Pictures!

Today I went on a bus tour (me? on a bus tour...who'd have thunk?) around Dublin with other American DBS students. I met a lot of nice people including Kristen and Krista who are living up the street from me in Dalkey. They seem like great people. We went to a pub in town this evening and chatted for a few hours about our life stories. It was really enjoyable and everyone seems laid back so far. Without further delay, though here are some pictures I took today!

No Dignity Left in Flying

I just got through security at the Newark Liberty International Airport. It was fairly simple, I guess. No major complications and no one stopped me to search through every one of my personal items (thank goodness!). I hate going through security, though. You’re barefoot and are expected to shove everything you’re carrying into tiny boxes as fast as you possibly can. Luckily I only made one mistake. I didn’t take my laptop out of my backpack and put it in it’s own box because I’ve never flown with one before. There weren’t too many people in line and I still have 2 ½ hours left before my flight departs. So now I think I’ll wander around for a few minutes. No use sitting around at my gate for all this time…

I boarded as easily as possilbe, got my baggage, entered Ireland smoothly, and was dropped off at the doorstep of my host family. They are very nice people and seem very laid back about what I do and where I go just as long as I check in once in a while. I'll write more when I am not falling asleep in between words.

On My Way! Well, Sort of...

Written Friday, August 24th - 7:45am

About 15 minutes ago I boarded the eastbound train for Philadelphia. This is the first part of my long journey to Ireland. I’m stopping in Philly for a few days to visit Christopher and celebrate our one-year a little early. I’ll be in Philadelphia until Tuesday evening, when I will take the Regional Rail to Newark, NJ International Airport. My flight takes off (supposedly) at 7:00pm and I should be in Dublin by 7:00am. Thank goodness I don’t have any connecting flights. Flying is complicated enough anymore without having to get on and off planes at the right time (and of course your first flight lands late and your connecting flight is always the only one that takes off on-time). I managed to pack just about everything, got halfway to Pittsburgh and realized that I had forgotten my passport, which is safely in our filing cabinet. My mom is being very sweet and priority over-nighting it to Christopher’s apartment.
I’ve been reading the Lonely Planet travel books that my mom bought me and I think by the time my plane hits the runway, I will as confident and ready as I’ll every be. Of course, things are simpler due to the fact that I’m going to an English-speaking country. All I have to get used to is the accent and then never-ending use of slang. You think people in the States speak a different language outside of a class or conference room, but we are nothing compared to the Irish, and English for that matter. Not only is there Gaelic mixed in everyday conversation, but on top of that is the rhyming slang (it would even baffle the clever writers of The Gilmore Girls). I’ve only really picked up a few phrases myself. I remember apples and pears – up the stairs and Johnny Rocket – pocket. It’s a really amusing way to say things, but it is damn confusing for an outsider.

Just felt like writing...

I am having a rarely serene and easygoing day at work. Maybe it's because I've been browsing blogs in between scanning and texting Christopher all morning. Y'know, it's a wonder that I get any work done, but I actually do. Without distractions I'd go insane here, quite literally I think. Tonight after work I'm going to Hollywood to work some more, but I actually like that job. Then tomorrow I'm going to Cook Forest to hang out with my sister who just got back from her tour in Japan, her boyfriend Nick, my mom and dad, and probably Christopher's sister and brother in-law who are coincidentally going to be there as well. I'm very excited to see Sarah (my big sis) and hear if the Japanese people like Hairspray and all about her hike up Mount Fuji.
It should be a fun weekend, followed by only 1/2 a week of work and a train ride to Philadelphia to see Christopher!

Cheers!

Long Distance Call

Yesterday I took the afternoon off of work and after doing a bit of relaxing and movie watching I called Dierdre, my host mom in Ireland. She seemed very nice and excited to have me stay with her and her family. They have 4 kids, 2 that are 18 and 16ish and 2 that are a little younger than 10. I guess they've hosted 10-12 students before me, which is good because they'll be well-versed in answering all of the crazy questions I'll probably come up with. It also means that they'll probably be very prepared for me, and that I won't be sleeping on a little cot in their laundry room or anything. She also said that they are pretty laid back and have few rules. I'm not a wild child, but I don't think I'd do well with strict rules.
She told me that the University will provide transport from the airport directly to their house in Dalkey, so that's good to know. Other than this brief call, I haven't heard anything else about my trip. Today at lunch I'm going to call my travel agent to verify that I have everything I need for my flight and tomorrow I'm going to go to Best Buy with my dad to get a plug adapter with my dad so I can use my laptop, charge my DS, and straighten my hair over there.

