United Nations

Veronica, my new roommate, is enrolled in English classes at a local language school.  (I think that her English is already basically fluent, but she claims that she needs to improve.)  The school is basically like the United Nations --- there are people from all over the world who are enrolled and they all live together in an apartment complex.  They come from Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil....you name it, and the country is represented.  Because they are all new to Dublin, they have an automatic friend group right away with their fellow students.  There is very much a college dorm atmosphere. 

Everyone is always invited to come along to eat dinner together, go out to pubs, or go dancing---but usually it's only the Europeans who hang out together (the Koreans, Chinese, and Saudi Arabian students tend to keep to themselves and don't talk with anyone.  I'm not sure why.  I don't know if they think we are too loud, or if they are nervous about speaking English, or if there is too much of a cultural difference, or if they don't like us....but whatever the reason, they are invited and choose not to come to anything.)

I am so glad that Veronica invited me along because it was wonderful to be able to hang out with a huge group of welcoming and fun people.  I must admit that I still feel a little uncomfortable always being the "new person" and trying to make small talk with strangers, but everyone at Veronica's school is so friendly and kind that I feel included right away. 

I'm the only native English speaker in the group, so sometimes they forget and exclaim, "Wow!  Your English is amazing!"

"Well, I have been practicing for 24 years," I reply. 

I'm impressed that all of these people are courageous enough to go to a new country where they don't know the language and they are willing to immerse themselves in English.  Speaking is hard enough without complicating it with a whole new vocabulary!   It's somewhat ironic to me, however, that I've met more people from other countries than actual Irish people.  The only Irish people that I know is the small group from work....meanwhile I've met loads of people from the rest of Europe.

I suppose that I could find the same multiculturalism in New York, but even though I live so close to the city at home, the 45 minute trip might as well be around the world.  You don't really get to know a city until you live in it, and I'm enjoying being in the heartbeat of Dublin.

Veronica is a little upset because the group is always changing.  Many of the people that she just met are going home this upcoming week.  Because everyone stays in Dublin for different amounts of time, the change-over of people in the language school is very high.  As soon as you start to get to know someone, then they leave.  The friendships are not life-long, but everyone is happy to be together for the time that they have.

I am really trying to learn how to live in the moment here.  At home, I think it's easy to start to worry about the future or dwell on the past, but being here is helping me to appreciate the day-by-day, and enjoy life as I'm living it. 

Veronica, my new roommate is in the center with the glasses

Me, Veronica, the German Giant Valentine in the back (he was definitely over six foot tall), and Vikki from France

Sofia from Rome

Charlotte from Switzerland

Andreas from Vienna, Austria who actually has a strong British accent.  I think it's interesting that everyone still has the accent of their mother tongue (except for Andreas).  Even though everyone is learning English in Ireland, nobody has an Irish accent.  For example, if they are French, they still have the same French accent that they would have if they learned English in America.

Some of the group at Fitzsimon's in the Temple Bar area, dancing the night away.