Adventures in Ireland: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful

The fourth week of my Dublin internship is officially over, and it's hard for me to believe that I have been here for one full month.  That's crazy!  I've actually been living in a foreign country for one whole month without injuring myself or accidentally burning any companies to the ground.  Not that that's happened before, or anything.

Oh, IHOP, how I miss you... (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I make it sound like I'm the kind of person who can't function on her own, which is wholly untrue.  

I lived alone my sophomore year of college so I knew that I would be okay being by myself for quite some time.  I was an out-of-state student from Texas my freshman year, so I knew that I'd be able to function well in a new environment.  It's just the fact that this is Ireland-- this is a different currency and fast buses and directions I can't understand and 3,000 miles away from anything even resembling an IHOP-- so it actually feels like an accomplishment that I haven't stepped in front of a bus or insulted any locals.  I feel pretty great about that.

With any place and with any trip, there are good and bad parts of it all.  There have been times when my friends and I have been taken advantage of because we're obviously tourists (for example, friends of mine were unknowingly charged extra for a cab).  The fact that a lot of us are women in a city means that we've been catcalled and harassed by people of all ages, though I guess (unfortunately) that happens in America, too.  I've also worn out a few pairs of shoes just because of how lost I've managed to get myself over these past few days, too.  Adios, knockoff Toms, you bowed out with dignity.

Adriana and Spencer leading the pack while I catch my breath behind them in the Wicklow Mountains.

But then there are the good parts, too.  There's the unimaginable beauty of some of the places we've visited: Blarney Castle, for instance, was one of my favorite trips two weekends ago.    The Wicklow Mountains, which I mentioned last week, was one of the best hiking trails I've ever been on (if not the most difficult).   And then there's the people I'm hanging around-- I know, I know, this is really cheesy, but if you aren't surrounded by good people, then it isn't likely you'll have a good trip.  The friends I've made so far are silly, ridiculous, and endlessly entertaining, always up to try something new or go somewhere at the drop of a hat.  It's also funny how being in a different country can bring people so close together so quickly; there are people here I've known for a month who I feel more comfortable around than people I've known for  years.

Being an American here is hard, just because I can't decide what the public opinion is on foreigners yet.  Last time, I mentioned that my coworker said the U.S. accent is "musical", but I'm wondering if not everyone thinks that considering how loud my friends and I are every time we board a public bus.  I'm wondering if locals bristle against me rather than welcome me each time I stop them on the street to ask for directions.  I think so far I've discovered that it's not necessarily the American accent that people reject, it's the tourist attitude.  You know the one-- I'm American and I'm going somewhere/hungry/tired and I will bother anyone or do anything to get what I want in this moment.  This is where it helps to take a step back and relax.  Annoying things happen to everyone: missing the bus, waiters messing up your order, people moving slowly on the street.  My advice to everyone experiencing the American Tourist Attitude no matter where you are: CHILL OUT.  

I can hear my parents and my sister laughing at this right now, considering the fact that I am usually the most anxious and stressed out person in my entire family.  I'm the one pushing people off of the bus because we aren't early enough to an event or having my money tucked into my palm three blocks before I get to the coffee shop to spend it just because I want to be prepared.  As far as Ireland goes, again, it helps to just chill and accept everything that comes your way with a sense of dignity and acceptance.

So I know the "good" of Ireland was basically just how beautiful it is, but I'm sorry, I have to return to that point.  Ireland's beauty deserves more than one paragraph, and a lot more than one picture.  The group and I just got back from Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.  It's not a part of the Republic of Ireland, so they use sterling pounds instead of our beloved, familiar Euro...and to put it in perspective, the value of pounds to dollars is 1.72 dollars=1 pound. YIKES.

It's worth it, though, to see some of the natural beauty that Belfast boasts (say that five times fast).  A day tour away from the city took us to some of the most breathtaking landscapes I've ever seen, one of which was the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.  It's located insanely high up above the ocean, but it was amazingly fun to pay five pounds just to be terrified out of your mind when you cross it.  

That's right.  I crossed it.

After that, we headed up to the tips of the cliff and stared out over the ocean, taking in the sights of that coastal wonder.  I hope you're imagining the smell of salty sea air and seagull poop, 'cause I can't really get it out of my nose.

