The credits roll as “Sham-rock me,” the hit sequel to “Brittany’s Luck of the Irish,” begins. Boston’s “More than a feeling” blares in the background and the red-eyed protagonist herself can be seen wiping her deserving tears and attempting to find a comfortable seating position within the Robert Q airport shuttle van… to no avail. Time lapses several times as the names of the cast grace the screen: onto another shuttle van, making her way through an airport, desperately trying to coordinate the movement of luggage without falling over, onto a plane, finding out the plane will be delayed an hour and a half, running through the next airport, discovering that the next plane will be delayed two and a half hours, having her foot almost run over a number of times by the flight attendant’s food cart, buying a bus ticket, sitting beside the bus stop with larger than life sunglasses and ratty hair (an appearance similar to that of an Olson twin’s), exiting the bus, pulling luggage through town, uphill, then finally dropping all bags and falling onto couch.
The continuation of my adventures began as such, with the exclusion of a couple of minor details: I ate at pizza hut, I saw the old Governor General of Canada (maybe not the most exciting person in the world to recognize but considering the only other celebrity I have seen so far has been Kathy Griffin, Adrienne Clarkson isn’t so bad), I also spent some time chatting to the head baker of the Mocha Beans Café company in Galway, but he didn’t even like chocolate (he gave me his brownie that we got with our delicious *sarcasm* airplane dinners) which causes me to wonder…what kind of a baker doesn’t like chocolate? That’s absurd!
Speaking of strange men, I have decided to use a fake name, job, age, and purpose for being in Ireland the next time some dude starts talking to me. It appears that I am far to trusting and it isn’t a good thing. Today by City Hall some man, maybe in his fifties, strolls by me in a nice suit and says “hello.” Now, I don’t know about you but when someone says “hello” I say “hello” back: bad idea. Next time I am going to say something along the lines of “bocsanot, nem ertem angolul” as I flee. So anyways, suit man stops and asks “where are you from” so, thinking that maybe he is from City Hall or something, I decide to answer. He kept going, asking normal kinds of questions like “What are you doing here? Are you a student? Oh so you are working? Where about? I think I know it, isn’t that on high street? Do you like Ireland?” I thought he was just genuinely interested and just a friendly guy, so I answered truthfully. Then he shook my hand and asked me my name… and STUPID me I told him. So, I asked his name and he told me it was something like John O’Malley, told me he lived around there but he worked in a place called Athonray. All of this seemed normal, except for the fact that he randomly stopped me on the street to talk to me. Then he got creepy. He asked me if I came here alone, I told him that I came alone but I have made many friends since and that I live with a number of people. He started asking me what hours I worked but I didn’t tell him, I said I worked a number of different shifts but he kept saying “oh come one, most people work from like eight to two am, don’t you?” but I just said it was different all the time. Then he took out a piece of paper and wrote down my name, I told him he didn’t have to do that. He replied that he often walks around that area and he would like to say hello, then he asked for a number so he contact me. Yeah right! I told him I don’t give that out and he tried to convince me – that’s when I walked away. Now sure, one could say that I am naïve or stupid or on the other hand they could say that he was just some nice man who was just being friendly. Maybe I was just paranoid… nonetheless I have come up with an idea…from now on when creepies come a creeping… I go by an alias only!
Other then Mr. I-randomly-chat-up-young-women-on-the-street not a whole lot has been going on since I have returned. John is gone for the next couple of days to Aberdeen, Scotland and I have been catching up on my sleep (I know, I know, it is tough to be in bed all day and watch movies all night, just be glad it isn’t you!) ha ha. Soon I will be back to work and ready to plan my next adventure… so far the possibilities include: Portugal, Spain, or Latvia in the fall (this would be a solo adventure) and/ or one of the above, Greece, Hungary or maybe even a trip to South Africa to visit a friend of mine who was on exchange with me in Hungary, in January.
Now back to “SHAM-ROCK ME”…
The cast includes:
John –Boyfriend
Joe – Friend (and roommate of John’s)
Bekah (aka. Rebekah, Bek, Beks, Pitts McCool, Nutella Pirate) – Supporting female and super duper friend of Brittany’s (Since her return home in “Brittany’s Luck of the Irish” her role in the film is purely virtual and in memories)
Other Characters:
Tomas – the wait staff manager
Shane – The stress ridden, wussy, assistance manager
Tina – (Villain) woman that leases the restaurant
Greg – (Super Villain) general manager (Brittany and Greg had a show down in part one when he was harassing Carol and Brittany stood up for her)
Carol – Coworker
Dez – Coworker
Damien – Creepy, Polish cook
Mary – Nice cook who secretly gives Brittany food
Cathal – Room mate of John and Joe’s
P1 – (aka. Paul # one) John’s coworker
P2 – (aka Paul # two) John’s coworker
P3 – (aka Paul # three) John’s coworker…I think (I don’t actually know this guy, but I thought he deserved honorable mention for being named Paul… there are so damn many of them!)
To be continued…as the song “Lucky” by Twice Lucky can be heard in the background.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Getting Fresh
I am gonna try and start with a clean slate now that I have the internet again. As some of you may know I was back at home for two weeks and it was WONDERFUL! so now I am back and ready to start off the next 8 months.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Time to Type...
I have major catching up to do! I think it has been well over a month since I last wrote, so it is darn tootin' time I did so.
I left off describing my trip with Rebekah to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland... commonly portrayed as dangerous territory... movies often choose Northern Irish bad guys or have shipments of weapons heading in that direction but since the peace settlements in the early 2000's, the tension has calmed down quite a bit. Still, we noticed some MAJOR differences from the republic... for example, Dublin is a bustling city with cars coming at you from every which way and a pub on every corner whereas in Belfast the pubs were much fewer (and in some cases actually had secruity gating and locked entry) and the city was dead quiet in the afternoon. It was almost erie. I dont want to give you the impression that it is not worth visiting, because it is, and there is much to be learned from visiting the various sections of the city. It is actually a very nice looking place with much investment in recent years. It is also home of the Titanic (random but interesting nonetheless)
So I believe I left off at the part about Bekah and I's day trip across the Northern coast. We started it off by crossing the Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge, headed to the geological marvel of the Giant's Causeway and then headed to the Town of Londonderry (Derry). If you have ever heard of Sunday, Bloody Sunday (or even seen the movie) it speaks of the riots in Derry. The place experienced horrific periods of fighting between peoples in the North and the British Army. On our way to the town, it seemed as if every village along the way had been affected in some way... "and to your left you will see the bar where the IRA surprised Britished soldiers in a bar by bombing them" "on your left you will see another bar where a halloween bash was being held and two gunman wearing masks shot the barmaid and several others..." we learned alot about the political situation at present and the history of the troubles as well before heading back to the hostel in Belfast for the night. On the way home, someone asked the driver if he had ever witnessed any acts of terrorism while he has been working for the tour company... he said " yes, only once, it was when the buses were set fire to infront of the Linen House Hostel (OUR HOSTEL!!!)"
