Okay my mother today said that everything I told her sounds charming.Charming implies quaint. It's not really that. Charming is something I equate with kitchens decorated with hens and roosters.

Not that my mother meant that in the least. Truthfully I think my mom's right. I find everything here pretty great. Somethings are different. But here are somethings to give perspective. This isn't a decorated kitchen.

1. Cat calls. Yeah I got cat-called in the USA a lot too. Ironically it pisses me off just as much in an Irish Accent as it did before. It's just creepy.

2. Ireland doesn't really do steaming hot showers. Anyone who has ever lived with me will know that I love hot water. As former roommates will attest it's not really worth going in for a shower unless I've been finished for a good, hmmm hour?? Yeah I like to use it all.

Anyway in Ireland energy cost a lot. Most the Irish get past this by just not really paying for it. Like not paying for the energy to heat water.

 Don't get me wrong the shower itself is not bad. It's even comfortable. It's just not scalding as I'm used to.

The hard part is getting out. Because that's cold. I have it down to a pretty fine art of jumping out of the shower, drying off, getting dressed and making a mad dash to under my blankets in about a minute flat.

3. Traffic. Irish traffic is just comical. Basically people all just kinda go where they want and figure everyone else will worry about everyone else. While I used to live in Rexburg, where they completely ignore traffic laws and just sit there in cars, smiling tightly at the other person to go. Then the other person waves at them. This continues for like six minutes.

In Ireland they don't care.  I was walking in town today and I saw no joke like six cars trying to all race each other to the three way street (all going different ways, yes six cars, three way intersection all going different directions). This resulted in them all slamming on the breaks and a traffic jam.

Oh, they also park on the side-walks,  walk in front of traffic, jay walk. They also will inform a traffic cop. that they will move from the spot they are illegally parked in-- usually designated for a bus-- that they will only be two more minutes while their friend finishes shopping or while their pizza is cooked. Meanwhile bus just waits, with all traffic backed up behind it. The bus comes frequently so this is interesting to say the least.


4. The dead cat I walked past today. Lying there stiff as a board and obviously placed right by the sidewalk, I guess that was better than leaving the poor thing in the street. Still it wasn't pleasant.

5. I forgot bags when I went shopping. Now this was my fault so it's not really not charming. In fact it wasn't so bad as I live right by the shop.
But like any American I forget that pretty much anywhere else in the world you bring your own shopping bags. But then they don't think it's odd when you shove the lot into your purse. Well, so long as you've paid for it.

6. My goal to start actually doing my hair? Yeah the voltage difference will probably fry my supper amazing designer curling iron that I love but still don't know how to use. Meh. I guess my little sister will be happy.

7. Ditto to my electric toothbrush.

8. Read the above posts. I hate sounding American. Not my accent. I've mostly gotten over how odd that sounds. But sounding spoiled and like my life is so hard.

But lest you think I'm actually bothered by any of the above in a real way, today I skipped out of the house to do some shopping and Loreena McKennitt came on. It was perfect, the afternoon was still really early and the hills and stone walls around  covered with moss and ivy were amazing.

I indulged in wide smile to a girl in passing. Her returning look told me she found me nuts.

But freezing after showers and all I'm still find it pretty great here. Yep.