Hotel:
We are staying at the Mespil Hotel which is quite high quality considering everything here feels so fancy. I haven't had much exposure to hotels besides one time at high school for a band competition, but I feel compelled to dress nicely all the time, especially during meals. For dinner, we have a larger seating area for the 40 of us, and we are given menus with 2 options for appetizers, entrees, and desserts (every entree comes with a side of vegetables and POTATOES!). So far, I've had wild boar, salmon, chicken, beef, lamb, crazy mixed salads, and other things that have been either hit or miss (salmon= YUM, wild boar = ughhh), though I have at least tried them all. Desserts here are unbelievable like a strawberry cheesecake that was heaven with each bite. I've also had the pleasure of experiencing Irish breakfasts: eggs, white pudding, and rashers which are absolutely wonderful! Still building up the courage to try blood sausage and maybe the sweet beans, but I have tried to avoid Americanized food as much as possible. Also, the variety of people at the hotel has been so fascinating. Just recently, the Irish rugby team faced the French, so we had numerous old French guys roaming the hallways and saying "Bonjour" every step of the way. It's cool to be in such a diverse area.
Attractions:
We've come across many noteworthy places within only a few days, that it is amazing to realize how many things you can find in one day. For example, we've explored St. Stephen's Green on multiple occasions simply because it is so beautiful and relaxing to experience this gorgeous park among a bustling city. We've also seen numerous famine-related monuments and memorials which prove incredibly emotional as you take in the expressions of the figures, we've passed down Grafton Street plenty of times, walked by the James Joyce Center, Dublin's Writer's Museum, the Hugh lane Gallery, the Ha'Penny Bridge and lots of churches (on of which was converted into a bar and restaurant!). The other night we paid a visit to the small pub and O'Donoghue's for a traditional Irish music experience where we got our first taste of Guinness! Finally, we've all seen the posters back in the States of the Doors of Dublin, but it is even more incredible to behold. Doors of every color and shape stand out against the brick walls as a symbol of unique individualism, as if every door defines the family that lives within it.
The city:
Dublin is so fast-paced that even our professors warned us about Dublin walking speed (a.k.a. walk as fast as possible), and our legs have been trying to keep up while pushing through muscle soreness. Even the older folks walk faster than us! To really get an idea of the city is to walk through Grafton Street because the diversity of people is bizarre in a good way. Every way you turn your head you hear a different language or see a different dress. We've seen Irish, British, American, Russian, Middle-Eastern, Polish, French, German, Asian, and tons of other nationalities. Being from the US, you have never encountered so many different people in one area. 'Tis truly an experience in itself.
Culture Shock:
The biggest setback I've come up against has turned out to be the one thing I've wanted to experience.Culture shock is defined as a state of confusion/overawareness of how everything around you is different, but I also read that it can also be a feeling of disappointment because your travel destination is not meeting the expectations you developed for it. For example, I was hoping to meet a ton of different people, but due to Dublin's bustling populous, there isn't really time to sit and chat, which made me sort of depressed. Even when we first got here, it seemed as though we were back in the US with the exception that people had different accents. It all seemed so diminished from the high standard of expecting ideal Irish conditions. Luckily, this feeling has passed as logic comes in: you have to try to sit back and simply absorb the diversity around you instead of comparing it all to life as you know it, and as we move through the country, we will be among smaller towns that will be perfect meeting places for new friends. Therefore, my moodiness is gradually disappearing as our journey continues!
Embarrassing American Story:
I had a wonderful moment during our trip to O'Donoghue's because I was looking for something other than beer to drink. When I asked the bartender to make me something that didn't have beer, he seemed really confused and a guy at the counter told me to have "Guinness!" hahaha so I thought he was going to mix me something until he grabbed a glass and poured some ginger ale into it -.- Lame. I was too embarrassed to ask for anything else, so I had a friend order Guinness afterwards xD I felt super embarrassed, but I figured I might as well get over it and enjoy the Guinness! Plus, we got to hear the traditional music which was worth it all!
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