Further Discoveries in This Corner of the World (Part I)

Living in another country for a semester is a lot like an extended vacation, complete with bits of stress that come with continuous planning and traveling.  But, between studying and life-discoveries, I've had some fantastic adventures (and yes, my adventures continue beyond eating chocolate, I promise).  

My Stay at the Summer-Swan Irish Home
St. Patty's Day Weekend

On the eve of St. Patty's Day, I got on a bus by myself headed for the southern part of the country.  I was on my way to meet some friends of family--my aunt's life long friends Robbyn Swan and Anthony Summers live in County Waterford with their three kids.  I name them only because you may have read some of their books! Like my aunt, they are writers, journalists and interrogative biographers who write on controversial events such as 9/11 and document the lives of famous people such as Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe.  http://www.anthonysummers.com/ , http://www.robbynswan.com/ (Anthony even has a wikipedia page! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Summers.)  Robbyn is originally from Connecticut and Anthony is from Ireland.  Sadly, I didn't not get a photo of the family and myself.

Irish blanket on the bed below a huge wall of books.
And a wonderful wooden desk overlooking
the breathtaking Blackwater River.

Although I didn't get the nerve up enough to ask them all about their writing and their works, I felt very welcomed as a guest in their wonderful home in the Irish countryside.  I arrived after sunset to Limerick Junction, a train station near the town Tipperary where Robbyn picked me up--about 2/3 the way to her house! But keep in mind, Ireland is slightly smaller than the size of Minnesota, so a bus ride from Galway (central western coast) to the southern coast is about 2.5 hours.  We then drove to pick up her eldest son (18) from his girlfriend's house near Tipperary and were invited in for tea and coffee.  There was talk about test scores, gossip about schoolmates, discussions on alcohol, and the like.  I discovered then, and on the ride to their home that sixth year secondary students (12th grade/senior year equivalent) must take preperation tests called the Mocks that prepare them for the big test, a test from which your score determines the level or type of college you can attend.  These are two week-long exams that test students on  every single subject studied in secondary school.  Yikes! 




As I was given a tour of their home, ceiling-high shelves on every wall threatened to bury me in books.  It's not just a home, I thought, it's their own private library!  The next morning I finally got a chance to take in their lovely house in it's daylight surroundings, and the place was stunning. Their home used to be a small cottage that Anthony renovated and added onto and it sits overlooking the river Blackwater.  As writers working from home, they have a separate office that serves as a bunk house for guests as well--a cozy little place just a few yards from the main house.  

Fantastically fragrant magnolia tree in their front drive. 

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Patriotic bar and restaurant I passed on my walk. Birds, too!

The nearest town is Dungarvan, a humble town on an adorable harbor.  While Robbyn gathered groceries for the week, I roamed around taking pictures.  Being St. Patrick's Day, everyone was dressed up in Patty's gear, wearing green with clumps of actual shamrocks on men's lapels and orange and green paint on kids' faces.  The sun decided to make an appearance!   

Irish countryside in the background.

Celebrating Patty's day in an Irish household mainly consists of saying "Cheers Ireland" enthusiastically throughout the day and intently watching rugby games as a family.  Oh, and teasing foreigners for not wearing green....What was I thinking!?  That night, I was invited out by the oldest son to hang out on the town in Waterford city with some friends of his.  The local teenagers definitely maintain their image when it comes to celebrating the Irish way.  I followed along, politely abstaining from the shenanigan crowd and happily found my corner of the dance floor when we stopped at a hip club. Knowing my mother, you might know me and how I am happier dancing to good music rather than partying any other way :)  

***

The next two days, I spent a lot more time with the family, taking walks in the countryside, and finally meeting the younger two children, a 14-year-old yearning to be a jockey, and a "12-year-old bohemian dancer, singer going on 19", according to her mother.  Supper made by Robbyn was absolutely delicious--chili one night and a pasta and veggie compilation another night, all accompanied by a glass of white wine and fruit for dessert.  A hot cup of sweetened tea followed too, refilled in the mug I used all day long, breakfast, lunch, and supper.  One afternoon, Robbyn and I took a walk around her usual loop in the hill behind their home.  It was a great workout hiking both uphill and down a steep decline, but it was the view that took my breath away.  At the top of the loop one can see the smaller Bride river flowing into the Blackwater river as it winds it's way through the rolling mountains (or hills ) in the distance.  Fields of forty shades of green sparkled with dew and surrounded the few little houses that sprinkled the landscape.  The sky, dotted with clouds that could have been drawn by a child was a brilliant gradient of cerulean blue.  Photographs can describe the setting better without words, yet they do not give justice to actually standing above a beautiful valley such as that.

Swan residence kitchen. So lovely in the morning.

The night before I returned to Galway started off quietly, watching an Irish version of American Idol with Robbyn and her daughter, but then grew entertaining and rather argumentative once the telly was switched off.  If I could describe their accents with accuracy, then I might be able to explain the heated yet hilarious discussion that unfolded between the daughter and the eldest son.  Each of the kids has a different accent because of their school settings, and since the youngest was a girl and just entering her teens, the son was ridiculing her because of her conformity to the rage of trendy slang (pervasive among her teen girl friends, and an inability to help herself, she claimed) and adopting, what we American's might call a "valley girl" version of the Irish accent. Impressively, the daughter put up a good fight against her older brother, defending herself and her actions well.  It was some good craic to hear them go on about using "pure" and "like" and "fair" in all the right and wrong ways.  "Lads, like, can I joost say someting?"  "It was a fair bit of fun, she was pure hilarious."  I just sat back, enjoying the conversation, wishing I could tape it.  Here is a site that gives a good overview of some Irish slang and idiosyncrasies in Cork (near where they live): http://www.irishabroad.com/culture/slang/corkslang2.asp
Here is funny video of a young Irish girl that I cannot help but add here (the daughter's accent was a little similar) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fT-jX11poU.

Wood burning stove, art, and books in their living room. Cozy.

I'm positive that I was unprepared to fully grasp what it meant to live with an Irish family, but I had a great time and the experience left me with an admirable feeling towards the Irish family lifestyle.  I'm glad I plan on visiting them again soon when my parents visit Ireland in the middle of May.

Thanks again, Robbyn and Anthony for a great stay :) Hope to see you soon!


And thanks to all my readers and followers, who recently have been following invisible posts...I appologize for the delay. Life gets in the way of itself, sometime.
More on my love/hate relationship with writing in Part II, check back again soon!
Cheers!