Dublin Days

This weekend I had my first Dublin experience!  Everyone in Ireland refers to it as going into "town" which I think is a little strange since Dublin is the capital city of the entire country and is much larger than a town!  Mercè and I caught the bus from Stamullen to Dublin on Friday night to meet up with some other au pair friends of hers she has met while being in Ireland.  We met at a pub, O'Neills, and watched the match between Germany and Greece.  For those of you that didn't know, the Euro Cup has been going on since I've been here.  Ireland is already out but its been fun watching the Euro Cup while being in Europe!  I met Mercè's friend Johanna, who is from Germany, and Belèn, who is from Spain.

My first trip into Dublin was exciting and overwhelming!  I was constantly looking around at everything and not really paying attention to street names.  Luckily Mercè was there to do all the navigating!  While Dublin itself is a large city, Dublin City Centre (or the downtown area) is not quite so big.  In a month or two I think I will be able to find my way around without any problem.  I already know where my bus stop is located and can get there by using some major landmarks in the city once I get close to it.  I think for right now the bus stop is the most important thing I should know!

On Saturday, I woke up around 8 am to go back into the city with Mercè to meet up with Johanna.  Johanna is also leaving very soon and she had one last "tourist" spot to see on her list.  We meet Johanna at Trinity College, which is the university in City Centre, and walked to Kilmainham Gaol. On the way we stopped briefly at Christ Church Cathedral, a beautiful church built in 1030.  I snapped a quick picture of the outside but I can't wait to go back and take a look inside.  Its still amazing to me that Ireland has history dating back to before America was even discovered!

Christ Church

Kilmainhaim is a jail that was built in 1796 and has a rich history.  Many political prisoners were housed at the Gaol from the Easter Rising in 1916.  Many men were executed at Kilmainham for their part in the rising and many in Ireland believe their execution led to enough support from the people of Ireland to start the long road to independence from the British.  The guide also told us about the Anglo-Irish treaty treaty in 1922 that granted the southern 26 counties independence but allowed the United Kingdom to continue to rule the northern 6 counties which is why Northern Ireland is a part of the UK today.

Entrance of the jail

Spiral Staircase!

Love letter from Joseph Plunkett asking his future wife Grace to marry him,  Grace and Joseph were married in the prison the night before Joseph was executed.

Spot where the 16 men who led the Easter Rising were executed.

After the visit to Kilmainham, we walked back to the City Centre and took a look around Temple Bar which has a food and vendor market every Saturday.  The food market was wonderful.  Vendors were set up selling olives, pastries, meat pies, quiche, bread, kabobs, pretty much anything you could imagine!  After getting a quick bite we walked over to St. Stephen's Green.  This area is a big commercial area with shopping and restaurants.  There is also a park that we walked through.  It was strange to go from being surrounded by all of the people and street performers in the shopping area and then walking into the park and feeling a sense of instant calm.

Seagull and ducks in the pond

St. Stephen's Green Park

Around 3:00 we met up with another of Johanna and Mercè's friends, Agnieszka, who is an au pair from Poland.  Agnieszka is finishing up her time with her host family as well but she has liked Ireland so much that she is trying to find a job to be able to stay here.  It was great meeting someone that I can stay in touch with and meet in Dublin on the weekends since Mercè is leaving in less than a week!  I will be sad to see her go since I see her everyday when I pick the girls up from school but I've been lucky to have her around this weekend to introduce me to Dublin for the first time!

When in Rome... or Ireland

Last night I went with another au pair I met at the girls' school, Merce, to play basketball.  I've never actually played in a game of basketball but I decided since I was already in another country I might as well give it a try!  I met Merce at the school and we walked to the community center where the gym was to play.  The women I met were all a little bit older but very nice.  I went with every intention to only watch but some of the other ladies couldn't make it so I ended up playing and even scored!

Today Merce and I decided to go for coffee in the "business" district of Stamullen.  I took Pippa along and we had a great time.  Downtown Stamullen consists of a cafe (where we got coffee), a small grocery store, two barber shops, a pharmacy, a veterinarian clinic and a toy store.  Its nothing too impressive but its nice to know that I can walk there if I need to get essentials.  Merce also told me that the prices in Stamullen are a little higher than bigger cities.

I'm planning on going into Dublin on Friday night with Merce and stay until Saturday.  I've really enjoyed meeting her but she is going back to Spain on June 30th.  She wanted to take me into Dublin this weekend so I can meet some of her friends who are staying longer which is very thoughtful of her.  I'm definitely looking forward to exploring Dublin!

Both today and yesterday have been full days for me since Ciara has gone back to work.  I've got my work cut out for me with all three girls but I am enjoying every minute of it!

