That's deserving of a pint

So today a few of us decided to "celebrate" the end of the school week by trying to find the atlantic ocean.  I mean, we are on the coast, right? Wrong.  This is a scam, because i walked at least 7 miles total today and nowhere in there did i see the atlantic.  I want to know where i am..

Actually, we stopped walking because we were getting closer and closer and crossing streets and streets and then the industrial park kept going and going, eventually blocking us.  Bastards

This is where we turn around

Other than that it was lovely just lovely walking.  I officially have license to sit on a couch for like four hours and not do anything.

Last night we went to the gaiety school of acting's graduation performance titled "Toxic".  It was fucking incredible.  I think it was close to three hours total running time (with intermission), but you wouldn't believe it.  Also, all of the theaters here have a full bar.  Quite nice.   And yes, they did feature britney spears' single "toxic" about three times during the show.  One of the renditions was almost slow and romantic..kind of odd.

and here are ryan and cody eating their buffet food. they had three plates. kristine and i went for the sandwich place and i had brie on mine! so good.
ahem, and that's the liffey in the back

mmm

Class.

Hello Hello, apologies for the delay but here I am with 3 cups of tea and chipper as can be!

this is i at the famous Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street on Bloomsday (June 16th)

I've probably never loved school, like actual school, more before this trip.  I'm even getting really into the Irish Lit & Drama courses way more than I'd thought.

This week marks the last week of my first workshop instructor here-Mary Morrissy.  This is her
http://www.dublinquarterly.ie/11/int_mmorrissy.html
though she's not as young as that photo.  She has us doing very interesting in-class assignments.  The first day she gave us sixty words and had us write a twenty line poem using at least half of the words.  The challenge was actually really fun and I really don't think I would have produced a poem like that on my own..As the course went on she got less and less strict.  I hated the limitations but now I think it is/was a good thing and pushed me in different directions that I might not have done in that short time period.  Blah.


mkay, no more unnecessary capitalization. it gets tiring! and i feel too proper.

looking forward to Martin Roper, though.  his workshop is supposedly very different from Mary's, which is why he chose her, says he.  this is him
http://www.dublinquarterly.ie/12/int_mroper.html
though again, not as young as that photo. he always takes us out for pints after the theatre performances, has quick goodbyes, and he takes you out to dinner/lunch if you want to meet with him (and the program fees cover the meal, which rules). if he paid out of his pocket it'd be super creepy.

i saw the Book of Kells and it was incredible.  i wish i could've stared at those pages longer. wonder if they turn them each day? i think they might.. i want that job.

the full irish breakfast is something everybody deserves especially when you're hungover. $6.95 for tea/coffe+full irish breakfast. yes please! i'll have that. lots of places do cool slice-o-cake+tea/coffee for like four euro too. haven't done it but will. it's also funny, but cool, how many of the bars are multi pupose. i believe there's one that's a sushi/bar/cafe/kareoke place. most of them are just cafe/bar/dining.

going to dingle this past weekend was the highest point of being in ireland thus far.  dingle is completely different from dublin. it's much smaller, and many of the houses look like tiny ornaments that you just want to squeeeze. we rode on a boat for an hour and it was the most exciting/thrilling/scary experience, fuck-that was awesome. we landed at Ross Castle, which was interesting.  it was once a castle used for defense, so it wasn't as ornate as you'd image a stereotypical castle. everybody pretty much slept in the same room, which was at the top-unless you were a servant, and then you got the tiny room that was the warmest, but also spread sickness the most. something called "puter" was in all their dishes and many of the people that lived there didn't live past their very early thirties. the life expectancy of somebody outside of the castle was in their mid fifties. and these people had no idea whatsoever, trying to defend themselves when they were only killing themselves quicker..
interesante !
the best part of that trip was going to the Atlantic Ocean. i seriously cannot describe to you how beautiful it was but i will put up a photo

cute lil' dingle

we have readings every monday. so far we've seen Sibhan Campbell, Roddy Doyle, Paula Meehan, and Dermot Bolger.  all from the north side of dublin too.  Mr. Roper's making it very clear that he prefers the north side..the south side (where i live, ha) is supposedly where the more affluent people dwell, while the north side is supposedly where the more working-class people dwell.  either way, all of those writers were really great. Paula Meehan and Roddy Doyle especially.

tomorrow we are seeing Toxic at the Project Theatre, should be grand.

tata.

                         and here is an old abandoned ship we discovered in dingle. enjoy

                                     and yes it's our third album..taking a break

The erection at the intersection

where i be

The music at Toast was a combination of top 40 american hits from the past 20 years.





Today was my first day of classes and it feels very good to finally be in a routine. I found a coffee shop-Moda-which is near IES and seriously great. I don't need much internet-reading and writing, so it's going fine. We had a speaker today, a poet-Siobhán Campbell. Very good, and I'm glad I bought her book and got it signed by her as well-apparently her and Mr.Roper knew eachother and have for years. He said he wanted ther but was too slow before her current husband snagged her up probably about twenty years ago. Mary Morrisey wants us to keep track of 21 epiphanies while in Ireland for her workshop and I really appreciate that idea-an assignment I can honestly do in a night.

