Yeah! The blog is back in fully functioning mode by the looks of it. So on a more positive note than my last post, this is what I've been up to for the past week with the help of Instagram to deceive you into thinking my life is totes amazeballs, though they are not equal in fabulousiosity to Ciara's photobooth snaps from last summer.
1/ Snow way.
It snowed. In Cork. In the middle of March. It actually snowed. And what's more it wasn't even wet slush, it actually hung around for a while and made leaving the house very unpleasant. But sure, everyone loves a bit of snow.
2/ Whiskey in the jar-o.
I quit my job because I found a new job! I shall be working as a lovely tour guide in the famous Jameson Distillery from tomorrow morning on. Good riddance old job. Bleurgh! Hello new job! I've spent all day learning off the script, which involves a heavy dose of science and 13 pages of pretty detailed spiels on the history of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Times like these make me wish I had kept on Chemistry to Leaving Cert level... but to be fair, Science and I just don't get on... I have a uniform and everything so wish me luck for tomorrow. Eventually I'll be giving tours in German, a fact that turns my stomach to mush whenever I think of it, but let's take one day at a time.
3/ I'll school you!
I am now a fully-qualified CELTA teacher! I finished the CELTA teacher training course last Friday after 10 pretty intensive weeks but I survived and now have a lovely qualification all to myself...as do the other 8 people on the course... Afterwards I felt in the mood for celebrating, so what was better than Scrabble and daytime pints in the grubby but cosy Tom Barry's. I lost miserably at Scrabble because the only decent words my tiles produced were dirty. Eagle-eyed readers may be able to spot a few below.
4/ St. Patrick's Day
A lovely lady pal and I decided to take a journey to visit another lovely man friend of ours. We spent St. Patrick's Eve drinking (bottles of) wine with his mother and generally having a really nice time. St. Patrick's morning was spent recovering from that subtle but persistent hangover wine leaves behind, eating a full fry and followed by a full dinner after some exploring and being threatened by one cranky goose.
Upon returning home, we ventured to Cork city and the Crane Lane and while the memories are a little bit hazy, I'd say I came out of the night better than the people who cleared Tesco out of whiskey.
5/Tea for two
Megan popped over on Friday for a cup of tea, which turned into tea, dinner and lots and lots of cheesecake and ice-cream. She'll have more entertaining pictures but I will share these gems.
We went to a local swanky hotel and maybe our in-depth conversations about Nick Miller (Nick Miller, likes the taste of vanilla) and Beyoncé didn't sit well with the service, because we left feeling a bit dazed by their manner. Nonetheless, this was well-received: dark chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake (made by my lovely sister) with Ben & Jerry's Winter Berry Brownie ice-cream. Top notch.
6/ Let's get physical
In total contrast to the above snap, I have joined a local gym and have been going about 4 days a week. Yeah, I know, as if, but honestly I've found a gym just for all the lovely ladies in the locality and I'm actually enjoying going and working out. The girls who work there know everyone by name and make personalised workout plans for you as part of the service. Bar one or two dodgy dismounts from the cross trainer and a severe case of jelly legs coming off the thread mill, my time there has been accident-free thus far! It's a great excuse to don my leotard, sweatband and legwarmers alá Olivia Newton John circa mid-80's.
I'll be doing this in no time.
7/ Quadruple Vision
And one silly faced selfie + new set of glasses since last years posts. Someone came up to me on a night out recently and asked me why I felt the need to wear such "hipster frames". Shit went down.
8/ Room Renewal
I've moved house twice in the last 5 months and the new room left... something to be desired. My cure for any bare-faced, lonely chamber? Photos! A bit of Pinterest plagarism helped me to create this beauty but more on the DIY-ing later. I still have to know these 13 pages of whiskey-based trivia off by heart for the morning.
First of all, thanks to Ciara for making the blog pretty and for keeping it alive with lovely content this past year. Secondly, thanks to Megan for reminding me how much fun this blog is as a place to write, rant and rave. Legends.
Well, Dee is ueber busy in college, coping admirably with her final year while balancing a promising career in radio (hi Dee!). Megan too is surviving 4th year superbly and of all of us, is the person I've seen the most since returning from my far-off travels. In fact, we might be going for lunch on Friday!
