Today I had my Irish cinema class, taught by the always enjoyable Colum, and we talked about Ireland's history and what consititues Irishness and how it is a socially constructed notion...he asked each of us (all three of us in the class) three things we knew about Ireland before we got here...mine were friendliness, drunkeness, guinness.
Were they correct?
Absolutely! The one thing I wasn't expecting was all the puke on the sidewalks, but I guess it makes sense. He also asked why we chose Ireland. I said because they speak English, and that it seemed less dismal weather-wise and is more affordable than England. I'm surprised how comfortable and happy I feel here. Every school day I walk about 15-20 minutes to the college and back, if not more to head over to Henry Street to pick up fresh fruit, veggies and meat from the sidewalk markets for dinner with my suitees!!!!
This seems like a great time to introduce my suitees...aka my first roomies ever! First of all, my decision to study abroad relied heavily on whether or not Travis and I would be able to live together, since we live together at home, for f's sake. The woman in the International Office must have just been hell-bent on getting two more study abroad students, so she possibly streeeettttccchhhhheeeddd the truth a bit, to the point where it was a not-truth! Also a not-truth was "the lovely apartments you'll be staying in," but I'll get back to that.
So we get off our plane on Jan 3rd and are dropped in front of our building and are assigned two seperate rooms!!! Boo! Hiss! But we somehow ended up together, first in a single and now in a double...Travis has 5 female roommates! It works out well because anytime we all start talking about our rags he'll just go clean something. There is myself, Meghean from Hudson Valley, Colleen (my little suitee!) from VA Beach, Chrissy from Boston, and lovely Miss Bridget from Texas!
We've all have only lived together for almost 2 weeks now, but it feels like we've known each other forever! I am so f'in lucky that I got some good roommates, because there'd be shit everywhere from it hitting the fan. I have such a great time cooking for them...delicious dinners everynight in 105!!! and playing KINGS! Never have I ever played Kings before!
Always a grand time, especially when we have visitors, surprise style...namely Peter and Armando aka Guatemala...
Okay, I just tried to get some photos from facebook, but it's not happening, so maybe next time.
Yeah, so we live in the ghetto here, pretty much. Thanks again, International lady!! I didn't realize our dwelling location was sketchy until one night a group of us were walking to a pub and we got egged by some little fuckers outside of the projects!!!! These kids definitely aren't old enough to shave. At the same time of the these kids were playing this practical yolk on us, they also egged a woman who was pushing her kid in a stroller. And then proceeded to run away, laughing all the way to government funded housing. Travis and Peter chased after them into what Travis described as an abyss, where Peter got pegged in the face! Did I mention my coat was covered?! At least you don't have to pay for dry cleaning on your face! He chased after them until the harsh realization that these little asshats more than likely have older brothers that we did not want to deal with.
So, they told us. We now know whose turf is whose. They should pick on somebody their own size. And their mother's should pay for my dry cleaning with their welfare checks. But my guess is that their mom's don't care and that is the real problem.
We've been trying to find the perfect revenge without getting incarcerated for it. An eye for an eye and an egg for an egg, perhaps?
My other great story concerning the ghetto that is Buckingham Street is when we came home one day to see a car parked on the sidewalk, literally in front of our building's door. Did I mention that there was a rock thrown through the windshield?
Now I heard rumours when I got here that we may see a burning car or two in this neighborhood, but...I was definitely unbelieving. It didn't happen this time, luckily someone called the Guarda (piggies) to watch in the meantime until it wasa towed....but this was after some angry young man came by with a screwdriver and proceeded to smash every window of the car! You'd think that this gentleman was after something inside of the car, but it appears that everything was still intact. Just getting out a little frustration, I s'pose.
I mean, that's exactly what I do when I get angry.
Whatever happened to punching a pillow??
Ok, gotta go make some dinner for my roomies.
the living room (not featured is the ever-growing wall of shame!)
teeny tiny kitchen
view from the top!
sunny view from the top!
oh, i forgot to mention that tonight's dinner features my first Irish potatoes!! thank lawd the famine is over.
Mmm salmon pennette at Hotel California in Rome! I have a ton of pictures from Rome, but this is the one I chose today...ok, one more..
The spot where he popped the question
Our first photo as an engaged couple!
This is one is pretty self-explanatory.