Day 17 – April 28
Happy 29th Birthday Ami!! I spent the day doing laundry, reading a book from a local author and I got a massage. The massage was nothing to write home about…the masseuse was a very petite lady and I kept asking for more pressure because it felt like she was just rubbing lotion on my back. I definitely won’t go back to her!
Day 18 – April 29
My third week at church and this time, there was an American couple from North Carolina visiting and I went to say hi to them after service. They were really nice and invited me to lunch. They arrived in Ireland about 1 week before I did and they are here because he took a 2 year assignment with his job. They have been married for 5 weeks and have had a lot of transition. The girl’s name is Lauren. She moved all of her stuff into storage, quit her job, got married, went on a honeymoon and then straight to Ireland where she is living and can’t work yet because of paperwork and her husband is working 75-80 hours a week. Quite a transition! I had a nice lunch with them and really enjoyed talking to fellow American’s about their transition to Ireland! I hope to hang out with Lauren while her husband is working in the evening or on the weekend.
After lunch I basically spent the afternoon trying to fit all of my stuff into suitcases AGAIN! I really want to unpack the suitcases and not see them for at least a month. I went on a great walk on the pier in Dun Laoghaire. It is quite a long pier. I would guess at mile to mile and a ½. After that I actually watched Nascar on tv….not exactly my normal tv watching, but it was the first programming that I have seen from the states. Tomorrow I get the keys to my new apartment!!!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Bank Account
Day 16 – April 27
I actually got a bank account set up. YEAH! I even made a deposit. The deposit slip is like the size of a credit card. I hope I don’t loose it. Now I have to wait for them to print my ATM card, then I will have to go to the bank and show id to pick up the card and they will mail the pin number to my address. I totally forgot to ask if they print checks…Hmm. I was so intrigued by the idea that I had to return to the bank and show id to get an ATM card! Once I get the ATM card and the pin, then I can request access to online banking. It may be awhile before I can even check the balance in my account. I also found out that they charge €.28 per transaction about $.4 for every transaction, even online banking transactions and cheques. That makes our free accounts in the states look really good! By the way, if my words look a little weird, it’s because my word spell check on this computer is in Irish English not American English. Words like checks correct themselves to cheques.
I also found out today that I get to meet my new landlord on Monday night to get the keys to my new apartment! I am so excited! I wish I could move in today! I have 3 boxes from home that I shipped that I have been dying to get into them to get things that I need and I couldn’t unpack them because I need to move them first. Also it will be exciting to have a bit of leg room under my desk. Our desks are MUCH smaller here and my boxes are down where my feet should go, so it has been a bit crowded. I’m ready for the weekend!
I actually got a bank account set up. YEAH! I even made a deposit. The deposit slip is like the size of a credit card. I hope I don’t loose it. Now I have to wait for them to print my ATM card, then I will have to go to the bank and show id to pick up the card and they will mail the pin number to my address. I totally forgot to ask if they print checks…Hmm. I was so intrigued by the idea that I had to return to the bank and show id to get an ATM card! Once I get the ATM card and the pin, then I can request access to online banking. It may be awhile before I can even check the balance in my account. I also found out that they charge €.28 per transaction about $.4 for every transaction, even online banking transactions and cheques. That makes our free accounts in the states look really good! By the way, if my words look a little weird, it’s because my word spell check on this computer is in Irish English not American English. Words like checks correct themselves to cheques.
I also found out today that I get to meet my new landlord on Monday night to get the keys to my new apartment! I am so excited! I wish I could move in today! I have 3 boxes from home that I shipped that I have been dying to get into them to get things that I need and I couldn’t unpack them because I need to move them first. Also it will be exciting to have a bit of leg room under my desk. Our desks are MUCH smaller here and my boxes are down where my feet should go, so it has been a bit crowded. I’m ready for the weekend!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Irish Banking
Day 15 – April 26
My big goal for the day was to set up an Irish Bank account and I was NOT successful. Basically I need a bank account over here to be able to do transactions in Euros for items like rent, utilities, etc. So I called the bank about a week ago and set up an appointment. You can’t just walk into a bank here and speak to a representative and set up an account…you must have an appointment. So I arrived at 1pm with all of my paperwork and I was ready to go. I even withdrew money at the ATM outside from my US account and I was ready to deposit it. I was told that I needed to bring my passport and a letter from my company with my Irish address. We started filling out the form and she copied my passport and the letter from my company and then came back and told me that my account could not be processed because the letter from my company did not have my old US address on it. I tried to give her about 3 other documents including an Irish government document that had my US address and she would not take it. I don’t understand how a letter from my company, which I provide all of the information for in the form of an email is better than government documents?!? So crazy! I have now requested a new letter from my HR department and will wait til they get around to typing it and make another appointment at the bank. So frustrating! On the positive note, I just made an appointment for a massage on Saturday. Something to look forward to!
My big goal for the day was to set up an Irish Bank account and I was NOT successful. Basically I need a bank account over here to be able to do transactions in Euros for items like rent, utilities, etc. So I called the bank about a week ago and set up an appointment. You can’t just walk into a bank here and speak to a representative and set up an account…you must have an appointment. So I arrived at 1pm with all of my paperwork and I was ready to go. I even withdrew money at the ATM outside from my US account and I was ready to deposit it. I was told that I needed to bring my passport and a letter from my company with my Irish address. We started filling out the form and she copied my passport and the letter from my company and then came back and told me that my account could not be processed because the letter from my company did not have my old US address on it. I tried to give her about 3 other documents including an Irish government document that had my US address and she would not take it. I don’t understand how a letter from my company, which I provide all of the information for in the form of an email is better than government documents?!? So crazy! I have now requested a new letter from my HR department and will wait til they get around to typing it and make another appointment at the bank. So frustrating! On the positive note, I just made an appointment for a massage on Saturday. Something to look forward to!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Grocery Shopping
Day 14 – April 25
Nothing particularly exciting happened today, so I’m going to write about grocery shopping. I can’t remember a time if my life of ever going to the grocery store without a car. Even in college when I didn’t have a car, I ate mostly in the dorm and didn’t have to worry about carrying all of my groceries. Well, now is a very different story. So, I am told that the most convenient grocery stores are actually in the town were I work and that the guy who lives in the area where my new apartment is, actually buys his groceries here, hikes to the DART station, rides on the train for 20 min. and then walks to his apartment. This may not sound too bad, but have you every tried carrying your groceries around town for 40 min? It takes very careful planning to determine what you need for the next 2-3 days, making sure that it will all fit in your backpack or whatever bag you are using and then dealing with pedestrian traffic and a crowded train. And somehow trying not to crush your eggs and bread. I also am a bit curious about the lack of refrigeration. Eggs in the grocery stores are not refrigerated….Hmm…is that ok? They also have brown shells vs. white. I’m not quite sure why they are not refrigerated. Also, at work each morning there is a small jug of milk set out and people use it throughout the day in their coffee. It is not refrigerated either…how can the milk not spoil? I haven’t tried the milk because I have been too afraid of a tummy ache!
