Why Aren't You Watching the Road?! : Our First Impressions in Ireland

Ireland is wonderful, to sum things up simply and neatly. We were drawn to its lovely rolling hills and beautiful rocky coastline. People are genuinely friendly, and perhaps a cynic would insist that the friendliness is only because we were obviously tourists, but we never felt that way during our visit. Even Dublin, one of the larger cities in Ireland, has a very welcoming and comfortable feeling. You don’t feel like a stranger in Ireland- a visitor, yes, but never like an outsider. Perhaps our excellent experience can be highly attributed to our incomparable hosts, Erin and Terry.



Before I really get going, I have to say “thank you” so sincerely to them. They welcomed us to their home, put us on interesting paths to follow, and really made our vacation an incredible event. I hope we can return the favor one day.

To address the title of this post, I have to explain that one of the first things you are likely to do when you arrive in Ireland, is have to drive somewhere. Perhaps you will not be doing the driving (this is wise), but you will find yourself in some form of public transportation or a private car. Unless you are from Ireland, the UK, or Japan, you will probably feel nauseated for the duration of your time in this beautiful country. Of course, I’m referring to the driving- on the other side of the road. You might think it will not affect you, but I can only say that I, personally, was proven so wrong in this opinion. Because the Irish are used to driving on the wrong side of the road (har har har), they drive very fast and, in some cases, rather recklessly. You might consider saving your Dramamine for the ride upon landing, instead of wasting it on the plane ride. I am only looking out for your well-being.

Terry was kind enough to drive within a reasonable speed, and for that I thank him heartily. Still, every turn brought fear to my being- we were going the wrong way! It’s hard to teach your brain not to fear this reverse maneuvering. I gave up and just tried to watch the beautiful cities and country pass me by, instead of looking forward while in a moving vehicle.

Now I’ve gone and scared you off, eh? I can assure you that if you choose to visit any part of the Irish coast, your arrival at the sea will make the journey all worth while.



I love the ocean. Being able to stand next to the Atlantic and feel the salty breeze on my face was enough to make me want to pack up all of my belongings and leave my landlocked German home far behind.



Of course, we were able to recognize the very real aspects of daily life, which are not so different from life in the United States. Housing is similar, although decidedly more European in form. The country has several types of public transportation, and cars are smaller than in America but nearly as prevalent. Shopping may be done at small markets, in boutiques or department stores, or even in some large malls. English is spoken nearly always, but all signs include the Irish language. There is a blend of commerce similar to that seen in the United States, shoved together into a much smaller space. Google has a headquarters in Dublin, but you can buy hand-spun yarn from Irish sheep a few miles down the road at the Dun Laoghaire farmer’s market each Sunday. These aspects of life seem well-balanced and appealing.

In addition to the natural beauty of Ireland, there is an inherent charm and magic about the island. Somewhere within the fascinating history of Celtic culture and its modern counterparts, the lovely sound and look of the Gaelic language, the stoic stone architecture and the sincere inhabitants of the country, it is easy to become immersed in a permanent daydream. Tolkein wrote, “Not all who wander are lost.” I think those who wander in Ireland are happy to lose themselves, for a time.

First Snow

I always love the first satisfying snowfall of the season. It happened today, or perhaps last night is more accurate. I've been up all night, still suffering from jet lag and trying to find a way to get back on a proper schedule for this time zone. My goal today is to stay awake all day (I've been awake for about 16 hours so far) so that I can pass out soundly tonight. Wish me luck!

Now, some may know that I have been on the go recently. I spent two wonderful weeks visiting family and friends in the states. If I missed you this trip, I'm sorry. I was thankful for the time I had and the people I saw, but there are always more places and faces I long for when the journey is through. Many thanks to Margaret, who selflessly traveled to the middle-of-nowhere in central Pennsylvania to spend time with me. We did visit Baltimore's inner harbor, and the historic areas of Philadelphia, so hopefully the time in the country was not too prolonged or boring! I love going to Carlisle for the beauty, but I will admit that I become incredibly tired of the slow pace before long. I guess I'm just a city person at heart- for this portion of my life, at least.