After that trip we decided that we werent satisfied and we needed to learn more. We booked a Black Taxi Tour which took us to the dividing parts of Belfast City. We were itching to see what the city was like outside of the center. We got in the cab and headed toward the protestant Skankhill Road. This is home to infamous gangs responsible for much of the protestant side of the troubles. We arrived in a housing estate which seemed fairly normal, not exactly well off but not a ghetto per se. Many of the walls were painted with murals depicting some of their "heros" one of which was - Steve "topgun." We got more and more information from our cab driver and headed towards "The Berlin Wall of East Belfast" and it was exactly as its name says. Covered in messages of peace and hope, we also found some hate graffetti inbetween. Apparently there is actually a gate which closes off the road during the night to prevent attacks on either side. We headed to a small Catholic estate on the exact opposite side of the wall in The Falls side. There, looking alittle more afluent, we again noticed murals and this time, we also saw lists of names of people who were killed during attacks on the very estate - a number of them had been killed by Steve "topgun" himself. I thought it funny how one side's hero could be another side's villan but it just goes to show how there are always two sides to every story.
I learnt alot from that trip, and it just goes to show that learning from a book about these places is one thing, but actually being there and experiencing it hands on is completely different. It makes everything so much more real. I kind of equate it to having gone to Auswitz when I was on exchange. I knew it was real and I knew it had happened but having seen it with my own eyes has really taught me something about the human fight for life and freedom. Its incrediable.
We headed home to Galway and after a... LONG drive back, we headed to town to meet with the boys and on the street we were overjoyed to see there was a samba band busking in the streets... so of course we jumped right in and started dancing like crazy folk but it wasnt long before the WHOLE STREET joined in... (it was especially funny when john was dancing around and someone from his work spotted him, gave him a "are you medically sane?" kind of look... haha it was a ball... or "great craic"
The plan was then that Bekah and I would work our brains out for a couple weeks and then head to Scotland. But luckly some adventures came our way. She went to Germany to visit a friend for the weekend and I was blessed with a weekend off!!! (and I didnt even ask for it!) So john and I busted out the "lets go Ireland Book" and decided that we would go to the North West, a small surfing town called Westport. We headed up Friday afternoon and immediately went to drop off our stuff at the hostel... which happened to be this beautiful old abbey. (for some reason, when john books hostels they are clean and nice... but when I book hostels, like in scotland, they are dirty and full of mean spanish people?) The trip to Westport was only about two hours so we ended up arriving around dinner time, finding a deserted restarant called Starvin' Marvin's were we set out to fill our bellies. A side from the strange giggling in the kitchen coming from the only waitress and cook in the place which we tried to not use our imaginations for... the food was great... see it is very important that i mention when i eat a good meal... since it is rare... ok ok Bekah's rice and creole sauce is lovely and john's tuna and pasta combination is something else... *makes strange face to further describe the oddness of the combination*... but it isnt very often that i get to eat a meal that isnt made by me... and anyone who knows how i cook knows... I CANT COOK! haha anyways... on with the story... so we set out to further explore the city.
The next day we set out to see the mountain where legend has it that Saint Patrick fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, argued with angels, and threw all the snakes into the ocean from. We really had no intention of climbing it at first. We thought "we can just take a nice walk around the base" (note: this is the holy sight of pilgramage for many people) well we decided we would start walking up until we got tired... we had no water, no food, not even proper foot wear... but we began our journey. We noticed that there were many old people climbing this and almost everyone had sticks... well we laughed at the thought "haha sticks... we dont need those *clutching our bellies and laughing like old british men...* just kidding, we werent that dramatic... we up and we thought " it looks as if people are climbing to that smaller part of the mountain... surely that MASSIVE LUMP OF MOUNTAIN beside it cannot be the summit, it looks to steep, must be unclimbable... thus... that smaller bit doesnt look too tough" so what started as a challenge to beat the old people ended up bringing us to the top of what we thought was the summit... we were sooo wrong... from there we could see that the massive lump actually had people climbing on the other side... well... we couldnt just stop there then... we started climbing and i thought " surely i am going to die here" as the lose rock began to tumble from beneath me... but john eased my fears with words of wisdom *notice the sarcasm* he said "no you wont die, you will just hurt yourself ... severely... you wont fall OFF the mountain... just down it... they air lift people off anyways.... ".... ahhhh it was like a vertical slope of lose rocks (and by the way, yesterday someone actually had to be airlifted off!) but we survived and when we reached the summit... no lie... it was like what i think heaven looks like... the summit is quite small and it over looks miles and miles while you are literally up in the clouds!
We climbed back down, which again, I was sure i would die doing... but thank God, i am still alive and kicking. We then decided it was ice lolly time. See I love taking trips with john because we never plan anything really... we kinda just stumble on adventure... when we get lost (which we almost always do...) we just drive until we see something we want to get out and explore... this explains how what we thought would be a "small walk around the base" turned into a 4 hour climb! so with that in mind we jumped into the car and re opened my book, found a place that looked interesting and headed in that direction. We were on our way to Achill Island. We ended up climbing around on seacliffs, chasing sheep, and coming across a beautiful empty beach... mind you it was freaking cold... so we only waded around in it! then we set out to head home... got lost for about an hour... and finally found our way.
Oh the adventures... to be continued... up next... Scotland and the wedding in donegal
I left off describing my trip with Rebekah to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland... commonly portrayed as dangerous territory... movies often choose Northern Irish bad guys or have shipments of weapons heading in that direction but since the peace settlements in the early 2000's, the tension has calmed down quite a bit. Still, we noticed some MAJOR differences from the republic... for example, Dublin is a bustling city with cars coming at you from every which way and a pub on every corner whereas in Belfast the pubs were much fewer (and in some cases actually had secruity gating and locked entry) and the city was dead quiet in the afternoon. It was almost erie. I dont want to give you the impression that it is not worth visiting, because it is, and there is much to be learned from visiting the various sections of the city. It is actually a very nice looking place with much investment in recent years. It is also home of the Titanic (random but interesting nonetheless)
So I believe I left off at the part about Bekah and I's day trip across the Northern coast. We started it off by crossing the Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge, headed to the geological marvel of the Giant's Causeway and then headed to the Town of Londonderry (Derry). If you have ever heard of Sunday, Bloody Sunday (or even seen the movie) it speaks of the riots in Derry. The place experienced horrific periods of fighting between peoples in the North and the British Army. On our way to the town, it seemed as if every village along the way had been affected in some way... "and to your left you will see the bar where the IRA surprised Britished soldiers in a bar by bombing them" "on your left you will see another bar where a halloween bash was being held and two gunman wearing masks shot the barmaid and several others..." we learned alot about the political situation at present and the history of the troubles as well before heading back to the hostel in Belfast for the night. On the way home, someone asked the driver if he had ever witnessed any acts of terrorism while he has been working for the tour company... he said " yes, only once, it was when the buses were set fire to infront of the Linen House Hostel (OUR HOSTEL!!!)"
After that trip we decided that we werent satisfied and we needed to learn more. We booked a Black Taxi Tour which took us to the dividing parts of Belfast City. We were itching to see what the city was like outside of the center. We got in the cab and headed toward the protestant Skankhill Road. This is home to infamous gangs responsible for much of the protestant side of the troubles. We arrived in a housing estate which seemed fairly normal, not exactly well off but not a ghetto per se. Many of the walls were painted with murals depicting some of their "heros" one of which was - Steve "topgun." We got more and more information from our cab driver and headed towards "The Berlin Wall of East Belfast" and it was exactly as its name says. Covered in messages of peace and hope, we also found some hate graffetti inbetween. Apparently there is actually a gate which closes off the road during the night to prevent attacks on either side. We headed to a small Catholic estate on the exact opposite side of the wall in The Falls side. There, looking alittle more afluent, we again noticed murals and this time, we also saw lists of names of people who were killed during attacks on the very estate - a number of them had been killed by Steve "topgun" himself. I thought it funny how one side's hero could be another side's villan but it just goes to show how there are always two sides to every story.
