Burns, Bathmats, and bedspreads

I'm here. Seriously, I made it. I've been talking about it and my mother has been planning and packing forever, and I'm really here. On my own. Freaking out. When we first arrived at 9:30 this morning, Lana and I piled into the smallest taxi known to man.  My luggage couldn't even fit in the trunk, we almost had to sit on it. They drive clown cars over here, which seems quite quaint until you have to haul a lot of crap.  We checked in and the office informed us that the two of us would be living together...along with another girl from our program Caitlin (who has anxiety issues. We get along swimmingly.)...and a random older man that had lived there for months and isn't moving out until the middle of September. We have yet to meet him.  There was food all over the kitchen, we didn't have Internet, the lights in my bathroom didn't work, and there was what appeared to be a giant poo stain on the blue carpet by my bed (which would probably explain the nasty smell.) Home sweet home. 

Though I cried this morning, immediately regretted this decision, and then promptly made what I'm sure had to be a $50 phone call to my mother telling her as much, I'm doing much better this afternoon. At least for now, and I hope it will stay that way for a while. I stalled on unpacking in favor of hanging out at the other girls apartment (which by the way has a brand new kitchen, a TV, and smelled like Febreeze instead of feces) and met the other people in our program.  We all went on a walking tour of our neighborhood, which the EUSA people kindly informed us was in a "shady part of town", and then found our way to the market.

The Tesco supermarket is oddly organized. TV's were across from the milk which was in the same isle as the all purpose cleaner which was located beside the bakery..and so on.  We got basic food staples and home stuff like cleaners and and toilet paper and travel alarm clocks.  And liquor. Expensive liquor...not because it was high class, but because this is Dublin. A 6 pack of bud light was nearly $15, and I couldn't find any Vodka under 20 Euros so I didn't buy any.  Luckily, the corner market sells quite the variety of wines. We went to the department store and bought towels and the cheapest package of bedding (amazingly only around 15 Euro). I say we meaning the girls becuase the boys didn't so much care about the department tore. Thomas had told me earlier that he didn't have towels and I had asked him if he wanted me to get him one.  He informed me that he was alright...he would just use an old T-shirt

When we came home we unloaded our packages and sat down at our respective computers. That's when I noticed the unsightly rash running up my thighs.  Raised, red, and burning, it's not really the kind of welcome mat you want in a new country, nor does it encourage the meeting and making of friends.  I don't know what its from, or what I'll do if it doesn't go away when I finally shower, but for now I'm taking it one minute at a time.

Tomorrow we have official orientation...and we learn more about our jobs! Tonight we drink...somewhere close....hopefully.

Stay tuned to my riveting progress...Love to all, E