I’m looking forward to reading a book tonight! I didn’t really have space in my suitcases for reading material, so I have been reading all of the Ireland travel books that I brought. I am really ready for a story! A girl at work talked about a work book club and some of the books they have read in the past. She brought in a couple books for me to read. Yeah! I haven’t adjusted to the tv over here. Last night 3 out of the 4 tv channels that I get were soccer. I knew the sport was popular over here, but I had no idea that it occupied so much prime time tv!
Nothing particularly exciting happened today, so I’m going to write about grocery shopping. I can’t remember a time if my life of ever going to the grocery store without a car. Even in college when I didn’t have a car, I ate mostly in the dorm and didn’t have to worry about carrying all of my groceries. Well, now is a very different story. So, I am told that the most convenient grocery stores are actually in the town were I work and that the guy who lives in the area where my new apartment is, actually buys his groceries here, hikes to the DART station, rides on the train for 20 min. and then walks to his apartment. This may not sound too bad, but have you every tried carrying your groceries around town for 40 min? It takes very careful planning to determine what you need for the next 2-3 days, making sure that it will all fit in your backpack or whatever bag you are using and then dealing with pedestrian traffic and a crowded train. And somehow trying not to crush your eggs and bread. I also am a bit curious about the lack of refrigeration. Eggs in the grocery stores are not refrigerated….Hmm…is that ok? They also have brown shells vs. white. I’m not quite sure why they are not refrigerated. Also, at work each morning there is a small jug of milk set out and people use it throughout the day in their coffee. It is not refrigerated either…how can the milk not spoil? I haven’t tried the milk because I have been too afraid of a tummy ache!
I’m looking forward to reading a book tonight! I didn’t really have space in my suitcases for reading material, so I have been reading all of the Ireland travel books that I brought. I am really ready for a story! A girl at work talked about a work book club and some of the books they have read in the past. She brought in a couple books for me to read. Yeah! I haven’t adjusted to the tv over here. Last night 3 out of the 4 tv channels that I get were soccer. I knew the sport was popular over here, but I had no idea that it occupied so much prime time tv!
Ouch & Peanut Butter
Day 12 – April 23
All I can say is ouch to the pride today! I must explain that most doors have a small button about the size of my thumbnail located around the doorframe that you must push to release the door. The first time I tried to exit my floor at work I stood at the door, pushed and couldn’t get it to open and finally had to ask someone how to get out! By now I should know better, but for some reason, I had a particularly difficult time remembering those little buttons today. As a result, I body slammed several doors and of course there were witnesses to these events. When you are accustomed to pushing doors and sailing through them these little buttons are quite a nuisance! You know how some industrial doors in the states have those silver bars around the middle of the door and you push on the bar to make it open. Same concept, but they tend to hide these little buttons!
Day 13 – April 24
My mom is sending a care package with peanut butter!!! Yeah! I guess it is the little things that are exciting. Apparently peanut butter is not a common item here. I am told that it is very difficult to find and if you can locate it, it doesn’t taste the same and it has a strange consistency. So, if they don’t have peanut butter, they obviously don’t have receese peanut butter cups or peanut butter m&ms (my favourite candies)! Whoever visits must bring payment for my B&B in the form of peanut butter :)
I am getting a bit closer to having an apartment and I must say that I am so ready to hang clothes and unpack and hopefully be able to find items! Dad, I don’t know how you live out of a suitcase week in and week out. I have now made it 2 weeks and I’m so ready to empty my suitcases and get settled and organized! I’m not sure if I wrote this before, but my temporary apt. has a good size wardrobe (a cross between a closet and an armoire) and not a single hanger to put your clothes on. So I just rummage through my big suitcases every morning to try to locate the proper clothing items. Count down has begun and I have 7 more nights in temporary housing.
All I can say is ouch to the pride today! I must explain that most doors have a small button about the size of my thumbnail located around the doorframe that you must push to release the door. The first time I tried to exit my floor at work I stood at the door, pushed and couldn’t get it to open and finally had to ask someone how to get out! By now I should know better, but for some reason, I had a particularly difficult time remembering those little buttons today. As a result, I body slammed several doors and of course there were witnesses to these events. When you are accustomed to pushing doors and sailing through them these little buttons are quite a nuisance! You know how some industrial doors in the states have those silver bars around the middle of the door and you push on the bar to make it open. Same concept, but they tend to hide these little buttons!
Day 13 – April 24
My mom is sending a care package with peanut butter!!! Yeah! I guess it is the little things that are exciting. Apparently peanut butter is not a common item here. I am told that it is very difficult to find and if you can locate it, it doesn’t taste the same and it has a strange consistency. So, if they don’t have peanut butter, they obviously don’t have receese peanut butter cups or peanut butter m&ms (my favourite candies)! Whoever visits must bring payment for my B&B in the form of peanut butter :)
I am getting a bit closer to having an apartment and I must say that I am so ready to hang clothes and unpack and hopefully be able to find items! Dad, I don’t know how you live out of a suitcase week in and week out. I have now made it 2 weeks and I’m so ready to empty my suitcases and get settled and organized! I’m not sure if I wrote this before, but my temporary apt. has a good size wardrobe (a cross between a closet and an armoire) and not a single hanger to put your clothes on. So I just rummage through my big suitcases every morning to try to locate the proper clothing items. Count down has begun and I have 7 more nights in temporary housing.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Dishwasher started without major hassle!