I'm sure more updates on their way...if there is anyone who even reads this! :)

Weekend

Well, this weekend wasn't very productive as far as my trip to Ireland is concerned. My mom did buy me a couple of travel books, though! She got me a Lonely Planet one on Dublin and another book on Ireland.
Most of the weekend was spent at Hollywood Video, which I'm not really complaining about, but I would have liked to spend more time with my cousins. Luckily they ended up staying an extra day on Sunday. I watched a lot of movies over the past few days. I saw Wild Hogs, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Film for Theaters for DVD, and The Transformers along with a few I've already seen a bajillion times. In my next post I'll have my thoughts on all of them. It was nice getting to catch up on some films that I wanted to see, and some that I didn't know I wanted to see. Tonight I'm going to see Rush Hour 3 with Mr. and Mrs. Nies. I haven't gotten to hang out with them in a while, so this should be fun!
Tomorrow after working at St. Vincent's I'm going to call my Irish family since Elizabeth still hasn't not gotten back to me about the email address I requested. I'm very excited to speak to them, but I'm also kind of nervous. I'm not sure what about. I guess probably a little nervous that they won't like me, but my excitement overshadows any apprehensions.
I will most definately have a post on that conversation. And that's it for this one...

Cousins!

Yesterday I didn't get a chance to blog because my usual time in the afternoon at work was cut short. Since I worked an extra hour on Tuesday I got to leave an hour early on Wednesday, and I skipped my lunch break so I was out of the office by 2:30. I went to Claytopia (place to paint already made ceremic pieces) and picked up the present I made for Christopher and the teacup/saucer that my friend Amy made for her mom last week. They both came out looking great!

When I got home at 3:00 I had a few minutes to change and then my cousins from Charlton (town near Schanectady), NY arrived. They'll be staying with us until Sunday when they'll go on to visit family elsewhere in PA. Last night we sat around and talked until my mom came home and I took my cousin Evelyn (15) and her friend Jessica to Hollywood Video where I work. I had to return Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and told them to pick out something. They got High School Musical, but unfortunatley it was scratched so badly that I have to take it back tonight to see if GameCrazy can buff it to make it watchable. After the video store we went and picked up pizza for dinner and ended up watching Night at the Museum until it was time for everyone to go off to bed.
Today my mom took a half day at work to spend time with Sue, Evelyn, and Jessica. I think they're going to Panama Rocks (park large boulders you can climb on) if it doesn't rain too much. Unfortunately I have to work until 4, and then I think I'm going to return Chariots of Fire and Breach, get High School Musical buffed, and rent How to Marry a Millionare.

I know that this post has nothing to do with my trip to Ireland, but I haven't had any updates to blog about. I emailed Elizabeth about getting my homestay family's email address, but I think she's been out of the office. The countdown now is 18 days!

So Done With Work

It's about 2:30 and I'm just done working mentally. I need rest my brainwaves. Not that I'm using many for the job I'm doing, but shhh! I must've been bitten by a writing bug. I can't keep myself away from blogging. I guess that's how it always starts, isn't it? I'm at another office today and they gave me a cute little IBM ThinkPad to work on. I feel much more at home on a laptop. To me, desktops are now the equivalent of those enormous prehistoric computers from the Dark Ages and laptops are the Renaissance. I am very aware that new desktops are just as up-to-date as any laptop around, but they are so cumbersome. It's the college student in me, I've got travel and mobility in mind when I buy things.
As laptops go, my personal laptop is about as cumbersome as one can get without being one of those bricks from the early 90s. I wanted the large widescreen so that I can watch DVDs and it's fantastic for that, but the next one I purchase will be as small as I can get it (iPhone anyone?). I'm to the point now where I can afford an ok television and cheap DVD player, and will be even more so when I get around to affording a new laptop. Mine is a Toshiba that is a little over 2 years old and despite a few scratches and permanent imprints where I rest my wrists it is in great shape. I need to go through and clear off some old stuff and back up all of my music (I have all of the important school stuff backed up). The amount of free memory is dwindling. I'm guessing that ripping 4 Harry Potter audiobooks didn't help.

Now I have no clue how this became a post about computers, but I guess I really had no intentions for this post. That's the great thing about just wanting to write. It's fun to see what results from inspiration and to figure out how it happened. Well, I guess I've wasted enough company time as it is. From the looks of how this has been going, I'll post again tomorrow.

Movie Reviews!

I'm bored at work and am sick of sorting and scanning, so I figured that I'd take a little break and update my blog...for the second time today. I know that this small rash of updates will be short lived.

