Got here early Friday morning, (translate: approximately midnight to the homefolks), and found ourselves trudging through immigration and then whisked off to the apartment we will call home for the next month. Wandered around town a bit, after a huge nap. We found a health foods store and a vegetarian restaurant. I remembered that I need to specifiy that we want ‘tap water’, unless we want to spend 2 euros apiece on the ‘fancy’ bottled stuff.
I’m not sure what it is about the hours between 2 and 5, but for the last 3 nights, I haven’t been able to sleep through them. Oof. Yesterday, Shane and I both awoke at 2ish am, and couldn’t go back to sleep until 6am. We then awoke at 3pm. Yes, in the afternoon. How depressing. (I am philosophically against sleep. I know, I’m not a parent, yet.)
Our apartment is right next to St. Patrick’s cathedral, which is really easy to find because of the scaffolding.
St. Patrick
The day we arrived was Halloween, and according to our driver from the airport, it’s really only celebrated by children. We were disappointed to learn that we would be ‘safe’ from trick-or-treaters because our apartment complex is gated. However, we got to see fireworks, and a copious amount to smoke and sparks coming from a bonfire in a neighboring courtyard. Shane took a picture the next day.
I am coming to the realization, already, that I will have to make a concerted effort to get myself out and meeting people and having this amazing life-altering experience I expected. It would be really easy to insulate myself and get my only dose of Irish culture from tv and Shane’s stories from work and my brief grocery shopping encounters. It’s pretty intimidating. I’m finding that people don’t really talk to you unless you start the conversation. This can be great if you’re trying to look at guitars in a music store, and don’t relish being hounded by salespeople. When I have started conversations, I think I’ve been too interested in getting to the point or question, or for whatever reason I started said conversation. If I want to talk, I need to be willing to hang around. Big adjustment to this Pacific Northwestern gal.
Ummm. Here’s me, in my all my blog-glamour.
Vegan Alley 
kimmykokonut said,
November 4, 2008 @ 5:48 pm
Hooray! You’ve arrived! Good luck adjusting to the new time zone. Take some melatonin. Did you dress up for halloween? my costume was not cool this year.
valleyvegan said,
November 4, 2008 @ 9:24 pm
We dressed up as really sleepy Americans, I guess. So, I’m sure your costume, however uncool, was cooler than ours 🙂 Melatonin, eh? I’ll look into that.
Kate (cousin) said,
November 7, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
I’m glad you arrived safely – sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye before you left! Mom got the blog address from your brother, so we’ll be watching (hope that’s okay!) and living vicariously from here at home. Say hi to Shane…… — Kate
Cherl said,
November 9, 2008 @ 3:19 am
I have multiple comments.
1. Your leg looks weird in that photo, I think it’s a prop.
2. St. Patrick’s cathedral? Really? Are there leprechauns there too? j/k
3. Let me know what you find out about meeting people. After 1.5 years here, I still don’t get it. It’s terrifying and there’s lots of rejection. All you have to do in college is close your eyes and grunt and you can make a friend. Real word = dumb.
4. My friend Jaime uses Melatonin to sleep too.
5. I think you’ll be able to meet people for the simple fact that you’re different there. What I mean is, you’ll be endearingly foreign. Just milk that.
6. I regret #2, I’m sorry.
valleyvegan said,
November 9, 2008 @ 12:40 pm
It’s okay, Cherl. I’ve seen pictures of leprechauns. I really wouldn’t want to see a live one, though. I think it would frighten me. Sleeping is okay, now. Finally.
I’m going to be really good this week and start talking to people. Really.