April 21 - Continued
In order to post those last couple days and get internet access, I packed up my computer, took a train to another town and got comfy at a coffee shop. Only to realize about 5 min. later the coffee shop wireless internet was not working. I chugged my coffee and went walking around town to find anywhere that said they had wireless internet. The only place I found was a bar...Hmmm. In order to use their internet you need to buy something and I wasn't hungry, so I sat in a bar with a glass of red wine in the middle of the afternoon so that I could use the internet. Funny what lengths I will go to in order to communicate!
I invited the girl from work over for dinner and actually had a fairly successful cooking experience. I made this chicken dish from Marks and Spencers that was chicken in a white wine and mushroom sauce and added some asparagus and pasta and it was yummy! It was really nice to make a meal and sit down and have someone to talk to!
April 22 - Day 11
I returned to the church that I visited last week and the service was unique. The church service at 11am in English speaking and then the church is used again at 6pm and the service is in Romanian. This Sunday, they combined the congregation and everything was translated. The music we would do one course in English and the second in Romanian. There was an amazing vocalist that sang in Romanian. I have no idea what he sang, but it was absolutely beautiful! The sermon was done in Romanian and then translated into English. After the service was over, the Romanian congregation brought food to feed everyone...I would guess about 100 people. I nibbled on the food, and everyone said it was wonderful, but I have to admit my stomach was not quite ready for that. There were several types of stuffed cabbage leaves and a few soups. My true American colors came out, because after church, I grabbed some McDonalds chicken nuggets to hold me over til the next meal.
My next event was to find sheets. My understanding is that my apartment is funished with basics like a bed and a sofa, but doesn't come with bedding/towels/rugs/pillows, etc. I went to the main shopping area in Dublin called Grafton street and it was mobbed! I guess since the stores do not stay open in the evenings, everyone must go on Sat and Sun. I went into Brown Thomas (or something like that) which is a main department store and MY OH MY did I have complete sticker shock!!! The first fitted sheet that I picked up in basic white was 275 Euros (over $350 US dollars) and it was one single sheet. Not even like a set. I talked to the clerk and explained that I was only here for 6 months and asked if there were more economical sheets. The ones she showed me were still 100 Euros per sheet.(about $140). I stood there bewildered! I wandered around a couple more stores and had trouble even finding stores that sold sheets. I ended up at TK Maxx (their equivalent to TJ Maxx). There was a very small selection of sheets, but I found some and then I set out in look for somekind of blanket or cover. I have to tell you that even though it is TK Maxx, their prices are equivalent to a very high end department store at home like Nordstroms or Macys. I guess they are still 1/2 price of their competitors, but man it is going to take some time to get over the cost of living over here! These basic sheets are still more expensive than my very lovely, ridiculously high thread count sheets at home! I have been told by people at work that at some time I will stop converting everything to $ and just think in Euros and it is a bit less shocking that way. I don't know when this change will happen?!
One more note. I was expecting really rainy weather and I am happy to report that I have not yet used my umbrella. We have had 11 days of dry weather. Definitely more cloudy days than Denver, but there have been some sunny dry days. I am really enjoying it and I have been told that it does not last and even though I am tempted to stop carrying an umbrella everywhere, that I must continue to carry it because it could rain at anytime and I need to be prepared.
Oh, I almost forgot. I titled this entry Dishwasher, because I ran out of silverware and plates last night. I am drinking water from tea glasses and eating everything with spoons. So, even though the dishwasher was only 1/2 full, I had to run it because I had no more utensils. I am happy to report that I put soap in it and closed the door and hit a couple buttons and it started. Hip Hip Horray! There is one appliance here that I know how to run!!!
In order to post those last couple days and get internet access, I packed up my computer, took a train to another town and got comfy at a coffee shop. Only to realize about 5 min. later the coffee shop wireless internet was not working. I chugged my coffee and went walking around town to find anywhere that said they had wireless internet. The only place I found was a bar...Hmmm. In order to use their internet you need to buy something and I wasn't hungry, so I sat in a bar with a glass of red wine in the middle of the afternoon so that I could use the internet. Funny what lengths I will go to in order to communicate!
I invited the girl from work over for dinner and actually had a fairly successful cooking experience. I made this chicken dish from Marks and Spencers that was chicken in a white wine and mushroom sauce and added some asparagus and pasta and it was yummy! It was really nice to make a meal and sit down and have someone to talk to!
April 22 - Day 11
I returned to the church that I visited last week and the service was unique. The church service at 11am in English speaking and then the church is used again at 6pm and the service is in Romanian. This Sunday, they combined the congregation and everything was translated. The music we would do one course in English and the second in Romanian. There was an amazing vocalist that sang in Romanian. I have no idea what he sang, but it was absolutely beautiful! The sermon was done in Romanian and then translated into English. After the service was over, the Romanian congregation brought food to feed everyone...I would guess about 100 people. I nibbled on the food, and everyone said it was wonderful, but I have to admit my stomach was not quite ready for that. There were several types of stuffed cabbage leaves and a few soups. My true American colors came out, because after church, I grabbed some McDonalds chicken nuggets to hold me over til the next meal.