Anyway, it came to mind that since I'm such a fan of film as well as travel, that I should blog my meaningless opinions on ones I've seen recently. So here goes!

Hot Fuzz:

I unfortunately did not get to see this in theatres, but rented it the weekend before it was released on DVD (perk of working at a rental store).
I found it hysterical. The boys of Shaun of the Dead delivered grade A humor again. The story was strangely twisted and included some gratuitous gore that I thoroughly enjoyed. I didn't think that the humor was quite as clever as it was in Shaun of the Dead, but I shouldn't continue comparing every bit of the two. Certain lines such as "Yarp! Yarp! Naaarp?" keep sticking in my head and are causing fits of giggles a week later. All of the actors were grand at making their characters creepily pleasant and as promised, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have great comedic chemistry. If I were to give films grades, which I think I'll do from now on, I'd say Hot Fuzz gets an A-.

Updates!

I know it has only been a few days since I posted with all sorts of doubts and a list of things to do, but lo and behold I've been ::gasp!:: productive. Those of you who know me (especially my mom) know that I leave everything until the last possible minute and then get everything done in a flash. So far in my life I haven't really been punished for this because I am miraculously lucky and some how get things right on time. What can I say? It's a talent.
On Friday I received an e-mail from Elizabeth (she gets everything together for the study abroad students in Dublin) about my homestay assignment. I'm staying by the coast in the village of Dalkey (Bono [ick], Enya, and author Hugh Leonard live there!) with a family of 6: Dierdre the mom who is a drama teacher, her husband who is an accountant, 2 girls, and 2 boys all under 18 years old. I'm very excited about living with a larger family. I have such a small immediate family that I think it'll be an interesting experience. I replied to Elizabeth to try to get the family's email address so I can start talking to them about specifics of my arrival and stay. I have their phone number, but with my work schedule and the time difference, calling will prove difficult.
Also on Friday I put in my application for a student Visa card via PSECU (eek! first credit card), I was approved, and now it is all being processed. So I'm happy to have that done with. All I have to do now is wait...
My mom and I went to see No Reservations on Saturday, which was cute. Then we went shopping for stuff I need before I depart and some essential groceries (like feta, hot dogs, and an abnormally large bag of frozen fruit for my dad). I got some smaller bottles for shampoo, conditioner, and liquid soap (cheaper and larger than travel-sized ones), headphones, a 2gig memory card for my camera ($39.99 woot!), batteries, and a few other necessities.
Sunday the I went to the Medieval Faire in Geneva, OH with the family. This has nothing to do with getting ready for Ireland, but it was fun nonetheless. Mom and I dressed up in our peasant costumes she made for us. Unfortunately it was quite rainy. Just drizzled most of the day, but as we were leaving it just poured on us!

Now my ToDo list is down to: call my travel agent to confirm I have everything for the plane ride, call my doctor to get my Hep A shot before I leave. I don't need it, but what's the harm?

More updates later!

Countdown: 22 Days!

Down to the wire...

So, I'm now down to what? 25 days-ish? I want to know where the summer went. It feels like just last week I got off the train from school. All summer I've been working at the doctor's office, and I got a job at Hollywood Video (love it!). My bank account has been slowly increasing, and if I were just going back to Lock Haven I would be jumping for joy because of how 'rich' I am (I use that term extremely loosely in this context). I wouldn't be dreading my text book list, I'd be able to get $10/pound of gourmet dark roast coffee (even though I do even when I'm poor. Quality caffeine is vital. Don't judge me), and I would still have plenty left over to waste at the liquor store (I turn 21 in September!). But when I go to Ireland I'll have approximately 3/4 of what I made this summer. First the government takes from my paychecks, my personal favorite is the privilege to work tax. It's like when your parents told you that responsibility is a privilege and failed to mention that it is one you didn't want, but you don't get to find that out until you're all grown up and already downtrodden by it. Then after the government is done with your bank account, the exchange rate takes the remains. Ah well, sometimes the most entertaining things are free.
There are quite a few things to get to before I leave: shopping for outlet adapters and travel toilletries, I need to apply for a credit card (must do that tonight!), and as soon as I hear about my host family I'll find out what's going to happen once I get to Dublin. I've decided to not get too worried about any of it because it'll only make me anxious and time go by faster. Everything will work itself out.
I know I haven't written anything useful this post, but I'm at work and so this is being written between scanning things and free moments here and there. Not my best work. I'll be back right before I leave or right after I get to Dublin with a more interesting post. Until then...

Cheers!