“And what are ya here fer miss?” “Business.” I smile. That sounds grown-up. “Business? Really now?” The man from Immigration eyed my tie-dye shirt. “Ok. An internship.” That still sounds grown up right? “Aw right Miss. Fitzgerald. You have fun now,” he smiled and said those infamous words I wanted to hear. “Welcome to Ireland.”
I felt like I was in a movie…I was in another country and Ireland was mine to do what I wanted with it. What an adventure… “I Have Confidence” from The Sound of Music was on repeat in my mind.
Then, of course, reality kicked in at full force. It was a whirlwind. Get my baggage, change dollars into Euros. Where’s the bathroom? How do I watch my luggage when the two suitcases won’t fit in the stall? Coffee coffee coffee. Excuse me, where can I find a taxi? Sir how much will this cost? You don’t know where that address is? No I don’t either that’s why I’m asking you! What are you saying…that is not English. This must be the house! Mrs. Hayes? AH! Nice to meet you too. Yes, traveling was fine. I love your house! This is my room? You are going to work so I can sleep? I love Ireland already. My host family has been so sweet to me. My room is great. And I start work tomorrow. I’ll update more…after SLEEP.
An Ode to Packing
I did not know I had so many clothes,
Or so many shoes and so many bows.
The scarves and the coats add up too,
Oh what is my poor little luggage to do?
Then come the books, jewelry, and bags,
Still the more I add, the more my suitcase sags.
Two months abroad seems quite long,
But not wearing cute clothes seems just wrong!
What about my computer and iPod and phone?
How will these fit? It is simply unknown…
Oh wait…I see the light.
I know the solution for my flight!
I will swim to the island, no take a boat!
And then bring all my objects to keep afloat.
Because I need that black dress and some skirts,
And I want to bring about 30 shirts.
Of course I’ll wear heels, flats, and maybe tennis shoes?
There just is NO WAY for me to choose.
Excuse me, what did you say?
A cruise to Ireland would take 12 days!
Well. That changes things a little bit.
My wardrobe just took a hard hit.
I guess two 50 pound bags will have to do.
And a carry on, and personal bag too ;)
*This is a joke. I am not an idiot. But packing is literally making me crazy.*
Oh dear. At least it's all clean.
Tick-Tock
Time is ticking.
I have less than a week to pack, organize, and prepare for the trip to Ireland. I’ve also become a perpetual list-taking-note-maker. I’m nervous, I’m excited; I’m ready, I’m not; I’m organized and yet a complete mess. But, this is what I expected.
I briefly spoke with my host mother on the phone for about three minutes last week. She has a legitimate fast-pace Irish accent. I mean, I knew that…but when I heard her mention “15 to 20 Euros for a taxi” with that foreign twang I couldn’t help but smile. Ireland! The excitement hit all over again.
Now I’m sitting, and waiting.
The phone will ring within the next thirty minutes. Amy with CCI will call and go over my pre-departure orientation. We will discuss questions and last minute details so my adventure can begin.
So. I’m still sitting and waiting, clutching a red pen and a yellow pad of paper. The TV is blaring commercials and my dog is snoring. It’s a lazy summer day in VA and the rest of the house is quiet.
Tick-Tock.
I think there’s 20 minutes left. My finger runs down the list of questions I need to ask; fourteen total. Is there anything I could have forgotten? Well yes, probably but I guess there is always email.
Tick- Tock.
Dear Phone,
Please ring.
Thanks,
An Anxious Brit
Questions Answered
Ireland Update:
The job and host family information has at last been delivered! Days of checking my email incessantly can finally come to an end.
Today, when I least expected it, I got a response from Amy at CCI with the final details of my trip. It’s exactly one month before my departure, so I was glad to read “Host Family Placement” in my inbox.
For those of you reading this for the first time, I am traveling to Ireland for a two month summer internship. I have just found out that I will be working at Lifetimes Newspaper, assisting with writing, layout, and photography. From what I can tell it will mostly be work in classified sections or advertisements. Of course, I won’t know until the first day what to expect!
The office is located in Philsboro, Dublin 7 and I begin work Tuesday, June 30th at 10am. At first I thought I would have to start the internship immediately after getting off the plane, because I will be arriving Monday opposed to the typical arrival on Saturday or Sunday. Luckily, the employer was fine with me starting on a Tuesday. Thank goodness… I’m going to be exhausted and five hours off of my normal time zone.
My host family lives in Finglas, Dublin 11 in an area called Charlestown. I will be living with Mrs. Valerie Hays and Mr. Kieran Hayes. They have two children – one 12 year old named Sean and one 6 year old named Eve. I’m excited they have kids, and their residence seems to be only about 15 to 20 minutes away from my office by public bus transportation.
Speaking of Ireland, it’s been raining a lot in Virginia again. I know this is good for farmers and such but now the pool is open and I am so done with the lack of sun. Since I don’t have any Ireland picture yet, I’ll share this one:
Baxter the Basset Hound had surgery recently and we didn't want his stiches to get wet. Unfortunately, with one umbrella I was not as lucky.
Where Are You Going?
Ever thought of interning, volunteering, or studying abroad?
Good Luck!