My next event was to find sheets. My understanding is that my apartment is funished with basics like a bed and a sofa, but doesn't come with bedding/towels/rugs/pillows, etc. I went to the main shopping area in Dublin called Grafton street and it was mobbed! I guess since the stores do not stay open in the evenings, everyone must go on Sat and Sun. I went into Brown Thomas (or something like that) which is a main department store and MY OH MY did I have complete sticker shock!!! The first fitted sheet that I picked up in basic white was 275 Euros (over $350 US dollars) and it was one single sheet. Not even like a set. I talked to the clerk and explained that I was only here for 6 months and asked if there were more economical sheets. The ones she showed me were still 100 Euros per sheet.(about $140). I stood there bewildered! I wandered around a couple more stores and had trouble even finding stores that sold sheets. I ended up at TK Maxx (their equivalent to TJ Maxx). There was a very small selection of sheets, but I found some and then I set out in look for somekind of blanket or cover. I have to tell you that even though it is TK Maxx, their prices are equivalent to a very high end department store at home like Nordstroms or Macys. I guess they are still 1/2 price of their competitors, but man it is going to take some time to get over the cost of living over here! These basic sheets are still more expensive than my very lovely, ridiculously high thread count sheets at home! I have been told by people at work that at some time I will stop converting everything to $ and just think in Euros and it is a bit less shocking that way. I don't know when this change will happen?!
One more note. I was expecting really rainy weather and I am happy to report that I have not yet used my umbrella. We have had 11 days of dry weather. Definitely more cloudy days than Denver, but there have been some sunny dry days. I am really enjoying it and I have been told that it does not last and even though I am tempted to stop carrying an umbrella everywhere, that I must continue to carry it because it could rain at anytime and I need to be prepared.
Oh, I almost forgot. I titled this entry Dishwasher, because I ran out of silverware and plates last night. I am drinking water from tea glasses and eating everything with spoons. So, even though the dishwasher was only 1/2 full, I had to run it because I had no more utensils. I am happy to report that I put soap in it and closed the door and hit a couple buttons and it started. Hip Hip Horray! There is one appliance here that I know how to run!!!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Irish Appliances - AAGGHHH :(
April 20th – Day 9
My day started before the sun came up! I woke up before 5:30am to get to the Garda station. Garda=Police in Irish. When I arrived in Dublin I received a 30 day stamp in my passport and instead of a visa, Ireland gives people on a work permit a “Garda” card. It is issued by the Garda National Immigration Board and the office is in city centre Dublin and it opens at 8 am. It is a very busy office and I was instructed to get there by 7:15am in order to get in line. Factor in a 30min train ride and the walk to the train, it was a very early morning! The information I received was very accurate and at 7:20am when I arrived there were at least 30 people in line and the line snaked around the building. I was told that they often cut off the line at 10am in order to finish the processing by 4pm when the office closes. It took a little less than 2 hours and a little concern before I successfully received my card. The guy in front of me was there on a work permit also and the Garda employee wanted to proof of his health insurance and he would not accept a health card as we are accustomed to in the states. He wanted a letter guaranteeing health coverage. I did not have a letter of this sorts, but when another Garda employee was open, and it was my turn, he did not request any health information from me. It did take about 3 sets of lines and different checks before I got my Garda card which is about the size of an American drivers license. Once I got the card I set of to the office. There are 3 major hurdles to getting set up in Ireland, one is the Garda card, another is setting up a bank account and the third is getting a person number (similar to social security number). I have one down and 2 to go.
Near the end of the work day, a gentleman entered my cube and introduced himself. As he said his name, I was very thankful someone had given me an organization chart, because he was head of the entire office and I recognized his name. I think being the first American to come to work at the Ireland office is an interesting distinction. It was very nice of him to come and visit and introduce himself! There are about 500 people at the office I am working at, so it is not a small operation even by US standards.
Another kitchen adventure… I attempted to cook some pasta this evening and turning on the stove was quite a challenge. I played with every knob on the stove and nothing was working. I was about to give up when I noticed a light switch on the wall to the right of the stove. Sure enough, you must actually turn on the light switch before the stove gets any power. I think I can only handle one appliance adventure per day! Tomorrow will be the washer/dryer (all one unit) and maybe I’ll tackle the dishwasher the day after!
April 21, Day 10
Time to attempt some laundry. I went to the store to buy detergent and couldn’t even differentiate between the detergent and fabric softener! I finally selected some and I think it is detergent with “touch of fabric softener”. I asked the clerk if it also had soap in it..what’s the point of washing clothes with fabric softener only! The clerk said no, but I didn’t think he really knew, so I asked a couple ladies in the store and they said that it was both detergent and fabric softener…here’s hoping!
Appliances are proving to test my patience! So I looked at the 3 slots in a pull out part of the washer and was clueless as to which one was actually for soap. I even texted a girl from work and asked which of the 3 slots was appropriate, I found out she uses the center slot. Ok. Then I read the back of the soap in it’s actually in these miniature plastic bags with liquid inside and it says to put it in the washing bin itself. Ok. Inserted it, then I put in few items of clothing. I am being really cautious because a girl at work said that the washing machines over here are kinda sketchy and have been known to “shred” clothing. I proceeded to spend nearly 40 minutes trying to get the machine to start. It had a yellow light on, so it obviously had power, I had selected a program and it had soap and clothes. Why was there no water coming?!? I opened and closed the door about 5 times and I hit every button in the vicinity and no water came. I was really frustrated, so I texted the girl at work again and told her the situation. She called back and said to try I few things. I did them and nothing worked. I was about to call the landlord when I got really frustrated and SLAMMED the door. Low and behold it started. Apparently you need to get violent and slam the door before it decides to work. I hope whoever is reading this is laughing out there at what an incredible process it is to do a load of laundry and keep in mind that I put in 2 t-shirts, one pair of sweatpants and a few pairs of socks and the washbin was full. It is probably ¼ of the size of a standard American washbin. Next comes the drying process. I have been told by the landlord and the girl at work that the drying part of this integrated machine does not really work. So, don’t even bother trying to dry your clothes, rather you must hang them to dry. I also read that you cannot hang your clothes outside in my apartment complex, so once the washer actually finished I must hang all of clothes to dry somewhere inside the apartment! It makes doing laundry in the states seem like a walk in the park!
