Day 1 on the Blueberry Farm

I felt like the new girl in a blockbuster film.  I boarded the bus from Durrow to Cork, not having enough money, carrying two large bags with a backpack in tow, looking around for a place to sit.  Everyone either diverted their eyes, pretending not to notice, or had their eyes closed with sleep.  I was beyond embarrassed when the bus driver told me the amount was 15 Euros because, to my luck, I only had 10.  He took pity on me and allowed me to board the bus with my too small of fare and waited patiently as I walked down the whole aisle and back looking for a seat.  I finally asked a man if I could sit with him.  He didn’t respond.  I got upset, tapped on the shoulder and then realized he was deaf.  Luckily, he was happy to allow me to sit next to him.  For the next two hours, I held my two bags, backpack and purse until the bus stopped in Cork.  I then got off, walked the short distance to the bus station and bought a ticket for the bus to Killarney.  The bus to Killarney was full of over 30 senior citizens, and when I asked the lady next to me what group they were a part of, she said the friendship club.  I wanted to laugh but didn’t.  The lady in charge of the friendship club went around handing out little candies and Pringles to everyone on board.  I was happy to benefit from having the friendship club there.  When the bus stopped in Killarney, I hastily grabbed my belongings and waited for Sigi to pick me up.  I wasn’t sure what to expect or where exactly to meet him, but I figured he would spot me since I stuck out like a sore thumb, standing in front of the shopping centre with several large bags and an anxious expression on my face.  Sure enough, he saw me, and walked up to me asking if I was Katie.  I said I was and walked with him to put my bags in the car.  He then said he had an errand to run in Killarney and would I mind exploring for a half an hour.  Of course I jumped at the opportunity and spent the next 30 minutes wandering around town and acclimating myself.  When he was done, we walked back to the car and started the drive from Killarney to his blueberry farm just outside of Sneem.  Throughout the car ride we had a very pleasant conversation about travel and marriage and love.  I appreciated that he was on the same page as me about getting married young and having time to enjoy one another.  He and his wife Yvonne are from Germany and came to Ireland on a whim.  They knew they wanted to raise their children somewhere other than Germany and just got in the car and started driving one day.  They spent months and eventually years trying to find the perfect place before they found Sneem.  He said that as soon as they saw it, they fell in love with it.  I could see what he meant.  The scenery was unbelievably gorgeous.  The mountains rise and fall throughout the route, and in the distance you can see water and valleys and sheep.  We stopped a few times to take pictures, and after awhile he told me that the route we were driving is a part of the Ring of Kerry.  Part of the scenery includes the Macgillycuddy Mountains, the highest mountain range in Ireland.  I also love the name because it reminds me of the I Love Lucy episodes where Lucy is in Europe.  After driving for about 40 minutes, we bypassed the farm and the guest house where I’ll be staying for the next three weeks to check out the town of Sneem.  I was expecting a very small area with hardly anything by the way Sigi was talking about it, but it was roughly the same size as my hometown.  Because Sneem is so far from everything else, it has to have everything it needs, such as a grocery store and hardware store and shops, etc.  We then came back to the farm, and I met my new friends.  There are two pigs, a calf, two cows, a cat, two dogs, dozens of chickens, two lambs, ducks and goslings, plus a vegetable tunnel and a big lake.  My job while I’m here will be to take groups of school-aged children around the farm.  I will help them milk the cows by hand, play with the pigs, bottle feed the lambs, churn butter, make cheese, and lots of other fun farm activities.  Basically I am being paid to play with kids and teach them how to live a self-sustaining lifestyle.  I’m not sure if I’m more excited to be around kids or to learn how to do all the things I’m helping to teach.  During my time “off,” Yvonne will also teach me to do some of the things they teach in their classes, such as blacksmithing, how to make homemade bread, basket weaving, jam making and other fun activities.  I am so looking forward to my time here.  I really love Sigi’s calm nature and Yvonne’s energetic personality.  They are a very loving couple and have three kids around my age.  Plus, I have my own guesthouse.  I don’t have Internet or television in my house, but I think that is God’s last big challenge for me.  I’ve been without a phone, but now I also am disconnected from the Internet unless I go to Sigi and Yvonne’s house.  I’m really glad I decided to buy another book.  I’m hoping to spend my extra time reading, taking pictures, writing poetry and getting to know myself better.  I also have three other people living in my house who are my age, but my part of the house is separate from theirs, so if I want to hang out with them I can, and if I don’t want to, I have the option not to.  And in a week’s time, a Dutch girl will be sharing my room with me, so I’m sure that will be a nice change of pace.  I only have 19 more days of this lifestyle, and I intend to make the most of them, even if that means being disconnected from my family and friends.  I am a strong person, and this is my chance to really prove that to myself.  

