Thin Skin Floridian

Hey, y’all! I’m wiping the dust off this thing now—sorry about that! I’ve been really sick for the last four days and it’s wearing me down. There’s so much to see and so little time. I don’t want to waste any precious moments letting a cold get me down! So anyway, forgive me for not posting. I’ll start with last weekend!

On Saturday, the whole gang went to Howth for a day trip. Having done no research, I honestly had no idea what we were getting into. This was one of the planned excursions from our program, so I kind of just sat back and enjoyed the ride. It was actually really nice having everything all set up for us. All we had to do was jump on the Dart (the train) and go. Also, it was great timing because my Uncle Gary had just recommended Howth to me, and I’m happy to share that I LOVED it! It was a great time and I would go back in a heartbeat.

Howth is one of those places that you visit to escape consumerism. It’s a breathtaking (because of beauty AND the physical exertion) hike up the cliffs that overlook the harbor. The entire climb you are literally only a few yards from your death. I know that sounds dramatic and/or scary, but it was one of the most exhilarating things I have ever done.

It was nature in it’s true form; there were no steps built or handrails to guide you. The wind screamed in your ears as you journeyed upward, and you had to find your own footing on the rocky path. I tried to take in every second of it. It’s moments like those that remind you of how small you really are.

One of the best parts of the entire day was that we didn’t have to spend much money. We paid less than 5 euro I think on the Dart to journey there. Then, after the hike we wandered around the farmers market in town that only operates on weekends. They had great food and some neat little original trinkets. Got you a present, Sara! (Don’t worry Kate, still looking for the perfect gift for you, too!) It was fun and delicious!

After we ate, we were free to do as we pleased. We hung out a little longer and then decided to call it a day. My thin Floridian skin is doing the best it can! As we were walking in, we saw a seal just playing around in the harbor. It was adorable! Anna, our tour guide, told us that it’s rare to see one. Though I didn’t get a picture, that memory will surely stay with me.

The next day, Sunday, my roommate Kat and I were set to go horseback riding. We had made the reservations in advance and prepaid to reserve our spots. We hopped on the Luas and journeyed about an hour away to the furthest stop the Luas makes called Suggart. We read on the website that the stable is a 20 minute walk from the tram stop, so we figured we would be able to find it fairly easily. Also, we were told that there was clear signage directing us to the place.

Sometimes plans don’t always work out how you want them to. Kat and I experienced just that! We were already short on time as we got off the Luas (probably my fault for being slow to get ready, oops) and starting to stress a little. We walked straight forward and immediately came to a fork in the road... left towards the countryside or right towards the city center. We weren’t sure. We ended up choosing right, walked about 10 or 15 minutes without seeing any buildings or signs. Finally, we came across a cute couple walking with their baby. I approached them and asked if they’d ever heard of the stable. They replied no, but if we would walk back to the Luas stop, there’s a hotel there that might know. We thanked them and turned around.

Then, I thought to call one of our other friends to ask her to look up the phone number. She gave it to me, and then I ran out of minutes on my phone. Kat tried calling, but she had no luck either. We were seriously out of options.

On our walk back, it started tsunami-ing. I’m serious. The rain came on quickly and it was unbelievable. I was only wearing a rain jacket, and henceforth vow to never leave without an umbrella again. We passed the Luas stop and walked in the other direction, hoping we would come across the stable. We didn’t have time to stop and ask the hotel! So, onward we walk, getting more soaked by the minute. Eventually, the water pooled so much in the road that we were walking beside. Just like it was out of a movie, a car drove by at a high speed and completely drenched whatever clothing we wore that was dry. I was bone chillingly cold, but honestly I had to laugh. Kat had had enough, so she proposed we just call it a day and head back to the tram. On a side note: I’m thinking this whole escapade has something to do with why I’m sick. Curse you, rain!

When I arrived back at my apartment, I immediately emailed the instructor explaining that we were lost and asking if we could reschedule. I was told that it was a 24 hour cancellation policy, so if we wanted to reschedule we would have to pay the 40 euro again. After the day we’d had, that was so disappointing! All we wanted to do was ride horses through the mountains! Is that too much to ask? Is it? Is it?