As many of you know, my Ireland trip is fast approaching. In six weeks time I will be flying over the Atlantic, headed for the unknown. Several people have asked how I found an internship and host family for two months, without going over $5,000. Here is my research:
The program I am going through is the Center for Cultural Interchange, or CCI. Founded in 1985, this company helps over 7,000 students annually travel abroad. They also have a strong interest in volunteering and environmental awareness.
Of all the organizations aimed at college students, this was both the most affordable and flexible. There are no set program dates; you pick the weeks that fit your schedule. I never received a single automated email or voicemail, and worked closely with one consultant throughout the whole signing up process.
Each summer during my college years I wanted to be in a different place. Freshman year I stayed at Christopher Newport University and lived the beach bum life while taking classes. Sophomore year I went to North Carolina for the majority of my break and worked as a camp counselor in the mountains of Montreat. Finally, I have the chance to travel internationally.
For those of you also interested in being submersed into a new culture, volunteering, or studying abroad, CCI may be a helpful tool. With over 30 countries to choose from, you can travel around the world.
Good Luck!
Soup of the Day
“How’s the form?”
“Good, but I have a mouth on me…”
My sister and I huddled around the computer, reading through Irish vocabulary. We scanned several pages of interesting slang, and spoke with our best Irish accents, which, by the way, were horrible.
As I looked at the foreign phrases and words, a thought occurred to me: I may not be speaking a different language, but I will definitely still be learning the strange vernacular of another country. Since I am staying with a host family, their way of speaking will be native and left unhindered. Maybe after eight weeks, I will be able to produce a better Irish accent and become indifferent to the phrase “can I bum a fag?”
Easter was this weekend so I packed my duffle, filled a garbage bag full of laundry, and drove down 64W towards Richmond. The sun warmed me and my roommate through the open sunroof and windows. Good hair days were forgotten and we ventured home happily, aided by music and laughter.
After the service that Sunday at church, my youth minister from high school approached me. Mom had told him about my adventure to Ireland for next summer. White hair covered his head, and glasses rest on his nose. He is over six tall, and throughout high school could be quite intimidating. But now I can only see him for his smiles.
“Dublin!? Oh Ireland. Need someone to carry your bags or something while you’re over there?”
I explained the internship and my plans. You could see him mentally constructing a list of tips and advice he had discovered from his trip there.
“Get the soup. I’m a picky eater, and the soup…,” he winked and gave a thumbs up. “Can’t go wrong with the soup.”
This is the kind of advice I need - something practical and easy to remember. Now every pub I eat at, I’m going to ask their soup special of the day.
A cup of chicken noodle? No. Just coffee...which, by the way,
I hear in Ireland, they drink tea. Oh dear.
“Good, but I have a mouth on me…”
My sister and I huddled around the computer, reading through Irish vocabulary. We scanned several pages of interesting slang, and spoke with our best Irish accents, which, by the way, were horrible.
As I looked at the foreign phrases and words, a thought occurred to me: I may not be speaking a different language, but I will definitely still be learning the strange vernacular of another country. Since I am staying with a host family, their way of speaking will be native and left unhindered. Maybe after eight weeks, I will be able to produce a better Irish accent and become indifferent to the phrase “can I bum a fag?”
Easter was this weekend so I packed my duffle, filled a garbage bag full of laundry, and drove down 64W towards Richmond. The sun warmed me and my roommate through the open sunroof and windows. Good hair days were forgotten and we ventured home happily, aided by music and laughter.
After the service that Sunday at church, my youth minister from high school approached me. Mom had told him about my adventure to Ireland for next summer. White hair covered his head, and glasses rest on his nose. He is over six tall, and throughout high school could be quite intimidating. But now I can only see him for his smiles.
“Dublin!? Oh Ireland. Need someone to carry your bags or something while you’re over there?”
I explained the internship and my plans. You could see him mentally constructing a list of tips and advice he had discovered from his trip there.
“Get the soup. I’m a picky eater, and the soup…,” he winked and gave a thumbs up. “Can’t go wrong with the soup.”
This is the kind of advice I need - something practical and easy to remember. Now every pub I eat at, I’m going to ask their soup special of the day.
A cup of chicken noodle? No. Just coffee...which, by the way,
I hear in Ireland, they drink tea. Oh dear.
Update: Adventures in Ireland
It looks as though I’ll be on my way to Dublin this June 28th! Tickets were purchased today, and plans about my host family and company are in the making… For those of you just tuning in, I have received the opportunity to complete an internship in Ireland for two months this summer in the field of Journalism or Communications. YAY.
Keem Bay: Maybe I'll be here...
“But I don’t know where I should sit!?”
“Sit near an exit…that way you can bail if you need to.”
“Nate…that does not help my fear of flying.”
“Just saying…”
“And am I really going to ‘bail’?!
“I would.”
“Yeah…me too.”
I am not petrified of flying, but this will be my first flight by myself… and I’m going overseas. Yikes. Even so, while choosing my seats with a friend in the library today, I was not completely consumed by nerves. The prospect of immersing into another culture for 8 weeks, plus receiving an internship, could not be more thrilling. And since these tickets are nonrefundable, there is no turning back now…
I will use this blog throughout the summer to keep in touch with all of my family and friends back in “The States.” Hopefully I will provide updates (at least weekly) so you can experience my adventures with me. As they say in Ireland, Slan!
Keem Bay: Maybe I'll be here...
Photo by William Manning/CORBIS