A Reflection of my Time on the Dairy Farm

So, yesterday morning I finished up my last milking.  I wish I could say it was bittersweet, but mostly it was just sweet to be done.  I was also finally brave enough to try the milk produced here on the farm.  Surprisingly, it didn’t taste very different from the milk you can buy in the grocery store.  I may not be a farm girl, but I guess I hacked it for two weeks, and that’s an accomplishment in my book.  And here are a few other conclusions I came to:

-Without a doubt, the weather in Ireland is always a safe topic of discussion.  I don’t care who you’re talking to, you can always talk about the Irish weather and how crazy it is because truly, it really is crazy.

-My favorite and most necessary phrase I’ve used and practiced since being here is “This too shall pass.”  I’ve thought about it in times of hardship, times of homesickness and times I felt like I was just going to break down and fly home as soon as possible.  It hasn’t failed me yet.

-I’ve overcome my fear of the unknown.  I’m not sure when or how it happened, but I’ve become much more OK with not knowing what exactly to expect in the future.  Almost every day since I’ve been here, Peter has told me we’re going to have a surprise.  Usually that means we’re going to go for a drive and discover a castle, but sometimes it hasn’t meant that.  At first being surprised daily by a stranger was strange to me, but now it’s something I look forward to.  I think overcoming this fear will be helpful in the future, especially considering everything I have coming up in the next couple years.

-I have a shirt that says “Respect” on it with symbols for sex, race, religion and sexual orientation.  This shirt is the only one I will wear when I travel and am meeting new people because it gives them the best possible first impression of who I am and who I am striving to be. 

-It makes such a difference to be able to interact with people my own age.  I’ve never appreciated this before because people my own age have always surrounded me, but I think it’s because we’re at the same place in our lives and can discuss similar topics that are equally appealing to both of us.  Oisin was a lifesaver for me on the farm, and I really value his friendship.

-Meal names in Ireland are different than they are in the United States.  Breakfast is the same, but they call lunch “dinner” and refer to dinner as “tea time.” 

-An Irish mass differs dramatically from an American mass.  Sure, since it’s Catholicism, the ritual is the same, but the interaction is very different.  No one sits in the first 10 or 15 rows, unless, of course, you’re at a cathedral with a large tourist population such as the Galway Cathedral.  Plus, mass only lasts 30 minutes and at the most 40, whereas in the United States an hour is much more common.

-When Americans share something, such as fruit snacks or candy, they’re only sharing because they have to.  For example, while in the van one day, I was eating crackers and offered one to Gingie because she was sitting next to me.  She declined, and I went back to eating my crackers.  Peter then got upset because I didn’t offer him one.  To be honest, sharing with him didn’t even occur to me, and I think that’s because when I asked Gingie if she wanted one, I was only doing so to be polite.  I didn’t really mean it.  I didn’t even realize until that moment that I do that.

-Ordering wheat bread in Ireland is unheard of.  If you go to a restaurant and order wheat bread, they will look at your like you’ve got two heads.  If you want wheat bread, you have to order brown bread.  I have yet to figure yet if brown bread is whole wheat or just whole grain, but regardless, it’s the closest thing.

-I really miss a dishwasher and a dryer.  I’ve always taken them for granted and yes, they’re not a necessity.  But I want both in my house some day. 

-Irish pub music is so much fun.  I am not really a bar kind of person, but I enjoy going just to hear the music.

-Living with someone for one week is very different than living with them for two weeks.  During the first week, you’re still working to make sure the person is comfortable because they’re a guest.  During the second week, you both have become comfortable, so comfortable, in fact, that you usually stop being polite.

-I miss no one meeting me when I get off of a bus or a train or a plane.  I’m really looking forward to seeing familiar faces when I get home.

-Route 12 doesn’t mean platform 12, at least when it comes to the bus.

-When you’re traveling and have to go to the bathroom while waiting in line or something, there is no one to hold your stuff.  That is a large nuisance, especially when you have multiple bags to drag into a small bathroom. 

-I really like myself.  I like my own company.  Yay for self-discovery and self-love.

This experience has been a really great growing time for me, and I am really thankful to have been able to do it.  Yesterday marked the end of week four; only three more weeks to go.  I am ready to come home, but I am also looking forward to spending my final three weeks in Ireland in County Kerry.  I’m not sure what’s ahead, but since I’ve overcome that whole fear of the unknown, that doesn’t faze me.  County Kerry here I come!