Then, it was over to the Giant's Causeway, which is a cluster of honeycomb-shaped rocks that jut out into the ocean.  The area isn't man-made, and it's incredible to see what nature can create.  See some of the photos below:

Overall, the trip was amazing.  It's great to be back in busy Dublin, but the country girl in me still misses the rolling hills of Ireland's coastal countryside.  I'll see it again this week, though, since a company trip is taking me and my coworkers down to Galway for the annual Galway Film Fleadh-- a festival showcasing the best of new Irish indie cinema.  After that, I'm headed to London for the weekend, and I couldn't be more excited.  I feel like I'm just checking things off of my bucket list with each week that passes, and that's an incredible thing to be able to do (but I still haven't seen Fungi the Dolphin in Dingle-- that's next on my list, I swear).

Until next time!!

When in Ireland, Make the Leap

I think the moment I saw a Ferris wheel in Ireland was the first time I’ve truly ever felt happiness.

I’m joking, of course. If you know me, you know that I’m a sucker for carnivals: the creepy music, the kids nearly killing each other in bumper cars, the middle-aged operators who wink when you board a ride meant for small children. Pretty magical, right?

There’s a carnival in Dun Laoghaire (pronounced “Done Leery”) and it’s so reminiscent of America that I forgot for a moment that I was 3,000 miles away. I even saw a Texas flag hanging in someone’s backyard, which made me miss the overbearing southern pride I used to come across back in the states. Dun Laoghaire is such a wonderful place, and we had a grand old time wandering down the pier and eating frozen yogurt on the rocky beach.

There’s also an area called “The Forty Foot” in the town, which is basically this giant rock that people jump off of into the freezing waters of the Irish Sea. It’s not really forty feet high, but it’s still not the safest thing in the world considering the rock is slippery and there’s always a nagging thought in my head that tells me there are sharp, pointy rocks hiding underneath the water.   At the same time, cliff jumping has always been something that I’ve wanted to do, and I leapt at the chance to cross something off of my bucket list.

Jumping off of the 40 Foot.

So leap, I did. 3 times, actually (see terrifying photo to the right).

That night, we returned home on the train with our bellies full of some of the best bar food we’ve ever had (salmon and mashed potatoes—yummm) and headed over to a local jaunt to watch the World Cup.

The next day provided even more strenuous physical activity: hiking in Glendalough (I pronounced it “Glen-duh-loo to my coworkers this morning and they laughed at me).   It’s a 2-hour bus ride up to the Wicklow Mountains, and my bad planning included me not applying sunscreen before I left.  As we hiked up the thousands of steps to the peak, my skin baked red as a lobster around the distinct outline of my tank top.  Now, I look like a broiled zebra. That’s an image.

Planning.  It’s something I’m usually very good about, considering the anxiety I feel when something isn’t ready or complete, but ever since I’ve been in Ireland all I want to do is relax and be spontaneous. It’s probably a good change in me, despite the fact that plane tickets do tend to rise in price when you wait until the last minute to book them…yeah, they don’t care so much about spontaneity. They just love money.

On that note, I’ll pass on a lesson that I learned this weekend: book plane tickets months in advance, bring water everywhere you go, and don’t be afraid to spend money on things you really want to do. I’m going to attempt to be prepared this week and try to book tickets to Scotland as well as a music festival in July, and we’ll see if I have enough determination to get those things squared away. Or maybe I’ll just relax some more.

Until next time!

Enjoying Good Craic.

Yesterday, someone told me they thought an American accent was "musical".  I was, in a word, appalled.

Maybe you think I'm being too harsh on Americans, but I tend to always think that our voices are plain or rough-sounding.  I think Irish accents are wonderful, and they've been lovely to listen to the whole time I've been here, but perhaps Dubliners don't register them as such.  Perhaps it depends on the person or how well you listen, or maybe it's just in the eye of the beholder.  Or, well, the ear.

I know that's a strange thing to notice-- accents-- but for me, everything that's different is a novelty.  I think that's the stage of culture shock right before the actual oh my god what I am doing here I must go home immediately shock, so I'm looking forward to that coming up next (not).

