Yvo in Ireland, Adventures etc.

Goodbye Ireland!

2006-10-04T17:17:00.000-05:00

Ferry Arrives
Originally uploaded by yvoinireland.

Well actually we left over a month ago! We spent a few lovely weeks in France and now we are in Illinois. Looking for an apartment, it's slowly coming together...

Otherwise I will be moving onto an LJ account soon, stay tuned!

Vacation in the USA, and more!

2006-07-29T10:17:00.000-05:00

Mr & Mrs Gilbert
Originally uploaded by yvoinireland.

Heres a pic of Fabien and I at Dave's wedding....The wedding was our main reason for going back to visit in July and it was well worth it. We had a great time, I talked with lots of friends that I hadn't seen in ages. Dave and Gina looked great, very relaxed at at ease on such a big day! Driving to get there was something else though. Being friday afternoon when everyone and their mom leaves work early, we got caught in traffic jams galore! As a result we missed the ceremony but apparently that was cut short anyway because of the rain. So I was sad for that but I wasn't the only one late for the same reasons...

Otherwise the big news is that Fabien got his Visa yesterday! We went to Dublin for the 'interview' which was really just handing in the papers, waiting a long time, being asked a few basic questions, waiting some more, then we had it! It was not the grueling process that it is sometimes said to be, but maybe it's because of our unique situation, you never know. So anyway, we are so happy for this and can now make our plans to go back to the US. We hope to be there in the end of September...

The Latest

2006-07-03T12:12:00.000-05:00

Well I have been very busy but things are calming down now (World cup will be over soon too). First of all the weekend in France was very nice. The weather was lovely, but apparently it was just as nice in Dungarvan while we were gone so we couldn't brag too much about that afterwards. We spent most of our time with Fabien's family since most of his friends had planned a weekend to Parc Asterix (amusement park) outside of Paris. Fabien was a bit bummed about that but we had plenty of other people to see in 3 days anyway. I had planned to do a bit of shopping in Angers but ended up with only an hour to do it all since we stayed so long at his mother's house for lunch on saturday. So I got the minimum done and I was happy. On the Sunday we went to a medieval style amusement park called Le Puy du Fou, about 40 minutes away, with Fabien's father and his wife Annie. They left their baby, Elie, with Annie's sisters for the day. It was very entertaining but after watching all of the shows they all seemed to have a similar plot line (boy in love with girl, must fight for good cause to save everyone, boy wins girl). The best was one with all the big wild birds that you can imagine (falcons, hawks, eagles, vultures etc.) that fly literally over your head and high up in the sky. I know its hard to imagine the just explained plot line involving lots of big birds, but it did, kind of! It was hot that day though and I got a bit of sun even after putting on sun-tan lotion. Definitely recommended though, Le Puy du Fou.

We are leaving this friday for Chicago for 2-1/2 weeks. I should have my old phone # working then. We can't wait, looking forward to seeing lots of people.

The Immigration procedure is moving swiftly along. We have THE interview just a few days after we get back from Chicago, then we'll know if it's approved the same day or in the post afterwards. THEN we can make all final plans for leaving. We're already planning to take the last week here to see some more of Ireland. Probably the Southwest (Dingle, Ring of Kerry etc.)
Then we'll take the ferry to France with all of our stuff and do some more traveling and visiting before we come back to Chicago for good! Lots of traveling I know, but these transition times are the best opportunity. After you're in a job its sooo hard to get even a long weekend. Im now regretting not going to London before when I had lots more free time...I may still try though, we'll see.

feel free to call me when I'm in Chicago, and Allez les Bleus!

Vacations!!

2006-05-24T12:21:00.000-05:00

So I have been very busy lately with work, vacation plans, and Immigration papers for Fabien. Well regarding the immigration plans we have deposited the initial petition and are now gathering paperwork. Anyone want to help sponsor Fabien?? I cant do it alone since Im currently living in Ireland...
Work has been going well. I have been working on a large housing estate with a few other people for the last few weeks. Its near the end but I really cant wait until its over with. Houses get less fun to design when you have already had to change them around 15x and the client always wants the smallest possible floorspace to cut costs! Otherwise Ive been working on the re-design of the park in Dungarvan, not a big job but fun. I have made several hand sketches of perspectives in the new park and everyone likes those. It does really help to visualize the changes and they are a little more human than computer-generated perspectives.
Otherwise I really love the office and the people here, they are all interesting and very nice too! I'll miss it when Im gone.

