My BIG move to Ireland!

Hey everyone, like I said in the last entry as well, sorry I disappeared again (thanks Lyn for enquiring!).  I have been really busy with school work, apparently everything comes at the end of the semester.  Anyway, I'll definitely try harder to squeeze in some time to update my blog. 

Did anyone hear about the controversy around the T.V. show The Family Guy and the Irish? I thought I would mention it here.  Apparently, there was a recent episode where the main character, Peter, finds that his long-lost father is from Ireland.  So the whole family takes a trip to Ireland and the stereotypes begin.  The plane lands on a runway of broken beer bottles, Peter tells his son that Ireland has more drunks per capita than people.  They then go to the pub Wifey McBeats (apparently we're wife beaters now as well as drunks) to meet his father where they have a drinking contest until they pass out.  There's also a bar brawl and the father sings a song about spreading sexually transmitted diseases (another stereotype I didn't know we had) after he passes gas. Basically, it's pretty disgusting and definitely crossed the line of what's funny and what's insulting.  It seems the Irish-American community over here is up in arms over it, very rightfully.  It was on the front page of the Irish Voice newspaper this week.  Anyway, I thought I would share it with all of you because it's not often that I hear the Irish speaking out about the stereotypes they receive, we usually just take it as a joke.  But as I said, this episode went too far.  I think it helped me realize how hurtful these stereotypes can be, I had never experienced that before.  Anyway, it was an eye-opener. So be careful about the assumptions you make :)

jenny264 at 11:26:14 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 7 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Hey Everyone. Like I said, sorry I kinda disappeared there for a bit. My boyfriend was visiting from Ireland and we went to Chicago for a few days.  We had a great time although it was a bit cold by the end of the week and we were caught unprepared! He left today :( so I'm here missing him again.  Like I said to him though, it's the last time we'll have to say goodbye like this.  I can't believe it really, it's all over.  The first year we were going out we were all worried about what we would do when I went home, stay together? not stay together? The second year, we worried about what I would do after college, Ireland? US? The next year it was worrying about coming to the US, getting into a grad program here, getting my boyfriend a Visa and a job.  Then this year of course it was having to spend another year apart.  And now today we said our last goodbye. It's crazy that all that worrying is over, gone and we never have to think about that stuff again.  It almost feels like, what the hell were we so worried about?! It all worked out in the end. I'm really glad this is the last time we have to do this though. We haven't really had much of a chance to have a "normal" year without having to deal with long-distance problems and worries.  As of July....it's all over!!

jenny264 at 11:01:29 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 5 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Hey everyone. I know I've disappeared for a little. My boyfriend is over from Ireland and we went away for a few days. I'll write again when he leaves.

jenny264 at 4:18:08 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Susie asked for some info on an Irish wedding celebration and I thought it was a good idea so here it is! I've been to a few Irish weddings and they're the best weddings I've been to! There are definitely a few differences between Irish and American weddings. First, over here the music and the dinner go on at the same time (which I hate by the way).  In Ireland, you do the dinner first and the speeches, then everyone clears out of the room (usually to the bar!) and when the band is set up everyone goes back in and the dancing begins. After the band then, there is a DJ just to extend the night a bit longer! Irish weddings can go on all night! especially if it's a family wedding or if you're part of the wedding party.  After the music you usually end up going back to the hotel bar until the wee hours of the morning.  Irish weddings are also not as big a spectacle as they sometimes are here.  No limos for one. The couple usually get a fancy car but bridesmaids and others just hop in someone's car and go to the hotel.  There are no favors, no open bar but lots of fun!  The band usually plays some Irish folk songs and people dance some sets (type of Irish dancing).  The new thing now is to extend the wedding into the next night!  After a Friday night wedding especially, most of the people get together again on the Saturday night for another night of celebration and music.  It's a weekend affair now! Wow, I can't wait for the next one! Well, I'm at that age (25) when I find myself going to A LOT of weddings! so I'll probably be at a few more Irish weddings shortly enough.  My boyfriend's sister is getting married in September so there's one already. Can't wait!

Oh, also...pre-wedding.  There is no such thing as a bridal shower! There's a hen party - aka bachelorette party and a stag - aka bachelor party.  But that's it.

jenny264 at 10:33:22 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 4 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

So I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today. My boyfriend went to his friend's wedding yesterday (who I know as well) and it's basically a weekend celebration.  I wish I was there! It's times like this when I wish I was moving to Ireland like tomorrow. I hate missing out on all these great, fun times...and then I get to hear all about the fun I miss from everyone.  When I'm over there I never seem to feel like I'm missing out on all that much here. Something about Ireland I guess. I especially hate missing big events like this though, weddings, birthdays etc. Two of my friends in Ireland have been away in Australia for a year, they just got back the other day and so there's great celebrating this weekend for them too....missing it.  Ok enough self-pity.

jenny264 at 10:18:57 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 4 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!  Well, I have to say it was definitely one of my more quiet St. Pat's Days.  We had a big snow/ice storm here last night so I spent most of the day shoveling snow and trying to get my car out of the driveway (where it is still stuck).  Me and my mom did put on some Irish music while we ate our corned beef and cabbage but that was about it.  I don't mind really, I'm thinking once I move to Ireland I'm going to have plenty of St. Pat's Days to celebrate the right way! In a pub! haha. 

