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!