I learnt alot from that trip, and it just goes to show that learning from a book about these places is one thing, but actually being there and experiencing it hands on is completely different. It makes everything so much more real. I kind of equate it to having gone to Auswitz when I was on exchange. I knew it was real and I knew it had happened but having seen it with my own eyes has really taught me something about the human fight for life and freedom. Its incrediable.
We headed home to Galway and after a... LONG drive back, we headed to town to meet with the boys and on the street we were overjoyed to see there was a samba band busking in the streets... so of course we jumped right in and started dancing like crazy folk but it wasnt long before the WHOLE STREET joined in... (it was especially funny when john was dancing around and someone from his work spotted him, gave him a "are you medically sane?" kind of look... haha it was a ball... or "great craic"
The plan was then that Bekah and I would work our brains out for a couple weeks and then head to Scotland. But luckly some adventures came our way. She went to Germany to visit a friend for the weekend and I was blessed with a weekend off!!! (and I didnt even ask for it!) So john and I busted out the "lets go Ireland Book" and decided that we would go to the North West, a small surfing town called Westport. We headed up Friday afternoon and immediately went to drop off our stuff at the hostel... which happened to be this beautiful old abbey. (for some reason, when john books hostels they are clean and nice... but when I book hostels, like in scotland, they are dirty and full of mean spanish people?) The trip to Westport was only about two hours so we ended up arriving around dinner time, finding a deserted restarant called Starvin' Marvin's were we set out to fill our bellies. A side from the strange giggling in the kitchen coming from the only waitress and cook in the place which we tried to not use our imaginations for... the food was great... see it is very important that i mention when i eat a good meal... since it is rare... ok ok Bekah's rice and creole sauce is lovely and john's tuna and pasta combination is something else... *makes strange face to further describe the oddness of the combination*... but it isnt very often that i get to eat a meal that isnt made by me... and anyone who knows how i cook knows... I CANT COOK! haha anyways... on with the story... so we set out to further explore the city.
The next day we set out to see the mountain where legend has it that Saint Patrick fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, argued with angels, and threw all the snakes into the ocean from. We really had no intention of climbing it at first. We thought "we can just take a nice walk around the base" (note: this is the holy sight of pilgramage for many people) well we decided we would start walking up until we got tired... we had no water, no food, not even proper foot wear... but we began our journey. We noticed that there were many old people climbing this and almost everyone had sticks... well we laughed at the thought "haha sticks... we dont need those *clutching our bellies and laughing like old british men...* just kidding, we werent that dramatic... we up and we thought " it looks as if people are climbing to that smaller part of the mountain... surely that MASSIVE LUMP OF MOUNTAIN beside it cannot be the summit, it looks to steep, must be unclimbable... thus... that smaller bit doesnt look too tough" so what started as a challenge to beat the old people ended up bringing us to the top of what we thought was the summit... we were sooo wrong... from there we could see that the massive lump actually had people climbing on the other side... well... we couldnt just stop there then... we started climbing and i thought " surely i am going to die here" as the lose rock began to tumble from beneath me... but john eased my fears with words of wisdom *notice the sarcasm* he said "no you wont die, you will just hurt yourself ... severely... you wont fall OFF the mountain... just down it... they air lift people off anyways.... ".... ahhhh it was like a vertical slope of lose rocks (and by the way, yesterday someone actually had to be airlifted off!) but we survived and when we reached the summit... no lie... it was like what i think heaven looks like... the summit is quite small and it over looks miles and miles while you are literally up in the clouds!
We climbed back down, which again, I was sure i would die doing... but thank God, i am still alive and kicking. We then decided it was ice lolly time. See I love taking trips with john because we never plan anything really... we kinda just stumble on adventure... when we get lost (which we almost always do...) we just drive until we see something we want to get out and explore... this explains how what we thought would be a "small walk around the base" turned into a 4 hour climb! so with that in mind we jumped into the car and re opened my book, found a place that looked interesting and headed in that direction. We were on our way to Achill Island. We ended up climbing around on seacliffs, chasing sheep, and coming across a beautiful empty beach... mind you it was freaking cold... so we only waded around in it! then we set out to head home... got lost for about an hour... and finally found our way.
Oh the adventures... to be continued... up next... Scotland and the wedding in donegal
Friday, July 13, 2007
Next Saturday I will be on my way to having visited 18 countries!!! I head across the pond to Edinburgh, Scotland first then will make my way down to London, England. I am so flipping excited... although the sheer thought of working in pounds as opposed to euros makes me cringe. It is something like 2 euro for every pound or something crazy like that... that is like 2. 60 canadian for every pound! But it is gonna be worth it! Bekah and I will travel scotland together and have mighty adventures then she will be heading to whales to see family friends and I will be going to London to visit Aaron (from windsor) haha that sounds like that should be his offical title like... jesus of nazareth... aaron of windsor (no, that was not blasphamy or a bad joke... jesus was the only person i would think of who was called by a place) so yes, more great tales to come!
ps. i just discovered that the place i work is online so check it www.frontdoorpub.com
ps. i just discovered that the place i work is online so check it www.frontdoorpub.com
Sunday, July 8, 2007
I know, I know... I havent been keeping up but I have been such a busy girl! Yesterday John and I got back from travelling in county Mayo where we climbed a MOUNTAIN and played on sea cliffs... pictures are up... but I have to go to work so I will have to finish my post on Northern Ireland and Mayo next time!
Ciao for now!
Ciao for now!
Friday, June 29, 2007
...Born in the 80's... La La La
I'd have to say I have neglected this blog a tad since having lost the internet a few weeks ago... but I am back and ready to type out my adventures once again! Much was missed during my absence from the E-world but I shall attempt to bring you back to speed.
Work is still work and the creeps and pervs remain as creepy and pervy as usual... "but how creepy and perverted can they be Brittany?" you may ask. Well I got spanked by a huge kitchen knife and was told to call the chef daddy... so I would say... pretty darn creepy and perverted. Ah but alas, I really dont mind working there so much anymore. One good thing I can say about it is that since working at Sonny's I am no longer in need of a gym membership... no sir... the running up and down four flights of stairs for eight to ten hours a day sure gives me the the freedom to indulge in a delicious diet of pringles, galaxy chocolate and ice cream without the worries of weight gain!
For the first month or so since I have lived here, I was out pub crawling and hanging out and about everynight. Then on my days off I was travelling... to be honest I really dont know how I am still alive... since after all that I have yet to pass out from exhaustion or develope scurvy from lack of vegetables. On the other hand, I have toned it down a bit - meaning I dont go out half as much as before... but still my body has decided to punish me with a "severe throat infection..." so says the doctor I paid 50 euros to have tell me that. Turns out the regular cold I caught two weeks ago has developed into a throat infection for which I am on a number of meds for... good news is... I am currently off work for two days! Oh the benefits of throat infections....
SO travel... humm well I went off to County Kerry a couple of weeks ago with John. We stayed in this great town called Kilarney for the night and then the next day we explored the national park and we drove the ring of Kerry. This part of the country is absolutly gorgeous, unfortunately it was pouring rain all day and so we couldnt see as much as we would have liked due to the fog and wetness... however we did run across a bunch of sheep-- yes! mission accomplished. We stopped off at the Gap of Dunlow (or however you spell it) which is like a valley with waterfalls and huge hills (maybe... small mountains) I really wish I could go back and see it all again... it was just breath taking... and in this case I have almost no pictures because of the fog... luckily I have a good memory to remember these sorts of things... but that means you will just have to use your imagination. John and I make great travel buddies except when it comes to finding food... well... finding food other then chinese food haha... it is guarenteed that whenever we go somewhere we will end up eating chinese... dont ask why... it just is...
