What's your objective?

So, it's been two months since my move back stateside from the Emerald Isle and i'm beginning to settle back into my life here. Getting back to the grind of the everyday; working 7 days a week, classes 5 days a week and homework needing to be done on a nightly basis. Business as usual. Beginning to wonder if Ireland ever really happened to me, or if it was just a really detailed dream.


My acting professor was lecturing about objectives in class the other day. Every actor has to have an objective; in the scene, in the act, in the play, and as a character. In order to get us thinking about what actions our characters would be doing at certain times, why they would behave a certain way, how they would deliver a line and why they would deliver it that way, she posed us with this question: What is your objective when you get up in the morning? We answer, "to get to class". She continues asking the same question... Why?, "to do well in college". Why?, "to get into grad school". Why? "to be successful". Why?, "to be happy". Most all of us answered in unison. 


We all have the same super-objectives: to be happy. 


But it also made me look at it in a different light. Look at everything we need to do in order to be happy and get where we want to be in life. Look how long it might take to get there. Think about all the people you may have to leave behind or the struggles you'll have to face to get there. It's scary, huh?


Sometimes I wish it were easier in this world to get where you wanna go. But it's not. And this is a harsh reality. 


It gives me comfort on some level, though. to know that once I do get to that place I wanna be. I will have worked my ass off for it. And it will be that much sweeter. Achieving the American Dream. So i'll take your blows, i'll take the struggles, the sleepless nights studying and rehearsing, i'll take the rejection after rejection at auditions, i'll take all the hopelessness i've ever felt...and turn it into the most beautiful ending you could imagine.


With this said, I encourage all of you to look into tomorrow, and say "BRING IT".

Brusselsprouts.

Written in Brussels, Belgium. 6th of October, 2010.


Just landed in Belgium. not sure what to make of it just yet as it's difficult to gauge the vibe of a city from the airport terminal. We are now waiting for our shuttle bus to Brussels city, as we assumed we would be able to purchase our tickets on board like we're used to. However, that was not the case so we are waiting for the next shuttle. The weather is a bit milder than in Ireland, less windy, but still very cloudy. I hope it brightens up.


(later that evening)


So at first I was not a fan of the city and its vibe. It seemed just like any other city in the world with tall buildings and advertisements everywhere. However, as the day progressed and we finally were able to get into the lovely hostel we booked (which looks like a log cabin; with the wooden beams and stairs going up to the door to the room). Even the bathroom is nice, though the shower head is difficult to navigate at first. Once we settled we were able to relax downtown and explore. We step ten steps away from the front door and we are in the middle of the Grand Palace in Brussel's old city. Suddenly I was surrounded by the most beautiful architecture I've ever seen, built in the 1600s. Each building is so ornate that one could literally spend days studying it and still not notice everything. Maybe I'll try to notice everything. Maybe I'll try tomorrow. Also, today I tasted my first Belgium waffle from a street vendor while we watched the local children's drum corps perform on the street. They were incredible...and so was the waffle. before I leave I have to have a waffle with ice cream and chocolate on it. Speaking of chocolate... it is absolutely delicious here. We tried a few different places that gave us free samples. We stuffed ourselves with chocolate.


Written the 7th of October, 2010.


Today was very...full. The entire day. I've literally eaten so much chocolate that I don't know how I'm not in a sugar-induced coma by now. Apart from all the free samples of chocolate, I enjoyed a beautiful hot chocolate (chocolate chaud) at Cafe Tasse and not one Belgian waffle...but two. One for breakfast which consisted of the waffle with fresh bananas and chocolate sauce, the second with orange ice cream and of course, chocolate sauce (of course). I must have been one of the happiest girls in the world because of all the dark chocolate I consumed. It also could have been because of the most amazing architecture I have ever seen.


Walking through the streets of Belgium, especially at night, is an experience everyone should have. The restaurants set up tables outside on the cobblestone reaching out so far you can nearly touch the people sitting across the road at the opposite restaurant from you. Each of the restaurants and cafes have fires in them, warming the entire street. Fresh fish were being sold on the side of the road. There's no need to bundle up as each restaurant has open fires keeping everyone who walks by warm.


The flea market was amazing. Overwhelming, but really very cool. We couldn't even see the whole thing it was so expansive. I got a decorative collector's spoon for my grandmother there for two euro, I think she'll appreciate it. The nightlife in Brussels, from what I saw, was pretty relaxed, it doesn't seem like a very young city, that may be the reason why. This city is more for those who just want to relax and enjoy beautiful buildings, architecture and absolutely delectable chocolate.

Trad on the Prom

This is a collection of some of the most talented Irish dancers and musicians on one stage, I really wouldn't be able to give them justice, so instead, I'll show you...

Amazingness

Unfortunately they didn't allow any photography so i do not have any photos from the event I attended in Salthill for you.

I saw these guys my third week in Ireland and fell in love with the Uilleann pipes (pronounced: illin), and after researching a bit about the instrument, came across this magic man, Seamus Ennis. Puts the bagpipes to shame, sorry Scotland.

Rocky Road to Dublin!

