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Published: November 13th 2007
It's now November, and I can't believe how fast time is moving. I've managed to get myself fairly wrapped up in life here at in Northern Ireland, which is why it's taken so long for me to get back to this blog. Of course, since I've not managed to stay on top of blogging, I've experienced the downward cycle of never knowing what I would write about when I got around to it again, as each passing day tends to add more to the “not written about yet” pile. So, my solution is to give up on the chronological attempt at story telling, and simply pick random stories and thoughts to write about, most likely as they pop into my head and not in any semblance of logical order.
“Accents”
Most people I've talked to from home have asked me about the Irish accent, so I'll attempt to discuss it as best I can purely in written form. The Northern Irish accent is absolutely different from anything else I've ever heard, and, even after a 2 months, if I'm not paying complete attention I still usually don't always know what Irish people are saying. I
Well... it was funny to us.
That's Vera in the picture.can walk down the main hallway of campus, and if I don't specifically listen to what someone is saying I don't get the usual fragments of other conversations I do back home. Although I'm used to it now, during the first few weeks I had hung out with so many international students that I didn't even always realize when I walked past people that they were, in fact, speaking to each other in English. A few weeks ago now, I was in mixed company of German and Irish students and myself and two other friends both thought that the two guys next to us were speaking German, when they were actually just speaking in strong Irish accents. I wish I knew a little something about linguistics, so that I could explain this more correctly, but it seems to me that the entire pattern of speech here is simply different from what I'm used to. Almost all sentences are pronounced with a rising inflection, almost like I would use to ask a question, and words are not pronounced in the semi-phonetic way American English tends to be—Before I go further, I want to stress that this is not merely an ethnocentric
Climbing trees
The other guy is Felix, from Bevaria--thats a part of Germany. rant about American English being more easily understood, as evidenced by every international student I know having a much easier time understanding the Americans, Australians, and English students on campus than the Irish and that the Irish have no trouble understanding me, even when I haven't a clue what they've said—It is really quite funny actually, but single syllable words are turned into diphthongs. For example, the word “car” is very often pronounces key-ar and “now” is such a unique blend of an ow sound, an ah sound, and an oo sound in quick succession that I'm entirely incapable of imitating it. Words such as “shower” lose consonants to become something closer to “sha-ur.” Also, possibly because Gaelic is still taught in some schools and is used by some people (although its use is very seldom,) the vowels themselves are simply pronounced differently. Another quirk of Irish speech is their use of the all-to-familiar, filler word, “like.” Not only do they, like, use it in the American style; they use it in the Irish style, like. Although, I've yet to figure the point of a filler word at the end of a sentence. Amusingly enough, many of the Irish admit
to having a hard time understanding each other, especially if they are from different areas of Ireland, and I can already (sort of) tell the difference between regions. Fermanagh and North Belfast accents are particularly noticeable. Of course, if you add the different pronunciation to extremely quick paced conversations, you get on very confused American who feels like he has zero personality. I have talked to people learning a new language who claim they feel a lot more boring because by the time they would have something to say, the moment is passes, and I have to admit to feeling the same way at times when speaking with all Irish groups. Keeping on top of a conversation when there are several Irish people in the room (usually ones who already know each other) is fairly challenging. Also, there is quite a bit of common slang here in Ireland, so I'll try to clue you in on a bit (spelled most likely wrong, but hopefully phonetically.)
Allen's quick guide to Irish slang:
Dodgey or Mingin' =Are words that describe a noun that is not exactly up to standards. Dodgey is quite similar to shady or untrustworthy (as in a
Benedict's
I was somehow the only guy this evening... dodgey bar or car, respectively). Mingin' is more similar to disgusting or useless, such as “ugh, the food was mingin'”
Craic (pronounced “crack”) = good times, fun, etc. It is a transfer from Irish that has worked its way into general English vocabulary and can be used in a variety of way. “What's the craic?” “Last night was brilliant craic.” and “It was great craic” are all very common uses, although every now and then I hear a new use and am a bit confused, such as in “We had a craic.”
Class = Awesome, cool, etc. as in “Aw, she's class.” or “It's a class movie.”
While = Very. As in “Ah, they were while drunk last night.”
Blocked = Quite simply, very drunk.
Half = Half past. “Half eight” is eight thirty, apparently the word “past” and “to” are irrelevant.
Wee = small or insignificant, but not in a derogatory way (unless coupled with an insulting word.) So “pass me a wee glass would you?” is normal, but “ah, you wee git” is insulting.
Ragin' = Just like raging, but used slightly differently. “I'd be ragin' if that happened to me.”
“Ah, she was ragin' about it.” or simply, “I'm ragin'!”
There are plenty more, but I'll leave it there for now. Basically, I am not yet over the fact that Irish English is so different from my own. It's baffling how a language that is written exactly the same (minus British spelling differences) could be so foreign.
