Notes From My First Week in Dublin

The last year has been a transition, but I was still at home, with my people. I landed here, and truly it did all feel different. It feels like a light switch. An immediate change. Everyone feels far away, my body was tense, and the most overwhelming feeling was… everyone’s in on something I’m not.

And that’s partially true, there is so much about Irish culture I have yet to be educated on. I’m learning to navigate the winding, very ungrid-like streets of Dublin. I’m on my phone turning back and forth to see which direction the blue “ray” of my location is facing. Do I walk this way to catch the Luas? Oh, the 44 bus only runs once an hour?

Then I went to coffee shops, and took myself out to dinner, I went to the Omniplex to see A Real Pain. I eavesdropped on conversations around me and remembered, oh… everyone has insecurities, Irish or not, American or not. We are just humans. And that was common ground enough for me to begin to find my footing.

My first day here, I mentioned to my flatmate I have been learning American Sign Language for the past three years, and I want to take Irish Sign Language classes at some point. Being a professor she was immediately encouraging, and looked up the local courses. “There’s one tomorrow!” she said. I had only landed hours before, and I was thinking… tomorrow, really, I’ll probably still be jet lagged? She said, “You should go! And it’s at Trinity, I’m sure it’s the type of group that would go for pints after.” So I went. I was so surprised at how different the two languages are. Not many signs overlapped. It felt good to be around people learning something new. Me, holding my insecurities about being in a new place, and everyone else, nervous to sign, “Where are you from,” in front of the class.

As the week went on, I explored new grocery stores, public transit, Ranelagh, Rathmines, and the City Centre (or as folks say here, ‘going into town’). I’m keeping my eggs out of the fridge, attempting to find the best ratio of layers, and I got a new phone number!

On Saturday, I was texting with a relative of mine who lives north of Dublin, and she told me the Ireland v. England rugby match was happening that afternoon. She said, “You have to go to a pub to watch it!” So after spending the morning at a cafe budgeting and practicing some answers for interview questions, I looked at the best places to watch a match. I decided on one and took myself there. I had a moment of hesitation, and told myself… “You’ve gotta go in.” And so I did.

It was body to body in there. Hot and smelly, but everyone was glued to the TV. I made my way down the bar to get my first pint of Guinness since arriving. As I watched, only half knowing what was going on, I asked the guy standing next to me a question. He said, “I’m sensing an American accent.” I confirmed and he introduced me to his friend. When they were leaving at halftime, they invited me to go to the next place to meet one of their flatmates. Ireland ended up winning, and I ended up having a lovely evening filled with pints, laughs, and kind people. (Guys, if you happen to be reading this, thank you. I am grateful for your kindness.)

All in all, it’s been a full week. I’m still not feeling totally grounded, and my thoughts feel fragmented, because there’s just too much to consider when everything’s new. But each day I am feeling more comfortable. I’m getting up, and trying, and participating. Cheers to the people who encourage you to lean in and those who are kind enough to receive you when you do.

Miscellaneous observations from the week:

This is very much an island. Misting, windy, moss growing anywhere its environment will allow. It’s warm enough that plants which would have been long gone in Chicago’s winter are still doing quite well.

Dublin is a biking city, as in there’s many more bikers than I expected. There aren’t a lot of streets you can use as a short cut. It’s a lot of walking all the way around one neighborhood to get to another. But I think that’s also a symptom of where I live.

They’re not into almond butter the way we are on the States, but they’ve got plenty of versions of peanut butter. I have managed to find a jar about a third of the size I’d get at home. Happy to at least have an option!