(Though t'wasn't too rocky because of the new motorway...)

Written in Dublin, Ireland on October 2, 2010.

The feel is a lot like home, like Boston, in some parts. The city is large enough, but has a smaller feel. Like Boston, you can pretty much walk anywhere (though this is not advisable during certain hours of the night). Stayed at the Harding Hotel, which is close to everything; the Temple Bar District, St. Patrick's Cathedral (Naomh Padraig) and lots of great shopping places. Noteworthy visits included St. Stephen's Park (which did, in fact, make an appearance in Leap Year...which is not real life by the way. Also, the Guinness Factory is worth a visit if you don't think you'll be back to the city, at least to see the panoramic view of the entire city, which is beautiful on a clear day. Heed this advice...go to the top first to get your "free" pint of the dark stuff before you do the tour, you'll avoid the crowds and be able to get a nice seat by the windows of the bar. The Temple Bar District was something I didn't get to fully experience, but it's supposed to hold the oldest bar in Ireland. 

One thing I've noticed about life here is that people aren't necessarily concerned about time or heavy planning. I felt like I was a "go-with-the-flow" type of person before I came here.  Now I've really seen the light, for lack of a better term! More like things are beginning to click in my mind. Why rush? Why plan out every second of your life when almost nothing goes as planned anyway? Obviously, some things require planning, but there's no need to plan every event that happens. You can't plan for allll the awesome-ness life has in store!

The unexpected is almost always better anyway. A friend here is really helping me figure this out. Whether it's good, bad, or anything, everything happens for a reason.I can already feel the difference in myself, I can't wait to see how I change and grow.

I've begun taking the Irish language but haven't yet gotten it to stick, so we'll see how this goes!

Here are some pics from My trip to Dublin!:

Guinness Is Good For You. 

View of the City from the Sky Bar in the factory.

Bulmers...brewed in Tipperary, loved in my heart.

Dublinia, medieval Dublin.

An alley off Grafton St. (the main street in the city center)

Irish band playing on Grafton St.

Michaela in St. Stephen's Park!

Worst Question Ever...

"How was Ireland?"


...How am I supposed to answer that? After four incredible months in a country that I came to love, with people that became my family, I always come up short with an answer to that question.


Then again, how were you guys really supposed to know anything about my trip when I hardly posted anything?


In my defense, I don't regret one moment that I spent over in the Emerald Isle, and I'm glad I didn't waste those moments in front of a computer. Instead, I brought along a journal with me, and wrote most of my would-be-blog-entries in that; on flights to and from various countries, during a quiet moment at home in front of the telly, or during some lectures...


Regardless, I do have things to tell you. And if you're willing to listen, I'd be happy to show and tell (if it doesn't bother you that all this happened over the course of a few months ago).

In the Land of Harry Potter, William Shakespeare...and Fried Pickles.

Didn't actually get a chance to eat any fried pickles. My only disappointment during my stay in London would be that. It wasn't the lack thereof, it was more my having no time to consume them due to the fact that in the span of two days I have seen Big Ben, London's Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the Marble Arch ; have marveled at the Peter Pan statue, London Bridge, Millennium Bridge; toured the Tower of London and the Globe Theatre; walked along the Thames River, stood underneath the London eye, gone to mass at Westminster Abbey and received communion in the same place where Princess Diana's funeral was held and where Elton John performed his rendition of "Candle in the Wind"; attempted to push my way through Platform 9 3/4; seen one of the most brilliant renditions of "Chicago" in one of the most influential cities for theatre culture in the entire world; haggled with a man at Camden Market for a one-of-a-kind, hand-made top; managed to figure out the Underground; walked through Hyde Park; bought something from a world-renowned department store (Harrod's) for my mother; and walked down streets where some of the world's most brilliant writers, actors, directors and monarchs have walked, dwelt and visited. Sometimes I forget this is actually my life I'm telling you about.


I know you're all curious about my attempt to make it to the famous Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unfortunately, despite the desperate attempts by myself and my friends, we were unable to make it through to the platform...shame. Having fun visualizing this attempt? Here, let me help you...

It was actually rather difficult to find, which really added to the awesome-ness of it all :)

Also, while I'm rambling on about Harry Potter, like you all probably expected the minute you found out I was off to London, I think you should get a better idea of where I was staying and what I was near. To assist me in this i'm enlisting youtube.com for some visuals. Yes, I stood on that very bridge and stood in front of those very buildings. Luckily enough, the Death Eaters let us be for the day ;) Click on the link to see! (if you look close enough you can see London Bridge in the background)


Death Eater Attack from HP6



It's incredible how stories like Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes influence the vibe of a city to a tourist. At some points I felt as though I were walking around in the 17th century listening to Big Ben chime away in the early morning, walking over the Wesminster Bridge through the cold early morning fog to church. London is a very cool city, definitely a place where I'd like to visit again. And though some parts of the city reminded me of Dublin, it's a very different vibe than Ireland, which is now what i'm used to. I think at least part of it may be because the country is still headed by a monarchy, which is such an interesting concept to me. There was something profound about being in a country where they have had the same form of government for thousands of years, and has evolved into the highest display of grandeur (which I also found quite different from Ireland-the complexity and grandeur of it all). 