When it rains it pours

I have now been here for four days and I thought that the Irish weather was not as bad as I had heard... until yesterday!  It started raining around 6 pm last night and did not stop until 4 pm today!  At times it was pouring and other times it was only misting but the rain never stopped.  I don't think I've ever seen it rain for that length of time back home.

Tonight, Ruby and Maisy went to their Irish dancing class that they have every Friday evening.  And yes its like lord of the dance!  While the girls were at their lesson, I went with Dave and Ciara (and Pippa!) to the local pub called Whyte's.  They bought me a pint and we had a great time together!  I have to say I was amazed at how large a pint actually is.  It is much bigger than the traditional 12 or 16 oz drafts at home.  I was also surprised to see this pub served Coors light and Miller light!  I had another Bulmers which was just as good as the first one I had the other night.  Dave asked me if I would like a Guinness but after seeing the dark draft I decided to save it for another time.

I have my first weekend off this weekend but nothing too adventurous planned quite yet!  I'm hoping to meet up with another Au Pair who I've met in the neighborhood and get a tour of the village.

Irish birthdays are the best

Yesterday was Ruby's seventh birthday and I have to say the Irish know how to do it right.  Ruby is having a party on Sunday with some of her classmates, but last night Ciara and Dave had a party for her at their home with their extended family.  Ciara and Dave both come from big families and there were about 8 cousins ranging in age from 11 weeks to 7 years old.  The house was a rompa room!  Ciara and her sister-in-law made enough chicken and egg salad sandwiches to feed an army.  I thought they were making so much because both the kids and the adults would be eating them... boy was I wrong!  For Irish birthdays, the children eat nothing but sugar!  The kids table was set with bowls upon bowls of different candies, cupcakes, and other sweets.  Oh and potato crisps (not chips!).  All of the kids stuffed their faces with sugar and no parent seemed to mind!  I didn't see one child eat a sandwich all night.  There were obviously no complaints from the children about this!  After Ruby opened her presents all of the kids went outside to play.  The adults then ate their fill of sandwiches and enjoyed a few drinks.  I had my first Bulmers, which is an Irish cider, and it was delicious!

Irish Cider!

After playing outside the kids came back in to cut the cake.  Yes thats right, more sugar!  I was amazed they were able to stomach it all.  After the cake, the family started to leave slowly.  Finally, it was just Fiona (Dave's sister) and her family left.  After the girls went to bed the adults (and Sam Fiona's 2 year old) stayed late chatting.  I feel so lucky to be living with such a wonderful family.  I've been welcomed not only by Dave and Ciara, but their extended family as well.  I would definitely say that the Irish know how to do birthdays!  I know I would have loved to celebrate that way as a child!

Three things I learned today

I arrived at Dublin Airport this morning at 8:00 am!  My flight was right on time and I was so eager to get out of the gate and meet my host mom, Ciara.  Unfortunately my wait in customs was over an hour but I earned my first stamp in my passport! 

The first stamp of many!



I walked out of the airport around 9:30 and finally met Ciara. She was worried I had walked right past her and was wandering around because customs held me up for so long.  When we got back to the house I met Dave (Ciara's husband) and Pippa who is 10 months old.  The older girls are still in school until the end of June so I had some time to talk with Ciara and get to know Pippa in the morning. Ciara, Pippa, and I went to get Ruby and Maisy at 1:30 when school was out.  The school is only a five minute walk from the house through their cute Irish neighborhood.  Throughout the rest of the day I met Dave's sister, Fiona, her two year old son, Sam, and Au Pair, Anya, and one other Au Pair living in the neighborhood.  Fiona and her family live a three minute walk away from my family.  It was a long and exhausting day since I was determined not to sleep until bed time once I got off the plane but I definitely learned a lot.  For example....

1) Its a rubber, NOT an eraser.

Ruby and Maisy were quick to correct my "American" terms.  They said that was the one thing they did not like about getting a new au pair because they had to teach them the right words all over again!  Maisy (the five year old) asked me to talk every five minutes because I sounded funny.  She also told me she loved me and that she couldn't stop hugging me after I'd known her for two hours!

2) Sprinkles don't exist

Tomorrow is Ruby's seventh birthday and all day Ciara was busy baking different sweets in the kitchen.  While I was sitting with her and chatting, I happened to notice an ordinary container of sprinkles EXCEPT the label said sugar straws.  Sugar straws?  I don't think the vernacular of this country will ever cease to surprise me.

3) Irish girls love America!

The picture says it all :)  But remember I'd been up for almost 24 hours at this point...

From left: Maisy (five), Pippa (10 mos.) and Ruby (seven)

Tomorrow the family is throwing a small birthday party for Ruby and I will get to meet many more of the extended family.  Everyone I have met so far has been so warm and welcoming that I am looking forward to meeting more family members!