Fries (chips) and mayo (Photo credit: SheepGuardingLlama)

I also know that Dublin is probably very similar to most bustling American cities, but for now, it doesn't feel that way.  At this point, everything seems like such a drastic change. For example, mayo is milder, and you eat it with french fries covered in vinegar (which is an actual yum, but I think I've mentioned that already.  Have I?  It's just so good.  Get ready for me to mention it 1,000 more times)  People say "plait" instead of "braid", "cheers" instead of "thanks", and "grand" instead of "great", and they curse like sailors even in the workplace. Wild-berry Skittles unfortunately are not as good, and I think it's because they're made with less sugar (which is a TRAVESTY).  The sun doesn't set until 10:00 pm.  Dogs are tiny and NEVER leashed, and pigeons share their territory with annoying squawking seagulls.

I keep making jokes about my American-ness to anyone who will listen, like how I always want large portions of things and am loud on the bus.  What I didn't really realize, though, is that stereotypes are stereotypes no matter where you go, and just like rational minds in the US, people try to avoid believing everything they hear here.  In fact, a lot of Dubliners love Americans, and I've noticed so much how people on the street, coworkers, and shop workers all want to help me on my journey here.

And speaking of coworkers, I'm also finished with my first week of work at The Writer's Guild of Ireland (and don't worry, I'm writing this on my lunch break).  It's been an interesting experience thus far, mostly because I'm learning all about the Irish film industry and it's a side of writing I've never really explored before.  It's all independent work so far as well, but then again, I tend to prefer that sort of thing.

Yesterday, the sun came out, and I guess that doesn't happen very often since everyone in town flipped out and ran away from work.  My boss took the day off and advised everyone to do the same just so that we didn't waste a rare day of sun in Dublin.  Of course, used to the beauty of Colorado, I stayed and worked like the diligent intern I am (har de har).  I did think it was funny, though, considering we'd never leave work for the 300 sunny days of the year we get back home.  It just shows how much the Irish value craic (that just means fun- nothing fishy).

After work, a couple of friends and I did find some time to enjoy the sun as well.  We met up at a grocery store after work and grabbed some hot sandwiches, and then went down to a park called St. Stephen's Green where all the students hang out. We sat on the grass, took off our shoes, and threw sandwich crumbs at fat birds.

A group nearby played guitar and the sun was streaming through the trees, and it was just one of those perfect evenings where you thank yourself for having the guts to try something new and to go somewhere that might be scary or far away.

So thanks, past self.  You're a gem.

Until next time!

Second day in beautiful Ireland!

I ate fish and chips.  For the first time. In Ireland.

I feel truly accomplished now.  I know the whole thing about fish and chips is it's mostly an English thing, but I figure trying the dish in Europe is good enough.  And I tried Bulmer's, too-- I know getting hard cider in Colorado is somewhat of a namby-pamby move given our rich history with beer (although I still love it anyway), but in Ireland, Bulmer's is pretty much second to Guinness.  And it's amazing.

Me, the gang from CSU, and Austin from Alabama in front of Temple Bar.

So, two wonderful culinary discoveries today, and although I haven't hit the pubs yet (I have an interview tomorrow, don't be ridiculous) me and a group of great people are planning on finding the local shouts so we don't end up at the touristy Temple Bar every night.

Tonight, instead of doing the local crawl, I'm studying up on the company I'll be interning at: The Writer's Guild of Ireland.  Tomorrow, anything could happen.  They could turn me down or everything could go fine; I'm trying to keep an open mind about it all.  I'm also trying not to focus on home too much, since dwelling on thoughts of Colorado and my family just make me homesick.  I am adjusting better today now that it's the second day, now that I've adjusted to the bus system, and now that I have an international phone plan (cue happy dancing).

I will be honest though, while culture shock hasn't quite settled in, there are still a few things that I miss from Colorado.  They are:

-The summer heat with bursts of rain (Here, it's all-day rain.  Annoying.)
-Using american currency
-My car (MY CAR! How I miss driving to the grocery store instead of walking home with my arms full of heavy grocery bags).
-Refrigerated eggs (you read that correctly).
-Chik-fil-A.  Oh, my beloved Chik-fil-a sauce.

Not that being here isn't great, because it's wonderful, and there are plenty of things I love about being here that I can't get in Colorado (the buses have free WiFi on them- WIFI!).  I figure, though, that maybe I'll appreciate these things more when I get back, so that I can return to Fort Collins with a new lease on life...and a greater appreciation for my Subaru.

Until next time!

One week left!

Well, it's almost here.  At this time a week from now, I'll be in New York getting ready for my plane ride at 9:00 at night.  It's scary to think that my journey is so close, but the weird thing about anticipation is that it's got it's good side and a thorny side.  I'm experiencing both.  