“Drinking”
Although no one has actually asked this question, I'm sure there are those who wonder about the Irish stereotype as raging alcoholics. Although it is generally not advisable to make blanket statements, I will say that I have never seen people drink so much in my life. My friends and I decided to try to find a bar in Belfast one night near the beginning of the semester, and there were hoards of people out in the street so drunk they couldn't possibly know where they were. I even had one girl ask me to read her the menu at a “chippy” (steak fries plus a topping) joint, because she was too drunk to see straight, much less read. Even if people aren't going so far as they would on a night out, it seems that every social
gathering ends with a pint, which I don't really mind but has taken a bit of getting used to. I've joined two university clubs that are composed primarily of Irish students, the UUJ Mountaineering (MC) and Canoe (CC) clubs, and every Monday the climbers end the night with a few pints at Katy Dalys, a bar in Belfast, and every Wednesday the members of the canoe club do the same at the Union Bar here on campus. Although I ended up missing the weekend trip with the MC, the list of things to bring included alcohol and I heard quite a few people were very drunk that weekend. It's all in good fun it seems, but heavy drinking as a cultural norm is a bit different. Also, I think it's fairly ironic that after being legal to drink here in Ireland for 9 months I will return home, 20 years old and under-aged. I will qualify this whole paragraph by noting that I am talking mainly about the college-aged crowd, and would assume that the rest of the population are a lot less involved in the drinking/clubbing scene. Also, I have met a fair share of Irish people who don't
drink, so I guess it's just like anywhere, everyone is different.
“Sightseeing Trips”
Although my actually university is quite a bit of an eye sore (there are reasons I haven't posted any pictures,) I can't deny that Ireland is very beautiful. To be perfectly honest, when I am sitting around in my dorm room, with no car and no real way to get around, I wonder what the point of being over here is. However, whenever I'm actually out seeing new sights and taking in views of Ireland, I'm completely content. Here are a few of my day trips...
Londonderry- take one, Belfast's Saint George's Market and the Botanic Gardens
Belfast is the largest city in Northern Ireland, as well as its capital, and since it only takes a short bus or train ride to get to, it's the one place besides my campus that I've been getting to know my way around. So, when Vera, Felix, Audrey, and I heard that it was only five pounds for a return ticket to Londonderry (also known as just Derry), we decided to broaden our horizons and check out a new place. We all woke up
Me and a cave
This is the first cave you get on Cave Hill. bright and early on a Saturday to get an early start and spend the whole day in Derry, but when we got on the train at the station near campus we found out that the five pound tickets were only available on Sundays, and it would actually cost fourteen pounds if we wanted to go on a Saturday. So, plans changed fairly quickly and we ended up in Belfast city center trying to decide what to do. After a stop at the Belfast welcome center, we decided to check out St. George's Market, which turned out to be a great idea. It's located near Belfast's waterfront hall, and is simply a warehouse where lots of local people set up stalls selling everything from fresh fish and meat to homemade juices, cheeses, and baked goods. Also, most of the stalls have baskets with samples of breads, sausages, or whatever else a vendor is trying to sell. It was a blast. One woman we started talking to at her cookie stall told us that we had to find a place called “Glenoe” before we left Ireland (although we didn't know how it was spelled at that time.) This piece of advice ended
In the cave.
This is us in the cave with the view in the background. up leading to a very nice afternoon picnicing near some waterfalls, but that's another story. After spending well over an hours browsing through stalls of great food, purchasing lunch, and sitting down to eat, we decided to move on.
I called Cat, who met us in the city center so we could do a bit of shopping, and then we walked down one of Belfast's main streets to the student district around Queen's University, where the Botanic gardens are located, close to Cat's house. So we spent a bit of time enjoying the (semi-rare) Irish sunshine, climbing trees and looking around the rose garden before ending up at Cat's for tea. Although Felix and Audrey had to meet some people back in Jordanstown, Vera and I stuck around for another hour and a half in the Belfast shops so we could meet up with some fellow international students for dinner at Benedict's, a nice bar/restaurant. The food was great, but since we had started the day early, Vera and I took the next train back out to Uni rather than joining the others on their way to the notorious Botanic Inn. It was a great day, despite not ending
up in Londonderry.
Londonderry- take two, A train to Derry
The following Sunday we did end up in Derry. (called Derry or Londonderry depending on whether one believes Northern Ireland should remain in the UK or succeed to join the rest of Ireland.) It was a two and a half hour train ride, but well worth it. Derry is know for the walls around the city center and spectacular murals from the troubles. It was a bit cold and rainy, so we left fairly early in the evening, but overall the trip was great. We walked the walls around the center, had lunch in a cafe, and did a walking tour to see some of the murals, including the famous sign declaring “you are now entering free Derry.” The train ride itself was very scenic, and it was nice to get out of Belfast and Newtownabbey for a change.