Ciara has gone away to be a proper grown-up over the water. I sincerely doubt there is a more fitting city for you, Ciara. I too have been bitten by the book-bug (worm?). One of my New Year's Resolutions was to read more and while I don't have a mantelpiece, I have a window sill full of past loves and a few that are yet to be read.
My big goal of the year is to read the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, something I have been putting off since I was 11. That very battered-looking book on the top of Chomsky is the first volume, which I am about 30 pages shy of finishing. Maybe tonight is the night!
The last proper post I, well, posted here concerned the state of panic I had gotten myself into concerning my FYP/Bachelor's Thesis. In the end I did really well, despite being abandoned by my supervisor at the last hurdle. She was utterly useless in the run-up to the deadline and as it turned out I didn't need her counsel in the end, so HA unnamed teacher. Wish I had known that at the time though - would have saved many exasperating late nights.
That was early April 2012 and it is now late March 2013. Sorry for the big ole absence. I can only ask the forgiveness of anyone who has persevered and checked the blog for signs of life. Thanks for sticking with us, guys. I think all of us can agree that the last year has been mental in very different ways.
On a slightly somber albeit honest note (for what is a personal blog without a bit of honesty?), I have to say that 2013 was a highly-anticipated year for me. I'm a bit nervous about admitting all this here but sure here is as good a place as any. All I can say really is that 2012 was just an absolute stinker of a year for me. Like really, really terrible. Between family things, getting fired from my job, suffering academically to the point of nearly failing my study abroad year, encountering a horrid group of supposed colleagues, a funeral, and basically losing sight of myself completely, I can honestly say that I have never been more relieved for the clock to strike twelve on New Year's Eve. God, that sounds very melodramatic. I'm in quite a pensive mood actually, so sorry if that sounds like a year's worth of Eastenders' story lines.
Before I shut Pandora's Box, I just have to say that I really appreciate anyone and everyone who was there to listen, advise, and provide much-needed support and distraction, although I doubt many will read this. To be honest, not a lot of people know the full extent of all of the above - and that's entirely my fault, but I have a lovely group of friends who do deserve acknowledgement.
So thanks for the advice-giving, listening, Skyping, jokes, stories, chocolate and bitching! To anyone, I haven't really been in contact with the past year, please forgive me. I'd a very big plate but I intend on righting those wrongs asap. After all, 2013 has been really good so far.
Right so, consider Pandora's Box firmly shut. Sorry about that. Now onto the positivity!
Now, there were some absolutely brilliant parts of twenty twelve too! I had some brilliant experiences and met some great people - many of whom I'd like to consider friends for life. I'd be silly to dismiss 2012 as being purely shit.
I mean, I had the opportunity to study in a foreign country for close to a year, and had some wonderful visitors and great experiences. I know Vienna like the back of my hand now - a city we should all try and live in at least once in our lives.
I made some lovely friends over the summer, working in both Scotland and England.
I had the best class I've ever had the privilege of teaching. They were so cool and up for learning English, that we were able to make a music video; a parody on Call Me Maybe.
(Plot is a bit ambiguous apparently so just enjoy the comedy aspect of it!)
I got to see even more of Europe, including cities like Prague, Edinburgh, London and Venice. I can't complain about that, though have to say that Prague was disappointing - being followed by a creepy old man over Charles Bridge certainly didn't help matters!
I made some truly wonderful friends on Erasmus too (bar the odd unpleasant American and Czech - exceptions to the rule, I'm sure).
I volunteered at Electric Picnic for the second year running and had a good time, making some new friends along the way and dancing around a lot in a hi-vis jacket.
I got to come home and be with friends that I hadn't spent time with in nearly 2 years.
And of course, lots of family time but I had best keep those snaps to myself. I came home and took a year out from college, got a job in a lovely sweet shop, went on a road-trip to Fr. Ted's house through the Burren and down to the Cliffs of Moher, and this that and the other inbetween.
I also heard my new favourite shitty joke of all time.
What's the fastest drink in the world?
Milk.
Because it's pasteurized before you know it.
ZING!
Well, I don't know how much more I can write seeing as I have another episode of New Girl to watch and it's nearly midnight. Back to light and hearty stuff for future posts - expect lots of pictures of puppies and other various animals, maybe even the odd Panda or Sloth.
