Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Busy As A Bee and Sick As a Dog.

Wow, I have a blog! I totally forgot this thing existed for a second. Sorry folks.

Now, mind, that isn't because I don't care or because I'm lazy, but I am just so busy! It has been wild here, and I am loving every second of it. I think I am making more friends here than I am at home. Whether or not this shows a change in me, or just a more accepting range of people, I can't be sure. I suppose we'll find out when I come home. If I come home.

Oh, and I'm sick. Of course I'm sick. The climate here, mixed with sleep deprivation and such, has really hit me hard. But I'm pulling through all right, nobody at home panic!

I've made many friends here, some Irish, some French, some German... all of them wonderful people. I think, most importantly, I've also formed some pretty tight bonds with the other American students I am here with. Since we're all in this together, I think that might be the most significant group of friends I have. We all seem to be settling into our lives here, and that's really done a lot to vanquish some tension and awkward situations there were at the start. Tomorrow we will have been here for a month (already! sheesh!) and while it has taken time for all of us to truly pick up Ireland's vibe, I believe we have done so rather admirably.


See what I mean? Happy faces, even in the face of freezing rain and the harsh winds of a cold, cold Atlantic Ocean. As an interesting tidbit, that was the beach on which Saving Private Ryan was filmed! 

I have taken more pictures, of the town of Carlow, of my friends, and especially of the beautiful places we go on our weekend outings for the Irish Experience class. Sometimes those trips are a bit rushed, or perhaps I don't like to hurry anywhere, but they are immensely enjoyable and I come home from them feeling fulfilled and a little more informed about Ireland.


Let me introduce you to the town of Carlow, Ireland.

 

Beautiful, isn't it? It is absolutely the epitome of "storybook". And the people are just as ideal. Everyone I meet here is another character, brimming with personality. The Irish humor is something not to be missed for the world.

There are many parks here, and quiet places to sit and to draw. I have not actually done so yet, but I bought a new sketchbook and pastels precisely for this purpose. I intend to capture this town in the best way I can.

In a moment of feeling brave, I decided to stand up and sing (upon being requested to rather passionately by those around me) at the local pub, Teach Dolmain. I have been singing for many years, but it is still somewhat of a difficulty for me to get up on my own two feet in front of a crowded room and sing a song for which I have no music. But there I was, surrounded by musicians who have been performing at this place for years, singing Rufus Wainwright's 'Sonnet 43'. As I ended the last note of the song, the audience gave me an enthusiastic round of applause, and the members of the band already present asked  (or rather demanded) I return the following week to sing again. I am making a name for myself here, and it is a great honor to be included in a tradition that I am told has been practiced for over 30 years.


As I am discussing how eventful and interesting life is here, I feel the need to contrast it with how at peace I feel here. There is a lack of pressure here and everything is met with "Oh, you're grand!", which inevitably relaxes one into a state of the unofficial motto: It'll happen. Without additional panic, or arguing, or pushing.... it'll happen. I try to remember that as often as I can, and it helps when I feel I want to revert back to panicking or pushing.

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I recently made a friend by the name of Eric, with whom I got along swimmingly and very much enjoyed the company of. After an uneventful afternoon of watching television and eating takeaway pizza, we decided to walk into Carlow to see what the night offered. He took me to this little local place, which did not even have a sign on the door, called Club D'Art. There, all gathered around a tiny stage in total silence, were many Irish people (and a decided lack of students) listening to a petite woman tell a classic tale... in Gaelic! Following her were many others, some speaking or singing in Gaelic, and some in English. Even Eric went up to sing an old Irish tune. It was really magical, standing in this small room absolutely plastered from wall to wall in playbills, posters, postcards, stickers, bottle caps, and album covers while listening to . There were paintings, pages from books, and even a few shirts tacked up on the wall, serving as the most interesting wallpaper I have ever seen. I met many people that evening, and even made a few more friends. At the time of writing, Eric's musical talents have taken him to Tenerife, Spain. I may never again go to Club D'Art, but the people there gave me a t-shirt and I will always remember my time at the club.

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So far, those are my most memorable adventures. The trips with the class are great, and I love them, but I find that I most love finding the little places with good friends rather than having a big guided tour at a tourist attraction. Audio-visual films are incredibly informative and a very nice introduction to place with big history, but I will still prefer tales and rumors told by the locals.

~Erin go bragh~