I will post some photos in a separate post because I haven't uploaded the photos on my computer yet!


Hope you enjoyed!


until next time,
Suze

Begin at the Beginning.

Since I completely disregarded my blog and loyal followers for the first 5 weeks of my amazing trip to Ireland...I have quite a lot to catch you all up on. My time here is going so quickly that I have no desire to waste any time, so I feel like I'm constantly going downtown and exploring, catching up on work, or you know... jetting off to various countries all over continental Europe (which I promise you will hear about). But regardless! That's no excuse for me to neglect everyone back home so I'll just get started!


Arriving in Ireland I felt at home straight away, even taking the bus from the airport to my apartment complex in Galway, I felt as though my heart lightened. I was finally here, the place where my family originated (some, at least) and where my family still remained (I'm beginning at the beginning, if you will). All this may sound corny, but it really is an amazing feeling to feel so connected with a place that you have never been before. 


My first night here I had already compiled a list of reasons to love Ireland in my journal (which I have been using as my proverbial "blog" while traveling):

• the cows graze literally right next to the highway
• all the shades of green you could possibly imagine
• the accordion player on the sidewalk that plays happy Irish music and grins widely with gap-teeth
• nearly everyone is friendly
• they make everything smaller here, which, consequently, makes life a bit easier for those of us standing at a mere 5 feet
• I don't get carded!
• the stores close early. This may seem like an inconvenience at first and I'll admit that at times, it is, but it's a nice reminder that the people working can go home to their families for dinner 
• the weather can be shite, but it can also be the most beautiful days you've ever seen in your life...complete with rainbows.
• the style here is an eclectic mix of vintage and trendy, which I am all about, and am getting increasingly confident in dressing myself better
• last but definitely not least...THEY LOVE BOSTON PEOPLE. (and automatically assume you have Irish heritage if you say that's where you're from...most of the time they're right)

There are more reasons than just these few, but those will pop up as my blogs are posted. 

I also would like you to see where I'm going to school, so here are some photos of my campus. And no, it's not Hogwarts (though I did try to get there this past weekend, check out my next post to hear about that!)

These are ruins across the street from my school.

The King Fischer Gym on campus.

These are photos of the quad on campus. Apparently if you sit on the grass you will fail your exams. And since there's no continuous assessment and everything depends on exams...no one sits there.

I suck at blogging.

First off, I want to apologize to all the people at home who were so looking forward to my blog and hearing about all of my adventures in the Emerald Isle...and then not hearing from me for about 6 weeks. Alas! I promise I have a ton of stuff to tell you about so you will be reading the following few posts for quite a while, as I've done a lot of exploring and traveling this past month and a half, and intend to tell you all. So sit back, grab a mug of some good 'ole Irish Bailey's Tea and enjoy. :)

I feel it necessary to share with you all some phrases that I've learned over the past few weeks in order for you to better understand what I'm talking about, as I'll probably unintentionally drop some of them throughout my posts just because it's what I'm used to now. Some of them are funny, some are rated PG-13, some make no sense at all, but that's the Irish way!

• Cheers = Thank you
• yoke = thing (i.e. "gimme that yoke over there")
• telly = television
• mam = mom
• take-away = to-go
• thanks a million! = thanks very much
• *Craic (pronounced 'crack') = good time (i.e. what's the craic?/where's the craic?)
• queue = line
• lift = elevator
• em = um
• ye = you
• me = my
• biscuits = crackers
• grand = great
• half (insert time) = (insert time) - thirty (i.e. "11:30" = "half-eleven")
• chicken fingers = chicken balls
• dear = expensive
• chips = french fries
• crisps = potato chips
• class = great ( i.e. that pizza was class)
• bollocks = shit
• shite = shit (mostly referring to when someone is joking around, they're "talkin' shite")
• boot = trunk of car
• hoover = vacuum
• toasties = grilled cheese sandwhich
• arse = ass
• getting the ride = sex
• score = to make out
• get the shift = (french) kissing
• fancy = to like
• sound = really nice/good
• pet = honey (or other terms of endearment)
• wrecked = wickid tired/drunk
• jumper = sweater
• runners = sneakers
• jumpered up = to have a sweater on
• module = class (lecture)
• c'mere  ('come here') = tell me (i.e. "c'mere, what's wrong?)
• chemist = pharmacy
• put the chat on him/her = to hit on him/her

*Irish people find it hilarious when Americans hear this for the first time because they know our first thought is:  "Crack??  Like...cocaine....???"

until later,

Suzy

17 days. 395.5 hours. 23,730 minutes. 1,423,800 seconds until my adventure Begins.

Hello Everyone!

I've created this blog to keep in touch with everyone and give you guys updates on the goings-on in Europe, besides what you'll see on Facebook. I've never kept a blog like this before so bear with me while I navigate the ins and outs of the blogger-sphere. :) 

The next time you hear from me i'll be in Galway City! 

Love you all,

Suzy