Also, I had to give a presentation the other day in class about my ethnicity...obviously my Irish ethnicity.  The fact that I'm moving to Ireland came up and while doing the assignment I tried to understand exactly why I am moving there.  People are always asking me why so I should know the answer but I usually just end up saying that I'm not sure, that I've just always liked it better.  Well, It's more than just that.  I feel like I belong better there, if that makes sense.  I think my personality and attitudes just match better with Ireland than here.  I feel more comfortable there and I've always been able to be more myself.  No wonder I love it so much!  Anyway, I thought I would share that with you since this page is all about me moving...I should tell you why!

jenny264 at 10:48:22 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 4 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

I wasn't sure whether I was going to write about this because I thought of it as a boyfriend/girlfriend issue. However, then I realized that it has a lot to do with me moving to Ireland because it's all about where I'm going to live when I move over.  My boyfriend is in the process of buying a house but it's near where his home place is (about an hour outside the city).  It was never an option for me to live there at first because I won't have a car and will have to live within walking/bus distance from work.  However, the other day, he brought up the question about whether he should then just rent out the house instead of living in it by himself for awhile.  However, his other option was then for the two of us to get an apartment in the city together, rather than two separate places! Eek! I wasn't planning on moving in with him just yet! We'll be going out 5 years this summer but I'm only 25 and I need a little more time.  I had always wanted to wait until I got married but felt that I could compromise on it depending on the situation (and I would need a diamond on my finger first!!). However, I've only had one year living out on my own and working, these past two years I've been living at home again.  I feel like I need just one more year of having my own place before I move in with my boyfriend, cause once I do it'll be for good.  I don't want to move in with him and then regret not having some more time as a "single" girl, I'd only end up taking it out on him. Anyway, I just thought I would share that with you since it's an issue I'm facing about moving.  By the Way--my boyfriend was a little disappointed first but eventually came around and said he respected my opinion.  Aww...so sweet! :) haha.

jenny264 at 10:03:11 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 3 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Wow, I'm exhausted! On Sundays I waitress at an Irish bar restaurant.  Well today the town that the restaurant's in had their St. Patrick's Day parade, and it seemed that everyone who went to it came in to us either before or after! It was madness!! I was run off my feet all day serving more corned beef and cabbage that I have ever seen in a year and trying to shout above the live Irish music that was playing.  All the St. Patrick's Day decorations were up, so much so you could be blinded with all the green!  When I came in the bartender exclaimed, "Jenny, this is your day!"  Haha.  But I have to say, even though it was an exhausting day (and my patience was run thin with some of the customers!) I really enjoyed the Irishness of it all.  It got me excited all over again about my move.  I can't wait to be surrounded by Irishness all the time! I came home and listened to my one of my favorite Irish songs, "Galway Girl," like 5 times.  Great song, especially for those with roots in Galway!  Anyway, I just thought I would share my Irish day with you, I get to do it all over again on the real St. Pat's! And now I'm falling into bed...

P.S.  I just want to thank Lyn for sending so many people over to my page!!! Thanks so much! Hope you're all enjoying it.

jenny264 at 11:18:45 PM EST Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 2 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Last night I went out for dinner with a friend from college who was in NYC for the night.  I haven't seen her very often since we graduated over 2 years ago since she still lives down near Philadelphia and with our busy schedules I guess it's just too far away.  When I was coming home on the train I caught a glimpse of a girl that I used to be best friends with until about 4th grade.  Even though we went to high school together we haven't really talked much since then.  I felt sad that we had been such good friends at one time and now we couldn't even say hello to each other . I sat on the train thinking about the relationships I have with my friends and what they're going to be like once I move to Ireland.  If Philadelphia is almost too far away for us to keep in touch as much as we should, what's it going to be like when we're in different countries?  Are all the friendships and relationships I've accumulated over the years I've been here going to become something of the past? I know there will be a couple that I'll always keep in touch with, but how close can we possibly be when our only contact is a few emails here and there and maybe dinner once a year when I come home for a visit?  I have good friends in Ireland (some I've know most of my life) so I don't feel like I'm losing all of my friends, it's just sad that part of my life, the part of my American friendships, is almost ending.

jenny264 at 11:27:07 PM EST Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 4 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Ok so this blog entry doesn't have anything to do with me moving to Ireland but it has been a huge, momentous day in Ireland and I felt the need to tell people about it!  Just a quick history lesson: way back when, when Ireland was fighting for its independence from England...the English were getting pissed that the Irish were starting to fight back.  So on the Sunday of the Gaelic Football final in Croke Park (Gaelic games stadium in Dublin), they sent troops into the stadium and they started firing randomly and killed innocent people.  Anyway, since then only Gaelic games have been allowed to be played in Croke Park.  However, the stadium where the Irish soccer and rugby team play has recently been closed for renovation so there was a controversial vote to allow them to play their home games in Croke park.  Well today was the Irish rugby team's first home game against England in Croke Park!  It was such a big deal...should the English National anthem be played before the game? Anyway, the English team was apparently given a history lesson of what went on there, and both anthems were played. Some of the Irish players were crying it was so emotional.  Most importantly...the Irish team won 43-13!!!  They kicked ass!!!  The best protest/revenge of all!!! All the innocent people who died there all those years ago must have been looking down on them.  So I just wanted to share my excitement.  Me and my mother went out for dinner to celebrate and even opened a bottle of champagne!  Congrats to the Irish Rubgy team!!!!!!! :)

jenny264 at 11:42:04 PM EST Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own