Job Hunting 101

Back in Austin!!! Trip didn't last quite as long as I had imagined! 11 mos and 1 week shorter...but what can you do?


I'm sure that I have spoken with most everyone about it, so I won't explain again unless prompted. It's a bit exhausting to rehash actually.


Well, I have a job interview on Tuesday ( second one ), so we will see how that will go! Bartender again!!


From now on my posts will be non Ireland related, for obvious reasons of course. I will still spill my guts on this blog though, so stay in touch!


I need to post a picture I guess, so here it goes...









Discuss....

Back from Dublin!!

I walked to the train station (1 mile) around 1 pm from Skerries and took the 1 o'clock train to Dublin. It's only 4 Euro (one way) and it took about 20 minutes!

Here are some pictures of the train station and trip. It won't seem very exciting by picture, but seeing the countryside was very beautiful!!

I met a very sweet girl on the train who was also heading in to Dublin named Neve. She told me some places to visit and pointed me in the right direction once we arrived in the city. I made it to my hotel and it seemed that they had overbooked, so luckily to find out, the new hotel was actually a lot better than the original. O'Sheas had a pub beneath it and breakfast included. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to breakfast, but that is to be expected when enjoying a night out in Dublin. First thing that I did was drop off my bag and headed down to Henry Street, where they have awesome shopping.

The Millennium Spire was the first thing to see!!!

Pretty neat looking...all I knew that if I got lost, just look for the spire!

I ended up buying a really cute dress, but it's so damn cold in Ireland, I didn't want to undress all of the way to get it on. Needless to say, my ass is enormous in it! I don't know why I'm surprised!

Ended up heading back to change for the evening! Stopped at the downstairs pub for a pint and then headed out to see what I could see!

Staying in true Karie fashion....I ended up in some weird, dark, back alley. Oooops, took a wrong turn. It seems that Dublin looks much different in the dark than in the light. I about faced fairly promptly and decided to stop in the first pub that looked friendly.

I found Fitzgeralds! Cute pub! Lots of wood, loads of beer!! What else do you need? I was freakin' starving at this point and all I really wanted was some genuine Irish food...had a tuna melt instead!! Can you believe it?

I did meet two really cool chicks from London and they ended up taking me around! We had a great time! I will say though, that most of the music that people listen to ( at least in Temple Bar) is older American music! I thought they were gonna freak out when a lad started playing a cover of a Blink 182 song.

Eeeek! Scary! I played along for their sakes. I didn't want to look like a music snob from Austin TX, which is something to be proud of, but you know!

Found a cab home and went sight seeing the next day!

Too Much Negative Space!!

Yeah, so here are some more pictures for your enjoyment!!! I can't seem to get close enough to anything to not have the world's largest negative space in all of the these photos. But here we go!

Here is an authentic thatched roof attached cottage! Very expensive and only one company in Ireland will insure them. Highly flammable as you may well imagine! Smells like a hay loft!

This next one is of one of the two very old mills in Skerries...if you squint really hard you can jut make it out! I was on my way to pick up one of the kiddos and took a quick picture!

I took a picture of a really pretty church, one of many in Skerries, but it didn't come out! Sorry!

I am heading in to Dublin this weekend and will hopefully get some really awesome pictures!

Oh yeah, on a side note! Of course because it is so "feckin' cold" here. They keep a fire burning continuously. Well, the "bogs" are protected so they don't use wood! They use coal! May not seem odd to you, but it was to me...makes sense I guess because of an island and all! Here is the coal bin and my coal fire that I am damn proud of!

Some more Irish lingo:

When you are referring to a particular man in a conversation, instead of saying him or naming him, they say "yer man". For instance, "Yer Man made a right shet mess of it"

Press - pantry or drawer where food is stored

Lorry - Truck

Instead of saying "Uhm" like we do in America. They say "Ehm" and drag it out! or "Whataya Call it?"

In conversation, everyone takes there time and questions the ones around them who also know of the story!

"So we were down the lane, right John?" "And Ehhhm, whataya call it...in all fairness...isn't it John, that we made it out alive."

Needless to say you have to pay close attention! I find in general that everyone takes there time and that storytelling and sharing a laugh is very important! Can't we all take some notice of that!!

I'll write some after Dublin!

Pissin' Down Rain!

We were stuck inside most of the day! I decided to step out on my own and see some of the local shops. I'm beginning to know my way around also, which is good! Again, I only took a few pictures....only because I didn't want to look like the tourist that I am!

I found this cute little shoe shop and bought some new boots!

They were on sale for 30 Euro, which is a really good deal! The kids are getting more used to my presence now, but I can still see some hesitancy with them concerning my authority. Kids are a lot of work! They are precious though, and I'm just focusing on having fun with them!!! I'm picking up little Alex on my own tomorrow from her playschool and am looking forward to the brisk walk up by the church! I'll make sure to take a picture and post it tomorrow!

Here are some more words that I have learned:

Nappie - Diaper

Creche(crash) - Daycare

Serviette - Napkin

...a sudden stretch - grew very quickly

We had some stuffed pork fillets tonight which were awesome! Filled with apple, bleu cheese and spring onions...of course some potatoes and cauliflower. I have also learned to eat properly with my utensils ( well, properly in this part of the world) You know...with the fork upside down and the knife in your dominate hand. It took a little while to get used to, but while in Rome!!!

More Later!! Learning new stuff everyday!!!

Here in Skerries!!!

I've made it!!! I'm still a bit shell shocked, but am trying to get acquainted as quickly as possible! The kids and I went for a walk today and it was "fecking cold" the town is straight out of a movie set! I'm not kidding. I can't believe that people carry on their daily lives in such a beautiful place. Do they even realize how amazing this little town is? I haven't seen much in the way of "night life" yet, but just emailed an au pair who has been here for a few months and hope that she will show me around. I'm going to try and make it into Dublin this weekend. If not, next weekend for sure! I'm still working out the schedule w/ the kids and hope to get in to a routine fairly soon! The family seems anxious for me to begin driving. I'm pretty nervous about it, b/c if you have seen how small the roads are there is not much room for error. Coming from Texas where you routinely have 6 lane highways to a small coastal town in Ireland w/ barely there roads, you tend to be a little weary about driving. Oh yeah, and don't forget that they drive on the left! Haven't gotten use to that yet! Here are some pictures of my room and some pictures of the town. Not very many, I had the kids with me and could only snap a few and had to take them very quickly!!!

More Later!...I'm trying to remember all of the slang that I can. Here are some words that have come up so far.

Sausie - Sausage

Plasters - Band aids

Many others ....just can't remember right now!

First Twinge of NERVES!

I would like to think that I am a fairly thorough individual. I plan, save, dream and organize ( don't laugh, I can be organized about some things!)

By doing this, I assumed that I would be taking all of the worry and nerves out of my trip. To my dismay...didn't work!

I felt my first; down in the pit of your stomach, pre-puking, light headed feeling earlier tonight. I think because I have said my goodbyes and now have nothing to do but wait.

Staying busy has always been my way of avoiding any true feelings, because undoubtedly my fears are displayed through pangs of physical discomfort ( see above!)

I suppose it could be worse! Just imagine how I would feel if I had not prepared emotionally for my travels...not good!

Without my family and friend's support...I don't know that this trip would have been possible. I'm stronger than I have ever been, and that is due to the love of the above mentioned.

I love to say "the above mentioned" sounds lawyerly!

Blog Title Change!

Thanks to my brilliant friend Angel G., my new blog title will be..."Keeping Up With Jones". It seems like such an obvious choice! Educated people do tend to flock together...at least that's what I've been told!