Day 26 in Ireland

God never gives me more than I can handle, but today he sure came close.  I spent five and a half hours pulling ragweed from the fields because it is poisonous for the cows.  That task wouldn’t have been so bad if I weren’t so darn allergic to something outside.  I went thru over 40 tissues and an entire roll of paper towels.  My sneezy, watery eyed, coughing self, was a hot mess.  But you know what?  I did it.  And I didn’t give up.  Just when I thought I was about to, Peter said it was time to go in.  That’s what I mean when I say God gets awfully close to pushing me over the edge sometimes.  I then took a shower and a nap, per Peter’s orders and spent the rest of the night recovering.  I am getting ready to drink some homeopathic remedy he concocted.  It consists of cutting two onions into fourths, putting them in a saucepan of water and letting them boil for ten minutes.  I am currently letting it cool so that it’s drinkable – if you can actually label it that.  The highlight of my day is that I now have three wonderful roommates.  One is from Cuba, another is from Lithuania and the third is from Taiwan, and we’re all staying at the home of an Irish farmer.  I love this crazy, diverse world.  Their presence makes my time here more fun, and I am really enjoying learning about our cultural differences because, trust me, there are many.

A Weekend in Galway

It’s been awhile since I passed for under 16.  Sure, people may have mistaken me as being in high school or even having just completed my first year of college, but it’s been quite some time since someone’s thought I was 15…or younger.  On the train ride from Portarlington in County Laois to Galway, I showed the train conductor my children’s ticket, and he didn’t even bat an eye.  It was 20 Euros for the children’s ticket and 40 for the adult.  I’m glad I chanced it and bought the children’s ticket.  The train ride was lovely.  I hadn’t ridden a train since being in Ireland, and the experience was much better than I expected.  The seats were roomy, and it was a smooth ride.  Plus, I had a great view of the Irish countryside as we zipped along.  The best part is that it was cheaper than the bus.  Galway was ready for me when I arrived at noon.  In fact, it was crying out of happiness.  Thankfully, I had a backpack cover and Northface jacket to protect my belongings and body for my walk from the bus station to the hostel, and getting there took less than five minutes.  I stayed at the Sleepzone, just of off Eyre Square, the main square in Galway.  It was a great location, and the rooms were clean, as was the self-service kitchen I had at my disposal.  The only problem was that check-in wasn’t until two, so I had to find something to occupy my time for an hour and a half.  Luckily, I had seen a shopping center along my walk, and I went back there to kill time.  As an American, I’m too hesitant to leave my bag in the luggage room, and I’m too cheap to pay for a locker, so I toted my weekend backpack along with me on my shopping excursion.  It wasn’t too heavy except for my laptop, but by the time I was done shopping, my back and shoulders were screaming.  I found a few little gifts, and I even bought a very cute, modest bathing suit for only seven Euros – what a steal.  At 2:30, I came back to the hostel to regroup and check into my room.  At first I didn’t have any roommates, but after reading for 45 minutes, I had met a girl from Maryland named Megan and a girl from Quebec named Gabrielle, both of which I thought were nice.  We all were traveling on our and agreed to hang out together for the night but wanted to have rest time first.  There is something about rainy weather that seems to wear people out.  I laid in bed, just enjoying doing nothing on my own terms for the first time since I’ve been in Ireland.  At around 4:30, we dragged ourselves out of bed and walked to the nearest grocery store to buy food for dinner.  It was absolutely down pouring by that time.  I bought meat and wine to contribute, and once we got back to the hostel, we worked together to make meat spaghetti for dinner.  It was delicious, and I really enjoyed having women my own age to get to know.  Megan is a seventh grade English teacher in Maryland, and Gabrielle just graduated college and will be starting work as a police officer in Quebec soon.  After dinner, we did dishes and got ready to go out to a few pubs.  The first place we tried was recommended by the guy at the front desk and was called Tig Coili.  It had great music, and we met a few nice, older men to talk to.  The one I spoke to for a few minutes noticed that I was wearing an engagement ring and wanted to know about my fellow.  I loved telling him about Brendan.  After I was done and ready to leave, he said, with a wink, that he would be looking for a wedding invitation.  At that point, Gabrielle decided to walk back to the hostel because she was wet and miserable, so Megan and I continued on to the next pub.  Along the way, we stopped at a candy shop and a few other stores.  Neither of us bought anything all night, including any beverages, which made the memory all the better.  Along our walk, we went by a restaurant and pub called Kelly’s.  We heard great music coming from outside, so we decided to go in and check it out.  We must have walked in on the tail end of an engagement party because it was all set up for the new couple, but the only people in the pub were the three guys making music.  