The next excursion I went on was a couple of weeks ago as well, right after my host brother from Hungary, Csongi, arrived. Csongi, Bekah and I decided to take a day tour of a region in County Galway called Connemara. Again mountains, rivers, and my personal favorites... sheep! We stopped off at a bridge which is from a famous scene in the movie "The Quiet Man" before heading off to a small town to get drinks and admire the scenery. Then we saw more sheep!!! We got all up close and personal with them this time too... but we had to go back to the bus because everyone was waiting for us... the last stop was this BEAUTIFUL girls school/ abbey called Kylemore Abbey... and rumor has it that Madonna wanted to send her eldest daughter there but since it is closing down she will have to go elsewhere. Poor poor madonna! Anyways on the way back to Galway city we took the coastal route along Galway Bay from which we could see the Aran Islands as well as a number of famine houses. These are basically the skeletons of houses without roofs which were vacated during the infamous famine in Ireland. No one will knock them down because they are said to have the spirits of those who once lived in them still inside. The weather was actually pleasent during this trip so I guess we were really lucky!
The final trip I have gone on was only about a week and a half ago. Bekah (aka. Pitts McCool) and I hopped on a bus and headed to Northern Ireland for a couple days. The plan was to leave after work on saturday and take a night bus, stopping in Dublin for a hour, all the way there... this would have meant arriving in Belfast at around Three am. That was the plan... we were gonna save money the first night by just sleeping in the bus station... but then we got really tired after having worked all day so it was decided that we would seek out a hostel at three am... then we realized that, that might be a bad idea seeing as it was Belfast and we do value our lives... so we spent the night in Dublin instead. We roamed around for a while that night, meeting another canadian dude, in search of a hostel and we FINALLY found one. The next morning we were off! Now Northern Ireland is a very interesting place with a very recent history of violence. Most of which was aimed that the British military and the Catholic residents... however in peace talks have been in place for about five years of so and so it is actually a really nice place to visit. Belfast itself is the sight where the Titanic was built which is really cool but the city itself is actually unattractive. We walked around for the first day checking out the sights and finding a hostel - the "Linen House Hostel" (remember this) The next day we booked a tour to cross the Carrick - a - rede bridge and to see the spectacular Giants Causeway as well as check out the Historic city of Derry (Londonderry)... The bridge was the first stop. Apparently it was just an old rope bridge that fishermen used to cross to get to a small island but it has since become a well known tourist destination... (hence the reason it costs 3 pound or 6 dollars to cross it) but it was well worth the experience. It hangs high above the sea and it shakes and swings making it really exciting! the sights were just... ahhh spectacular. Next we went to the Giants Causeway which is a natural phenomenon... the rocks are hexagon and octagonal in shape as a result of lava... technically... but the irish have a much better explaination -- they say that the giant, Finn McCool married a giantess from Scotland who had an admirer. Finn built a causeway to Scotland which oneday the scotish giant (who's name I have forgotten) crossed to come claim his woman... having been forwarned about this Finn's wife had the idea to dress Finn up as a baby and when the other giant saw the baby he was shocked by its size that he was too scared to see the father so he ran back across the causeway destroying it in his wake. I took a lovely picture of Bekah (who's last name is Pitts) pretending to be a giant while we were exploring the causeway so that is how she has earned the name Pitts McCool... haha funny stuff...
Well i must be off so i will have to finish this off next time
ciao for now
Work is still work and the creeps and pervs remain as creepy and pervy as usual... "but how creepy and perverted can they be Brittany?" you may ask. Well I got spanked by a huge kitchen knife and was told to call the chef daddy... so I would say... pretty darn creepy and perverted. Ah but alas, I really dont mind working there so much anymore. One good thing I can say about it is that since working at Sonny's I am no longer in need of a gym membership... no sir... the running up and down four flights of stairs for eight to ten hours a day sure gives me the the freedom to indulge in a delicious diet of pringles, galaxy chocolate and ice cream without the worries of weight gain!
For the first month or so since I have lived here, I was out pub crawling and hanging out and about everynight. Then on my days off I was travelling... to be honest I really dont know how I am still alive... since after all that I have yet to pass out from exhaustion or develope scurvy from lack of vegetables. On the other hand, I have toned it down a bit - meaning I dont go out half as much as before... but still my body has decided to punish me with a "severe throat infection..." so says the doctor I paid 50 euros to have tell me that. Turns out the regular cold I caught two weeks ago has developed into a throat infection for which I am on a number of meds for... good news is... I am currently off work for two days! Oh the benefits of throat infections....
SO travel... humm well I went off to County Kerry a couple of weeks ago with John. We stayed in this great town called Kilarney for the night and then the next day we explored the national park and we drove the ring of Kerry. This part of the country is absolutly gorgeous, unfortunately it was pouring rain all day and so we couldnt see as much as we would have liked due to the fog and wetness... however we did run across a bunch of sheep-- yes! mission accomplished. We stopped off at the Gap of Dunlow (or however you spell it) which is like a valley with waterfalls and huge hills (maybe... small mountains) I really wish I could go back and see it all again... it was just breath taking... and in this case I have almost no pictures because of the fog... luckily I have a good memory to remember these sorts of things... but that means you will just have to use your imagination. John and I make great travel buddies except when it comes to finding food... well... finding food other then chinese food haha... it is guarenteed that whenever we go somewhere we will end up eating chinese... dont ask why... it just is...
The next excursion I went on was a couple of weeks ago as well, right after my host brother from Hungary, Csongi, arrived. Csongi, Bekah and I decided to take a day tour of a region in County Galway called Connemara. Again mountains, rivers, and my personal favorites... sheep! We stopped off at a bridge which is from a famous scene in the movie "The Quiet Man" before heading off to a small town to get drinks and admire the scenery. Then we saw more sheep!!! We got all up close and personal with them this time too... but we had to go back to the bus because everyone was waiting for us... the last stop was this BEAUTIFUL girls school/ abbey called Kylemore Abbey... and rumor has it that Madonna wanted to send her eldest daughter there but since it is closing down she will have to go elsewhere. Poor poor madonna! Anyways on the way back to Galway city we took the coastal route along Galway Bay from which we could see the Aran Islands as well as a number of famine houses. These are basically the skeletons of houses without roofs which were vacated during the infamous famine in Ireland. No one will knock them down because they are said to have the spirits of those who once lived in them still inside. The weather was actually pleasent during this trip so I guess we were really lucky!
