Stage #1: Getting Here
The flight experience was definitely an adventurous one, that I am glad I don't have to relive anytime soon. So the plan was to do 2 overnight flights to get here in order to save some money. Let me advise you right now not to do this; spend the money on the most direct flight, by the end of this experience I was absolutely exhausted. So, I flew from San Luis Obispo to LA and then overnight LA to New York. In the mean time, I had discovered that the flight I booked from New York to Dublin was an United flight, but it was run by Aer Lingus, and thus I had to check in with Aer Lingus, but I had no information for their systems. So, I arrived in NYC early, at 7:00am local time, 4:00am Becky time, needless to say, I was sleepy. Now when planning this trip, I had thought that I would use the 14 hour layover to travel into the city and experience a bit of New York while I was there. I would go stop by Aer Lingus and get my flight all squared away, nap a bit, and then see New York!! This would be the perfect day! However, reality hit, Aer Lingus would not open anything until 1:00pm which turned out to be 2:00pm and they had no record of me having a flight with them. It took 5 people to finally figure out what had actually happened with my flight and get me booked in. By this time there was definitely not enough time to go into the city and I was absolutely exhausted both physically and emotionally (it is quite stressful to think you spent a large amount of money and do not have a flight!) By the end of this VERY LONG layover I felt as if I was living in my very own version of "The Terminal," I know JFK airport quite well now. But, sadly, this is still all I have seen of NYC...
But at last, I boarded a plane at 9:50pm local time (6:50 Becky time) and prepared for the final journey, the one across the pond. I was excited, and terrified. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and I would know no one in Ireland. But I had dreamed about this day for so long, and I was ready. Thanks to a lovely prayer from a good fairy I was as ready as I would ever be for this journey. I arrived in Dublin at 9:00am local time (1:00am Becky time) and I was so excited; flying over I saw a lush, beautiful, green landscape, just as I had always pictured. I walked off the plane into a sunny, beautiful day in Dublin. I let out a sigh, I was here. This was it.
Stage #2: Failte ("Welcome")
My introduction to Ireland was a grand one. I was met at the airport by a lovely woman I had met at work at the Grand Californian Hotel who has showered me with warmth and hospitality from the moment I met her. Liz was there a few moments after I arrived and helped me lug all of my suitcases into her minivan and proceeded to give me a fabulous driving tour of Dublin, and added perk I had not been anticipating. My first impression was that this is a lively, beautiful, thriving city, older than any I had ever seen. It is overwhelming, in the best sort of way, to think of the history this city has.
We arrived at Trinity Hall, my home for this year, and it is in a rather posh part of Dublin called Rathmines. It has been modernized, which was slightly disappointing, but they have retained one of the old houses as a social space and it is gorgeous, built in 1900 (somewhat new by Dublin standards). This Hall has quite an interesting history. It started as 3 houses that were purchased by Trinity as a place for the women who attended Trinity to live (once women were admitted), as women and men could not live in the same area.
So, I had arrived. I walked in and spoke with a very kind Irish gentleman who gave me a key to my room which is very much like a hotel key, an electronic card, and I came to my room...
I quite like my room, I have it all to myself and it is quite big considering what it could be. I even have my own bathroom (which is wonderful in a flat with 6 girls!!)The shower is a strange setup, a shower-head in the corner of the bathroom and a drain in the middle without any sort of contraption for containing the water so everything just ends up wet, but I have my own shower, so there is no complaining here!
So, I got situated with all of this and then I absolutely crashed I was t i r e d! Again, DO NOT do the sort of flight I did, it will kill you! I woke up, looked around, and felt far from home and alone. But I have this lovely new Irish big sister who had me over and made me a fresh home-cooked meal, my first in Ireland and all was well again.
The rest of this week has been spent meeting and spending time with my wonderful new flatmates and adjusting to and falling in love with this city, but more on that later...
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