I totally forgot to tell you about the water pump itself. It is some kind of contraption that is in every apartment and each time you use water in the home it makes a very loud pumping noise. I completely jumped when the landlord was testing the hot water and this load strange noise started. It’s not like it happens once. I just flushed the toilet to test it and it pumps about 10 times before it stops and of course the location of the pump is next to the bedroom…what a bad floor plan design!
There is currently a rectangular drywall cut out in the wall near the entrance door of the apartment, so I looked in and there is actually a wooden kitchen spoon holding things together inside it even has a cut out in the top of the spoon to attach it to a pipe. I guess you can look at this 2 ways, either someone was very resourceful, or they have no building codes or standards of safety for construction in Ireland. I think my friend in construction in the states will get a laugh out of this!
My day started before the sun came up! I woke up before 5:30am to get to the Garda station. Garda=Police in Irish. When I arrived in Dublin I received a 30 day stamp in my passport and instead of a visa, Ireland gives people on a work permit a “Garda” card. It is issued by the Garda National Immigration Board and the office is in city centre Dublin and it opens at 8 am. It is a very busy office and I was instructed to get there by 7:15am in order to get in line. Factor in a 30min train ride and the walk to the train, it was a very early morning! The information I received was very accurate and at 7:20am when I arrived there were at least 30 people in line and the line snaked around the building. I was told that they often cut off the line at 10am in order to finish the processing by 4pm when the office closes. It took a little less than 2 hours and a little concern before I successfully received my card. The guy in front of me was there on a work permit also and the Garda employee wanted to proof of his health insurance and he would not accept a health card as we are accustomed to in the states. He wanted a letter guaranteeing health coverage. I did not have a letter of this sorts, but when another Garda employee was open, and it was my turn, he did not request any health information from me. It did take about 3 sets of lines and different checks before I got my Garda card which is about the size of an American drivers license. Once I got the card I set of to the office. There are 3 major hurdles to getting set up in Ireland, one is the Garda card, another is setting up a bank account and the third is getting a person number (similar to social security number). I have one down and 2 to go.
Near the end of the work day, a gentleman entered my cube and introduced himself. As he said his name, I was very thankful someone had given me an organization chart, because he was head of the entire office and I recognized his name. I think being the first American to come to work at the Ireland office is an interesting distinction. It was very nice of him to come and visit and introduce himself! There are about 500 people at the office I am working at, so it is not a small operation even by US standards.
Another kitchen adventure… I attempted to cook some pasta this evening and turning on the stove was quite a challenge. I played with every knob on the stove and nothing was working. I was about to give up when I noticed a light switch on the wall to the right of the stove. Sure enough, you must actually turn on the light switch before the stove gets any power. I think I can only handle one appliance adventure per day! Tomorrow will be the washer/dryer (all one unit) and maybe I’ll tackle the dishwasher the day after!
April 21, Day 10
Time to attempt some laundry. I went to the store to buy detergent and couldn’t even differentiate between the detergent and fabric softener! I finally selected some and I think it is detergent with “touch of fabric softener”. I asked the clerk if it also had soap in it..what’s the point of washing clothes with fabric softener only! The clerk said no, but I didn’t think he really knew, so I asked a couple ladies in the store and they said that it was both detergent and fabric softener…here’s hoping!
Appliances are proving to test my patience! So I looked at the 3 slots in a pull out part of the washer and was clueless as to which one was actually for soap. I even texted a girl from work and asked which of the 3 slots was appropriate, I found out she uses the center slot. Ok. Then I read the back of the soap in it’s actually in these miniature plastic bags with liquid inside and it says to put it in the washing bin itself. Ok. Inserted it, then I put in few items of clothing. I am being really cautious because a girl at work said that the washing machines over here are kinda sketchy and have been known to “shred” clothing. I proceeded to spend nearly 40 minutes trying to get the machine to start. It had a yellow light on, so it obviously had power, I had selected a program and it had soap and clothes. Why was there no water coming?!? I opened and closed the door about 5 times and I hit every button in the vicinity and no water came. I was really frustrated, so I texted the girl at work again and told her the situation. She called back and said to try I few things. I did them and nothing worked. I was about to call the landlord when I got really frustrated and SLAMMED the door. Low and behold it started. Apparently you need to get violent and slam the door before it decides to work. I hope whoever is reading this is laughing out there at what an incredible process it is to do a load of laundry and keep in mind that I put in 2 t-shirts, one pair of sweatpants and a few pairs of socks and the washbin was full. It is probably ¼ of the size of a standard American washbin. Next comes the drying process. I have been told by the landlord and the girl at work that the drying part of this integrated machine does not really work. So, don’t even bother trying to dry your clothes, rather you must hang them to dry. I also read that you cannot hang your clothes outside in my apartment complex, so once the washer actually finished I must hang all of clothes to dry somewhere inside the apartment! It makes doing laundry in the states seem like a walk in the park!
I totally forgot to tell you about the water pump itself. It is some kind of contraption that is in every apartment and each time you use water in the home it makes a very loud pumping noise. I completely jumped when the landlord was testing the hot water and this load strange noise started. It’s not like it happens once. I just flushed the toilet to test it and it pumps about 10 times before it stops and of course the location of the pump is next to the bedroom…what a bad floor plan design!
There is currently a rectangular drywall cut out in the wall near the entrance door of the apartment, so I looked in and there is actually a wooden kitchen spoon holding things together inside it even has a cut out in the top of the spoon to attach it to a pipe. I guess you can look at this 2 ways, either someone was very resourceful, or they have no building codes or standards of safety for construction in Ireland. I think my friend in construction in the states will get a laugh out of this!
Friday, April 20, 2007
Kinda long, but I've had a few interesting days!
Day 6 – April 17
I found out that I got the apartment I really wanted! YEAH! The only downside is that it is not available until May 1, so I have to move out of the hotel and into temporary housing for a couple weeks which means another move with ALL of my luggage! I went to an Italian restaurant near my hotel before I packed all my bags again and the waiter was a chatty Irishman. He sat at the table with me for a bit and he gave me a complimentary glass of campaign to start and a shot glass of some lemon liqueur with my check. It was an interesting dinner!