The final trip I have gone on was only about a week and a half ago. Bekah (aka. Pitts McCool) and I hopped on a bus and headed to Northern Ireland for a couple days. The plan was to leave after work on saturday and take a night bus, stopping in Dublin for a hour, all the way there... this would have meant arriving in Belfast at around Three am. That was the plan... we were gonna save money the first night by just sleeping in the bus station... but then we got really tired after having worked all day so it was decided that we would seek out a hostel at three am... then we realized that, that might be a bad idea seeing as it was Belfast and we do value our lives... so we spent the night in Dublin instead. We roamed around for a while that night, meeting another canadian dude, in search of a hostel and we FINALLY found one. The next morning we were off! Now Northern Ireland is a very interesting place with a very recent history of violence. Most of which was aimed that the British military and the Catholic residents... however in peace talks have been in place for about five years of so and so it is actually a really nice place to visit. Belfast itself is the sight where the Titanic was built which is really cool but the city itself is actually unattractive. We walked around for the first day checking out the sights and finding a hostel - the "Linen House Hostel" (remember this) The next day we booked a tour to cross the Carrick - a - rede bridge and to see the spectacular Giants Causeway as well as check out the Historic city of Derry (Londonderry)... The bridge was the first stop. Apparently it was just an old rope bridge that fishermen used to cross to get to a small island but it has since become a well known tourist destination... (hence the reason it costs 3 pound or 6 dollars to cross it) but it was well worth the experience. It hangs high above the sea and it shakes and swings making it really exciting! the sights were just... ahhh spectacular. Next we went to the Giants Causeway which is a natural phenomenon... the rocks are hexagon and octagonal in shape as a result of lava... technically... but the irish have a much better explaination -- they say that the giant, Finn McCool married a giantess from Scotland who had an admirer. Finn built a causeway to Scotland which oneday the scotish giant (who's name I have forgotten) crossed to come claim his woman... having been forwarned about this Finn's wife had the idea to dress Finn up as a baby and when the other giant saw the baby he was shocked by its size that he was too scared to see the father so he ran back across the causeway destroying it in his wake. I took a lovely picture of Bekah (who's last name is Pitts) pretending to be a giant while we were exploring the causeway so that is how she has earned the name Pitts McCool... haha funny stuff...
Well i must be off so i will have to finish this off next time
ciao for now
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Alive
Hello everyone... Yes I am still alive but no I do not have the internet... which my landlord did not tell me about until it was too late... i hope to get it back within the next few weeks but until then my number is 011 353 85 788 6417 you can text me from Canada too
Sorry about the lack of info, the cliffs of moher were amazing but i will have to write more about it when i have more time to write... in other news i am super excited because Csongi ( my host brother from Hungary) will be arriving on June 2nd!!!
Will write again soon
take care and stay safe all!
Sorry about the lack of info, the cliffs of moher were amazing but i will have to write more about it when i have more time to write... in other news i am super excited because Csongi ( my host brother from Hungary) will be arriving on June 2nd!!!
Will write again soon
take care and stay safe all!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
The Sound of Settling
Ya ya, I know... the posts are less then regular but I am a working girl now, so give me a break! HAHA (working as in... a waitress... not as in... a "working girl")
Got the job at Sonny's, AKA The Front Door, and it is great! And by great I mean... it is a job which allows me to bring home the bacon if you know what I mean (ok I am not going to lie... there is no bacon in my fridge just... lettuce, butter, a pepper from last week and some mayo...oh ya and cheese of course) but there is a good deal of theoretical monetary bacon to be made when you work more then you sleep... mind you, there are so many other things to do then sleep...
I like the job though... I get to wear a spiffy orange shirt (thats a definate highlight). Plus, the people are really... interesting... ex slovakian mobster manager, dodgey Irish bartenders, a couple of perverted old Polish cooks who like to put the "sexual" in "sexual harassment." But all and all the place has a good atmosphere and the food is AMAZING (even though I have been witness to how it is made...) Basically, the 50% employee discount is what feeds me... other then Bekah
Bekah and I are great flatmates... she cooks, I clean... and we tend to resemble a married couple at times. Example: I came home from work late one night and she had stayed up to cook me potatos and to hear about my day... HAHA... and I stopped by the bakery the other day and bought her some goods... HAHA but the absolute best (aside from my text messages saying "I'll be home late tonight hunny, tell the kids not to wait up) was that she left chocolate bars on my pillow tonight when I got home from work and she was on a date!
Speaking of dates... I have determined that everyone needs alittle chedder in their lives... (as in I am enjoying the cheese factor of life at the moment!) As mentioned in a previous post, I met John... (who was introduced to me as "the leprechaun" yet i am fully convinced he is not... since his luck in betting during a game of bowling was very off... and I think he lost something like 50 euro from his so called pot of gold... haha) We went out a couple of times and then something strange happened... his flatmate met my flatmate... and well... certainly you can figure out the rest. So double date deluxe! haha so funny, even when we dont mean to be with them... like yesterday when we took a walk... we ran into them! The walk was great, he is such a good tour guide "so... that is a casino thing and that is a bar... and that is a diving board." but it was a nice long stroll all the way into the tourist suburbs called Salt Hill. It was absolutely gorgeous there. It is right on the bay and the tide was out... pretty postcard-esque if I do say so myself!
I am so excited because John and I are going to the Cliffs of Moher this weekend (the highest cliffs in Europe I believe...) He hasnt been there either... so quite the adventure it shall be! Although... I have one fear... that I will blow off and tumble to my impending doom... is that even possible? What if it is windy? oh geeze... my flatmate from Spain told me that it did happen to some other people on some other cliffs... well... if you dont read any more posts from me... at least you will know what happened... haha just kinding (...I hope *serious face*)
Well this me signing off...
Pictures to come!
Got the job at Sonny's, AKA The Front Door, and it is great! And by great I mean... it is a job which allows me to bring home the bacon if you know what I mean (ok I am not going to lie... there is no bacon in my fridge just... lettuce, butter, a pepper from last week and some mayo...oh ya and cheese of course) but there is a good deal of theoretical monetary bacon to be made when you work more then you sleep... mind you, there are so many other things to do then sleep...
I like the job though... I get to wear a spiffy orange shirt (thats a definate highlight). Plus, the people are really... interesting... ex slovakian mobster manager, dodgey Irish bartenders, a couple of perverted old Polish cooks who like to put the "sexual" in "sexual harassment." But all and all the place has a good atmosphere and the food is AMAZING (even though I have been witness to how it is made...) Basically, the 50% employee discount is what feeds me... other then Bekah
Bekah and I are great flatmates... she cooks, I clean... and we tend to resemble a married couple at times. Example: I came home from work late one night and she had stayed up to cook me potatos and to hear about my day... HAHA... and I stopped by the bakery the other day and bought her some goods... HAHA but the absolute best (aside from my text messages saying "I'll be home late tonight hunny, tell the kids not to wait up) was that she left chocolate bars on my pillow tonight when I got home from work and she was on a date!
Speaking of dates... I have determined that everyone needs alittle chedder in their lives... (as in I am enjoying the cheese factor of life at the moment!) As mentioned in a previous post, I met John... (who was introduced to me as "the leprechaun" yet i am fully convinced he is not... since his luck in betting during a game of bowling was very off... and I think he lost something like 50 euro from his so called pot of gold... haha) We went out a couple of times and then something strange happened... his flatmate met my flatmate... and well... certainly you can figure out the rest. So double date deluxe! haha so funny, even when we dont mean to be with them... like yesterday when we took a walk... we ran into them! The walk was great, he is such a good tour guide "so... that is a casino thing and that is a bar... and that is a diving board." but it was a nice long stroll all the way into the tourist suburbs called Salt Hill. It was absolutely gorgeous there. It is right on the bay and the tide was out... pretty postcard-esque if I do say so myself!
I am so excited because John and I are going to the Cliffs of Moher this weekend (the highest cliffs in Europe I believe...) He hasnt been there either... so quite the adventure it shall be! Although... I have one fear... that I will blow off and tumble to my impending doom... is that even possible? What if it is windy? oh geeze... my flatmate from Spain told me that it did happen to some other people on some other cliffs... well... if you dont read any more posts from me... at least you will know what happened... haha just kinding (...I hope *serious face*)
Well this me signing off...
