I’ve been wanting to find a way to participate in a program like this one for a few years now, but kept not doing it. So, I found myself out of school for various reasons, and said: Self, you’re going to spend a few months at home, and then, you’re going to make the best of your situation.
I bought the plane ticket today, and send in my visa applications to the program headquarters tomorrow. A few weeks from now I’ll (hopefully) get my visas, which will enable me to stay in and work in the fair nations of Ireland and Great Britain. Then, on April 25th, I shall get on a plane in Newark, and go to Ireland. Sometime before June 30th I’ll wander on over into Britain.
To say I’m excited would be a grotesque understatement (I just bought a ticket for a transatlantic flight! And for only two hundred bucks!). To kill the time: If you were, say, a young woman on haitus from her higher education and wanted to spend two months or so working in Ireland, where would you go?
I’m sort of hoping to find work doing data-entry type stuff. That’s what I’m doing now, and IME the pay is a bit better and you don’t have to deal with customers. But if I’m limited to customer service I’d rather do retail (eg, not fast food or waitressing), working in a clothing store or something. I’m not really picky, though.
Dublin, I’ve heard, is a bit pricey cost-of-living wise. I’ve been sort of looking at Cork, because it seems to be a fairly progressive place (and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a sizable university there, therefore, there’ll be Young Hip People like me).
Additionally: I’m flying into Dublin (as required by the program, because I need to go by their offices there for some stuff), so I’ll need to get from Dublin to wherever I end up.
If you’re going to Ireland, might as well immerse yourself in the arts/culture scene. If you get a chance, read Geraldine O’Connell Cusack’s Children of the Far-Flung. If the Focus Theatre, Luke Kelly and the Dubliners, Irish Dance, renovation of Georgian mansions etc., etc. world it tells about tempts you, I can write a letter of introduction for you. I knew the author and her daughters well about fifteen years ago and we still correspond.
In England, Bristol may not be the most scenic option available, but an old roommate (from Driscoll in upper dorms) lives there now.
Well done you! I also always think i should do something interesting and cultural, but never seem to get round to it.
I second that Bristol might not be worth a lengthily say, and that Scotland is worth a visit. Having said that, i grew up near Bristol and now live in Scotland, so i might be a little biased!
In other news… there’s someone else from Scotland on the board. That’s quite cool.
I’m coming from New Jersey, so pretty much anything vaguely coming close to culture or history that has not been paved over and turned into a shopping-mall parking lot is fairly impressive to me. (Seriously: The most historic thing in my city is a shopping mall.)
I’m open to Scotland (or, for that matter, Wales or N. Ireland). I would like to at least spend some time in London, because…well, I don’t really have a tangible reason for that, other than being fascinated by the coexisitance of such incredible history and modernity. I do plan on making lots of weekend trips to everywhere possible while I’m there. I also might have a job contact in England - I’m not sure where, but my former boss has a cousin [who she’s apparently close with] in England, and she said he’d try to put me in touch with some people when I get over there. I doubt it’ll happen, but if he can get me in contact with someone who offers me a job, I’ll go where I’ve got a job offer.
Still, though: any suggestions and/or advice is welcome.
Dont listen to gschmit, he/she’s probably drunk. Contrary to what they’ve got to say, there are some parts worth a visit.
I’ll agree with *everyone loves monkeys though that Bristol isn’t really worth a visit. We’re both originally from a town near there, and while Bristol is supposedly some historic shipping town, it’s more of a hotbed of petty crime and cheap drugs. Whatever floats your boat though.
London is worth a visit. People say all big cities are pretty much the same, but I think there’s something different about London. Just dont try and talk to the locals, you’ll only get upset.
If you can make it to the South-West (past Bristol), there are some parts worth a trip. Having said that, I can’t think of any now, but Somerset, Cornwall and Devon to an extent are perfect for relaxing by the sea/in the country and eating some very unhealthy local food.
If you make it up to Glasgow, it looks like there are quite a few dopers here now, it’d be worth organising something.
They’re not that bad really, quite a lot of my family are from the smog, and I like them! (Mostly). It’s more of a very common joke, but one that’s definately founded on fact.
They dont talk to you.
Everyone is far too busy and important to talk to people who they dont know, so dont bother asking anyone for the time on the underground if you haven’t got a watch.
“It’s my time, and you’re having none of it…” and a snooty walk away is the most conversation you’ll get!
Go into a cafe or (nice) bar, however, and you’ll meet lots of lovely people. Except at about six o’clock when the aformentioned self-importants nip in for a swift half on the way back from the office.
However, as a country-boy, I may be a little over-sensitive to this and biased!
Nice one. Register with the big agencies whe you get here. Manpower etc. should be able to sort you out with temp data entry type jobs. Dublin is were you’ll find most work but it’s also the most expensive to live in.
I’d offer to show you the sights et. but at the moment am doing a bit of traveling myself and will be working in Amsterdam for the next three months.
Cork and Galway would be good places to base yourself as well but you may find it harder to get what you’re looking for workwise.