Day 7 – April 18
After squeezing all of my stuff into my luggage I managed to get 2 suitcases into the hallway before I locked my self out of the hotel room. Then I had to get a maid to let me in to get the rest of my luggage. It’s really hard to move about with 3 rolling suitcases and about 3 other bags including a computer bag and a backpack! I finally managed to get myself and all of my belongings into an elevator and into the lobby. Gerry, the apartment agent, agreed to come get me and my belongings and transport me to the temporary apt. We arrived, met the letting agent and dropped off my stuff. It is actually a ground level, so we just opened the bedroom window and wheeled in my suitcases. I was so occupied with figuring out where I was and how I would get back to the apartment that night after work, that I failed to ask how to get in the big gate to the property. A phone call later revealed that I have to enter a 6 digit password 3 times (3 different gates/doors) and then use a key to get into the apartment…I guess that kind of security should make me feel safe! I also discovered something else…there is no hairdryer, so after work I got the name of a store that should sell them and went there. At 6:15pm when I arrived the store was closed. It turns out that the stores are only open past 5 or 6 on Thursdays. There is only one day of the week and they may stay open til 7 as their “late” night. One more item for the day…I have never had carpet in an apartment that hurt my feet. This is a first! It is the texture of the outdoor mats that are made of thick rope like material. It is in the bedroom and the living room. I have to wear shoes all the time, even with my pj’s! Also, no internet at the temporary apartment, so my postings may be more sporadic. And another thing…I could figure out how to turn on the tv for the life of me…I actually had to call the landlady and she had to come over and help me. First, it was not plugged in properly and I hadn’t touched than and then to top it off there are 4 remotes and the power button isn’t really a power button, it only turns the tv off. In order to turn the tv on, you must press 1…I never would have guessed that!
Day 8 – April 19
Ok, so my hair is a bit out of control today…with the humidity and no hairdryer it’s crazy! I ran out over lunch to buy a hairdryer and a basic one with no features cost nearly $40 US dollars. It’s the same kind that you would find at target for $10-15. It’s crazy! There are lots of little tiny local shops and nothing equivalent to a Target or Walmart and certainly nothing like a Super-Walmart! I also went to the grocery store to pick up a few items for basic food and discovered that they actually charge you for plastic bags to carry your groceries in. Can you believe that?! So you must either buy one of their carrying sacks (kinda like Whole Foods cotton sacks) or pay nearly a $.25 per bag. It is so expensive over here!!!
On my train ride home, I experienced the lack of modesty over here. There was a women directly across from me with a child about 12 months and she started to breastfeed him. No covering and no attempt to cover anything and I am sitting knee to knee with her. Then to top it off she was holding the child with one hand and she started text messaging with her other hand. Text messaging is the big thing over here, they rarely actually call people.
I bought some groceries at a great store called Marks & Spencer. I think I will be living off of their prepared food! I got some food, paid for my bag again because I forgot to bring a bag with me. When I got them to my temporary apartment I went in search of a baking pan to put in the oven, only to discover there was nothing but skillets in the kitchen…Hmmm…I had no idea what to put my food on in the oven, so I read the bottom of the plate and it said oven safe. I have no idea what people usually use for the oven, but it was a first for me to stick a table plate in the oven! It worked and I had a lovely dinner of prawns.
I found out that I got the apartment I really wanted! YEAH! The only downside is that it is not available until May 1, so I have to move out of the hotel and into temporary housing for a couple weeks which means another move with ALL of my luggage! I went to an Italian restaurant near my hotel before I packed all my bags again and the waiter was a chatty Irishman. He sat at the table with me for a bit and he gave me a complimentary glass of campaign to start and a shot glass of some lemon liqueur with my check. It was an interesting dinner!
Day 7 – April 18
After squeezing all of my stuff into my luggage I managed to get 2 suitcases into the hallway before I locked my self out of the hotel room. Then I had to get a maid to let me in to get the rest of my luggage. It’s really hard to move about with 3 rolling suitcases and about 3 other bags including a computer bag and a backpack! I finally managed to get myself and all of my belongings into an elevator and into the lobby. Gerry, the apartment agent, agreed to come get me and my belongings and transport me to the temporary apt. We arrived, met the letting agent and dropped off my stuff. It is actually a ground level, so we just opened the bedroom window and wheeled in my suitcases. I was so occupied with figuring out where I was and how I would get back to the apartment that night after work, that I failed to ask how to get in the big gate to the property. A phone call later revealed that I have to enter a 6 digit password 3 times (3 different gates/doors) and then use a key to get into the apartment…I guess that kind of security should make me feel safe! I also discovered something else…there is no hairdryer, so after work I got the name of a store that should sell them and went there. At 6:15pm when I arrived the store was closed. It turns out that the stores are only open past 5 or 6 on Thursdays. There is only one day of the week and they may stay open til 7 as their “late” night. One more item for the day…I have never had carpet in an apartment that hurt my feet. This is a first! It is the texture of the outdoor mats that are made of thick rope like material. It is in the bedroom and the living room. I have to wear shoes all the time, even with my pj’s! Also, no internet at the temporary apartment, so my postings may be more sporadic. And another thing…I could figure out how to turn on the tv for the life of me…I actually had to call the landlady and she had to come over and help me. First, it was not plugged in properly and I hadn’t touched than and then to top it off there are 4 remotes and the power button isn’t really a power button, it only turns the tv off. In order to turn the tv on, you must press 1…I never would have guessed that!
Day 8 – April 19
Ok, so my hair is a bit out of control today…with the humidity and no hairdryer it’s crazy! I ran out over lunch to buy a hairdryer and a basic one with no features cost nearly $40 US dollars. It’s the same kind that you would find at target for $10-15. It’s crazy! There are lots of little tiny local shops and nothing equivalent to a Target or Walmart and certainly nothing like a Super-Walmart! I also went to the grocery store to pick up a few items for basic food and discovered that they actually charge you for plastic bags to carry your groceries in. Can you believe that?! So you must either buy one of their carrying sacks (kinda like Whole Foods cotton sacks) or pay nearly a $.25 per bag. It is so expensive over here!!!
