last night i was eating peanut butter and celery and it was spit out by an irish boy and called disgustin. Whateves Dylan, whateves. Tonight, I was talking to a spanish boy who was eating an olive oil sandwhich. no comment.

Have fallen in love with the way of life here. I have no access to tv (hulu isnt available here) and I know its only been five days, but I'm thinking I dont miss it all that much.

The kitchens and dining room is the social spot but you wont see a soul until atleast 7:00 but its much busier around 8:00. As people cook, they talk and laugh and as they eat they eat and laugh and drink and share everything. At 10:00 when I would be heading to the gym, doing homework or going to sleep, groups are headed out to the pubs. Its not a party and its not getting drunk, its time together living and learning. Getting to know about people and culture and building relationships with those around you.

Mom would hear none of it and it made me a little sad. A lot sad.

Tonight, I didnt know how to get home from the bus stop and a kid my age said he was headed the same way and he walked me home. People back home tell you not to be nieve and not to trust everyone you meet but in my experience here, you can trust them, every single one has been nothing but nice and helpful and not annoyed at all that I'm another lost foreigner.

I'm glad for the writing on streets at the intersections that tell you which direction to look before crossing the street because theres always a car coming from a direction I dont expect.

Day One

I've just about blown through two hundres dollars since arriving at 9:00 this morning. The taxi was fifty euro, but I had heavy luggage and would have had to have gotten like three buses none of which I'm familiar with. Add the one converter, contact solution, six apples, milk and a small pizza and bam, 200 big ones. I'm not going to last here...I must find a job.

Not many people have moved in yet but theres a spanish girl down the hall named Virginia, she has taken me around and loaned me sheets and is really great. We met an boys in the kitchen, one from Germany, and another from Italy and I can tell this is going to be a fabulous semester. Hahaha not because of the boys, those two comments should have been two different sentences. There are two Irish girls on my floor right now, one from Denmark and all the rest are Spanish.

Black rock is our neighborhood and it is very cute, Harry Potter-esq. Campus is small and cool and old, every building has a cross on the roof and I've not figured out why.

Virginia is playing Lady Gaga down the hall and I'm taken back to West Lafayette and all who are going to see her live tonight. Luckies, enjoy it shes going to be awesome I'm sure.

Here are random thoughts that I cant tie together:
Dublin is a lot like Indy.
I smile when I see a Ford.
I wish I brought room decor, like my hanging butterfly lights..
I was excited for beach bonfires, but you're not allowed on the beach nearest me, I dont know whats up with that.

I'll try and think up something really deep for my next post.

Inside the Gate

I love cheap but I despise flying out of Chicago. The rents see it as another great way to spend time with me before I leave. I see it as three hours of nervous stomach. I'll never get over it. I love flying and take off never gets old or less exciting. I hate the drive, the curb, the check in and security. The drive up is a somach ache, I cant swallow, the back of my eyes hurt and I feel so gross I just want to sleep and forget about the trip. I dont talk about it though because that makes it worse and I'd cry. Just like my fears of all that can go wrong, I told Mom about them when she called and I abou cried. What happens when I get to the counter and I've lost my passport or left my wallet on my desk at school? What would I do without a passport and or wallet? I thought I lost my papers, boarding passes and residency papers for school. I had to retrace my steps until I found them in the inside pocket of my coat. Typical really.

I get too worked up and I know it and I know its all completely mental. It helps to ride with dad whos always telling some entertaining story about someone who had to poop or Purdue basketball. Music helps and I thank God for great friends who think enough to burn cd's just for this trip. They really help. They're my pump up jams for the big game. They make me raise my chin and clear my head, they say put your big girl panties on and get yourself to Dublin. People do this all the time literally. It isnt hard. I really do hate coming out of Chicago though. Indy is my airport, I know it and probably the people working there lol. Goodness that guy is tall.

Music has got to be the greatest thing ever. Its the Electric Feel of MGMT that just amkes your head move and your world right. Takes you away from this gate and its two hour wait (<-- look at that talent, I should rap.)

When planes fly over head on campus I cant help but look and wish I were up there. When I see commericial jets way up in the sky I cant help but put myself up there, wondering who is on that flight and why. Business? Boring. Vacationers, people leaving home and people coming home. Coming home is a really great feeling, but leaving home has an (s)excitment about it (you're welcome Anna Turner).

Who the eff travels in heels? Really?! What are you doing? To each their own I guess. Have fun with that.

I'm trying to pick out the Irish around me. Impossible. Maybe the gray bearded gentleman. It shouldnt be hard distinguishing Philly residence from Irish, I must not know the difference. I think that woman just came out of the mens bathroom.

Also, people having in depth conversations in the gate area are almsot as bad as those who talk on their cell with other people in the car. Gate convos are annoying, car convos I just dont like.

The reflection in the labtop screen makes me wish I brushed my hair. I dont hink I packed my hair brush...dreads here I come...and everyone know you cant have dreads without a nose ring... Holla

As we reach the ends of our college careers some worry about finding their husbands or wives and sadly settle for someone out of fear that they should leaving college no closer to love than when they first arrived.

I find I've become even more selective. Granted I pulled a lousy grade in genetics class this term, coming away with little more knowledge than when I went in but oddly enough its completely changed the way I look at the opposite sex. Dont lower your standards, thats what they say but you know what? Take another look at those standards because they may need changed. I'm coming into a place in my life where I believe I may not want kids, but if I ever do I now have genetic standards that my spouse must possess.

Tall.
Attatched earlobes.
That is all.

We Were Promised Jetpacks

Its a new year and I couldnt be less interested.

When I made New Years plans with friends, I knew I would blow them off and go to church. Its a great feeling that place and there is no place in the world like it.

Weird this whole time I've been trying to experience all I can for fear that I will teach in Podunk, Indiana for the rest of my life. I have to see the world before I teach, I have to get all my living done, then I can settle into a career. It occured to me tonight that I've given my life to God and maybe my life is not meant to be lived here. I've no idea where I'm going but I've a feeling it isnt here.

All I think about is the future, its all I dream about every moment of the day. Atleast its not boys, apparently I'm maturing. But sometimes I dream of boys in my future, not sure what to make of that.

Theres no place like home and no place like home church. It never changes this place and there will always be people there who know you and love you. Even if you've never spoken and dont know their name, theres a connection, a relation and no matter where I go they will be there when I come home. When I go abroad I will dream of them. Everywhere I go and every other place I worship will be compared and never quite living up to home church.

I can put you there. Fellowship Missionary Baptist off of Morris St in Indianapolis Indiana. Its small but every pew occupied. There are table of food in the kitchen, deviled eggs and fried chicken and as many desserts as dishes. The carpets green and pews cushioned in blue and the moment you walk in theres a spirit that tugs your heart. The singing fills my heart and my eyes well, how rare this place is and how blessed am I to have been given it. And how dare I keep it to myself? I leave for Ireland soon and I am burden my the amount of time I've spent with the people I love talking about everything but Christ.

Beauty in the Break Down-Frou Frou

In the dark of the winter night down the country road that accompanies your thoughts, Alt nation serves as the metaphor of life in that you only know one out of ten songs. And thats life, you only know one tenth. You've only seen heard and stepped a foot on a small small percentage. You've only met one small number of people so why settle? Stand, walk through the cloud of smoke and the girl passed out on the floor and book the flight that'll take you to a place far from this that you already know.