It was beautiful when Siobhán was ready and for just a moment the clouds hid the sun, a room that typically uses solely sunlight. Perfect reflection of her preferable dark style of writing.


My roommates and I made a lovely dish last night-Penne Carbonara. . .eggs bacon sauce noodles. Delicious.
Had stuffed peppers tonight. Class.

What's the Craic?

First and foremost:  The native language is called Irish, not Gaelic.  I thought so too...

Hello all.  I've made it to Dublin! As you've probably assumed, being as you haven't heard word of my death. Anyhow..it's been quite a whirlwind.  I haven't seen darkness until tonight (Friday) and I got here Thursday morning at 7:40 AM, but really haven't seen darkness since Tuesday night in Iowa.  Very strange..It doesn't get dark here until, oh..10:30/10:45.  The only thing that would make it better/normal would for it to be hot.   Alas, I've been wearing socks..not pleased about that but what can you do!

The first thing a native said to me here was "you look very young", chuckling.  I'm starting to take that compliment easier these days, though I never thought of it as a compliment until recently. Comfortable way to enter the country. 

Euros are bedazzled monopoly money.  Pretty money that you can really really use.

The first day I arrived we basically were brought to our house-by a very fine cab driver may I add (who I also could barely hear sadly being in the back of the van-cab)-and it is the cutest place out of them all, though I'm bias. We have three fireplaces and baskets of coal that we're told not to burn but are determined to faux a smores roasting.  I live with four other girls and it's been surprisingly easy to adjust to-I live by myself in Iowa City.  We are also the furthest away from the IES center, about 25 minutes.  My legs are seasoning and my pace quickening already so I think the bus will have to be a special treat.  

Oh and we had fish and chips last night, very very good but I only ate half and apparently the custom here is not to take your food with you so needless to say I felt very wasteful.  On the flip-side Dublin is an extremely green city.  They expect you to bring your own bag to the shops and find dryers to be extremely (with great emphasis) wasteful.  Some garbage cans have stickers that show their disgust litterers, which makes me very pleased.  I want to steal a bundle and stick them on garbage cans in Iowa City!
I had so much fish since I've left America.  Before the plane ride my parents and I stopped at Culvers: Fish.  Fish&Chip meal equals me eating fish again.  Then last night at dinner we went to a pub and I had smoked salmon which was, like, the best because it was smoked but raw and delicious and if I could have some now that would be very nice thank you.  Had a few pints, namely: a Guinness.  Then something else that tasted lighter like a Miller Light perhaps.
Today we had an orientation.  Very very long but they gave us a few breaks for coffee and one for lunch so that was good.  I got a phone today and my phone number is 086..wait, nevermind.  Ending in 2471 maybe..Sorry creeps.
IES provided us a very nice meal tonight and this is the best part-I had creme brulee for dessert.  Before that we walked around Grafton Street for the first time and it was real exciting, lots of music and people and an old fellow with a drum and shiny bow tie who let me wear his hat and chatted to me and Anna for a bit.

We showed some of our classmates to our house after dinner and did a celebratory shot of Jack Daniels which was appropriate.  Got a very large pint tonight that was I swear twice the size of their Guinesses.  Feeling type-y from the drink perhaps.

So far the morning was weird waking up, as well as the nights..not being in Iowa that is.  I'm sure it'll get better and I really can't wait until the classes start on Monday already.  Goodnight to you all.  So much love.

In a daze

Time is nearly here.  I'm almost gone and already cried buckets. 

My brother coincidentally got married a few days before departing-yesterday actually.  Tears, love, and family. Little is as comforting.

Pat, Lora

Cake.



While doing laundry, I ran into a man who lives in my building.  He was nice enough to let me go before him and we started to chat about the basics.  Apparently he's lived in Dublin before, and has been there many times-his mom originally from the city.  Thought, or maybe still wants to be-a playwriter-and so that's why he lived there...Citizenship there and everything.  8 people live in this building.  How small was the chance again?


In just one week I'll be sleeping my last few hours of sleep before awaking for my first day of classes in Dublin.  Excitment ensuing.

Will miss

Ladies & Gentlemen

College Green Park

                                                   

Irish you were coming with

Lil' tike of a Cristin wearing appropriate shirt

Howdy friends and foes.  Hopefully it's no surprise to you that I'm leaving for six weeks for Ireland, I think I've probably drunkenly bragged/lamented to you at least thrice.  Three's a charm!  Yes I'm excited and yes I'm scared but yes I know I would've been kicking the crap out of myself if I didn't apply for this program.

I'll be writing, drinking, and making new friends overseas.  Everything I'm hearing is all positive so it should be a ball.  And I know my family comes from Ireland so I really want to see if there's a Noonan Pub somewhere..in fact I'm almost certain there is.  I shall travel all day and all night if I can't find one!  Great fortune soon to come.  

It's true that my dad is 100% Irish and that I'm 62.5% Irish and that I come from a family who's very very into our heritage.  Hence why I know the exact percent.  Ah, in my youth I prided myself upon knowing that fact and now I feel silly.

This is a place I've dreamed of going to.  I just can't believe that not only will I be visiting Ireland, I'll actually be going to school in Ireland.  Like a local..except I won't be attending a real university there but a study abroad center-nevertheless it is cool.  Dublin, Ireland to be exact.



CHEERS