On my train ride home, I experienced the lack of modesty over here. There was a women directly across from me with a child about 12 months and she started to breastfeed him. No covering and no attempt to cover anything and I am sitting knee to knee with her. Then to top it off she was holding the child with one hand and she started text messaging with her other hand. Text messaging is the big thing over here, they rarely actually call people.
I bought some groceries at a great store called Marks & Spencer. I think I will be living off of their prepared food! I got some food, paid for my bag again because I forgot to bring a bag with me. When I got them to my temporary apartment I went in search of a baking pan to put in the oven, only to discover there was nothing but skillets in the kitchen…Hmmm…I had no idea what to put my food on in the oven, so I read the bottom of the plate and it said oven safe. I have no idea what people usually use for the oven, but it was a first for me to stick a table plate in the oven! It worked and I had a lovely dinner of prawns.
Monday, April 16, 2007
First Day of Work
April 16- Day 5 - First day of work
I started the day by getting on the train going in the wrong direction...not a good beginning for my first day of work in Ireland! I realized just one stop into the train ride that I was not headed for the office and got on in the right direction. Then I proceeded to get royally lost before I finally made it to the office just 5 min. before I was due to arrive. I was escorted to my desk and meet a few people in the department. Everyone was very friendly! Yeah!
I looked at another apartment over lunch and it was lovely but it was ground floor and on a main traffic way, with the bed only about 12 inches from where a lot of people were standing around. I don't think I'd get much sleep with people standing right outside my bedroom window...I'll have to keep looking.
I dove right into my work project this afternoon. We have a lot of work to do and the girl that I will be working with is very nice. We have similar public accounting backgrounds and she helped explain a lot of terminology that is different in Ireland. Overall a good first day!
April 15 – Day 4
It’s crazy, but I slept in so late that I barely made it to an 11am church service. I found a church in Dublin online and decided to attend. The congregation is very diverse. They had each of the visitors stand up and say where they are from and afterwards I met two students from my home state. Joey and Jeff and studying in Ireland this summer and headed back to the states the end of May. I hope to see them next Sunday at church. I decided that today I would take the DART as far as it would go North…the opposite direction from yesterday. The last stop to the north is Howth. It is a fishing village complete with a pier, lots of seafood restaurants and a picturesque setting. They were actually having an outdoor market today with shops selling everything from jewelry and vintage clothing to cheese and fresh fish. Now it’s time to get ready to go to work tomorrow morning.
April 14 – Day 3
I got a late start because I slept in!!! I met Gerry about 11:30 to look at apartments and we saw three. The first one was a very modern apartment in the Grand Canal Dock area with two bedrooms and it was very nice!! The next two – one was very old and not well maintained and the second was small and overpriced. We made a bid for the first apartment and we are now waiting to see if I get it. There were apparently 13 people who viewed it and there were only 3 who the landlord (Dannacha) would be interested in renting to.
Gerry dropped me off at Christs Church and I did a tour. On my way out a girl asked me to take her picture and I asked her to take mine. We started chatting and I found out that she is a student on a semester abroad in Spain. Laura (21) is from Ohio and a student of a school in Kentucky. She asked what my plans were for the afternoon and I said that I had none. She asked if I would want to go with her on the DART line for Bray (last stop to the South on the DART) to have a look around. I said sure and we headed in that direction. We had a nice train ride down and looked at the coast. We walked along the water in Bray and stopped at a pub with a nice patio – Mallito- and had a wonderful dinner. We even shared an order of fries and cake. It was great to have someone to talk to and eat with! After a wonderful afternoon near the water we got back on the DART and headed to the hotel. What a fun way to spend the afternoon and find another American girl traveling alone.
I started the day by getting on the train going in the wrong direction...not a good beginning for my first day of work in Ireland! I realized just one stop into the train ride that I was not headed for the office and got on in the right direction. Then I proceeded to get royally lost before I finally made it to the office just 5 min. before I was due to arrive. I was escorted to my desk and meet a few people in the department. Everyone was very friendly! Yeah!
I looked at another apartment over lunch and it was lovely but it was ground floor and on a main traffic way, with the bed only about 12 inches from where a lot of people were standing around. I don't think I'd get much sleep with people standing right outside my bedroom window...I'll have to keep looking.
I dove right into my work project this afternoon. We have a lot of work to do and the girl that I will be working with is very nice. We have similar public accounting backgrounds and she helped explain a lot of terminology that is different in Ireland. Overall a good first day!
April 15 – Day 4
It’s crazy, but I slept in so late that I barely made it to an 11am church service. I found a church in Dublin online and decided to attend. The congregation is very diverse. They had each of the visitors stand up and say where they are from and afterwards I met two students from my home state. Joey and Jeff and studying in Ireland this summer and headed back to the states the end of May. I hope to see them next Sunday at church. I decided that today I would take the DART as far as it would go North…the opposite direction from yesterday. The last stop to the north is Howth. It is a fishing village complete with a pier, lots of seafood restaurants and a picturesque setting. They were actually having an outdoor market today with shops selling everything from jewelry and vintage clothing to cheese and fresh fish. Now it’s time to get ready to go to work tomorrow morning.
April 14 – Day 3
I got a late start because I slept in!!! I met Gerry about 11:30 to look at apartments and we saw three. The first one was a very modern apartment in the Grand Canal Dock area with two bedrooms and it was very nice!! The next two – one was very old and not well maintained and the second was small and overpriced. We made a bid for the first apartment and we are now waiting to see if I get it. There were apparently 13 people who viewed it and there were only 3 who the landlord (Dannacha) would be interested in renting to.
