Three Months In

Just a quick update. I’ve been meaning to write more, if only so I can have a record of this strange time in my life, but honestly things have been fairly quiet.

As was Christmas. It was all very pretty, especially the lights and decorations on the high streets. But as Christmas proper arrived, everything shut down — even the convenience stores. On St. Stephen’s Day (the 26th) a few stores opened up for sales, but otherwise the city was still closed, with the exception of the pubs. Things only got back to normal after New Years.

And New Years was fun, tho quiet. I met an Australian woman who’d just arrived in Dublin, and we watched a parade, then went to O’Neils for dinner. Then I went to see some fellow expats at a pub north of the Liffey, but it was loud and crowded and I ended up leaving early. I waited for midnight with a small crowd of people at Stephen’s Green near the luas; we had our own little countdown, then it was 2014. There was another Canadian there who started singing the national anthem, so I wandered over and joined in, and it was beautiful.

Since then I’ve mostly just worked. I’m finally renting an apartment (it’s a long story that I won’t go into). My bank account is set up and I should be paid in euros imminently. That’s my news; yeah, my life it pretty quiet.

Part of the reason I agreed to come here in the first place was for the opportunity to travel. I still want to do that, but I’m not fussed about exploring the continent while it’s winter. In late February I’m going back to Venice again (!!), but aside from that I haven’t really planned any adventures.

It’s time to plan some adventures. :)