1 Year Anniversary

Whew, so it has been a while since I posted to the blog. It was my 1 year anniversary in Dublin on Monday. I just renewed my GNIB card this week.  I can't believe it, time really does fly fast. I think one of the reasons why I wasn't blogging as much is that instead of feeling like an outsider looking in, this whole "experience" is feeling like my life, my new normal. Work is work and while I used to compare to what I missed in the US, I have now accepted how things are. But I still have one more year to go.

Since I last wrote we have been to Prague, Amsterdam, Isle of Man, Portugal, and Athens. We haven't planned our next trip yet but we are always a bit last minute. Being able to freely travel around Europe is awesome. I'm really loving that aspect of it. 

This week was also 4th of July. It was pretty low key at our house and we had some hot dogs to celebrate the day. I definitely missed the fireworks. There are no Americans in my firm so no one really said anything about it.

We have friends coming to visit this weekend so I'm excited about that. 

Here are some pictures from our recent adventures:

Being a tourist in Dublin

Connor dancing at Malahide Castle in Ireland

Lagos, Portugal

Zeus' temple Athens

Acropolis, Athens

Sailing in the Greek Islands

As Connor likes to say, Bye bye, see you later!

Weekends in Dublin

Since we don't have a car, we are always out and about on the weekend, no matter what the weather.  While it is usually cold and will some times snow (but never stick to the ground), it is never unbearable.     I'm happy that I live in a place where the weather is not extreme, especially because we have to walk every where.  I wanted to blog today about our adventures on the weekends.  We usually go out for brunch in the mornings, go to Grafton street to walk around and take Connor to the parks that are close by.  

I still haven't seen a famous person around the city centre, but I know a few of them have been spotted like Conan O'Brien and Justin Bieber.  I'll just have to keep my eyes open.  

We have also just booked our next trips.  For St. Patricks Day we are going to Prague and for Easter we are going to Amsterdam for the tulip festival.  I know, you would think we would stay for St. Patricks Day since we are in Ireland, but I don't think it will be our scene, especially with a child.  

We also need to get our flights in because Connor will be 2 soon and we'll have to start paying 90% of the adult airfare price!

So, here are some pictures from our weekends in Dublin:

Playing with chalk

Playing in Merrion Square

Riding a bike in Phoenix Park

Walking on the Sean O'Casey Bridge

Looking at Art at the National Gallery of Ireland

Connor's favorite chair in Merrion Square

Playing at St. Stephens Green playground

Playing hide and seek in the Museum of Natural History or Dead Zoo

Reflections

We had some particularly cold windy weather in Dublin during the past few weeks and today was the first day with a good amount of sun.  However, it was still extra cold outside.  There were a few days where we had snow but it melted when it hit the ground. Snow is nicer than the rain, however, every Irish person will always reminisce to 2010 when the snow stuck to the ground and Dublin came to a halt... for two days.

My apartment is always cold.  Our storage heaters do not work very well and it is never a comfortable toasty temperature.  We have been to other people's apartments here in Dublin and they never seem to have this problem but it is because they have a more modern place.  Our place is definitely older and does not have modern appliances.  I still love the location and I am happy that I can walk to work every day and not have to rely on mass transportation, so I suppose it is a give and take.  But some times feeling so cold makes me angry.  I miss modern appliances and I miss having a lot of space.

I have noticed that I will write emails and interject my speech with Irish sayings when I am at work.  I don't know if that's the right way to put it but I will phrase things in a way that my Irish colleagues would say it.  Hard to explain, but I definitely notice it.  Sometimes it makes things a lot easier to be a little more relatable.

So, six months later, and while I have my days where I doubt myself, this is how I am feeling:

1. I am glad I came here and am having this experience.
2. I love all of the travel we have already accomplished.
3. Doing this with a toddler is HARD.
4. I like living in the city center and being close to everything.  Dublin is a great city to live in because it is not so crowded and there is not high crime where I live.
5. I am happy that Connor is able to be outdoors so much, even in the cold.
6. I don't feel as overwhelmed at work, I am more sure of myself/know my way around and am liking it more. The opportunities I get here are incredible and nothing I would have been able to experience if I stayed in my old office.
7.  I miss my mom, friends in Tampa, Chick-fil-A, Mexican food, Sushi, and Olive Garden more than I thought possible.  

All in all, I am happy I have the opportunity to experience living/working in a foreign country but there are days when I think we must be crazy!

Remainder of 2012 Recap!

Happy New Year!!

I can't believe it but I have been here for almost 6 months!  It has definitely gone by fast.  Since I have been a little lax about updating my blog (ie. work has been kicking my butt), I thought it would be good to have short recaps of the trips we took since the last time I posted.  For Christmas and New Years we took a 2 week trip to Thailand to visit family there.  If anyone wants to know more about the places I went to, just leave a message on my blog post.

I am definitely looking forward to what this year will bring!  Just need to get through this busy season (next four months)...

Here are a recap of the trips that we took since the last time I posted:

Budapest, Hungary - 3 day weekend 

Szechenyi Thermal baths - it was like a big heated swimming pool

We took a Danube river cruise

Old city of Buda

Looking at old city Buda from the Pest side at night

Cork City & Day tour to Ring of Kerry:

We went to Cork for a three day weekend and took a day tour with Paddywagon from Cork to the Ring of Kerry.  It was great, we had such beautiful weather!

One of the many views of the beautiful Ring of Kerry

Waterfall in the Killarney National Park

Ring of Kerry

Munich, Germany:
In December we took a 3 day weekend trip to Munich, Germany to see the Christmas Markets and to see Neuschwanstein.  We planned the trip ourselves and took a train to Fussen and a bus from Fussen to the castle.  It was extremely cold and snowy there!

Mmm, that beer was bigger than my head!

Train ride to Fussen

Enjoying the snow at the English Gardens

Snow at the train station

Neuschwanstein!

 Thailand:

We had such a wonderful time in Thailand!  The weather was very warm and the food was cheap and delicious.  Connor was able to see my side of the family over there.  We celebrated Christmas and New Years there and stayed in Bangkok, Koh Samui, and Pattaya!  I will have to load more pictures from our trip later.  The computer is being slow.

Happy New Year 2013 Friends!!