How is that possible, you say? You have a point. Vienna is on quite a flat landsurface so I'd really have to crane my neck in order to see anything beyond the city limits. But that's not what I'm talking about. Earlier this week, the Expedition 30 crew were aboard the International Space Station, 240 miles over the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. That's the distance from Paris to London but obviously vertically up the air. Recently Megan and I went up on this swing carousel that boasted to be the highest in the world at 116m. To be honest, you can run 100m in ten seconds (if you're an Olympic athlete, 30 secs for the rest of us...) so that doesn't sound too high. Lies. Damn our poor perception of distance and height. We were terrified. Proper scared. And of course we forgot there'd be strong wind up there too. Here's a picture Megan took when we were still far away. Shannon was wise and stayed on the ground.
Here's a picture of it in action. Das war total nicht der Hammer!
Point of the story is that 240 miles is HIGH. I understand how Team Expedition 30 may have felt being so high. Yet they went up for one of the same reasons Megan and I went all "living on the edge of danger". The view. Once we stopped hyperventilating, the view was quite nice. You could see all of Vienna, sites I had never seen before and the hills and vineyards on the outskirts of the city. Lovely lovely lovely. Team Expedition 30 had an unreal view too. Look! It's Ireland and part of the United Kingdom at night-time! I can see Cork! What's that in the background, you ask? Well on the right, it's the sun rising. Over there on the left is none other than the Northern Lights.
How amazing is that? I think I can see George Clooney in Cobh too! Oh look, apparently there is life in Leitrim.
That certainly beats a view of Vienna anyday. It is one of my ambitions in life to see the Northern Lights. I have no immediate plans to trek with husky dogs and a sled to the far reaches of Northern Canada or Greenland so for the meantime, I'll enjoy this picture for there is no way I am ever repeating that carousel experience.
And Megan, I am doing my FYP, it's killing me but I have 35 pages so far! Woohoo!
I don't understand this new blogger layout... aaaahhhhhh.
FYI I'm spending the summer in Chicago this summer, right from June through August and I think I may die with excitement. Gotta love leaving the country, especially for the charming feeling it brings when you come home to friends and the famo. Absense makes the heart grow fonder etc etc etc
If registration wasn't full and I could run I would totes do The Color Run Doesn't it look unreal!? (via cakies
she's mentioned she's doing it in SoCal! what a spot..)
I have a million assignments to do for the week after next. Please pray this goes smoothly. I am not efficient in these things.
Since I started driving I've become such a radio person. Particularly in the morning, cannot beat a bit of Ray D'Arcy and Ray Foley. I hope MEGAN DEE and SARAH haven't lost the love for Irish radio.. we do alot of talking compared to other countries.... but we do it so Well!!
Megan and I take our lives in our hands, swinging above Vienna City, March 2012.
So we've returned ... kind of! Ciara has shown signs of life as she heads into the final few weeks of her degree. That is indeed a terrifying thought but one I'm SURE you will take as it comes. No better woman to be fair. It takes a lot to get you pulsed. I can't believe you're nearly a teacher! It literally seems like yesterday when we were all at our school graduation, singing "Alright" by Supergrass. Some tune! Now where's Megan's post...?
This post is born out of love for the blog and all our friends who haven't a clue what we are up to. That's what it should be. Alas, it's really just a terribly poor concealment of my impressive procrastination. Dee and I have a thesis due on the 26th. I have just received my first piece of feedback from my supervisor which has basically told me to rethink the whole direction of the project. Just dandy. So did I sit down, really scratch my head and use all my brainpower to come up with a new plan? Not at all. I made dinner, watched Jonathan Ross (which included a frightening picture of Simon Cowell as a teenager) and logged on here for the first update in jaysus, nearly 3 months.
Frightening, isn't it?
Have I made the right decision? Yes. Will this help me in graduating and getting my degree? Absolutely not.
Let's get to it so.
December:
I went home for one week in December. I hadn't originally planned to do this when I left Ireland in September but at that stage, the idea of spending Christmas alone in my room, turkey-less, was just too depressing. And I missed my mummy. Obviously. In order to travel the 1,111 miles (exact) from Vienna to my home-town, I had to take an U-Bahn about 500 million stops (slight exaggeration), hop on a bus to Slovakia (you could go your life without visiting there, ehrlich gesagt) and get on a plane to Dublin. Easy, right?
