Dublin Ya Fun

I have arrriiiiiiiived! I am sitting in Dublin right now. 

It has been a weird few days. It's strange to actually be here when I've been planning on it for so long.  But  here's whats been happening

I was in Toronto for a week layover. By a week I mean 6 hours, and by layover I actually mean layover. I was so restless I was kinda sprawled on the floor at the Toronto airport.  I enjoyed a chicken Caesar salad in one of their restaurants and I almost choked on it. I had this moment where I thought, "my goodness I'm about to be taken down by a big piece of romaine lettuce. That's so lame." But no worries, I made it through.

Anyway the actual plane ride to Dublin was great! I sat next to this nice Canadian who is spending 3 weeks traveling around Ireland playing the bagpipes with his friend and fellow band member. He kept referring to them as "pipes" and I kept nodding along like it was perfectly normal for him to do this, when in reality my mind was yelling "THAT'S SO COOL YOU BAGPIPIN CANADIAN!" 
-sidenote- anytime I think of bagpipes, this classic Friends scene plays in my head...

and then there's this guy's face.... I love Bagpipes

My happiness as I arrived in Dublin was diminished slightly when the airlines informed me that only one of my bags made it on the plane...the other was arriving the next day on a different flight.  So, because I didn't prepare for this little hiccup,  I was left without uhh....undergarments?  And my interview outfit became a lot more difficult to put together with only half my clothes/goodies.  Anyway, I bought some essentials at this cheap little department store so all was well :)

So now I am here and I have been spending a lot of time with Queva, the girl who is so selflessly letting me stay in her house for a few days.  I had my interview yesterday, and it went very well! I'm really not sure what will happen though. The guy was very nice, but he was interviewing other people as well.

After my interview I went to a little cafe for lunch.  Let me tell you, there is nothing more humbling then when you realize that the majority of your meals in a week have been eaten alone. The realization hits you like a punch to the gut.  This meal started out like that, then finished very differently.  Halfway through my sandwich it started to rain outside.  This woman, in her mid 50's walks in out of the rain and over to me, and just out of nowhere I look at her and say, "please join me!". It seemed so very normal to do this. But I'm so glad I did!

Her name is Cliona, (Like Fiona with a CL..she told me that) and she is the kindest, funniest lady! She has traveled all around the world and did just what I'm doing now, but she went to San Francisco when she was 23.  She was full of funny stories and really great advice. Made me feel a lot better about things.  After she took me on a walk about the city where we ran into many of her friends who also gave me their business cards and were very kind.  You gotta love those Irish.

After I said goodbye to Cliona, and promised her I would text her as soon as I got an Irish phone to tell her I'm alright, I went home to get ready to go to October fest with Queva and her friend Olivia.  What a weird night! It was an insane crowd and everybody danced their heart out.  They play all this American music that you wouldn't expect. Songs that we barely play on the radio anymore, they are all screaming the words with their arms wrapped around each other. I heard the macarena, mambo #5, Greased Lightening, Achy Brakey Heart...my face was a big smile the whole night listening to the cheesy music.



They were better dancers than this. I just want any excuse to share this photo with people.

But...sadly...somebody had to ruin the party.  Sometime during the night a total fartface reached into my purse and stole my Iphone.  I didn't feel a thing, I just noticed it was gone.  Thank goodness they didn't steal my wallet or my passport, which I accidentally forgot to take out :-/ This reminded me of something Cliona had told me earlier.  She said that during her 40ish years in Dublin, she has had 8 cars stolen...EIGHT CARS STOLEN. So, yeah. Don't flaunt your Iphone, and don't buy a car.

Anyway, the night went on and we met some nice guys.  One was named John, and I nearly flipped for joy when he started talking to me about American Football.  He started talking about the Indianapolis Colts and I could have cried. So we became best friends. Except I don't know his last name.  So he was my best friend for the evening.

Today I bought an Irish phone. It is really weird having a different number, even if it is only temporary. 

But these few days have been hard.  Harder than I expected.  I think the problem is, I don't feel like I belong in Dublin.  I don't think I want to stay here.  As cool as it is, it's not for me.  I need a smaller city.  I want to be outnumbered by Irish people, not travelers.  I think I have known this for months, but I didn't know how to live somewhere other than Dublin.  So now I am looking, for real this time, in Galway, and the west coast of Ireland.  That is where I feel called.  So that is where I'm gonna go :)

I decided I am going to finish each post with one of the songs that is on my "Dreamchasing" play list.  This is the play list I listen to when I'm feeling down, overwhelmed, and scared.  Music has been a huge comfort to me over here.  It crosses oceans and borders, and nobody cares you're a stranger when "Sweet Caroline" starts to play over the loud speakers.  We're all just friends.

So here is my first installment of the Dreamchasing play list.  Keep in mind, I am a lyrics person.  I fall in love with lyrics like they were puppies. Weird way to put it, but oddly accurate. This song just makes me feel confident in my decision.  It makes me walk a little bouncier and smile even bigger.  "don't pay no mind to the demons that fill you with fear." Good advice Phil Phil

Phillip Phillips - Home

Well, until the next post.
Love y'all!
-Lauren