. The easy way around this is to just put everything on the SD card and transfer it to the computer through a card reader.
Samsung point and shoot camera: a pretty decent still camera I've had for a few years, sadly it has a proprietary USB/power connection so I have to take those cords too.
iPods: a 30GB video and Meg's old 40GB clickwheel are loaded with videos and music, in fact I only have a gig or two of music on my computer now.
Computer: Unibody macbook, the old powerbook is incapable of doing video editing at any reasonable pace.
iPhone: I don't use this as a phone, but have been using it as an ipod touch with a video camera and microphone (for Skype). I won't be using it over there either, as we are getting some phones through 3 (three.ie) since Skype to Skype calls are free on their network. This way we can get the cheap-o free on contract phones and still be able to call friends and family back home.
Backup drive: a Time Machine backup drive that should hold complete backups of both our computers.
Miscellaneous -
7-in-1 card reader: For the SD card from the video camera and for whatever else comes around.
Plug adaptors: three US to UK/Ireland plug adaptors and one "universal" plug for when we travel.
Headphones: travel and studio
Gorrillapods: Bendy tripods for the cameras.
Of course this seems like a lot, but in total all this weighs around 20lbs pounds in a pack, and some of these things (like the tripods) are going over in a suitcase.
Meg's gadget list is a lot shorter, consisting of laptop, kindle, ipod touch and a camera. Lucky her.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Ireland in 3 days.
Packing for a year is not all that difficult. we will be there through all four seasons, so winter, spring summer and fall clothes are all going to be packed anyway. According to this chart at wikipedia the record high for the city is 83˚F, so I’m not even worried about taking shorts. It looks like it’s going to be light jacket weather for most of the year, and then either heavy coats or jeans and t-shirts.
So far both bags are packed, each at around 45lbs. Sadly, I still have another 7-10lbs to pack, meaning I must be very careful with the weight distribution. Or I could just not pack everything I have out.
So far both bags are packed, each at around 45lbs. Sadly, I still have another 7-10lbs to pack, meaning I must be very careful with the weight distribution. Or I could just not pack everything I have out.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Study abroad
In 7 days I am boarding a plane with my wife and traveling to Dublin, Ireland, where over the next 13 months she will be getting her Master’s degree from Trinity College, Dublin.
I, likewise, will be taking classes to finish my Master’s degree, but from Dublin City University.
I will be regularly updating this blog with videos I will create as part of a scholarship from the MSU study abroad office, but for the next week I’ll focus on what I’m taking, and what I’m leaving behind.
I, likewise, will be taking classes to finish my Master’s degree, but from Dublin City University.
I will be regularly updating this blog with videos I will create as part of a scholarship from the MSU study abroad office, but for the next week I’ll focus on what I’m taking, and what I’m leaving behind.
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