More sunlight

Second day: woke up super early to have a shower. My hostel does not have any outlets in any bathrooms, so I bought an old-fashioned razor blade and some shaving cream (need to look pretty for job interviews!). Another sunny day. The Celtic gods are smiling at me! Took some pictures this morning and tried to find some shops of interest to me (used book stores, a vintage shop named ‘A Store is Born’) but apparently, I was the only one up that early!

Went to the orientation session and took down many notes about stuff they want me to do. Many a form to fill out and numbers to receive. Evidently, I am going to be taxed 40% of my income until I go to them and tell them I’m not a permanent resident, and that thankfully I only have to do once. The orientation session had a Bulgarian, an Australian, a couple of Americans (one from Memphis!), and four Canadians. We’re just everywhere.

Which reminds me: the best experience of yesterday, besides the JRM-sighting, natch, was when I forced myself to go to a pub after dinner. I was tired and cranky and scared, but needed to go to be reminded of where I was (it’s easy to get caught up in the world of airports, trains, hostels and restaurants, but this world can seem the same everywhere!) I went to a pub on Great George Street called Long Hall, and it had glass chandeliers and old prints and felt very turn of the century. For the first time on this trip I was surrounded by Irish accents, and I was happy to just curl up with my Nixon book and a glass of Guinness and just listen.

Anyways, back to today. After the meeting, I went out and got a cell phone. The guy at the Vodafone shop was very busy and I had to keep asking (to him) silly questions, like ‘How does pay as you go work, exactly?’ Then, sitting in the yard of Christ Church, despite the aid of an instruction manual, I had great difficulty putting it together.

I was able to use it to call a girl whose house I’m looking at tonight (which I can thankfully walk to) although it cut out half way through the call. Evidently, I need to buy more minutes. Another day, another drama.