Week in Review

While I have been writing about my adventures in Paris other Dublin adventures have been happening without recognition. I need to change that.

Monday- My favorite Canadian decided to host a Easter dinner for the Study Abroad Family. After arriving back to Dublin that afternoon we went over to Stacy and Jen's apartment. I brought deviled eggs because what is Easter without eggs? Jen was going to make a whole ham but when she found out that it was 81 euro she opted to just make fettucini with ham and peas. Yum! And as if the pasta did not satisfy my palette enough Jen's French roomies made crepes. Yum squared! Good discussion, good friends, good food, and excellent Easter dinner away from home.

Tuesday-  JMatch's birthday! My favorite Canadian turned 21 (still a big deal for a Canadian) on Tuesday and that was cause for celebration. Brittany and Stevie came over to our apartment. When Jen arrived we put the candles in the cake that Laura bought and sang "Happy Birthday." After sharing some cake we get ready to go out. It was kinda like getting ready for the dance in eighth grade because we just all sat around the kitchen table painting nails, doing makeup, and chatting. I was meeting a friend from high school downtown and wanted to look nice because this boy had not seen me in three years so the girls helped me look my best. I wore my new blue polka dotted dress and Tom said I wore it well.

First the girls (Britt, Stevie, the Birthday Girl, and me) went to O'Neill's to get Jen's favorite, Irish stew. We chatted, took in the music, and enjoyed each other's company. After spending time there we went to The Quays in Temple Bar to meet up with Tom. It was so nice to see him after three years and catch up with a friend from LT. While we chatted the girls went upstairs for dessert and whiskey. I actually tried some whiskey myself because I had been waiting for someone to try whiskey with since arriving in Ireland and Tom seemed like the guy. Now I can say that I have had Irish whiskey in Ireland and celebrated JMatch's 21st birthday with her.

Wednesday- My big day of classes. I had a debate in Cross-Cultural Management about diversity in the workplace and I felt like such a mean person arguing against it, especially when my debate group consisted of another American, two French boys, and a boy from Singapore. I had a couple more classes and after Irish History Brittany came over for some fried potatoes.

Thursday- Didn't do too much during the day besides take a three hour nap (which I'm guessing I needed). After bumming around most the day, Brittany and Stacy came over for some tacos that me and Laura were making. We needed to book hostels for our trip to Italy at the end of our semester so Stacy, Brittany, and I got on that and we officially have a place to stay in Rome, Florence, and Venice.

Thursday night means one thing- karaoke at the Wicked Wolf! Just when you think the good ol' Wicked Wolf can't get any better we go last night and have the best time. Highlights include:

• Singing both "Say a Little Prayer" and "Oops, I Did It Again" 
• Meeting a new friend named Dean who taught us his dance move called "Feed the Chickens"
• Dancing like crazy to "Don't Stop Belivin'" with my pal Deano
• Getting numerous songs dedicated to us, including "End of the Road" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Brock Jones, karaoke DJ, knows us quite well)
• Throwing up the X when Allister, local star and X-Factor contestant, sings
• Being asked by the locals to go to another bar with them once the Wicked Wolf closed
• Late night snacks at Super Mac's where Brittany got the Milky Moo Shake and I mooed when it arrived. Stacy also gave me her soda like she does every week.

Friday- Today I decided to go into town and take pictures of the colourful Dublin doors. I also treating myself to a little shopping which consisted of trying on shoes and buying a pair of 3 euro sunglasses and another pair of 1.50 euro sunglasses (I'm on a tight budget.) I also found a going out of business sale at Yankee Candle so I treated myself to two candles which smell like lilac and "sun and sand" (smells like sunscreen).

What a nice week in Dublin!

Happy Birthday, Brittany!

Turning 21 lacks something when you are in a country where you can drink when you’re 12 18 so we had to show Brittany a good time.

We started our good time by having dinner with Brittany before Irish History class (and my third presentation of the day) and served typical birthday party food (soda, pizza, and birthday cake.) It was a good, down home American birthday celebration with two Americans and an Australian.

At lecture our teacher explained an essay that we have to write and informed us that unlike in the US, we have to answer the question we are being asked in the essay. Wow, things are different here.

After a very depressing lecture on the Potato Famine we hit Temple Bar. Stevie, Laura and I took the bus into the city, which was successful despite the fact that we did not have our navigator Brittany. We knew that we had to get off at the bus stop across from the store that had sequined dresses in the window. I am not even kidding, that was our landmark. Brittany, her stepmom, and her cousin met us at our favorite bar, The Temple Bar, and listened to some traditional Irish music. It’s funny, but I really forget I’m in Ireland and take it for granted until I realize that the music that I’m hearing is live Irish music that is being played in a pub in Dublin and then I smile.

While we were at Temple Bar we also engaged in a little mischief. You see, Laura and I started the semester with about seven glasses in our apartment, about four of which were left here by the people who were living there last semester. Now we have one glass and everyone in the apartment is using it. I have no idea where the rest of the glasses are but I have not seen them in a long while. I suspect that someone is holding them in their room for some unexplained reason. Yesterday I bought a new glass because I thought it was unhygienic for so many people to be drinking out of one glass. I thought I would leave this glass in the kitchen so everyone could use it as well but that was a bad decision considering it had disappeared by that night. Seriously?! I am a little peeved. Good thing the glass only cost one euro.

Anyway, this has created a cycle of stealing because to make up for the missing glasses Laura and I took some from Temple Bar. I feel a little bad about it until I remember that 1) bars get the glasses for free from the breweries and 2) a pint costs 6.50 euro, the equivalent of about 10 US dollars. Now I am the proud owner of a Smithwicks glass and Laura has a Bulmers one. Stevie also secured a Guinness glass for Brittany’s stepmom as a souvenir by going up to the customers that just finished it and asking if she could have it. Laura got her glass from pretending that she was bussing tables (she thinks the Australian dialect threw them off.)

Stevie, Laura, and I took the last bus back to UCD and when we got home I fried up some potatoes for Laura and me and we had leftover cake for dessert. That sounds like a perfect late night snack to me. We also sang “Party in the USA” while cooking.