Posts Tagged With: Irish

Bittersweet Ending

Posted on June 12, 2011 by emilyeneurope
Going Away Party, Wine Tasting

With Lauren, a great friend and host of our going away party! We started the night at a wine tasting.

Remember when I said at the end of my last post that life would be changing quite a bit for me and Matt in the coming months? Well, if you are reading this, you stayed tuned and I am ready to reveal. I would’ve waited a little bit longer, but sitting here on my couch this Sunday evening amidst packed bags and empty walls, I am compelled to finally share. So, for those of you who do not know…

Matt and I are leaving Ireland – permanently. That’s right, we’re moving this Tuesday.

After one amazing, educational, at times difficult, and life-changing year, we’ve made the decision to move on. Now don’t feel too shocked. When I decided to move to Ireland, it was with the knowledge that it would only be for about a year or a little longer. Yet that doesn’t change the fact that this feels oh so bittersweet. Though life was a challenge here at first, it became my home. I love our apartment, the farm next door, the Irish way of life, Suas, the AWCD, and most importantly, all of my new and fantastic friends. And in one year, many of these friends became like family.

Going Away Party, Wine Tasting

With Abby, a newer friend, but one I know I'll be visiting!

As someone with a lot on their mind and with so much to say, I can’t seem to find the words to truly articulate the way I’m feeling about the changes in our life right now. Last Wednesday, my closest friends threw a going away party for me and Matt, and though I didn’t cry, each and every goodbye hug and toast made things more real for me. I will take a lot of great things away from my life in Ireland and I am encouraged by the idea that I will be back someday.

So bear with me, because Matt and I are about to jump on the crazy ride of life. Along the way I will be sure to share just about everything, including one week long tour of Europe before flying to Texas. In the meantime, pop back to some of my old posts. I am so very glad I created this blog, because with just a click of a button, I’m transported in time to some of the most memorable, amazing, and crazy moments of my time in Ireland!

Some of my favorite pictures from the last year. :)

When visiting Matt in March 2010, we went out to Killarney. It was absolutely beautiful.

At my favorite restaurant in Dublin, The Port House. Yum!

With the gals in the St. Stephen's Green park for lunch. It was a nice work day break, and even though we look all bundled up, it felt pretty nice out!

Still my favorite of all the trips Matt and I have taken this past year - Bruges! This trip was my inspiration to start the blog, because I wanted all my family at home to hear about it.

Our lovely view of the animals in the Airfield next to the apartment.

And who can forget hiking in the Dublin mountains?!

Categories: Musings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sheep, Bank Holidays, and the Royal Wedding Make Me Feel European

Posted on April 26, 2011 by emilyeneurope

As the end of April creeps up on us, it is crazy to think I’ve been in Europe for almost a year now. At this point last year, I was closing up loose ends at work, starting to pack up my apartment, and booking my one way ticket to Ireland. Reflecting on that period in my life and how things have changed, I need to use this post to illustrate a few more European differences that come with the Irish way of life.

Bank Holiday Weekend

On one such bank holiday weekend, Matt met me in Paris.

Bank Holidays – These happen on the first Monday of a few months in the year. In 2011, they occur in May, June, August, and October.  On bank holidays, the banks close, and the rest of the country takes a holiday – awesome, right?! And, these scheduled holidays are not counted against the allotted vacation days in your employment contract. Now, at this point you’ve probably guessed it…we have a bank holiday coming up. May Day happens on May 2nd, meaning that Matt and I have a three day weekend coming up, for no other reason than it is a bank holiday. :-)

St. Patrick's Day

A blast from the past - my first St. Patrick's Day when I was over visiting Matt a year ago!

Other Holidays - On that note, I have to point out that there are quite a few more holidays celebrated over here, adding to our already generous supply. This week we celebrated a day off for Easter Monday, we recognize St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, and St. Stephen’s Day on December 26th. To these you can add the traditional holiday of Christmas Day and the worldwide celebrated New Year’s Day. Right now the schools are on break for 2 whole weeks, putting the American Spring Break to shame. Now, I realize we miss out on Thanksgiving over here, but I think those previously mentioned bank holidays help make up for it. And, did any of you notice that with Easter Monday and May Day, we have two 4-day work weeks back-to-back? I’m not complaining.

Royal Wedding

Still debating my presence in London for the big event! Thoughts?!

