Friday, October 31, 2014

Meet My Roommates

Moving to Rogers State I was skeptical about how living on a college campus was going to be. When I found out I would have three other roommates I was also a little worried about getting along with them. Little did I know I would soon be best friends with these three guys and now three years down the line we are still living together. It was easy getting to know each other since we were all members of the RSU soccer team. They are all great guys and I am sure we will continue our friendship when the time comes to leave Rogers. There is never a dull moment in our dorm, and I think everyone who comes by would agree.  Our dorm is known as the international dorm since three out of four of us are from different countries. Kevin and I are from Dublin, Ireland. Mitchel is from Newcastle, England, and Nathan is from Texas. So lets get to know them.


Mitch in his Giraffe onesy  
I will start with Mitchell. Mitch as we call him is probably the most simplistic man I have ever met. From his personality, to the food he eats. He is one simple lad and we love him for it. Mitch is known as the old man in the room, he likes his peace and quiet and doesn’t like the rest of us being too loud. His daily meals consist of completely fried food loaded with ketchup. Ketchup is the core of his life; every meal and snack Mitch will have it loaded with ketchup (makes me sick). He is afraid to try new food. He came to America at the age of eighteen and had never tried bacon, eggs, or even a banana.  I could keep going with that list but it would take to long.  He lived in England all of his life until he moved to RSU. He is a Business major and hopes to get a job in the USA after college.  When I asked Mitch what his favorite thing about RSU was he simply replied “the soccer facilities”.


Nate posing for a selfie
Nathan was born and raised in Texas; he has a Hispanic background so he can speak both English and Spanish. Nate is probably the exact opposite to Mitch. He tends to be a little loud and loves to annoy the English man. When it comes to food, he tends to be on the healthier side.  The only requirement for each of his meals is that he must have peanut butter involved.  Nate is a sport enthusiast, he breads fitness and soccer. This is Nate’s fourth year in Rogers State, and he is now pursuing a Business degree. When I asked Nate what his favorite thing about RSU was he said “I love the campus, especially the athletic facilities”.


Kev enjoying the outdoors 
Last but not least is Kevin. Kev and I got to know each other a year before we came to America so we have been through a lot together. We are usually just known as the Irish rather than Kev and Niall. When it comes to food there are no limits with this lad. He can be mistaken for a garbage disposal because he will eat anything. The only thing I have ever seen him dislike oddly enough is cookie dough.  Both coming from Dublin we have been able to adapt to a new culture together, so settling in was definitely easier for both of us. Kev is pursuing a fitness management degree here at the university and hopes to own his very own gym one day. I asked Kev what his favorite thing about RSU is and he replied in a joking tone “the people, because they talk to me”.


When we are not working, in class, or at practice my roommates and I are usually in our dorm hanging out. Usually drinking tea sent from home. They have made my 
college experience unbelievable and I have a lot of great memories with these guys.

The four of us before a game










Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Transitioning from Ireland to America

The heat!! That was the first thing I remember about arriving in America. Stepping off the plane at Tulsa airport was the moment I realized that it was going to be awhile before I would adapt to the climate. I had come from a comfortably cool, wet climate and after a nine-hour flight I felt like I had stepped into an oven.
            After some time living here I was happy to learn that adapting to the climate would be my biggest struggle. Everything seemed to be much easier than I expected. Still there are plenty of cultural differences that took some getting use too. I was taken back by the size of everything over here. The roads are much wider, the majority of vehicles are much larger, and of course the food portions are double what you would usually get in Ireland (not complaining). The country as a whole is huge; one of my first college soccer games was a six-hour drive. To get from one side of Ireland to the other would usually take about four-hours so travelling for that long was not something I was accustomed to.


            Thinking back I feel sorry for the people who tried to speak to me the first few months I was here. I am sure they had a tough time understanding me. Back then I spoke much quicker and spoke words that only people from Ireland would understand. Since then I have adapted to some southern lingo and have slowed down when I speak so people don’t look at me with a blank stare when I say something.
            Not seeing my family and friends on a daily basis obviously took some getting use to. It is a strange feeling when the people that know you most are not around. Fortunately I met a lot of great people in my first few weeks here, everybody was so friendly and helpful. Skype and Facebook help things as well, I am always kept up to date with everything that is going on at home.


            So the transition from Ireland to America really wasn't too bad. Both being English speaking countries made everything a whole lot easier. The welcoming Oklahoma's have made me feel right at home. I miss Ireland a lot but I am loving my time in the US. I look forward to seeing what the future holds and where I will end up, but until then I will enjoy my time here and carry on my pursuit of getting used to the heat. 



Challenge of the Week

My challenge for you is to learn a new recipe from a different country and attempt to make the dish. 

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Meet My Roommates

Living on campus at RSU, is full of surprises and excitement thanks to the students and especially my roommates. From left to right, meet Bryce Hall, and Kyler and Kasey Ng (let's not forget Allan photo-bombing in the background).

These three fine gentlest of men and myself are recipients of the same scholarship program called The President's Leadership Class (PLC). Bryce, Kasey, and I are seniors this year, while little baby Kyler is just a sophomore. As you can tell from the names Kasey and Kyler are brothers. These two hooligans are best friends who rarely, if ever, bicker or fight. Bryce is the man with the golden southern voice and if you travel to Salina, you will hear him announcing at the Salina Highbanks Speedway. Kyler is a goofy little squirt, too smart for his own good. This year he became part of RSU Men's Basketball team earning him the nickname "Asian Persuasion". Kasey is a passionate outdoorsman who competes in triathlons. If he isn't working on homework he is either out riding his bike or tinkering on it in his room. 
Having roommates this awesome is a blessing and a curse. The late night living room conversations are wonderful until the eight o'clock class rolls around, but I wouldn't change it for anything. The opportunity I have to live with such a diverse and motivated group of men is only possible because of RSU. 

Peak of the Week: PLC's Fairest on the Hill (a fake beauty pageant) is this week and I get to emcee for it.
Challenge of the Week: PLC's Fairest on the Hill (a fake beauty pageant) is this week and I get to emcee for it. Hopefully I don't screw the pooch on this.
Quote of the Week: "It's not about making others laugh. It's about making yourself laugh"
-Austin Jobes