1. Attempting to fit my entire life in to one suitcase.
2. Planning out a sleeping schedule in advance to avoid jetlag
3. Meeting everyone at orientation
4. And waiting for people to butcher 'Maeve'
5. Being afraid to ask stupid questions
6. Oh my God, you're Irish!
7. Using slang from home and no one understands - "What's the craic?"
8. But secretly loving all the Irish attention because it means I get to meet a lot of people
9. And when people confuse me for being English
10. Being made to write the date with the month first
11. Mentally working out conversion rates makes shopping a lot longer
12. Never knowing what size of clothes/shoes to buy
13. Ready to pay then realizing tax isn’t included. It’s not really a dollar.
14. When no stores will accept your foreign credit card
15. When I am asked where I got something, I answer with the name of the country rather than the store. Primark = Ireland.
16. Jokes about specific American brands go right over my head, but I laugh along anyway
17. Peoples' reaction when I mispronounce Chipotle
18. Having to go to multiple news sites to find out what is happening at home
19. Looking the wrong way when crossing the street
20. Being shocked when my friends don’t own passports
21. "The video you have requested cannot be viewed in your region”
22. How many phones can an international student have?
23. Being shocked and overwhelmed by food portions
24. Mars are labelled Milky Ways and the real Milky Ways are missing
25. American chocolate
26. Missing food from home
27. Peoples' reaction when I eat everything with a fork and knife - "It's finger food"
28. Not being able to work due to visa restrictions
29. Living under dorm rules again after spending a year in Belfast's Holylands
30. Mountains of forms for everything
31. Getting in to a car after being deprived for so long
32. Having no idea whether 70 degrees farenheit is hot or cold
33. Thinking that I'm ready for any weather because I'm from Ireland
34. But being totally wrong and worried I might freeze to death
35. Planning a Skype date: "Wait, your time or mine?"
36. Thinking I'm rich because I have so many notes in my purse... no, just $1 bills.
37. Drinking legally at home for years and suddenly being underage.
38. When people insist my English is wrong
39. Meeting people and wondering why I haven't known them my entire life
40. My parents' reaction to my slowly evolving accent
41. Having a constant fear of deportation.
42. But not living by the rules anyway
43. Because life's more fun that way
44. Sorority recruitment
45. Stereotypes proving incorrect (refer to blog 3 on Greek Life)
46. Finally getting used to American ways
47. And then finding out that most Americans neither have nor have seen an electric kettle
48. Having to go to class... like all the time (refer to blog 2)
49. And being expected to participate
50. Trying to make it through the busy week
51. TGIF
52. And trying to get through Sunday night homework before doing it all again
53. Friends across the world being awake when I am trying to sleep
54. But thank the Lord for Whatsapp
55. Why is nothing open past midnight?
56. Seeing crazy American dancing for the first time
57. What I envisage happening if I ever move to that side of life
58. Sticking with my own dance moves at the parties
59. Having to blog or keep up with a personal portfolio
60. When my friends switch in and out of languages at the dinner table
61. Intramurals
62. When people say, "Oh sure you can do that next year."
63. Because I know at some stage I'm going to have to leave.
64. The brief and horrifying moment when I consider marrying someone for a green card.
65. Define: Home