The Royal Wedding - Could I really do a blog post this week about my European experiences without mentioning the Royal Wedding? I mean, come on!!! I am living in prime position to follow all of the Royal Wedding festivities. I won’t need to tune-in in the middle of the night to catch all the breathtaking and exciting moments. In fact, I’ve been tossing around the idea of hopping over to London on Thursday to partake in the madness! Though I might only catch small glimpses, being part of history or saying I was there is a cool idea. This is still a huge maybe, but a girl can dream! Either way, I think it’s safe to say that while it may be big news back in the States, nothing can compare to the excitement that is building in our neck of the woods.

Sheep

You, sir, are one of my favorite things about Ireland!

Our Sheep - The sheep are back! During the winter months, the Airfield next to our apartment took away the sheep, cows, and pigs. I don’t know where they took them, but luckily they are finally back and I am so happy! (*Disclaimer – You may be thinking, “oh silly Emily, they took the old cows and lambs to be slaughtered, duh. And now they’ve brought back a new batch.” However, the Airfield is an educational working farm that does not harm its animals.*) Sheep are funny creatures and I thoroughly enjoy watching them through my window. Right now they are fat with wool and there are little lambs everywhere. The lambs chase each other and hop around a lot. I never thought a city gal like myself would be saying that it’s so nice to hear bahs and moos regularly.

So there you have it. On this Tuesday, the start of our week thanks to Easter Monday, I think a little random rambling about European life was in order. We certainly experience something new almost every day and it’s nice to get back to the roots of my blog to keep you updated on what life in Ireland is truly like.

Categories: Musings, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cheers to a New Year

Posted on December 31, 2010 by emilyeneurope

In 2010, I left teaching and coaching, moved to Ireland to join Matt, joined an American Women’s Club and became secretary, started this blog, pursued my writing career, turned 25, made new friends, and visited Brussels, Bruges, Majorca, and Paris. I guess you could say that I’m highly intrigued by the prospect of 2011 now! Matt and I rested in November and December, but I think my travel bug is coming back. As well as my desire to travel, I have a few New Year’s resolutions I’d like to share in honor of the holiday.

  • Places I want to go in 2011: Switzerland, London, Barcelona, Morocco, and Turkey. We did 4 last year, so I’ll match 2010 and raise it one more destination for the next year. It won’t be easy, but I think Matt and I are starting to get a hang of this traveling thing.

  • I already work for a non-profit, but I’d love to do more charity work. If it happens to be with Suas, then that’ll be wonderful, because I love what they stand for.

  • I want to exercise more. I know this is a typical resolution for most people, but the Irish weather has made me lazy. Since coming home, I’ve reconnected with my love for running, so I’ll have find a gym and keep it up.

  • I want to get my work published in more periodicals. Having my first published article done, I feel ready to kick off and get this writing career on it’s feet.

  • Last, but not least, I vow to update this blog more often than I already do. Not only will this help me with my last point, but I enjoy finding the fun, odd, and annoying Irish experiences and sharing them with you.

So, to all of you, my faithful followers of 2010, thank you for giving me a reason to write! To my family and friends, thank you for supporting all of the changes this past year. Everyone, stay tuned for 2011; I have a feeling it’ll be an interesting ride.

Categories: Musings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hi, My Name Is…

Posted on December 19, 2010 by emilyeneurope

In my time with Suas I’ve made hundreds of phone calls, received hundreds of phone calls, and sent even more emails. This is all fine and easy until you throw in traditional Irish names. In the official written standard, Irish language is the Gaeilge language, creating names that are beautiful and pleasing to the ear, but impossible to read without their phonetic spelling or a handy Irish friend sitting nearby. Lately, I’ve been making even more phone calls than usual, so my cohorts at work have been suffering the constant interruption for a name pronunciation. Luckily for me, they don’t find it annoying…I don’t think.

I believe the Irish language is taught in all the Irish schools, and it is a good thing too, because it is a beautiful language. The language began to decline under British rule, but luckily never died out completely. I enjoy overhearing the occasional conversation in Gaeilge; it seems like a special bond the Irish share. On the LUAS, each stop is announced in both English and Gaeilge and you will find both English and Irish languages posted on all of the street signs. There are some words and phrases I’ve become accustomed to saying, like “sláinte,” a drinking toast literally meaning “health” or in our standard, “cheers.”