Well, it was until I was going in through security and they stopped me. They opened my meticulously packed backpack and proceeded to dump some presents that I had bought for my mother right in front of me. Apparently things like jam and jars of olives count as "liquids". Psssssssssh. Scrooges.
A hop, skip and some air turbulence later, I landed in Dublin. The feeling I had flying in over Dublin Bay and Howth was just pure excitement. The fun part started when I landed. I landed at 7.20pm. The last train home to Cork was at 9. It took one hour for the bus to get through Dublin City Centre. I had to get to the train station at 8.45pm. Meaning, I needed to find the bus before 7.45pm. Thus I had about 20 minutes to disembark the plane, run through the labyrinth that is Terminal 2 and find the Airbus stop. Of course being 4 days before Christmas, it was jammers AND it would so happen to be my luck that a New Zealand Under 21's rugby team had just arrived and were going through security at the same time. I didn't even have time to appreciate their battered faces and mangled cauliflower ears. More's the pity.
I ran through the Arrivals gate, feeling quite melancholy and woebegone as I saw all the families eagerly awaiting loved ones with big banners. Mine obviously weren't there. To add to the bittersweet moment of arrival on Irish soil, there was a brass band playing beautiful Christmas carols to my left. Still, I dashed onwards as I frantically checked the time. 7: 32pm. I looked left. I looked right. And there it was. Right across the road, the luggage doors closing. There was no pedastrian crossing and a long barrier stood there, blocking a clear path to the bus door. Did that stop me? No siree.
I had a Forrest Gump moment and literally legged it across the road, dodging traffic and lunged over the barrier. I clambered onto the bus, paid my six euro and scurried upstairs to a find a seat and recuperate. Which I did. For the next 5 minutes. As the bus waited there.
Finally, we got underway and I found that I wasn't the only one returning home after a substantial period of time. There were two lads in front of me, exhausted from a full 30 hours of travelling. Based on the size of their backpacks and their plans to sit home and do nothing for the next 2 months except watch GAA and eat Taytos, I gathered that they had been in Asia. Driving through the inner city, Dame Street, O'Connell Street, Westmoreland Street, was just the best welcome home I could have asked for. All the Christmas lights were up and the view from a double decker bus is quite a different thing altogether from the view down below. There was a buzz which hadn't been present in Vienna. I arrived into Heuston Station at 8.40pm and even had time to indulge in the great Irish tradition of .... Supermac's. Oh yes. Now Supermac's isn't Maccy D's, nor is it Burger King. It's just Supermac's. If you want a good greasy burger and a curry cheese chip (or garlic cheese chip if you're from the country), look no further.
Yet, when I was queueing I noticed something unusual. I saw to my left a woman and her son and from the way that they were signing to each other, it was clear that they were deaf. Whenever I see someone with a clear disability such as deafness or blindness, I always have the utmost respect for them and try and place myself in their shoes for a few minutes. I always think about how much more complicated the simple task I may be doing and have taken for granted, is for that person and how it presents a unique variety of difficulties. So I was there, wondering how the lady was going to order her food in a very busy fast food restaurant. Maybe she would write it down. Maybe she could say it. I was furiously thinking how I would do it. And out of nowhere came a worker in Supermac's who saw the woman signing to her son, asking him his order, and then the employee began signing at her. For two minutes, I watched amazed. I had never seen anything like it. It was lovely to see and has made me determined to learn to sign in the future. What a skill to have and helps make other people's day that bit easier.
Finally on the train, I was sitting with three other girls my own age and we were all knackered. It was the final leg of the journey for most people. Half way down the country, near Portlaoise I think, I struck up a conversation with the girls who were sisters just back for Christmas from London. What caught my interest is that they were intermittently speaking Irish in amongst the flow of English. Speaking the odd cúpla focal here and there isn't weird but they were really able to speak it. I found out that they were Gaelgóirs, people whose first language is Irish, from Kerry. What followed was an hour long conversation about the state of affairs in Ireland and why everyone is leaving. One of the girls was about to leave everything behind and head to Australia. Her sister wasn't going to be long after her. Add to this, the actual train conductor sitting down for a chat and by 11:50pm that evening, he and I were the only two people left in my carriage. I nearly hopped off the train with glee but of course, no family were to be seen.
