One Month In!?

The very idea that I’ve lived in Dublin for a month terrifies me. It literally seems like last week I arrived. If one month passes this quickly I really have to take in as many experiences as possible because a year could pass in the blink of an eye.

This last week has been full of new adventures, new experiences, and new people. On Saturday night I even met my twin! Well my Birthday twin, but still I’ve never met anyone born on the same day and year as me.

Against the Grain
Photo credit: mynameisola.com

My Birthday twin and I met up at the Autobahn Pub in Glasnevin, but soon decided we wanted to journey into City Centre. We ended up at Against the Grain on Wexford Street - I highly recommended it!- and remained there for the majority of the night. I have a feeling that this place is going to be a regular spot of mine. Against the Grain is mainly known for its craft beer, plus it has one of the largest selections on tap in the city.  I even convinced some of my friends that I met Wednesday night to come and join us. We all sat around and bonded through talk and jokes, but I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better Saturday night. I love pubs in Dublin because they really are like community living rooms. No one seems afraid to strike up a conversation even if they do not know you. This is strikingly different from the US where strangers do not approach one another- and sometimes if they do, you really wish they had just stayed put.

I had originally wanted to catch the late bus back to my flat at 11, but that did not happen. The more I go out, the more I realize I probably won’t ever just “catch the last bus.” Time flies when you’re having fun, what can I say? At least the taxi's here are reasonably priced- take note Boston!

I had planned to go to one of the free museums Dublin offers earlier Saturday, but I thought I should probably go during a weekday when it is less crowded. So, instead, I dragged my flat mate out Sunday to wander around town. No GPS! We just picked a direction and started walking. Dublin is not the largest city, but there are still so many streets I have yet to explore. I tend to avoid Temple Bar and O’Connel Street like the plague. There are so many people there it can be almost suffocating, but, to get the ‘full tourist experience,’ I know my feet will eventually lead me there.

I’m also learning how difficult it is to take photos here since the sky is almost always white- meaning atrocious lighting for skyline photography.

I feel like I wrote about a lot, yet have said very little…. Does that make sense? I’m still getting used to such shorthand writing and hope to improve in the future!

Here are some pictures I took during my time around the city. I soon hope to find the right setting to take better photos.

Slán!

A lovely little craft fair hidden in an ally.

 

Graffiti filled building just north of Temple Bar.

I love all the old architecture styles, so refreshing from a skyline dotted with towering buildings.

And we're walking...

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To Note: There are a bunch of statues hidden around the city and I’m thinking about doing a walking tour to visit all of them. My inner art geek comes out sometimes what can I say? I particularly like one entitled “meeting place” but is affectionately known as “hags with bags.”

Meeting Place

Falling into Place

Yes, yes, I uploaded this on a Thursday and not a Wednesday but it was completely worth it since I had a mixer last night to attend.

As I scroll down my feed on Facebook I’m bombarded with photos and status updates that all have something to do with the changing seasons. Now I haven’t felt homesick- I usually don’t honestly- but something about all the gorgeous colors of the maple, oak and birch trees struck a chord with me. After one particular post, I thought I should look around Dublin for some wonderful colors. I know that the temperature is getting cooler and the leaves are changing, but I never really looked at what was right in front of me. I can happily walk around and hear the crunch of fallen leaves underneath my footsteps. 

On the bus to Uni.

I love autumn, I truly do.

Classes have officially commenced, and everything seems to be falling into place. For a person that officially decided to go to an  Irish uni a little over two months ago, I’m pleasantly surprised that everything is working out. However, I need to have more spontaneity in my life so I don’t get stuck in a routine.

That is honestly one of my greatest fears. Doing the same things day in and day out, not meeting new people, and just generally getting stuck in a rut. I really have to put in more effort in that aspect of my life.

Though I live about half an hour from City Centre, I haven’t done much exploring. For the past couple of weeks I have not been able to really take advantage of all that Dublin can offer. I blame this on the endless sorting of financial paperwork, buying living necessities, and trying out the many clubs and societies that my Uni has to offer. Now that I have a Uni routine for the most part, I know when I have free time and I’m excited to start utilizing it!

Look forward to next week’s blog because I have a lot of Dublin adventures planned!

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Besides the fact that there are over 100 clubs and societies to choose from, all of them seem to be quite serious and ‘official.’ Many have outside sponsors, which really surprises me since my college back home had nothing to this scale. Join a club or soc and there are perks besides making new friends! 

One Week in and Weather Wonderful

There are so many things I want to write about: food, people, transportation, weather- I swear these are way more interesting than they sound- but the blog post would turn into a book. So I’m going to try and limit myself to weather and people this week.

River Liffey and those hovering clouds.

I honestly thought Dublin would be shrouded in mist the majority of time, however the weather has been wonderful the past week. Of course the only time it rained was when I tried walking home from Uni and then missed the bus and was forced to wait an additional 15 minutes for another bus… but I digress.

There always seems to be a constant set of clouds that hover over the city, but aren’t threatening for the most part.  It can be sunny and hot one moment, and then cloudy and windy the next. This is just like New England weather so I almost feel at home in a weird sort of way.

Okay.

Topic number two: the locals.

The Irish are so friendly and welcoming, and the people here will usually go above and beyond the call of duty if you need help.

When I first arrived I had some trouble setting up my phone. I had to go into the local vodafone store three days in a row and yet, by the end of the ordeal, the employee that helped me turned into a friend. 

I really love this country, I truly do. 

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Seriously though, the people are wonderful.

And here's a picture of the moon from Tuesday 22/09/2015.