Hooligans to Shenanigans

if anyone has talked to me in the past four days, my newest story is of an eight-year-old with coke-bottle glasses who yelled at me in the street for a.  looking at him and b.  acting in any way perturbed by the fact that he was dragging a large block of wood that was blocking the entire sidewalk.  he's part of a larger gang of young hooligans that roams harcourt and camden streets (those of you who know my particular retardedness when it comes to directions would be extremely proud of my ability to navigate the city--i know street names!).  

we've become regulars at the barge, the pub down the street.  i'll take pictures one of these days, but it's cavernous and cozy and friendly, and has fairly cheap drinks.  it's pretty much bustling from wednesday on, and it seems to be a pretty big weekend place for locals, which is nice.  it's hard to meet locals here, because we're often in large groups of americans.  our house has become the party house, which is fine and fun, but it also means that we tend to roam in herds, which just gives off the tourist vibe.  so i'm looking forward to integrating with irish students next week.

classes are going very well--some things are a little basic (trust exercises, etc.), but it's good to be reminded, especially now that i can look at things with a director's perspective.  i'm trying to remember everything so i can use it later.  

life here is starting, in general, to feel a little more routine, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  i like knowing where i'm going, and where to go for good bread and cheap produce, and i've been able to give directions to tourists, which for any study abroad student, is pretty much the best feeling.  you start to feel like an actual piece of the city.  we have many trips planned, and i don't think there will ever be a boring weekend.  three of my roommates and i are going to amsterdam for a weekend trip in november, and i'm going to barcelona next month for a few days before i go to london for our theatre trip, and then possibly off to scotland for a few days afterwards.  we're thinking about catching a random last-minute flight this next weekend, wherever there's a deal.  it's weird to have access to an entire new continent.  if i lived here, i would be jet-setting all the time.  

the biggest stressor here is money.  to put in perspective, here's what i pay for every day items in USD (right now, the exchange rate is E.69 to 1USD)

bread--$2.50

pint--$8

2liters of soda--$3

bottle of water--$3

cup of coffee--$3.50

the euro is actually, in total opposition to the huge financial crisis here and in the u.s., stronger than when i left.  we're still waiting to see the implications of the bank collapse.  i don't really understand the political system here--i know that there's the taioseach, the prime minister, and the president, and i think it's the president that's more of a figurehead.  we try and follow some issues--a lot of it is financial.  i think, as a very wealthy country, ireland is more paranoid than others about a possible collapse.  the celtic tiger is over, but it's still the third most expensive country in the world.  

we're going to a friend's place to watch the gaelic football final, which is synonymous with our super bowl, except people tend to get even more passionate about it.  the players are volunteers, and playing for your county is a matter of pride, like hurling.  so it then follows that whatever county wins has a communal pride as well as athletic pride.  

hearing about joey kelly, i send my love to all of you who were affected by it.  i was never very good friends with him, but i grew up with him.  and it's odd to hear about it from so far away, so my deepest condolences to everyone at home.