I emailed back, putting on my nicest, most pleading, touristy tone and explained the details about everything that happened. I left nothing out, and it must have worked because I got a reply shortly after saying that they would agree to let us reschedule for a 15 euro cancellation fee. I quickly agreed, wanting to pay a little more than lose everything. Suffice it to say, we WILL be horseback riding next weekend. Pictures to come, I promise!

I’m just throwing this in, but check out my view every morning as I walk to work. So incredible!

Monday is a bank holiday, meaning everything is closed and no one has to work! Because of this, we are taking advantage of the long weekend and are travelling around the south of Ireland. It should be a grand time and I’m really looking forward to seeing more of this charming country. I’ll write all about it on Monday, so keep an eye out!

Xox,

Alyssa

Negative Navigation

Good afternoon! (Omg, try saying my title ten times fast. Betcha can't.) As I write this, it's past 10 p.m. and it's just now getting dark. Can you believe it? There is so much daylight on this side of the world and its delightful! Here is a picture I took last night around 9:45 pm. You'd never have guessed!

I've been so busy this week! I'm getting all settled into my internship and learning the ropes. I spend the first part of the day working in the restaurant at the hotel. The second part is spent in the marketing office. Admittedly, the waitressing isn't very related to my career ventures, however, I'm so excited that I get to partake in it. This is because all of the other international students work in the restaurant full time and it's my only exposure to them! Most are from Brazil or France. I'm learning so much about their cultures just from talking to them between clearing tables. They tell me about their homes as well as the differences between Irish life and the lives they came from. Some of the students from Brazil told me that their government paid in full for them to be here just so they could have this opportunity. Wow! I can't imagine being afforded such an amazing offer, but it just goes to show how different systems work. Also, I met a girl from France who is only 16, and already knows four different languages. I'm astounded by how well she can speak English, as she even understands slang words and phrases. She's really cool and has been telling me all the tips and tricks that aren't in the handbooks. :)

As far as my work in marketing goes, it's an immeasurably beneficial experience in terms of my career. One day this week, all I did was stuff envelopes but I seriously felt so enriched because I got to listen to them speak for four hours. There are five people in the office, and when everyone is brainstorming it's very interesting! Also, I like getting to witness the way that tasks are dolled out, frustration is expressed, apologies are made, and just overall how people conduct themselves in a professional manner here. It really is all different from the United States. I would say that here, office speak is less blunt and more mindful of manners. It's very considerate, and seems very much to be a pat you on the back culture. This isn't to say that America's corporate culture is negative by any means, I just like the more laid back feel here. Things get done in an efficient way, and still everyone manages to be extra kind/polite! In general, I believe that people are mostly good, and it's refreshing to see that validated here. 

Ya know, just your run of the mill office selfie. #SelfiesOfEurope

After work last night, our FIE supervisors took us to one of their favorite restaurants called The Market Bar. We had so much food! There were nachos, an antipasto tray (sorry mom, it even rivaled yours!), some hummus, homemade bread, meatballs, chips (AKA French fries), chicken wings, calamari (which y'all know I didn't eat), goat cheese pastries, and I'm sure a dish or two more that I'm forgetting. I loved sampling all the cuisines and getting to try some new stuff. It's fun to expand my palette a little. I ventured halfway around the globe, so I figure I might as well be adventurous with my cuisine while I'm at it. But don't even think about coaxing me to eat seafood. Some things never change. :)

We even took a cute little group picture. Awwwwwwwwwww.

After dinner, some of us wanted to go get something sweet so one of the supervisors told us about a good ice cream shoppe nearby. She was joking about our questionable navigation abilities because on the way to dinner, we got lost and had to call her twice or three times just to find the place. We showed up twenty minutes late....oops. Yes, dad, I should have listened to you all those years when you said not to rely on my GPS so much ;) Anyway, she gave us fool proof directions to get to the ice cream place and said she was going to officially disown us if we got lost. So I'm here to tell you, my adoring fans who think I'm directionally challenged, WE FOUND IT IN NO TIME. I hope you're reading this, Anna! ;)

Here is proof:

Murphy's ice cream was delicious. They have crazy flavors like sea salt and toffee, and you get to choose two. I went with chocolate chip and coffee. Then, despite the freezing wind, we walked home rather than taking the Luas. We figured we had a calorie or two to burn. Also, it's kind of nice that you can get a reasonable distance here just by walking. It's a convenience that we are not afforded in Orlando!