First of all, there's the stress.  I'm waiting for my renewed license to get here and if it doesn't by Wednesday, than I'm bringing my passport to every bar in Dublin.  I'm making sure I have enough money to support myself overseas without being a total burden to my parents.  I'm making sure I have my internet set up, my passport, my documents, my adapters, enough books, enough sanity to last me....

And then there's the good side.  I've already made friends with some people, I bought some kick-ass work attire to wear at my internship.  I'll start feeling useful every day instead of loafing around in my pajamas until 12:00 pm (I may or may not be in PJ's right now...)

With every adventure, there are pros and cons, and money always seems to be a con.  I'll be okay, though-- I know how to handle myself around an international credit card-- but everything just seems easier in your home country.  Even the littlest things become worrisome in an unfamiliar environment, things like cab rides or tipping waiters.  But I'll make mistakes, and I'll get used to the changes: this I know for sure.

For now, I'll just have to focus on the good side of anticipation, the kind that won't give me night sweats.

Anticipation.

I'm getting things ready- planning my flights (expensive), contemplating whether or not I need new luggage (expensive), and finishing off last-minute program costs (expeeeeensive).  Per my advisor's advice, I've been reading the Irish Times in order to get myself educated on where I'm going to be interning, so I'm learning more about Ireland, the culture, and the struggles they're facing.

It helps that I've finally found out where I'll be interning.  Of course, I still have another interview to do in order to solidify my place in the company, but I can't believe where they've decided to place me:

It's such an amazing company- it's the representative body of writers of the stage and screen in Ireland. I'm reading up literally everything I can get my hands on about this company before I go over: the website, facebook pages, twitter, news articles, etc.  I want to learn as much as I can before I leave for the summer.

There's still this undertone of nervousness underlying everything, but I'm sure that won't go away until my feet touch down on green Irish soil.  And that's okay!  I know it's okay to be nervous, but I have to remember all of the good things that'll happen once I get over there, too- meeting great work contacts, cooking in my apartment after a stressful Monday, and exploring the town.

I feel like I can finally let myself get excited for this trip, and that feels good.

So here's the deal...

I'm going to Ireland.

Here's the story: 

     It's always been my dream to travel to Europe.  Walking along the Seine in France, eating mounds upon mounds of spaghetti in Italy, diving into the clear blue ocean in Greece- are there even better dreams to dream?  Everything about travel always seems so idyllic and far away.  Then, I found the application. 

    Through my school, there was an internship opportunity where students could apply to work abroad in Dublin, Ireland.  It was an unpaid position, but I couldn't stop thinking about the opportunity, the people, the scenery- how could I pass something like that up?  So I began applying.  

    After a while, things started to get pretty overwhelming.  I couldn't stop thinking about the expenses; how much money it would cost just to take on an unpaid position for the sake of experience and to send myself halfway across the world.  I thought about leaving my family for two months, and how much I would miss them.  I decided, ultimately, not to apply. 

    Weeks passed by and I started feeling more and more guilty for giving up on my dream.  The Emerald Isle, the bustling city of Dublin, the culture and people and pints I would miss out on constantly cluttered my mind.  I'd do anything, I finally told myself, to make this happen.  

     The day before I decided to reapply, I got a pretty inspiring fortune (in the photo above).  It was the final push I needed- after all, wasn't it always my dream to leave the country?  My parents supported me, my sister supported me, my friends, my boss- there was really no one holding me back but myself. 

     So I started to apply again, I got my letters of recommendation and my forms signed and appointments made, and I sent my application off to be reviewed.  A few days later and I found out that I'd been accepted.  

     I still don't know what I'm going to be doing over in Ireland.  I have phone interviews, contracts to sign, and money to raise (see my sidebar!).  I have a lot of things to get ready but ultimately, I know I made the right decision.  Traveling is hard, expensive, and risky,  but I wouldn't want to spend my summer any other way.  

     Follow this blog for more updates on my journey as I navigate the crazy waters of preparation and gear up for Summer 2014.  Donate anything you can using the button on the sidebar and ease a little bit of my stress (plane tickets, program costs, and living expenses, oh my!), and I will love you forever. 

    Most of all, thanks to all of the friends and family who supported me and congratulated me after learning about my internship.  You make me feel loved!!

Until next time, 

              

               Madi 

(Glasses Girl)