I knew I had about 5 minutes before they would be there so I ran to the bathroom and changed into a Santa outfit we had used in a bar a few weeks previously. Just as I left the bathroom, who did I see but my sister. Then my brothers. And then mummy herself. What was obviously planned as a amorous and poignant welcome home fell apart as they all burst out in laughter. I think it was the beard that did it. Hugs exchanged and a few jokey words, we all piled into the car and home. I literally remember hugging my Dad and the dogs and collapsing into bed. And it felt like I never left. Lady was curled up at my feet, Bart outside my door and everyone went to bed. The next day was the 22nd and I was leaving from Dublin on the 29th. One week to do everything I needed to. I made a mental list. That is a list in my head, not a list that was mental in it's content.
Help the family prepare for Christmas.
Buy a Christmas tree and decorate it.
Catch up with friends.
Catch up with family.
Exchange stories.
Plan St. Stephen's Night (26th December)
Wrap gifts.
Sleep.
Eat as much Irish food as I could.
Get in as many hugs as I could.
Easy peasy?! Except for number 3. The 22nd was spent doing #1 and #2. The 23rd was dedicated to #7, #4, #5, #1 and #6. I knew I would be pushing it trying to see everyone. The 24th, 25th and 26th are considered family days. The 28th was re-packing day. Which left the evening of the 23rd and the 27th. And I love so many people! This includes Megan, Ciara, Dee and oh, you guys know who you all are!
On the 23rd, I had miraciously arranged to have dinner in Cork with 2 of my lovely friends, Sus and Soph. Sus would collect me from my house after a day of Christmas tree decorating and gorging on USA biscuit tins. We'd drive to the city and go to our favourite restaurant Café Mexicana. Except that Sus started acting weird. Verrrrrrrrry weird. Soph was "running late" so we went into Penney's/Primark. I hadn't much money with me. Penney's + No money = Hell. No sooner were we in there, then Sus was dragging me back out so we made our way down Carey's Lane and inside. Up the stairs we went where I expected to see a few couples and Soph sitting in the corner. Oh no. Not at all. That'd be too easy. We only have Sarah in Cork for a few days so let's maximise embarrassment and surprise her with 10 of her nearest and dearest all sitting at a long, ornated table with huge smirks with a belated birthday party. Thanks guys.
I hate attention. I hate getting presents. I go bright red. Which is exactly what happened but hey, after half an hour, I think I managed to restore normal-ish skin tone. Once I got over the initial shock, we all had a big natter. While only short conversations, I did manage to at least get an overview of how everyone was doing and what they were getting up to. Ciara only had an hour to spare but I was delighted to see you! I hope Eilis didn't mind driving up again! We had delicious Mexican food (as always) and headed to the grimy and beloved Bróg for a few pints which turned into more pints and then I ended up seeing even more people I hadn't in nearly years (perils of travelling for uni). While I didn't get to catch up properly with everyone, I appreciated it so much and went home with a huuuuuuuuuuuge smile. Dee brought me home. Thanks Dee. You are a trooper.
Christmas with the family was mighty craic. We did the usual. Watched old movies, Christmas variety shows from the 70's, helped with the desserts, scavenged to find the table cloth, wrapped our pressies, didn't go to Mass (we always seem to miss it), had a day of dancing to Wham! and Shakin' Stevens, ate what felt like a ton of turkey and ham and after dinner, had the gift giving ceremony which is my favourite part. Not because of what I receive but to see the looks on other's faces when they see what I've gotten them. My sister got treated to a load of Forever 21 bits and bobs (There's one in Ireland. I live 100m from one in Vienna). Lovely lovely lovely. Lubbly jubbly even. I'll never get over the sheer excitement of Santa Claus though. Who does really?