This weekend is our first one off from the internship. Apparently it's also a three day One Direction (shuddering that I even had to capitalize that [just kidding (kinda)]) concert and the city is going to be packed with teenage girls. As fun as that sounds, I plan to be as far away as I can into the mountains of County Wicklow. For 40 euro, I'll be going on a two hour horseback riding expedition and touring some Irish countryside. Also included is a barbecue meal with wine when we return to the stable. Mmm! I'm excited. Expect a post about that, because I'm seriously psyched. Pictures to come.

Some side notes:
-I picked up on an awesome word they say: dodgy. They use it interchangeably with sketchy. And if you were wondering, I'm totally bringing that word back to the states. Used in a sentence: Harry Styles better watch his back this weekend for all the dodgy little fan girls that want his autograph.
-For any students thinking about studying abroad, take UCF's pre-departure orientation session seriously. They had us watch a video of someone getting stolen from because they kept valuables in a backpack towards the opening. The thief was caught on camera slowly, steadily unzipping the pack, seizing his moment, and then stealthily snatching out a camera with the owner none the wiser. With that in mind, I've been very careful when I wear my backpack around the city. Well, the other day, I was on the tram with my belongings. I kept looking over my shoulder every few seconds to surveillance my zipper and make sure that all was untouched...but at one point the tram lurched forward and I momentarily lost concentration. That's all it took! Next thing I knew, my backpack was fully unzipped! The worst thing is, it was so crowded that I couldn't even tell who the suspect was. Anyway, thanks to UCF preparing us, I knew not to keep anything precious within reach. I tucked everything near the bottom and only left my gym shoes and water bottle towards the top. Also, I left my purse around my shoulder so that it was within my sight the whole time. So basically, if you pickpocketers want my sweaty nike shoe, goooooo for it. Still though, it's kind of bummer to experience a sobering event like that. I'm glad it ended well with nothing taken, but the takeaway is that from now on i'll just wear my backpack in the front or not take it with me during the 5-7 o'clock period. Lesson learned!

Alright guys. That's all for now. I don't have a tv here, so I've been glued to Netflix in the evenings. I'm knee deep in Vampire Diaries (thanks for that, Melissa!!!) and I have to see what happens next! 

My backup husband if I don't meet an Irish boy.

Miss you guys and thanks for reading!

Xox

Alyssa

Guinness: Genuine Beer Made by Genuine People

Hello! Are you guys enjoying that sunshine? It’s a crisp 11 degrees here, which is 52 in Fahrenheit. I’m definitely getting good use out of the few jackets and sweaters that I brought. I think my amazing parents may have something in the works for me though by way of mail. ;) I’m on to you, mom and dad!

The past few days have been incredibly busy! I was telling the girls here that if we were only on a weeklong vacation, I would feel 100% satisfied with what we’ve seen and done thus far. Saturday we had a scheduled event for us that our program put together—a walking tour of Dublin. It wasn’t just any walking tour though…it was a ghost stories themed one! We strolled by many historic sites including the castle, the Catholic and Protestant churches, and the city hall. Our guide told us tales of beheadings and brutal killings that had taken place hundreds of years ago in the very spots we stood. He said that if we walk there at night, we can still hear the screams…

Whether or not we believed it is up to us, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. Don’t haunt me, spirits! I BELIEVE!

 

After the tour was over, we were set free to do whatever we chose. The group decided to go get some lunch at our new favorite spot—Marks & Sparks. It’s a glorified grocery store with plenty of premade sandwiches, salads, and snacks. Imagine The Fresh Market or a store similar. We brought our lunch to a park and all of us took an hour long nap. Oh, to be carefree!

 

For dinner that night, we decided to be fancy and try out a restaurant that had been recommended to us more than once: Mulligans. It was just as delicious as everyone said! The presentation was also adorable—the menu came glued into an old antique book. A little tea candle was placed in the center of our table, along with a single flower in a vase. Very cute feel, overall! Also, I liked the place even more when, after finding out that it was reservation only, the host still let us sit down and eat with the condition that we give the table back in one hour. We were up for the challenge, and it was a delicious sixty minutes! I got pork with a potatoe, carrot, and pea mash. It sounded much more elegant on the menu though, and I’m kicking myself for not taking a picture of the page I ordered from!