One had a guitar, another had a banjo, and the third had a drum and accordion he alternated between.  We sat at the bar studying them for a few minutes before walking over and complimenting their music.  They were clearly flattered by the attention and proceeded to play for us for the next hour.  They were really nice guys and invited us to go for a pint with them at a bar next store.  We accepted, although neither Megan nor I drank anything, and had a blast sitting at their table as they played for the stand up only crowd.  At around ten, we left to walk back to the hostel, both agreeing that it was one of our best and most memorable nights in Ireland thus far.  I then talked to Bren and my family before going to bed for the night.  I slept like a baby because I had prepared myself with ear plugs and an eye mask – the two most essential items when staying at a hostel.  Without both, you wake up irritable and mad at your roommates and every other loud, drunk person at the hostel.  We also had two French girls in our room, but I didn’t meet them until I woke up at nine on Saturday morning.  It was still raining, of course, and even after I got ready and ate breakfast, the wind and rain persisted.  Gabrielle and I were set on exploring the city, wind or rain, so we left around eleven.  The first famous site we saw was the claddagh.  It’s gold plated and located on Priory Road.  The hands portray friendship, while also clasping the heart to donate love, topped by the crown to signify loyalty.  We also stumbled upon a stand set up to support the Palestinians being ousted by the Israelis and a market outside St. Nicholas’ Cathedral.  We then walked along the River Corrib until we got to the Spanish arch.  The Spanish arch is one of the most famous symbols in Galway, but I found it a little disappointing.  The area surrounding it is called the Latin Quarter to commemorate the Spanish landing there in the 1500s, but no one speaks Spanish, and the people who have businesses there say the term ‘Latin Quarter’ is more of a joke and a way to get tourists in.  Along the Galway Harbor, we saw quite a few swans, a bird that was surprising, along with several seagulls.  Gabrielle and I then walked to the Galway Cathedral, which was stunning.  It was grandiose and even better than I expected.  We took pictures outside and then gave the inside a peek, but we walked in on the middle of mass, so we didn’t take any pictures.  From there, we decided to do a little shopping along Shop Street.  I found the most perfect dress for my bachelorette party for only 10 Euros.  It was from an upscale designer store having a huge sale, and it’s black velvet with one shoulder and sleeve.  It fits perfectly.  I was so excited about the dress that I called Brendan on skype as soon as I got back to the hostel.  I unfortunately woke him up, which curbed his enthusiasm, but I got to talk to him, so I guess that’s what really matters.  After eating my lunch of peanut butter and jelly, I went back to my room to take a nap and read my book.  I finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and enjoyed just having nothing to do.  In some ways I’m upset that it rained the entire time I was in Galway, but in other ways, it made the experience more relaxing because I didn’t feel the need to compulsively drag myself from one place to another.  At six I walked to the grocery store to buy some yogurt and vegetarian cannellini and ate it while playing war with Gabrielle.  We then left the hostel at 7:45 to go see the movie Bridesmaids at a nearby theatre.  There were parts that were a little raunchy, but we laughed almost the entire time.  We walked out of the theatre, both agreeing that we would have turned around and watched it again.  I think the people around us felt similarly, as the entire packed theatre waited until after the credits to leave.  When we got back to our hostel we found out the movie was so popular because the main male actor, Chris O’Dowd, is from Galway.  At 10:30, I then skyped with Brendan for a little while and then went to bed.  I woke up at 9:45, 15 minutes before check-out, thanks to Gabrielle tapping me on the shoulder and telling me I had slept through my alarm.  I hurriedly got ready and packed up so I could check-out without a late fee tacked on to my bill.  I then took my time walking to the Galway Cathedral for mass and arrived 30 minutes before it started.  I spent 20 of those minutes writing in my journal and the other 10 enjoying the organ music.  After mass I walked back to my hostel, stopping at Subway for a sandwich, and sat down to enjoy some free Internet for skyping with Brendan and my parents before walking to the train station to return to County Laois.  Along the way, I walked through Eyre Square, Galway’s sorry excuse for a park, and fought cigarette smoke the whole way.  At the train station, the train conductor gave me a little harder time about my ticket, asking me when my birthday was, but I had prepared the answer of July 4, 1995, and he let me pass.  Although Galway wasn’t my favorite city, and it rained almost the entire time I was there, I really enjoyed my first weekend of traveling entirely alone and making new friends.  I gained a lot of self-confidence and enjoyed just being with myself.  I think I’m a nice person to be around, and I feel lucky to have this opportunity to get to know myself better.