Pictures to come!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Nervousness Ensues...
Funny how... I could get on a plane, go to a foreign country, get lost in dublin, live in a hostel, take a bus across the country, move in with 4 people I have never met... and not be nervous... yet the though of going to a "work trial"... is freaking me right out!
So I went out the other day to give out my resumes... and in one day's work, I ended up with three "trials" which is basically like saying we are going to hire you on the bases of you not being a moron and if you are... then you're outta here bub. So today is my day to find out if I am bub... sure hope not...
I am going to "hopefully" be working at a place called Sonny's which turns into a night club called The Front Door... (not to be confused with The Back Door which is apparently what I called it the other day to my friend) I will be... ahhhhhh... waitressing... whoa geeze I hope my dad's tips on organization while waitressing help me get through today... but I mean, it isnt the fact that I will be a waitress that makes me nervous... it is the fact that I will be working with the head waiter. It is like saying "here do this job in a place where you have never been, never seen the menu and do it perfect the first time because if you screw it up then you are a bub"...
Deep breaths... I will be find I am sure and if worst comes to worst, I can always flash the dimples and hope that I can distract him long enough to fix whatever mess I get myself into!
Well wish me luck
TO BE CONTINUED...
So I went out the other day to give out my resumes... and in one day's work, I ended up with three "trials" which is basically like saying we are going to hire you on the bases of you not being a moron and if you are... then you're outta here bub. So today is my day to find out if I am bub... sure hope not...
I am going to "hopefully" be working at a place called Sonny's which turns into a night club called The Front Door... (not to be confused with The Back Door which is apparently what I called it the other day to my friend) I will be... ahhhhhh... waitressing... whoa geeze I hope my dad's tips on organization while waitressing help me get through today... but I mean, it isnt the fact that I will be a waitress that makes me nervous... it is the fact that I will be working with the head waiter. It is like saying "here do this job in a place where you have never been, never seen the menu and do it perfect the first time because if you screw it up then you are a bub"...
Deep breaths... I will be find I am sure and if worst comes to worst, I can always flash the dimples and hope that I can distract him long enough to fix whatever mess I get myself into!
Well wish me luck
TO BE CONTINUED...
Monday, May 7, 2007
Its Gaul-Way not Galway... who knew?
Well it has been a couple days since I last posted... and I assure you that I am alive and well, very well as a matter of fact!
I managed to catch the... second... 8 o'clock bus on saturday morning which was headed to Galway. I was supposed to catch the first one with some girls I met at the orientation in Dublin... but after lollygagging around the hostel for too long, I ending up making it to the first bus just as it announced that it was too full... and I desperately waved goodbye to the other chicks... who were at the bus station on time apparently... and waited for the second bus to arrive.
The trip was long and I tried to stay awake to watch the scenery... but after having been awake all night thanks to some german girls who decided to... i dont know... wrap presents or crupple paper for an hour and a half at 2 am... I was exhausted. I finally arrived in Galway and waited for Bekah to meet me at the bus station... this was to be the first time we met... where I would finally see if she really was a 19 year old girl... or a creepy 40 year old pervert PRETENDING to be a 19 year old girl... you never know when you meet people online.
We met and thank heavens... she was who she said she was! We started on our journey to "shanty street" and I was happily surprised to find that it was not in fact a ghetto! The house actually used to be a bed and breakfast!... mind you it was a crap hole inside... it appears as if no one cleans their house when they move out... and let me tell you we found chunks of unidentifiable gunk in the most bizarre places... cleaning the bathroom was a real treat... but most of the really disgusting stuff was already finished by bekah and Sonja (the woman I rent from) before I arrived.
Currently, Bekah, Imara (the Spanish girl) and I live in the one house and Sonja and two other students live in the house next door... but they are moving out and Sonja is moving into our house. We are still cleaning but the house is shaping up and is really starting to feel like home.
It is like a constant laugh living here... Bekah and I are so similar and it has been such an ab work out (from laughing so hard) and sonja is hilarious! she is so sarcastic and the three of us get along real well... Imara is very quiet and her boyfriend has been visiting for the weekend so we have not seen much of her... but she is pretty nice too.
Yesterday Bekah and I became super bargain shoppers!!! *theme music begins to play* we got a ton of groceries and we actually found... brace yourself... 7 up flavored water!!! it is like it was made for me! we have already finished off something like 4 litres between the two of us... haha... yes yes call me pee pee mcgee if you like... just kidding
Later on yesterday night the two of us decided to investigate the "Galway night scene"... so we got all pretty-ed up and headed out. We checked out a couple of pubs and even accidentally went into a very gay club... (i really dont know how we didnt see the big rainbow flag infront) then we found a place called "the living room" and decided to check it out... as we made our way to the dance floor we began to feel very confident in our groove busting abilities (as we noticed that irish people are not the greatest dancers... i know i know... river dance... but no... they are not) We eventually came to meet a group of guys... one of which they called a leprechaun (and I am not going to lie... there was a slight resemblance...) we danced our brains out and had sooo much fun! The place was absolutely crowded but we loved it. When all was said and done and danced... Bekah and I made the painful 20 minute stroll home in uncomfortable high heels with boulder sized blisters... then we proceeded to sleep sleep sleep.
Today we had planned to do more exploring in the Claddaugh area which is right on the ocean... so we got all dressed... blue skys and sunshining... we took tons of pictures and then out of nowhere it POURED on us and we were soaked... everyone stared as the "stupid canadians ran screaming and shouting through the fields in search of cover"... and as soon as we made it to the other side and back into town... IT STOPPED and there were blue skys again... it was like we were the ONLY wet people in town! So we finished the day off lazily... made dinner, hung out with sonja, then watched some tv with Imara and her boyfriend... before I ended up here... writing this...
Tomorrow morning I will be getting up quiet early to head down to the Garda (the Police) to file my immigration paper-y things and then i will begin pounding the pavement in search of a job to sustain me!
Wish me luck!
I managed to catch the... second... 8 o'clock bus on saturday morning which was headed to Galway. I was supposed to catch the first one with some girls I met at the orientation in Dublin... but after lollygagging around the hostel for too long, I ending up making it to the first bus just as it announced that it was too full... and I desperately waved goodbye to the other chicks... who were at the bus station on time apparently... and waited for the second bus to arrive.
The trip was long and I tried to stay awake to watch the scenery... but after having been awake all night thanks to some german girls who decided to... i dont know... wrap presents or crupple paper for an hour and a half at 2 am... I was exhausted. I finally arrived in Galway and waited for Bekah to meet me at the bus station... this was to be the first time we met... where I would finally see if she really was a 19 year old girl... or a creepy 40 year old pervert PRETENDING to be a 19 year old girl... you never know when you meet people online.
We met and thank heavens... she was who she said she was! We started on our journey to "shanty street" and I was happily surprised to find that it was not in fact a ghetto! The house actually used to be a bed and breakfast!... mind you it was a crap hole inside... it appears as if no one cleans their house when they move out... and let me tell you we found chunks of unidentifiable gunk in the most bizarre places... cleaning the bathroom was a real treat... but most of the really disgusting stuff was already finished by bekah and Sonja (the woman I rent from) before I arrived.
Currently, Bekah, Imara (the Spanish girl) and I live in the one house and Sonja and two other students live in the house next door... but they are moving out and Sonja is moving into our house. We are still cleaning but the house is shaping up and is really starting to feel like home.