I’m going to give you the breakdown of some of the Irish names I’ve come across the past week while making phone calls. You’ll find that when you look at the name, you’ll think of a pronunciation that inevitably sounds nothing like how it’s actually spoken. I’m providing you with my own phonetic spelling, so here goes:

  • Aoife – a girl’s name – pronounced EE-fa. This is the name I’ve become the most familiar with and I don’t hesitate any longer when I see it.
  • Aisling – a girl’s name – pronounced Ash-ling. Yep, you didn’t see that one coming.
  • Cian – a boy’s name – pronounced KEE-in. For some reason I first though “Sean” when I saw it, but I was way off.
  • Siobhán – a girl’s name – pronounced Shuh-VAHN. The “bh” spelling in Irish names makes the “v” sound. Keep that in mind as we keep going.
  • Sinéad – a girl’s name – pronounced Shi-naid. This is a highly popular name thanks in part to the singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor.
  • Éadaoin – a girl’s name – pronounced eh-DEEN. So beautiful.
  • Clíodhna - a girl’s name – pronounced CLEE-na. Such complicated spelling for such a simple name.
  • Ailbhe – a girl’s name – pronounced Al-va. See, I told you to remember that “bh” sound.
  • Óisín – a boy’s name – pronounced oh-shEEN. Similarly, the girl’s name Roisin is pronounced ro-SHEEN.
  • Caoimhe – a girl’s name – pronounced KEE-va. Again, similarly, Ciara is pronounced Kee-ra.

I could go on and on with other names I’ve seen and heard, but I think you get the drift. I’ve definitely mis-pronounced a couple of these to my recipient on the other end of the phone line (Ciara, to be exact), but they’ve kindly let it pass. I think my American accent tips them off. :-) Hopefully, you’ve learned something, and someday when you take a trip to Ireland, you’ll be prepared to remember the names of all the friends you make!

Categories: Musings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Gate Holds the Stage

Posted on December 17, 2010 by emilyeneurope

There is nothing like living in a new city with new sights: the pubs, churches, architecture, hills, sheep, etc. In a city like Dublin, the possibilities are endless. And now, I can add the theatre to this list. Theatre here in Dublin is very popular and it seems as though something new is being brought to the stage just about every week. This could partly be because of the abundant venues available to host plays, musicals, comedy shows, dance exhibitions, and much more. Right now Aladdin is playing at The Gaiety Theatre, The Script is performing at The Olympia Theatre on Friday, Scrooge is on at the Grand Canal Theatre, and that’s just to name a few. As I was travelling on the LUAS the other day, I noticed an ad on the side of a wall for Jane Eyre at The Gate Theatre. Charlotte Brontë’s, Jane Eyre, has easily been my favorite story since the moment I turned the final page. Therefore, I booked 2 tickets for this past Tuesday and made a night of it with Matt.

We started the night with a fantastic meal at Il Segreto. Between their wine and cocktail lists, soft lighting, and a delicious mix of Irish and Italian cuisine, Matt and I were in heaven. I will say, though, that I wish I had ordered the same as Matt. He enjoyed a filet mignon with a béarnaise sauce and french fries. My mushroom risotto was nothing to complain about, but I rarely enjoy a good steak over here, and I regretted my decision halfway through the meal. Luckily, my generous boyfriend made sure to share some with me. :-)

An actual still shot from our show.

After dinner, we made our way over to The Gate Theatre, a landmark building for over 250 years. This building stood in the 18th century and we have now spent one night of those hundreds of years within its walls. Established as a theatre company in 1928, actors like Orson Welles began their acting careers there. In person, it certainly does not disappoint. It is small, allowing every seat in the audience an unobstructed view of the stage. The only downside to its size was that Matt felt a bit cramped throughout, due to his long and lanky stature. The raked stage slants downward, allowing better views for the audience. In the halls, audience members crowded the wooden bar both up and downstairs. Matt and I enjoyed a glass of wine and a scotch at intermission, while others savored tea or coffee in unique cups and saucers.

The show itself was fantastic. To signal the start of the show, an usher came in a side door and the audience quickly hushed. He announced where the exits were located and to turn off cell phones. Directed by Alan Stanford, the interpretation of Brontë’s novel was splendid and did not miss a beat. I could feel the angst and love between Jane and Mr. Rochester, while the mystery of who hides upstairs added an exciting element. I thought the actors played their parts magnificently and the stage directions were on point. Entering the show, I was slightly worried that my favorite story would be sullied by a mediocre portrayal. Not only was this not the case, but I was delighted to have it so vividly depicted. I shouldn’t be surprised, as it has received wonderful reviews by local media.

And so, it is a simple thing to add the theatre to my list of things to do here in Dublin. Even Matt had a wonderful time, claiming that he enjoyed dinner, the theatre, and even the show itself (he was worried the romantic drama wouldn’t be quite his taste). It’s certainly a good thing he enjoyed it, too, because I have my eye on other shows coming up.

Categories: Musings, Nightlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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