How do I say "Hello" in Irish?

[philipkntz]

I was recently in Amsterdam and was amazed at how easily residents could switch from language to language and when someone asked me the above question, the best I could come up with was "Conas atá tu?"
I've studied Irish for 13 years, studied Peig, got a B in my leaving, but I cannot say hello in my own language.
We learned Dia duit, Dia s'Mhuire Duit and even Dia s'Mhuire duit s'Phadraig. But what was severely lacking in my education was some simple everyday conversation. We learned how to ask permission to use the toilet but not how ask where the feckin toilet was.
My schooling was in the 70's and 80's. Has there been any significant changes in how Irish is taught since.