It is like a constant laugh living here... Bekah and I are so similar and it has been such an ab work out (from laughing so hard) and sonja is hilarious! she is so sarcastic and the three of us get along real well... Imara is very quiet and her boyfriend has been visiting for the weekend so we have not seen much of her... but she is pretty nice too.
Yesterday Bekah and I became super bargain shoppers!!! *theme music begins to play* we got a ton of groceries and we actually found... brace yourself... 7 up flavored water!!! it is like it was made for me! we have already finished off something like 4 litres between the two of us... haha... yes yes call me pee pee mcgee if you like... just kidding
Later on yesterday night the two of us decided to investigate the "Galway night scene"... so we got all pretty-ed up and headed out. We checked out a couple of pubs and even accidentally went into a very gay club... (i really dont know how we didnt see the big rainbow flag infront) then we found a place called "the living room" and decided to check it out... as we made our way to the dance floor we began to feel very confident in our groove busting abilities (as we noticed that irish people are not the greatest dancers... i know i know... river dance... but no... they are not) We eventually came to meet a group of guys... one of which they called a leprechaun (and I am not going to lie... there was a slight resemblance...) we danced our brains out and had sooo much fun! The place was absolutely crowded but we loved it. When all was said and done and danced... Bekah and I made the painful 20 minute stroll home in uncomfortable high heels with boulder sized blisters... then we proceeded to sleep sleep sleep.
Today we had planned to do more exploring in the Claddaugh area which is right on the ocean... so we got all dressed... blue skys and sunshining... we took tons of pictures and then out of nowhere it POURED on us and we were soaked... everyone stared as the "stupid canadians ran screaming and shouting through the fields in search of cover"... and as soon as we made it to the other side and back into town... IT STOPPED and there were blue skys again... it was like we were the ONLY wet people in town! So we finished the day off lazily... made dinner, hung out with sonja, then watched some tv with Imara and her boyfriend... before I ended up here... writing this...
Tomorrow morning I will be getting up quiet early to head down to the Garda (the Police) to file my immigration paper-y things and then i will begin pounding the pavement in search of a job to sustain me!
Wish me luck!
People, people EVERYWHERE!
This place is starting to feel alittle New Yorkish... there are people literally EVERYWHERE and as mentioned the drivers will kill you... what you think is a side walk may in fact be a road... that was the lesson of the day
Today I woke up after sleeping considerably well being that I shared a room with 20 other girls (no snorers thank God) and I went to enjoy my delicious free breakfast... Bread... I was just about to head to my orientation when the manager asked me my name and told me I had a message from Brian... I though "wow, dad called?" no, actually the guy I was sitting with on the plane had come to my hostel last night and
left me a message asking me to call him if I wanted to hang out... how perfect since being alone can be boring sometimes...
So I went to my orientation, presented by a woman named Zile... she was scary... we all thought she would beat us if we did something wrong, LUCKILY we were good ;) and we got TONS of info about taxes, travel, and basically everything... I also met a couple girls who are also moving to Galway. Tomorrow we are all going to meet and take the 8 o'clock bus across the country to Galway... so that should be good!
After the Orientation I met with Brian and we spent the day exploring... we went to Trinity College (the main University), Dublin Castle (which looked more like a hidden parking lot) and we even discovered a library with NO books (then I made some dumb joke about a library without books to two other people... and they just looked at me like I was special... and said "it is only called a library... it is a museum..." and walked away but honestly... who names a museum a library? thats just dumb.
I have officially decided that when people say "the irish are really friendly" that it is the honest to God truth, every Irish person i have met so far has been so awesome. Today Brian and I asked some old guy where the big park was... and he walked with us half way there!
Around six Brian and I parted ways because he was going to have dinner with his parents and I was going to meet with Stephanie (one of the girls moving to Galway with me tomorrow) It was so great to just walk around and get to know both of them today... Steph is from Vancover and finished design school... she is also a semi professional figure skater! We searched high and low for cheaper food and EVENTUALLY we found some at a spiffy downtown pub. Then we walked around some more (I can honestly say I have walked the city like 3 times today!)
Tomorrow I leave for Galway!!! I cannot wait... so I better go get some sleep
Ciao everyone
Today I woke up after sleeping considerably well being that I shared a room with 20 other girls (no snorers thank God) and I went to enjoy my delicious free breakfast... Bread... I was just about to head to my orientation when the manager asked me my name and told me I had a message from Brian... I though "wow, dad called?" no, actually the guy I was sitting with on the plane had come to my hostel last night and
left me a message asking me to call him if I wanted to hang out... how perfect since being alone can be boring sometimes...
So I went to my orientation, presented by a woman named Zile... she was scary... we all thought she would beat us if we did something wrong, LUCKILY we were good ;) and we got TONS of info about taxes, travel, and basically everything... I also met a couple girls who are also moving to Galway. Tomorrow we are all going to meet and take the 8 o'clock bus across the country to Galway... so that should be good!
After the Orientation I met with Brian and we spent the day exploring... we went to Trinity College (the main University), Dublin Castle (which looked more like a hidden parking lot) and we even discovered a library with NO books (then I made some dumb joke about a library without books to two other people... and they just looked at me like I was special... and said "it is only called a library... it is a museum..." and walked away but honestly... who names a museum a library? thats just dumb.
I have officially decided that when people say "the irish are really friendly" that it is the honest to God truth, every Irish person i have met so far has been so awesome. Today Brian and I asked some old guy where the big park was... and he walked with us half way there!
Around six Brian and I parted ways because he was going to have dinner with his parents and I was going to meet with Stephanie (one of the girls moving to Galway with me tomorrow) It was so great to just walk around and get to know both of them today... Steph is from Vancover and finished design school... she is also a semi professional figure skater! We searched high and low for cheaper food and EVENTUALLY we found some at a spiffy downtown pub. Then we walked around some more (I can honestly say I have walked the city like 3 times today!)
Tomorrow I leave for Galway!!! I cannot wait... so I better go get some sleep
Ciao everyone
... Post Nap Wonky-ness
Ok... So i really dont remember what i wrote before this... I only hope it was coherant-ish. So here is my second attempt...
I think I mentioned before that I met a guy from Galway (who warned me it is Gaul-way not Gal-way... so did the customs officer when I forgot...) I told him i was going to be living on Shantalla Street... and that is when he stopped..and giggled... oh yes he giggled. He told me that when he was a kid they called it "Shanty Street" and said it is like a friendly ghetto... haha great eh? but he assured me that it was still a safe place and that it wasnt comparable to detroit or anything
Apparently pretty much everything is harmless here... he said that even the type of sharks around ireland are harmless... no snakes, no cockroaches, lack of squirrels... the only poisonous thing he could think of was a brown jellyfish but even those he said, just leave a nasty sting... but the purple jelly fish are fine to touch... he told me that when he was a kid they used to have jelly fish fights... so THAT is my new goal!!!
I MUST hit someone with a purple jelly fish before my time here is done.
So after I arrived, I was left with the tricky task of locating my luggage, finding the super high priced bus to take me to town, then to figure out where i was dropped off and how i was gonna get to my hostel... all was well until i realized that they name the streets by the block and there are NO straight lines... so i walked in a couple circles but eventually i found it!
The hostel is interesting... the manager is a real nice guy but lays on the sexual harrassment thick (ex. hey sexy or i am only talking to you because you are beautiful... which after my 28 hours of awakeness, i can assure you i was not!)
