Limerick and Back

Well the choir competition turned out to be good "craic" as they say here (pronounced "crack"..it's Irish-Gaelic for fun..not the drug induced variety.) Left around 4 for Limerick yesterday and hung out on the bus with all of the people in the choir. Lots of people from different places in the choir (Finland, France, Germany) so that was fun to meet everyone. We got into Limerick and sang in the St. Augstine Church downtown. Went through a service in the beginning which was very fun and interesting (only took a half hour, the Irish rush through their services.) The singing part was pretty funny. Peter, our director, put us in the "Youth Choir" category, so we were singing against children who's max age was 16. We won, and I feel bad because we probably made some little soprano-singing boys cry. Afterwards was the obligatory "Go out and have a good time" party, which we all did with gusto. We also stayed in the same hotel in Limerick that I stayed in at the beginning of the year for orientation...it was good to be back and to see Limerick again.

So I woke up, barely, around 8 and had a nice breakfast (compliments of the choir) and hopped on the bus for Galway. Met a dude from Spain visiting for the day, and once in Galway I bought a white, button-up shirt at this store called Penny's (basically a low-price store, like a Ross). Went to work and had a blast. Love the music. I actually am enjoying this job alot. The customers have started to call me "Eddie," and I earned tips, which is pretty rare for the Irish (they hardly ever tip here.) I had a nice surprise when I found out that the white shirt I bought was actually pink....oh well. It'll give my manager incentive to get me a real corporate shirt. I'm starting to get along with the employees really well too. Had a really funny exchange with a German waitresse who I thought was French, so I kept saying things in French to her (I only know a few words, but I really like to try it out anyway), finally she told me she was German, so now I'm compelled to learn a few words in German. The cooks don't like me too much, but I think they'll warm up once I figure out how to take orders correctly (the "code" system).

So now I'm on my way back to the apartment, which will probably be thrashed due to Rag week and Colm and his friends. The lounge will be clean one day and the next just disgusting. I've seen bad, but our lounge is so terrible, it puts certain fraternaties at Whitman to shame..(ok, so it doesn't smell like a beer and urine mixture, so I guess we're not that bad.) But yeah, I miss a clean kitchen, and hate to take the effort to clean it because it gets trashed the next day (or hour...and yes, I'm trying to justify inherent laziness ;).

Work tomorrow from 6-midnight. Should be good times. That's all for now. Hope everything is well wherever you are and whatever you're doing. Feel free to post those comments.

Cheers,

-Nate
"Goodbye. You can keep this suit of lights. I'll be up with the sun. I'm not coming down."-U2