Cave Hill and Belfast Castle
Another day trip was to visit the Belfast Castle, nestled on the side of Cave hill north of the main city of Belfast. After seeing the castle itself, which was small but nice, Johanna, Katie, Felix, Lisa, and myself climbed up to
the top of Cave hill for the great views. Lisa is an architecture major, and while we were looking at the city and discussing its complete lack of tall buildings, she explained that the city's soil is so moist, it takes nearly as much foundation below the ground as there will be building above the ground in order to make a steady structure, and some buildings are “free floating” in the sense that they go up and down a few inches with the tide. I thought it was an interesting point. I also have some great pictures of the view from the hill. It was a good day, overall.
“What I Miss From America”
Family, friends, etc. of course, but I'm thinking along other lines. Although Ireland is an English-speaking, advanced industrial society and therefore not all that different from home, I feel it is both interesting, perhaps as a means of introspection, and therapeutic to write about a few things I've discovered I really miss. I've had a lot of “you don't miss it until it's gone” and “absence makes the heart grow fonder” moments.
The first thing I miss, which I'll also double as an
excuse for blog delays, is internet in my room. Yes, I have internet access, but only if I pack up my laptop and head the the main university building, which is particularly unpleasant late at night due to the cold, when everyone from home, 5 hours behind, is free to talk. Especially considering the library, which actually has desks in the wi-fi zone closes, and I end up in the main hallway on an uncomfortable metal bench or on a couch at the end of the building in a deserted block where the lights are motion activated and turn themselves off if I don't bother to move around enough. Not exactly ideal.
A second thing is the mobility I have in the states thanks to my car. Public transport is okay, but it adds up if you aren't careful and doesn't run late at night or at regular intervals on Sundays. Jordanstown is a bit further out of Belfast than I realized, so I'm hoping to move into the city and commute out for classes, rather than being stuck out in Jordanstown and having to commute in for everything else, but I'll still miss my car even if I
do end up in Belfast. I miss road trips, driving in and of itself, and the fact that I don't have to plan out everything in advance back home, my car is there for when I want to use it and there are no time-tables involved. I also miss the fact that in my car driving myself I can blast music or listen to public radio for the news. I have never liked spending time in my bedroom alone, but car time was me time, and I miss that aspect of driving as well. Also, it's easier to learn the layout of an area if you can drive around a bit, so it would be really helpful. Bottom line, my car is the non living thing I miss the most.
I also miss eating out. I used to do lunch at Panera bread and similar places a few times a week, not to mention at least one nice evening at Aubrey's or something similar, but since coming to Ireland I've only eaten at one sit-in restaurant. Eating out is less common and a lot more expensive here. Fast-food type Chinese costs around 5 pounds (a little over 10 bucks) and isn't ever what I think it will be. (They do Chinese with steak fries a.k.a. Chips here, if that gives you a clue.)
Media! I barely watch television back home, but it's nice to have around. The Irish government implemented a licensing system here for TVs and it would cost about 200 dollars to buy one. I'm not that desperate for media, but it's kind of annoying. Also, the landlines we have in every dorm back at MC do not exist here. I have a cell phone now, but it's a pay-as-you go with a texting package, so I'm mostly just texting people all the time, which is not quite the same. I'm also completely out of the loop with current movie and radio releases.
Food... besides the restaurants, I also miss my favorite foods. Peanut butter and jelly are not the same here, and it took me months to find cereals I like about as much as those back home. Also, instant oatmeal and other junk-food that are my staples either don't exist here or exist in a barely recognizable form. I still have yet to find a substitute for the real deal, Kraft Mac n; Cheese. Of course, my mind is going blank at the moment, but I do run into food issues a lot. Also, because brands are different, I don't always know what to look for in a store. It's hard to explain, but even though the same product might exist here, I'm less capable of finding it. Also, with fall weather moving in over here, I am dying for some blackberry cobbler, apple pie, or banana bread.
My couch from last year. I'm odd in that I sleep fine through the night in my own bed, but if I want a nap it has to be somewhere else. Last year, I had the most amazingly comfortable couch in my living room and the campus supplied furniture here is not cutting it. That's that.
Anyway, I could keep coming up with more things for a very long time, but that's just a sample. I think I'll have to do a “things I like in Northern Ireland” entry and another “Things I miss” blog once I'm back in the states.
The End, for now
Well, I do have plenty more to write about, such as this weekend's kayak surfing trip with the UUJCC, but I think this is a long enough update for now. No promises that I'll get to being any more regular posting, but e-mails to allen.phelps@maryvillecollege.edu are always welcome.
Also, I have made a couple of photo albums on facebook. Some of these pictures may be repeats, but here they are anyway.
France Ireland 1 Ireland 2 Day trip to 'Derry Cave Hill
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