My room is with 20 other girls and can only be found through a ten minute maze (the building is surprisingly larger then it appears) the trek ends in the basement... but the rooms is big, bright and has many windows so it isnt bad at all. I did, however, have to take the coldest shower of my life... and then i found out that the taps were just mislabelled :(... it was FREEZING but it sure did wake me up!
I wandered the BUSY city a bit then met a girl in my hostel who i went for dinner with... good ol' shwarma! felt just like home. After that i went to bed... but woke up and here i am!
Oh I forgot... i also spoke with Bekah my soon to be roomate. She had called me earlier in the week telling me that the house was really dirty... and i thought "well if i can survive eastern europe i am sure i can surivive this..." but when i called her today (with my new spiffy phone) she said that she and my landlordy/roomate have been cleaning it and that for some reason i got a really nice room! haha YES... I WIN! She also said that there will be a 24 year old girl from spain and a 26 year old guy from germany, who are both doing their masters at the university and they are supposively extremely nice... HOORAY!
Well that is all the news for now, tomorrow i will have my program orientation at 11 am and then i am going to further explore the city and probably seek out st. stephan's green and trinity college for a look around.
Take Care everyone!
I think I mentioned before that I met a guy from Galway (who warned me it is Gaul-way not Gal-way... so did the customs officer when I forgot...) I told him i was going to be living on Shantalla Street... and that is when he stopped..and giggled... oh yes he giggled. He told me that when he was a kid they called it "Shanty Street" and said it is like a friendly ghetto... haha great eh? but he assured me that it was still a safe place and that it wasnt comparable to detroit or anything
Apparently pretty much everything is harmless here... he said that even the type of sharks around ireland are harmless... no snakes, no cockroaches, lack of squirrels... the only poisonous thing he could think of was a brown jellyfish but even those he said, just leave a nasty sting... but the purple jelly fish are fine to touch... he told me that when he was a kid they used to have jelly fish fights... so THAT is my new goal!!!
I MUST hit someone with a purple jelly fish before my time here is done.
So after I arrived, I was left with the tricky task of locating my luggage, finding the super high priced bus to take me to town, then to figure out where i was dropped off and how i was gonna get to my hostel... all was well until i realized that they name the streets by the block and there are NO straight lines... so i walked in a couple circles but eventually i found it!
The hostel is interesting... the manager is a real nice guy but lays on the sexual harrassment thick (ex. hey sexy or i am only talking to you because you are beautiful... which after my 28 hours of awakeness, i can assure you i was not!)
My room is with 20 other girls and can only be found through a ten minute maze (the building is surprisingly larger then it appears) the trek ends in the basement... but the rooms is big, bright and has many windows so it isnt bad at all. I did, however, have to take the coldest shower of my life... and then i found out that the taps were just mislabelled :(... it was FREEZING but it sure did wake me up!
I wandered the BUSY city a bit then met a girl in my hostel who i went for dinner with... good ol' shwarma! felt just like home. After that i went to bed... but woke up and here i am!
Oh I forgot... i also spoke with Bekah my soon to be roomate. She had called me earlier in the week telling me that the house was really dirty... and i thought "well if i can survive eastern europe i am sure i can surivive this..." but when i called her today (with my new spiffy phone) she said that she and my landlordy/roomate have been cleaning it and that for some reason i got a really nice room! haha YES... I WIN! She also said that there will be a 24 year old girl from spain and a 26 year old guy from germany, who are both doing their masters at the university and they are supposively extremely nice... HOORAY!
Well that is all the news for now, tomorrow i will have my program orientation at 11 am and then i am going to further explore the city and probably seek out st. stephan's green and trinity college for a look around.
Take Care everyone!
She Hath Cometh
I have finally made it to Dublin... 4 hour drive + 6 hour wait + 6 hour flight + too much to do instead of sleeping = 28 hours without sleep... but it is soooo worth it
So I said goodbye to my parents (okok... some tears were shed in the process) walked past security and was ready to begin my adventure. As luck would have it I gave up my precious aisle seat (easy bathroom access... lol) so that an older couple could sit next to each other... and i was placed between two guys, both Irish (one canadian irish and the other from Galway... the actual city where i will be living)... being that I was squeshed inbetween, prevented me from sleeping during the flight... (typing is getting very challenging at this point because i am sooo exhausted but i am trying to get used to the time change by not sleeping yet) The Galway man told me that my street in Galways is basically... in the ghetto... but not to worry because although "shantalla street" is often refered to as "shanty street" by the locals... it is not dangerous and it leads into a good. part of town.
Oh geeze louise... i need to sleep... so to make a long story short, I am safe in sound... there was no hot water and i met a girl who ate dinner with me
I will have to make this story more interesting tomorrow once i get some sleep and am less WONKY
ciao
So I said goodbye to my parents (okok... some tears were shed in the process) walked past security and was ready to begin my adventure. As luck would have it I gave up my precious aisle seat (easy bathroom access... lol) so that an older couple could sit next to each other... and i was placed between two guys, both Irish (one canadian irish and the other from Galway... the actual city where i will be living)... being that I was squeshed inbetween, prevented me from sleeping during the flight... (typing is getting very challenging at this point because i am sooo exhausted but i am trying to get used to the time change by not sleeping yet) The Galway man told me that my street in Galways is basically... in the ghetto... but not to worry because although "shantalla street" is often refered to as "shanty street" by the locals... it is not dangerous and it leads into a good. part of town.
Oh geeze louise... i need to sleep... so to make a long story short, I am safe in sound... there was no hot water and i met a girl who ate dinner with me
I will have to make this story more interesting tomorrow once i get some sleep and am less WONKY
ciao
READY, GET SET...
Off she'll go again!
I hate the wait... the counting down of hours... the goodbyes... I would rather just hop on the plane and take off RIGHT NOW. But I gots ta wait!
Six more days till I touch down in Dublin, Ireland... ready to meet my soon to be roomate, Bekah, who I have been chatting with for over three months now! Hopefully she will be there waiting with arms wide open to greet me and two potato hands ( our joke about an Irish version of the critically acclaimed youtube video "banana hands"!!!... if you havent seen it... you can just ignore this comment altogether!) HAHAH certainly there will be more references made in the future...
The plan is to spend a couple days in Dublin before moving to Galway which is on the West coast of the country... I spoke to a women renting a house there and so I am almost 95% certain that she is holding rooms for us to rent this summer... it is a five bedroom house with a garden... a short walk to the town and to the ocean... so fingers crossed it doesnt turn out to be a rat infested dump!
well... I guess I am just gonna have to wait and see (while trying to keep my excitement at bay)
I hate the wait... the counting down of hours... the goodbyes... I would rather just hop on the plane and take off RIGHT NOW. But I gots ta wait!
Six more days till I touch down in Dublin, Ireland... ready to meet my soon to be roomate, Bekah, who I have been chatting with for over three months now! Hopefully she will be there waiting with arms wide open to greet me and two potato hands ( our joke about an Irish version of the critically acclaimed youtube video "banana hands"!!!... if you havent seen it... you can just ignore this comment altogether!) HAHAH certainly there will be more references made in the future...
The plan is to spend a couple days in Dublin before moving to Galway which is on the West coast of the country... I spoke to a women renting a house there and so I am almost 95% certain that she is holding rooms for us to rent this summer... it is a five bedroom house with a garden... a short walk to the town and to the ocean... so fingers crossed it doesnt turn out to be a rat infested dump!
well... I guess I am just gonna have to wait and see (while trying to keep my excitement at bay)
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