I do submit my apologies for the tardiness of the Ireland posts. The photos are all available on our picasa page, but I have yet to focus my thoughts and type them out into coherent sentences. Currently I look at photos and experience a series of excited thoughts, like "ooh!" and "beautiful!" and "let's go back!" These do not a travel blog make.

A few more pieces of news... I was told that the right-hand pain waking me up and causing me to be a walking zombie for the past weeks is actually carpal tunnel syndrome. People say I'm too young for it, or how did I get it; I don't disagree and I don't have a clear answer. I'll just say that if you look at my life activities- working in offices and coffee shops, playing the piano, writing, using the computer- it is not extraordinary that I have this problem. Thankfully, with the support of a restrictive brace while I sleep or do repetitive activities, my symptoms are nearly gone.

Josh took an important new class last month and was named the honor grad for the session, which will mean a temporary duty trip to California if the funding is approved. I'm so proud of him and excited; he'll make it to California before I do, and that is a feat considering my ravenous desire for travel.

I'm looking for master's program both online and with satellite military campuses. I hope to go back to school next year. I have also come up with an idea for a book, and while I need to do a good amount of research (hopefully no-one else has already written what I am considering), I am excited by the prospect of a long-term project.

Lastly, and most exciting is the news that we will be adding a new member to our family this weekend. We are adopting a second beagle, a 20-month-old girl named Trixie. We may try to modify her name. She is beautiful and sweet and Maggie plays with her so eagerly. We are thrilled to finally have found a pet who will be a good fit with our family, and I can barely wait for her to arrive. Of course, I will post photos as soon as we get her settled.

Until then, ciao!

So Much to Blog

The holiday is over, and now I must organize my many thoughts into intelligible blog entries! In the coming days, look for a full review of our very first experiences in Ireland. For the time being, a very hearty endorsement of the beautiful island, welcoming people, and delicious food, must suffice.

In shorter news, we finally have our brand-new car. Our very first new car! In case you missed the earlier notes, it is a 2009 Ford Focus, and it's completely fabulous. It handles smoothly, is spacious, includes some sweet technologies, and the best feature- it is shiny and new. Now we can each get to our respective work places without the constant hassle, and without begging people for rides all the time. Josh can finally pull his weight in the carpool again. Thanks to those who put up with our vehicular shortcomings in the past few months!

Much more to come, as I have so many thoughts to blog, but so little energy with which to type. Working opening shift at the coffee shop will do that to a person.

Goings-On

Josh has been working a lot lately. His training days are longer than ever. It's getting to the point that I feel I hardly see him! Thank goodness the mids-shift is almost over; only a few weeks more!

We're most likely buying a new car. Ack! It's a 2009 Ford Focus, dark metallic gray, with lots of great features.

It's a four-door car; we're trying to prepare for down-the-road things, if you know what I mean. I'm both excited and nervous. This is the first new vehicle I've ever purchased; in fact, it's only the second vehicle I'll have owned. It's also the biggest thing we've ever purchased together!

Our two-year anniversary is just a few days away. I don't know if we'll do anything on the day; Josh works of course. We are making plans for a trip to Dublin in mid-September to celebrate.

I've been trying to navigate the rough waters of employment, through the Air Force. They are so disorganized, and this is the most work I've ever done to get a job. The dumbest thing is that it's not even a great job; it's just part-time work at a coffee shop so I'm not home alone all the time. I basically have to fill out the application for a security clearance (listing the exact locations I've lived in for the last seven years; every school I've attended; every job I've had including periods of unemployment; people's middle names, etc)just to work in a coffee shop!! And I have to get a physical, but the office in charge didn't have a doctor and wasn't expecting one until September, so they had me calling all of these other places. When I tried to explain that Occupational Health didn't have a physician, I kept getting the run-around; no, call this person or that person. It took a week of phone calls to finally discover that Occupational Health had 1) given me the wrong appointment date for paperwork (I have no way to get there b/c Josh works) and 2) actually was in charge of getting my physical set up after we completed the paperwork. I can't wait to just have the job and be done with all of this!

Let's see, what else? I got a hair cut, Josh has me completely addicted to Scrubs, and Maggie is cute as always. This was probably a pretty boring blog to read; I apologize! Take care!