The Good and The Bad

The Pros and Cons of Life in Dublin. Joan and I do miss Ireland, but how much?

The Pros:
1. Butler's Chocolate Café and the free piece of chocolate you get with your coffee
2. Clery's Department Store
3. Debenham's Chocolate Bar on the top floor overlooking Henry St.
4. Eason's Book Store
5. Marks and Spencer
6. The Spire
7. The Views from the River Liffey
8. Guinness. Guinness. Guinness.
9. The Irish Accents
10. The green countryside
11. Café en Siene
12. Bewley's Café
13. O'Connell Street
14. The funny taxi drivers
15. The endless choices of pubs and clubs


The Cons:
1. The price of everything, it is so expensive there!
2. The bus
3. Walking a mile to the bus station from Joan's flat to the bus
4. When your 7 day bus pass card beeps EVERY time you put it in the machine
5. Waiting for the bus
6. The rain
7. The cold
8. The wind
9. The gypsies and bums asking for money
10. The annoying taxi drivers
11. Joan's very small bed
12. His annoying flat mate
13. Being 30 minutes away from the city center
14. Not being in Spain
15. Walking down cobblestone roads in heels

I could make a pro and con list about Spain....but I don't think I have been here long enough. The weather here is wonderful though, a bit cold at night but nothing like Maryville or Dublin. I had my first Catalan class today. The teacher doesn't speak English, just Spanish and everyone in the class knows Spanish because they are from Argentina or Columbia. Joan stayed with me and I would have been lost without him. The lessons were good, I did well on the exercises and even spoke in front of the class. The next class is on Monday and Joan will keep going with me until we start working/if we find another teacher that speaks English.

Tomorrow is Joan's two job interviews and I need to call Greg for my interview. We also meet with the immigration lawyers to see what we can do about my work visa. If I marry him I can work here...he told me that. Interesting huh?

All for now...more updates later.

C.M.