Gerry dropped me off at Christs Church and I did a tour. On my way out a girl asked me to take her picture and I asked her to take mine. We started chatting and I found out that she is a student on a semester abroad in Spain. Laura (21) is from Ohio and a student of a school in Kentucky. She asked what my plans were for the afternoon and I said that I had none. She asked if I would want to go with her on the DART line for Bray (last stop to the South on the DART) to have a look around. I said sure and we headed in that direction. We had a nice train ride down and looked at the coast. We walked along the water in Bray and stopped at a pub with a nice patio – Mallito- and had a wonderful dinner. We even shared an order of fries and cake. It was great to have someone to talk to and eat with! After a wonderful afternoon near the water we got back on the DART and headed to the hotel. What a fun way to spend the afternoon and find another American girl traveling alone.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Arrival in Ireland - April 11, 2007
April 12 – Day 1
I have arrived in Dublin!!! My incredibly heavy suitcases weighing in at 52 and 76 pounds arrived too! I even found a wonderful cart to help me get my luggage out of the airport to the taxi line. I arrived at my hotel a little after 9am and there were no rooms available. They stored my luggage and I set out on foot. I found the DART station and rode it a couple stops to Pearse Street and Trinity College. I found Grafton Street and an internet café and some much needed coffee. When I arrived back at the hotel around noon, they found me a room and had 2 guys bring up my luggage. I guess it was too heavy for just one person to push. :)
I received a call from my apartment agent to meet at 8am the next morning to look at accommodations. About an hour later, a future co-worker called and invited me to dinner. We met in the hotel lobby about 7pm went to a great Indian place. They were very helpful with information about Ireland, the office and cell phones.
April 13 – Friday the 13th – Day 2
Not so much sleeping yet with the jet lag…I think I got about 3 ½ hours total. I met with the agent this morning to look at apartments and he had set up three to look at and only one was available for viewing. The one we looked at wasn’t available until May 10. Besides that it was soooo small. It will take some adjustment to get used to the smaller accommodations. Hopefully he will have more options over the next couple days. He did take me on a driving tour of South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire (a coastal town about 15 min. train ride to Dublin City Centre). It is a beautiful day here in the low 60’s and sunny. I’m told that this is a rare occurrence and that I need to enjoy it!
Then I worked on getting a cell phone. I think the main goal of cell phone companies (anywhere in the world) is to confuse you so much that you have no idea what you are getting in the end and how much it costs you! At least I got a phone and I can now communicate a lot easier. I even got Skype to work! Technology is so incredible.
I have arrived in Dublin!!! My incredibly heavy suitcases weighing in at 52 and 76 pounds arrived too! I even found a wonderful cart to help me get my luggage out of the airport to the taxi line. I arrived at my hotel a little after 9am and there were no rooms available. They stored my luggage and I set out on foot. I found the DART station and rode it a couple stops to Pearse Street and Trinity College. I found Grafton Street and an internet café and some much needed coffee. When I arrived back at the hotel around noon, they found me a room and had 2 guys bring up my luggage. I guess it was too heavy for just one person to push. :)
I received a call from my apartment agent to meet at 8am the next morning to look at accommodations. About an hour later, a future co-worker called and invited me to dinner. We met in the hotel lobby about 7pm went to a great Indian place. They were very helpful with information about Ireland, the office and cell phones.
April 13 – Friday the 13th – Day 2
Not so much sleeping yet with the jet lag…I think I got about 3 ½ hours total. I met with the agent this morning to look at apartments and he had set up three to look at and only one was available for viewing. The one we looked at wasn’t available until May 10. Besides that it was soooo small. It will take some adjustment to get used to the smaller accommodations. Hopefully he will have more options over the next couple days. He did take me on a driving tour of South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire (a coastal town about 15 min. train ride to Dublin City Centre). It is a beautiful day here in the low 60’s and sunny. I’m told that this is a rare occurrence and that I need to enjoy it!
Then I worked on getting a cell phone. I think the main goal of cell phone companies (anywhere in the world) is to confuse you so much that you have no idea what you are getting in the end and how much it costs you! At least I got a phone and I can now communicate a lot easier. I even got Skype to work! Technology is so incredible.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
First Blog
Thank you Jen for setting me up with a blog spot as a birthday present. I'll try my best to remember to provide updates!
As a 1st time blogger, I figured my 30th birthday was a good day to start. The countdown for my departure to Ireland is 3 days. I’m tired of looking at the suitcases trying to figure out how in the world to pack for 6 months in a foreign country that I have never even visited. More importantly I need to be able to lift the suitcases and they have to be under 100 lbs each for the airline to accept them...what a dilemma! I certainly can't pack my collection of 30 pairs of black shoes! What is a girl to do without her shoes!
Two days ago (April 6) a cruise ship in Greece sank off the coast of Santorini. It was shocking for me to read the news reports and watch the video as the ship sank. Even more unbelievable is the fact that my friend and I disembarked from that ship on March 30, only one week before it sank in the Aegean Sea. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the 2 unaccounted for passengers.
Today is also Easter Sunday and a time to celebrate. It was snowing this morning in Colorado, so we had to forgo the outdoor church service. It was wonderful to spend the day with family and friends.
The next couple days will be filled with work and packing…I’ll try to write again after I arrive in Ireland.
As a 1st time blogger, I figured my 30th birthday was a good day to start. The countdown for my departure to Ireland is 3 days. I’m tired of looking at the suitcases trying to figure out how in the world to pack for 6 months in a foreign country that I have never even visited. More importantly I need to be able to lift the suitcases and they have to be under 100 lbs each for the airline to accept them...what a dilemma! I certainly can't pack my collection of 30 pairs of black shoes! What is a girl to do without her shoes!
Two days ago (April 6) a cruise ship in Greece sank off the coast of Santorini. It was shocking for me to read the news reports and watch the video as the ship sank. Even more unbelievable is the fact that my friend and I disembarked from that ship on March 30, only one week before it sank in the Aegean Sea. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the 2 unaccounted for passengers.
Today is also Easter Sunday and a time to celebrate. It was snowing this morning in Colorado, so we had to forgo the outdoor church service. It was wonderful to spend the day with family and friends.
The next couple days will be filled with work and packing…I’ll try to write again after I arrive in Ireland.
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