Meeting My Host Family.

The last two days have been quite eventful since my last post. Yesterday was the All Ireland Mens Hurling Final. Let me tell you the streets of Dublin were packed, especially for a sunday. The yellow and black jerseys of Killkenny filled some pubs, but it was the blue and white of Waterford which seemed to be everywhere. Evan, Melissa and I went into a pub named O'Shea's to watch the game with a bunch of Waterford Fans. It turns out that Waterford hadn't been in the finals since 1963. Being the cubs fans that Evan and I are we felt we had no choice but to root for the underdog. Killkenny had won the last two finals in a row, they were no fun. Sadly, Kilkenny dominated in an almost 30 point lead. The commentary was great though, I couldn't understand most of it, but the turns of phrase the Irish use are out of this world. 

After the game  we all went to Melissa's Hostel for communal dinner. 15 of them get together every night to cook dinner. Well, one south African named Matthew Cooks and the rest eat. We had diner for 1.80 Euros which was excellent! Ratatouille and chicken. Eating diner with Italians, Americans, French,Brazilians, South Africans, and Australians is truly an eye opening experience. 

Afterwards 2 italians named Marco and Danielle, 1 Aussie named Nile, 1 Brazilian named Chris, Melissa, Evan, and I went out to Samba in an area called St. Steven's Green. There was a cover charge though so we ended just going to a Pub to play some cards. It's bizarre how many pubs we've been to, but there is almost no other place to go to sit with people in Dublin. 

We went to bed last night, and woke up early this morning to get to our school so we could head out to our home stays. We walked about 3 miles to the School (Melissa didn't think it was too far and we were all too cheap to take a bus). The school seems really nice, the people are good and there's always a free cup of tea or coffee to be had. 

We then got a taxi to our home stay. I'm about a half hour bus ride from school. The woman I'm staying with is named Ann Casey. She's a sweet tiny little old lady whose just retired this past year from nursing. She's not married and doesn't have any children, but lives alone except for when she has students over. 

She lives in a very cute little stone condo with a beautiful back yard. She had to run to Kildare earlier for something so I'm home alone now waiting for the other girl who's staying here. Her name is Amy, I haven't met her yet though. 

Ann has had two students stay with her already, one from Oregon whom she loved, and one from Michigan who she described as "shay musta' been de anti-christ"! Strong words from a little old catholic lady, but she's a spit fire what can I say. 

The neighborhood is full of families and not to far from a college, so it's very nice. Kids from, what I assume from their uniforms, is the nearby Catholic school have been walking by all day. 

Ann is pretty excited about getting me out and about Ireland, she's already looked up bus prices and schedules to Newery which is by Silverbridge and Dingle in the west for me. She's just gotten back from Portugual and before that she was in the west, and before that I think Switzerland from pictures I see around the house. 

Well that's about it for now. Oh by the way, if you are trying to call me from the states don't dial zero after the country code. just dial what ever the code is (i'm not sure) then 8xxxx no zero's. 

I'll post my address at Ann's as soon as I get it from her. This is funny, it's a good thing I didn't bring much clothes, because she gave me 1 drawer and about 1/5th of a closet that she uses that's in my room. She has more clothes and shoes than anyone I have ever met! 

Ok I'm out, later.