St. Stephen's Night came rolling around. Now every year it is a bloodbath trying to get in somewhere for St. Stephen's. People haven't been to a pub in about 2 days, after spending copious amounts of time in close quarters with their loved ones and thus, want need to go out with their friends. Every year since we turned 18, myself and my home ladies from our town have not gone to the city for fear that it would be totally jammers. Instead, we have always ventured to the one pub in town that caters for younger people. Last year, that turned out to be an absoluttttttte joke. I am talking about queueing in the rain for two hours and just giving up. So for 2011, we threw caution to the wind and hit C-town. And you know what? It turned out to be an absolute laugh! Well, until someone suggested that we have absinthe before we got out of the car. We all know who couldn't handle it, don't we?! Regardless, we battled on to the Bróg until about 11pm and proceeded to Rearden's. And aside from losing one or two people, we had a grand time! Not too packed at all! Good music! Ok-ish priced drinks. Grand job. The hangover the next morning probably wasn't contributory to my well-being the next morning as I had to go to Cork and bid farewell to a good friend who was jetting off to New Zealand. He was in as bad a state as I was so we literally spent 4 hours in a bar/restaurant, moving very slowly and catching up.
And that was it. The next morning I was on the 5am train back to Dublin, to go through the same rigmarole all over again. I finally collapsed onto my bed in my Vienna student accommodation at 8pm that night. I didn't linger over my thoughts of home because I was already missing it and with New Year's Eve only being a day away, I just battled on.
But I've written enough here to give even me a headache but woe, that is the depth of my procrastination and I was determined to bring you all up to speed. I'm knackered now though so I'll tackle the next 3 months during the week when I'll no doubt be staring at my thesis while pondering about sticking needles into my eyes... I jest... I think.
Over and out readers. Hope ye like the new look!
Here's the customary end of post songs. Today we have "Cough Syrup" by Young and the Giant, "Off the Wall" by Yuksek and "Midnight City" covered by The Knocks and Mandy Lee.
I'm in IRELAND! Woo! It's a wonderful feeling. Except that I'm knackered. I have spent my first day home making Christmas crafts. And hugging my mummy. And eating amazing Oreo jellybean brownies made by my sister. And listening to Wham. They made some hell of a great Christmas song.
I promised myself that I wouldn't cry when I got to the arrivals gate, but the sight of my mom and my brother waiting for me (and since I seem to blubber for any heightened emotion), meant that I was sobbing before we even got to hug!
I ate everything that I wanted to eat. I saw everyone I wanted to see. I slept SO well in my own, comfy bed. My house still smells the same. :-) The bróg still smells the same. :-/ My dog is still alive. I bought a poodle dress in Penneys.
Flew back into Charles De Gaulle on Saturday and spent two days in Paris. I promise no more Paris pictures after this. I SWEAR.
Went to Pere Lachaise on Sunday. I had never been and even though it's a good bit out on the metro, it was worth it. Lovely just to stroll around there...I took some pictures.
We spent ages looking for Oscar Wilde's grave and once we finally located it, that's what it looked like.
:(
Edith Piaf's grave
and Jim Morrison's
Twas a lovely day. Back to a very Christmassy Aix-En-Provence maintenant! I will tell ye aaaall about it once I get the chance to explore with my camera.
Sarah, those photos bring back memories...well not really actually. I don't remember much from that night if I'm honest. Only that it was ONRAIL.
I'm really, really excited. I miss my family so much and I can't wait to see them. I also cannot wait to EAT. In fact, I don't think I will have enough time at home to eat everything that I want to eat. I will try though! :)
I'm off on the TGV to Paris tonight since it's a long weekend here in France. Seems like I'm posting more about Paris than Aix, but that's just because I've been doing more exciting things in Paris. In Aix I go to college, do essays, eat crappy dinners etc... I'm currently waiting for my washing to be done. Nobody wants to know about these things. People want to know about stuff like this:
Palaces
Giant monkeys made out of chocolate
Men juggling while balancing fishbowls on their heads
Running into Captain Jack while clubbing on the Champs Elysées
See? That's much better than an anecdote about how it took me a good ten minutes to work the machine that deposits washing powder, isn't it?
Still though I'm not dissing Aix, I love that I live here. It's so pretty
Dee, pictures of Germany???
Sarah, I hope you're feeling better!
And Ciara, I know you're fierce busy with teaching the little ones but if you're around Cork anytime between Monday and Friday (school days, i know :( ) give me a shout and we'll catch up!
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