update update!!

(flatmate Rafa and I at St. Patty´s Parade)

So it has been a while since I updated so I will recap the last couple of weeks.

St. Patty´s was a blur.... but at least i took some pictures to clear things up. it began with face paintings and a stroll to the parade with my flatmates. we were greeted by a stampede of green and orange children and soon to be pissed(drunk) teenagers. the parade was comical.. nothing too fancy, just marching bands and some people dressed up as vikings seemed to cheer the crowd on enough for people to stick around. i still do not know anything about St. Patrick but he must have liked to drink alot because by noon I was in the Turk´s Head having a pint with some friends, enjoying yet another lovely rugby match. A bottle of wine was consumed at a Spanish party(all to myself) where I began to feel the Irish inside of me. We ended the night at Sine, I think we spent 3 hours there, maybe more? Met some Italians and lost a few flat mates on the way. The entire day was dedicated to drinking and I was surprised at how much more these people can drink! I actually ended up giving some Irish girls directions to the Spire because they were so drunk they were lost in their own city!

I also did some traveling around Ireland! I went to Galway a few weeks ago. I got on the bus, as my intuition compelled me to, and I was surrounded by fields of green and cows of... milk? And sheep! Lots and lots of sheep! I came in to Galway at midnight, so so tired right after work. I got on the bus the next day to County Clare, Burren, Doolin, and the Cliffs of Moher. The cliffs... magnifique! It´s so great to leave Dublin for a weekend and escape the bust city and finally ee some green hills. There are so many cows and sheep here! I met 2 American girls on my bus tour and will hopefully visit them in Cork soon!

it was very rainy but i still enjoyed my stay.

Belfast.

i just got back in today and it was quit an adventure.

"so is there anything going on tonight?" Rafa asks the dude at the hostel. " well... if you diddn´t know, there has been a war going on here for the past 30 years."

from the left:
Harra, flatmate Arno, flatmate Rafa, flatmate Cristina, and me!

this has been the mood of the past two days for me. I found Belfast to be very eerie and foreboding. it is a beautiful city and a bit unreal that just 3 hours north and I´m in the UK. There is definately something in the air in Belfast and the wall which seperates the Protestants from the Catholics has everything to do with it. The people have a tired look on their faces, its not fear, or resentment... its tired and weary. I met up with Cristina, Rafa, Arno, and Hara yesterday and we went to Belfast Castle, where a few of us hiked up the Cavehill Trail and saw a great view of Belfast.
(some of the famous murals in Belfast)

(city hall)

we later found a hostel for me, because the rest of the gang drove back to Dublin last night. this hostel was very creepy and weird. there was almost nobody around, just like the streets at 8:30pm. where is everyone? where do they go? what do they do? isn´t this the biggest city in Northern Ireland? we were all shocked and amused all at the same time.

... and so I slept in my jeans, because I wasn´t really planning anything, not to stay there... I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. All I had was my purse(tooth brush always on hand) and some sterling. I walked around today attempting to understand the history and the people behind this city to not much avail. I was too scared to ask anybody any questions, as the situation in Belfast is still a touchy topic to casually bring up in conversation... and I was way too broke to go on any sight seeing tours so I followed my Lonely Planet. I am finally back home in Dublin, which I do consider home now. It was such a comforting feeling to see the river Liffey lit up in green as the bus turned on the Quays. So below are some pictures of my Dublin life, just to recap the past month or so:

market arcade in st. georges st.

temple bar( surprisingly no one is around)

Rafa and I by the lovely river Liffey.

the Liffey by night.

from the left: Luke, me, Zach, and Drew at the Porterhouse, getting ready for St. Patty´s.

Steph, Luke, and I

flatmate Nico, Steph, and I at The Dragon.

I will try to be better about updating and uploading pictures as they come, promise! And now.. goodnight!!

once upon a time

there lived 3 French, 2 Italian, 1 Spanish, and 1 Russian/American (that's me) in a land far far away (that's Dublin) with one poorly functioning toilet. and somehow they all managed to get along, each with their own native tongue. so i am finally in, settled in. i have 4 walls, which are very thin, I've got flat mates, who are very cool, and I'm having a great time. my flat is about 20 minutes walking distance from the city center and in a quaint little area occupied by drunks day and night. its an interesting area, somewhere between the ethnic food stores and a construction zone. the flat is 2 stories and there are always people coming to visit, having dinner, or just hanging out. my flat mates are awesome and its amazing how 7 people can all get along so well! i am already learning french and hopefully brush up on my Spanish and get some Italian in there as well! i started a new job this week. seems like I'm going from job to job every week. my last job did not work out because i was only there for part time and i was already getting fed up with working in a restaurant, something about watching people eat all day long makes me sick. we parted and i received a large Easter egg and a goodbye card, so so cool. now i am working in some exquisite coffee shop. it seems like a very pretentious place and they worry too much about the image of their staff but i will be working there full time and hey, its a job! my first day was yesterday and it was pretty cool, the job a bit boring but the people very young and fun. So this is it for me. the life here seems pretty easy, for me at least. just work and play. there is an incredible amount of immigrants here, including myself eh. but i am still so shocked at how many Polish, Italian, and French there are here. its amazing to meet an actual Irish person! Can't wait for Joelle to visit me tomorrow for the wild and crazy St. Patrick's day weekend! more updates soon, i promise!

Cheers!