Irish showers kinda suck, plus a whole bunch of other stuff

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

So, last Tuesday I did something a little bit crazy. I got a ride up to the Newark airport, got on a plane, and flew to Ireland alone. Now it wasn’t entirely unplanned - I had a few nights booked in a Dublin hostel, a crapload of money, and a work permit. But: nope, don’t know anyone in Ireland, didn’t know where I’d go or what I’d do.

I arrived, of course, obscenely jet-lagged, lost, confused, tired, regretting the whole thing, and in dire need of a few eons of sleep. Found the hostel. Collapsed into bed. Got up, wandered around Dublin a bit, found something to eat. Went back to bed.

My head has cleared a bit since then, and the first order of business for the Irish on the boards: Please, please tell me that when I move into a bedsit or something, the shower isn’t going to be like the ones in the hostels? We’ve had a lot of advances in plumbing, and showers can have knobs that let you both adjust the temperature and stay on until you’re good and ready for them to turn off. Push button showers, uncool.

But other than some dubious plumbing (and weather), this country is growing on me quite quickly. Dublin felt a little bit too much like New York price-wise for my liking, so after a few days of doing the tourist bit I hopped on a bus (only nine euro! Holy crap I love Europe!) and headed down to Cork.

I’m in love. Cork is exactly the way Ireland is in my mind. A small-towny feel but not entirely antiquated, hilly, full of immensely friendly people and little bed-and-breakfasts (which I can’t afford, but that’s not the point). The colorful buildings, the green-ness…I highly recommend it (though I start job and apartment-hunting hardcore tomorrow; we’ll see how the honeymoon lasts).

On the busride down to Cork I was surprised by how rural that stretch of Ireland is. Dublin could very well be any major city - a blur of buses, a jumble of languages, a splatter of tourism. But then, ten minutes out of the city, and there’s nothing but farm, sheep, and cows. (Cute baby sheep, too). There wasn’t much traffic but I still find it unsettling, because everyone insists on driving on the wrong side of the road. (Yes, I have already accidentally stepped into traffic.)

Really, that’s all I’ve got for now, unless anyone wants a detailed review of the Sights of Dublin, a meandering around Cork, and Blarney Castle (which is totally worth it). Mostly just wanted to remind myself that it was worth it to resubscribe.

Bonus fact: When I walked into the hostel in Cork the TV was on and there was some show entirely in Gaelic on. Between that and the bilingual signs, I have thsi to say: Holy crap that’s one bizarro language, which I would love nothing more than to learn.

2

Fantastic! Good on you for making such a big change in your life. I want to live in Europe someday too. Let me know how it goes.

3

Congratulations on such a big move NinjaChick, it sounds very exciting.

You might want to pop in and visit us at NADS NADS was originally set-up by and for British and Irish dopers (hence its name, Non-American Dopers Society), but we welcome all sorts. We have a fair contingent of Irish posters, so they might be able to help you out with practical advice etc. We also have a smattering of Americans living on this side of the pond who might be able to explain some of our funny ways.

Good luck with the job-hunting!

4

Well, now I feel all old and boring. Good for you, though! This sounds like an amazingly cool thing to do.

5

Try to get to Dingle at some point on your trip. If you love Cork, you’ll think Dingle is heaven.

6

I lived in Ireland for ten years, and at no time did I live in a property where the shower didn’t suck.

7

Hey, we have seduced another. Here’s some basic, phoenetic irish to see you through for a while.

Dee-a Gutch = Hello. Reply: Dee-a smurra Gutch= Hello to you too.

Slahn = Goodbye, or Slahn lat an-ish og-us gurr rev mite og-ut = Goodbye, and thank you.

Po-guh moh hone = Kiss my arse.

Cad a yenn-a-meed an-ish? = What the fuck do we do now?

Iss mite lee-um mill-shaun = I like sweets/ candy.

Nah bug lesh = Dont worry about that that.

count to ten

a haon, a do, a tri, a cat-her, a coo-ig, a shay, a shakt, a hukt, a knee, a jhe.

Cah will moh…? = Where is my…?

That’ll about do it for your average foul-mouthed, diabetic, absent-minded, non-commital type.

Come a bit further north!! Dont be wasting time with those dirty southeners!!

8

Update: I, bewilderingly enough, already have a job. Granted it’s only a three-day temp job, but the temp agency seemed to like me enough, so, that’s a good sign. I’ve also got some leads as to housing, because, while (showers aside) the hostel I’m staying in is very quaint and nice, I’d like something slightly less ‘three new roommates a night’. So, I’ve reassured myself that this attempt at a trip will not be a miserable horrid failure, which is a good thing.

9

I’ve complained about Irish showers on this Board before. They’re different from place to place, and no good anywhere we stayed. Three controls that have to be adjsted just right, or you end up freezing or scalding or with insufficient water. and not one control seems to control anything obvious (like volume, velocity, or temoperature). I understand there’s an issue withmixing different pressures and all, but I can get plumbing fixtures here in the states that do all that without the rigmarole.

10

When I was in Ireland, I don’t think I encountered any push-button showers. Then again, I was staying in B&Bs, which are probably a step or two up from hostels. I have, however, discovered over the course of various travels, that there are a lot of different types of showers in places of accomodation, some of which can be quite bewildering the first time you encounter them.

But a shower that sucked… That would be rather an interesting experience. Ordinarily they spray. What do you do, get all wet first, and then suck all the water off with the shower? :wink:

11

NinjaChick, I’m curious as to how you got a work permit without already having an employer to sponsor your visa? Was it difficult to obtain? What were the conditions?

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IIUC, already having an employer helps but in most countries you can get a work permit by passing a test of skills in your field, or otherwise proving that you’re certified and reliable and knowledgeable. And that you speak the language, of course.

13

Hey, I forgot… plumbing fixings are also one of my specialities, not just helpfull phrases as gailge. Like I said, this is My country. Anything you need, just ask.

Mixer showers do exactly what they say on the tin; mix hot and cold water. No problem. But there are two types, manual and thermostatic. Thermostatic showers are fitted so that any discrepancy in water temperature is blended out before it is sprayed, so if you have your shower set right, and someone say, flushes the toilet, or runs a cold tap somewhere, the loss in cold water pressure is compensated for by the thermostat, and it lowers the hot water instantly, so you experience no difference in temperature whatsoever. Manual mixer showers, on the other hand, offer no such luxury. Water gets cold, you get cold. Water gets hot, you get hot. So why would people install Manual mixer showers? Well, they are over a hundred euro cheaper. And I’m pretty sure no Hostel owner or B&B owner ever stands under one of their crappy manual mixers, so what do they care?

Again, welcome to Ireland.