"Pious, earthy, witty, brooding, proud, and unpretentious, Irish culture is an intoxicating potion to sip or slurp--as the mood strikes you."
I began reading the Introduction to Rick Steves' book. As I did, a sense of panic began to set in. An endless string of thoughts began to form in my head. What am I going to pack? HOW am I going to pack? Should I start packing today? I think I should. I should go shopping. I need some things. But do I really? Should I buy them there? How will I know where to go? Oh my gosh, I'm going alone. So I'm panicking now, but trying very hard to keep myself under control.
Rick Steves gave me a lot of things to think about when it comes to planning for my trip. Of course, some of his points were irrelevant for me, since I'm not just traveling for three weeks. (By the way, if you are going to Ireland for three weeks, Rick gives an itinerary for a perfect three-week vacation.) His checklist for planning was as follows:
-mix intense and relaxed periods (no problem for me there)
-go at the best possible time of year (I can't really control that...)
-plan travel routes before you go
-take advantage of Internet cafes (yay for free wifi all over campus
-enjoy the friendly Irish culture
-be open to unexpected experiences
-keep a notepad
-learn the money
Now his last few points got a little daydream going in my head. I go to a local pub, explain that I'm a traveler and start asking people where I should go. They give me place after place to go see and visit, and we talk and laugh and then they all wish me well. But then I really think about it, and realize how STUPID I would be to think that would actually happen. So I'm not sure how to really "enjoy the friendly Irish culture," but I'm pretty sure I'll just have to keep it on campus. At least for a while.
So I started making a packing list, but it's all over the place. So far, I know I have to bring
-rain boots
-rain jacket
-boot socks
-leather jacket
-sweatshirts
-jeans
That's a pretty sad packing list. So I'm gonna have to do some more thinking and actual list-making. But for now, I'll just have to continue reading and see what I find.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
7.24.13 The Countdown Begins: 50 Days
First I just want to express how excited I am that I have 2 followers today! My life is exciting.
Today I started reading Rick Steves' Ireland 2013. I'm learning so much, it's hard to handle. And I'm only on page 12. However I am taking notes, so that I can share with my readers the things I am learning, and hopefully to help me retain some things and have a reference to look on when I decide to return the book to the library.
I started at the very beginning, a very good place to start, according to Julie Andrews. The first several pages of Rick Steves' book tells many general facts about Ireland, some I knew, some I did not know. One of the main things to know about the Irish is their passion for their past. There is an old Irish adage that goes, "When God made time, he made a lot of it." I like this expression, because it reminds me that while the history of the United States goes back hundreds of years, the history of Europe goes back thousands of years, to times when the earth was thought to be flat, and our country was not even a thought in anyone's head yet, and the world was much smaller than it is today. Rick Steves' wrote, "While much of Europe has buried older cultures under new, Ireland still reveals its cultural bedrock, dating back to the time when our ancestors finally stopped hunting and gathering and began to build at last."
I learned that Ireland is split up into 4 provinces, and further split into 32 counties, each with their own county pride, similar to our 50 states. The climate is fairly mild, and while they get next to no snow (a big change from Cleveland), they get LOTS OF RAIN. Yay. Time to break out the rain boots, I suppose. Irish writer Oscar Wilde once quipped, "There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing." ...Good thing I bought a new rain coat.
Something I think I'll love about Ireland is that the people are described as "passionate, poetic, and pugnacious." Freud once said that "the Irish are the only race whose insanities cannot be cured by psychoanalysis." I love that. I think, being the lovably crazy person I am, I will fit right in.
The reading I'm doing is also making me very excited to eat in Ireland. Mr. Steves has informed me of all the Irish specialties and staples, like Irish beef, lamb, dairy, seafood, and of course, potatoes. When I go to the pubs I'll be looking for Irish stew, chicken curry, and fish & chips (which better be as good as the fish & chips at the England pavilion in Disney's Epcot). I'm also gonna have to be on the lookout for Guinness, Smithwicks, Harp, and triple-distilled Irish whiskey.
That's all I've got for now, but tomorrow, I shall venture into the actual Introduction. (Apparently there's a pre-introduction and an actual introduction.) Until then.
Today I started reading Rick Steves' Ireland 2013. I'm learning so much, it's hard to handle. And I'm only on page 12. However I am taking notes, so that I can share with my readers the things I am learning, and hopefully to help me retain some things and have a reference to look on when I decide to return the book to the library.
I started at the very beginning, a very good place to start, according to Julie Andrews. The first several pages of Rick Steves' book tells many general facts about Ireland, some I knew, some I did not know. One of the main things to know about the Irish is their passion for their past. There is an old Irish adage that goes, "When God made time, he made a lot of it." I like this expression, because it reminds me that while the history of the United States goes back hundreds of years, the history of Europe goes back thousands of years, to times when the earth was thought to be flat, and our country was not even a thought in anyone's head yet, and the world was much smaller than it is today. Rick Steves' wrote, "While much of Europe has buried older cultures under new, Ireland still reveals its cultural bedrock, dating back to the time when our ancestors finally stopped hunting and gathering and began to build at last."
