Day 1.

Today was our first day in Ireland. Minus the short few hours we had here yesterday, which was used up figuring out how to access the bus system — a euro from a stranger really helped us out — walking in the icy wind to our accommodation, a short dinner (tomato soup from The Host) and a good effort to catch up on some sleep.
We started our day as the sun rose — 8:30. It wasn’t too cold in the room we stayed in, and after Kendal took a short shower we walked out into the bitterness. It’s really the wind that gets you. Once you’re out of that it isn’t too miserable. 5° or so today.
We entered a little grocery store, asked them for a Leap card (a transport card that you can load money onto, that acts as a discount card too — win). The card is €5, with a minimum load of €5. The store was interesting. We tried to get a gauge of the cost of things but exchanging it into Rands really doesn’t help, it just makes everything seem too expensive to buy. The strawberries there were from Spain, the Grapes from France. Conclusion: it’s not only the people that are international.
Once we figured out the bus system (and by figured out I mean were helpfully-told about the bus system) we made our way to Dublin. The ride is long an uncomfortable, but the excitement held us through.
“It’s magical” I thought as we arrived. My crowded thoughts of the country being miserable vanished with the lively bustling of the city. Every turn was exciting, but my jet-lagged body struggled behind my enthused mind.
We wandered around for a bit — Kendal on an unspoken mission to find an adaptor for my laptop. We turned down a strange little street in search for some sort of mall and found it. A street mall — you know, the ones on either side of a road. That’s where I found my love for Dublin.
The excitement of it all felt like a breath of warm air. The people were moving and talking and being busy. Each little shop we went into felt like possibility. And then we found the entrance to the actual mall. At this point my body beat my mind and I begged Kendal to get us some coffee. After a short bathroom break (which had teddybear claw machines and an ID photo booth in it for some reason) we tried to find coffee. At nearly €5 a cup, Starbucks was a no-go. The organic coffee shop next to it was only slightly better. We settled for a €3 euro coffee at a weird little restaurant. We were served by a young Asian lady, next to an Indian woman and as we sat down I said to Kendal “I think I want to work here”.
The idea behind the coffee-shop job is layered, with the thickest being that I think it will be a good way to understand social culture — a vital key to making friends in a foreign country. And with no shortage of tech stores in the strip, Ken and I agreed to bring our CVs with us when we went again.
We got our Irish sim cards. €20 euros for 28 days of unlimited 5G data, unlimited calls between the same network, 60 free minutes of other calls and the actual simcard. We’ve shopped around a little for these and this seems to be a good deal. (Also we have it on a pay as you go basis so if things so really wrong we’re not signed into anything).
We went into a shop called Dunnes (pronounced ‘Dunes’ or ‘Dunnies’ or ‘Duns’, we’re not so sure). It’s massive. With a market on top, giant female clothing store in the middle, and grocery store underneath. I simply got a top to sleep in and we grabbed some milk, bread, strawberry preserve and peanut butter (to last us till our real shop on Monday). It came to €12,11.
After that we were pretty much done with exploring for the day. Whether jet-lag or over-stimulation, we were both really tired. Ken had the idea to share our excitement with our parents and we gave them each a call from the busy street and shared our we’re-in-Europe-excitement with them. Then we began the great hour and 20 minute trek back home.
Our evening was wonderful. We met The Host’s friends — a french, a German, and a Ukranian) We’re in Ireland and we’re yet to meet an Irish person. But it was wonderful. We got to share our bit of the-unknown-world to all these women who are exactly the same as are — foreigners. Conclusion: there is nothing better than a room full of different accents. Dinner was once again provided by The Host and a honestly wonderful array of warming eats. Tomorrow we’re on our own for food again.
Our night ends as South Africa’s new day begins at 10:02pm.
Goodnight dear blog-readers.
With love from Dublin,
Cheylin.
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