 

On Sunday, we had an entire day so we figured we would take the chance to be complete tourists and hit the Guinness Factory. It was 13 euros for students, and we all thought it was worth every penny. I loved the factory, getting to experience the whole process, and also getting the opportunity to understand why this beer is so central to their economic success. It really is what Dublin is known for! Also, the beer making process is surprisingly complex. Check out the pictures for more information on that, as I’m not even sure I absorbed all the details.

Making my own pint!

The beer itself was……….interesting. Not my fave. Kinda bitter. I’ll stick with light beer and just get made fun of by the locals, I suppose.

When we got back, we decided to hit the hay early. Our internships started the next morning—this morning—and we wanted to get our rest. We all had to be on site by 9. We each have different placements according to our majors, so we parted ways and set off on our own for the first time. I was surprised by how instantly alone I felt when I left them! Walking through the city solo, I could see how culture shock might affect you. This is especially so if you went to a foreign place with no friends. Luckily, I shook off the urge to run back home and I made the 35 minute journey to my hotel! To get there, I walk about 8 minutes, board the tram for around 20, and then walk for another 5. After roughly 15 minutes on the tram though, I heard an announcement warning us to get off if our stops were further ahead. I hopped off a little confused, and asked a man next to me what I had done wrong. I showed him the map I had printed, and it clearly stated to ride the tram for two more stops! He explained that the tram I boarded went in a different direction, and told me the proper one to get on for next time. He then proceeded to walk me all the way to my internship site! Along the journey, he told me he has two daughters studying in the states. He was so kind that I marveled after he left about just how giving Irish people are. They are servants to their peers and they expect nothing in return. It’s a beautiful thing.

Anyway, I made it to the hotel very early, in the hopes that I would impress my managers there. I ended up waiting an hour and a half because of a miscommunication. It’s okay though, because they knew what time I had arrived. :)

#SelfiesOfEurope

 

During the day, I was told that I would henceforth be working half the day in the restaurant and half the day in sales. I appreciate this schedule, because at least I will have a change in atmosphere midday. I was given a handbook and a uniform, and told to get to work on a small project online. Something I quickly noticed was that keyboards in Ireland are set up a little differently than we are used to! The symbols are not in the same place. For example, the @ sign is where the “ sign is. I was laughing at myself, because I’m sure I haven’t had to hunt and peck since middle school or earlier. Just all part of the learning curve, right?

Another thing I learned (and am psyched about!) is that staff members have access to Club Vitae, which is the hotel spa. It has a fitness room, a pool, a Jacuzzi, a sauna, and a salon. I’m so excited to have this perk, as I can now go work out when I finish my shifts! They even have a locker room equipped with showers. It is a four star hotel, after all. :)

At the end of the day, I got to meet the hotel’s manager, Conor. He was, say it with me, the nicest man. Of course. He asked me why I came to Ireland, and I told him it was to further my career and also to learn a little bit about my heritage. He asked what my surname was, and I told him that my mom’s maiden name is O’Daniel. He laughed, knowing just which part of Ireland that name would have originated. He then said he would provide me with a two night stay and accommodations for dinner with his hotel chain just so I could visit the town. I was stunned, and thanked him up and down! He said, “No, thank you. Thanks for wanting to come to Ireland so much that you paid to be here.” It was such an awesome conversation, I’m still smiling about it. And of course, don’t forget to picture all of that being said in his amazing accent.

When I left the hotel, I began my commute back home, which includes a walk over the Samuel Beckett Bridge that crosses the River Liffey. As I began to cross, I saw five teenage boys in wetsuits climbing up the wall and diving into the river. It was the most bizarre thing! I couldn’t take a picture, for fear of them or their friends seeing me, but wow… I guess that’s what trouble makers around here do for fun? There were girls with speakers playing music and giggling behind them, and I just got the feeling it probably wasn’t allowed. It was definitely an interesting sight. I couldn’t help thinking the whole time how gross the river water was, though! Whatever floats your boat, I guess. Ba da ch.

Now, I am home for the night. I just cooked a little bit so that I will have ease in the morning for breakfast. I made a quiche and also hard boiled some eggs! I’m my mom’s daughter, so Celsius or not, crockpot or not, grill or not, I will still find my way around a kitchen. Although, I won’t lie, I really miss the Foreman.

 

Told ya it was Celsius!

 

 

Thanks for reading, friends. Go to the beach for me!

 

Xox

Alyssa