I learned that Ireland is split up into 4 provinces, and further split into 32 counties, each with their own county pride, similar to our 50 states. The climate is fairly mild, and while they get next to no snow (a big change from Cleveland), they get LOTS OF RAIN. Yay. Time to break out the rain boots, I suppose. Irish writer Oscar Wilde once quipped, "There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing." ...Good thing I bought a new rain coat.
Something I think I'll love about Ireland is that the people are described as "passionate, poetic, and pugnacious." Freud once said that "the Irish are the only race whose insanities cannot be cured by psychoanalysis." I love that. I think, being the lovably crazy person I am, I will fit right in.
The reading I'm doing is also making me very excited to eat in Ireland. Mr. Steves has informed me of all the Irish specialties and staples, like Irish beef, lamb, dairy, seafood, and of course, potatoes. When I go to the pubs I'll be looking for Irish stew, chicken curry, and fish & chips (which better be as good as the fish & chips at the England pavilion in Disney's Epcot). I'm also gonna have to be on the lookout for Guinness, Smithwicks, Harp, and triple-distilled Irish whiskey.
That's all I've got for now, but tomorrow, I shall venture into the actual Introduction. (Apparently there's a pre-introduction and an actual introduction.) Until then.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
7.23.13 New Beginnings
Today, I begin logging my trip to Ireland.
I never wanted to be a blogger, but I have no doubt it will be beneficial in the long run to be able to recount my visit as if it had happened today. Plus it's a lot faster than writing in a journal, and will save me from many hand cramps.
So what better place to start than shopping. Today I bought some new staples that I'm thinking might possibly help while I'm there. But as I was shopping, I realized I know next to nothing about Ireland, and I had no idea what the hell I would need to bring with me. I know it's kinda cool and kinda rainy, and there's castles and stone circles and leprechauns. But what will really help me?
So I went to the library, where better, to find some books. Now, I love reading, but researching doesn't exactly sound like a fun evening at home to me. But tonight, I begin looking for some information. What to pack, how to pack it, how to go about my life while I'm there, all that jazz.
I begin with Rick Steves' Ireland 2013 because I hear his travel information is very helpful. But here's the thing; I'm not just taking a trip... I'M LIVING THERE. FOR FOUR MONTHS. What on God's green Earth am I going to do. I must say, I'm freaking out just a titch. I'll be there completely by myself, at least until I make friends. ...If I make friends.
Okay, so as I freak out, I remember how awful my first year of college was. I finished my freshman year at Baldwin Wallace University in May, and I hated it. I never knew I would have such a hard time adjusting to college life, but surprisingly I did. Not only could I not seem to make friends, but I just couldn't get motivated to do anything. So I'm excited to start over in another country. I think it will be good for me to just get away to somewhere where I literally don't know anyone. And as scary as that is, a new beginning is just what I need. I'll come back refreshed with a new perspective on life and a new readiness to take on the world.
I'll be recounting my experiences and adventures as I go, and I'll post SO MANY PICTURES. Enjoy my page. :)
I never wanted to be a blogger, but I have no doubt it will be beneficial in the long run to be able to recount my visit as if it had happened today. Plus it's a lot faster than writing in a journal, and will save me from many hand cramps.
So what better place to start than shopping. Today I bought some new staples that I'm thinking might possibly help while I'm there. But as I was shopping, I realized I know next to nothing about Ireland, and I had no idea what the hell I would need to bring with me. I know it's kinda cool and kinda rainy, and there's castles and stone circles and leprechauns. But what will really help me?
So I went to the library, where better, to find some books. Now, I love reading, but researching doesn't exactly sound like a fun evening at home to me. But tonight, I begin looking for some information. What to pack, how to pack it, how to go about my life while I'm there, all that jazz.
I begin with Rick Steves' Ireland 2013 because I hear his travel information is very helpful. But here's the thing; I'm not just taking a trip... I'M LIVING THERE. FOR FOUR MONTHS. What on God's green Earth am I going to do. I must say, I'm freaking out just a titch. I'll be there completely by myself, at least until I make friends. ...If I make friends.
Okay, so as I freak out, I remember how awful my first year of college was. I finished my freshman year at Baldwin Wallace University in May, and I hated it. I never knew I would have such a hard time adjusting to college life, but surprisingly I did. Not only could I not seem to make friends, but I just couldn't get motivated to do anything. So I'm excited to start over in another country. I think it will be good for me to just get away to somewhere where I literally don't know anyone. And as scary as that is, a new beginning is just what I need. I'll come back refreshed with a new perspective on life and a new readiness to take on the world.
I'll be recounting my experiences and adventures as I go, and I'll post SO MANY PICTURES. Enjoy my page. :)
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