Last night we went to the opening of a new art exhibit in Dungarvan. The step-father of one of my co-workers was showing his watercolors. It was very interesting and it was actually the best show I have seen here so far. They usually try to show local subjects in the art they exhibit, being very community-based, though the watercolorist we saw is Polish and living in Portugal, quite a different personage. Being there among the little art community of Dungarvan, I could really imagine myself doing this some day. But that day is still far away as I barely have any free time to practice art. I really need to make an effort one of these days.

And vacations, one of the biggest complications in the past weeks. We've bought tickets to go to France in 1.5 weeks time for a long weekend. Thats just to get out of Ireland and relax a bit! In July we'll be in Chicagoland, from the 7th to the 24th. I'll be attending the Regiment dinner, Show of Shows, and hopefully Dave & Gina's wedding, although I havent heard an official word about it yet, and working inbetween. So we might be busy but I'll of course try to see as many people as possible. Gimme a call while Im there in any case, it'll be cheaper for us all!

Thats all for now, its cold here!!!

Whats been going on...

2006-05-13T04:55:00.000-05:00

So there has been quite a few progressions in the past weeks, starting with one really bad weekend...
So 3 weeks ago, a Saturday morning, we found out that someone had slashed all 4 of Fabien's tires on his car. His car (with French license plate) had been very visibly sitting on the outside of a parking lot and we could only assume that someone returning home drunk after the pubs decided to target his car randomly, meaning not against Fabien personally. We have talked to our friends and many of the foreigners here had stories about cars with foreign plates being attacked, sometimes related to sports match rivalries of the day.
Second, our neighbors-a yound couple-apparently had a big argument that night (saturday) and the girl left. The guy got drunk and whatever with his friends and they caused such a ruckus that they woke us up at 4am and didnt stop until 8am, meaning we couldnt sleep either. They were playing loud music and screaming along with it. Fabien went over and banged on their door a few separate times and they just yelled back at him from the other side. We should have called the police but i didnt have the number handy and I just wanted to sleep. We just slept in that day but we talked seriously about moving out of our aparment after that. Now we think its not worth the effort but I will definitely call the police (Garda, actually) if it happens again.
Third, that afternoon, Sunday, it was quite a beautiful day. Fabien decided to go to the local park with his friend Maxime to play Petank. They got harrassed by some young guys, asking them for money and such, then attacked them with broken bottles. Fabien and Maxime fought back and got control of the situation quickly. They let the guys go when they cried for them to stop and just got their belongings and left. They had a few minor cuts. the Garda arrived just after and found that the 2 young guys had stolen some big knives from a local store and had come back looking for Fabien and Maxime. They found the Garda instead and are now in jail. I went with them to file a witness report against the guys that evening, helping to translate for Maxime since his english is not great. Again there was nothing personal in this attack, just racial. All we can say know is that there are some serious problems in the society here.
Apparently racial attacks here are on the rise and I do not see how the situation calls for it. There is almost no unemployment here, Ireland has probably the strongest economy in Europe. And the immigrants here (mostly polish, lithuanian, then some french, german, spanish) are from the same political and religious backgrounds. Maybe its territorial but I know that Fabien and his friends were never looking for trouble here and they have been harrassed on several occasions, just never attacked until now. Fabien is fed up here and he cant wait until we leave.
So, we are starting the papers for his Green Card on monday. If we're lucky it will only take a few months. theres even a visa that allows him to come to the US during the waiting process so we are hopeful to be back in the US by this October. I'll be sad to leave my wonderful job here so soon after starting but I have to do whats best for Fabien and myself. And of course I cant complain about going back to where my friends and family are (well, the majority at least)!
Otherwise, besides Crazy Ireland, Im doing well with Fabien, enjoying the married life. My job is wonderful but stressful at times since there is so much work! I'll talk more about that later. The weather is forever changing but we have seen some beautiful summery days in the past week.
We have talked about having a wedding reception in the States eventually, and all I can say now is that it will have to wait until we are re-installed in the US (in the fall...). We just cant plan it until we are there and we dont have the time now anyway! Plus it will be better to have it in our future apartment for everyone to visit. I'll keep you informed...

Blue Vase

2006-04-16T09:38:00.000-05:00

Blue Vase
Originally uploaded by yvoinireland.

My main piece...

Pottery and Easter

2006-04-16T09:20:00.000-05:00

Well its Easter. In Dungarvan, Ireland that means a 4-day weekend, all stores closed (and even the pubs on Good Friday!), yellow balloons and scary inflated clowns walking around. Hurray. The weather is gorgeous though. It was wonderful to sit out on the balcony this morning and take in the sun and warm breeze. We thought about traveling somewhere this weekend but never got around to it. I am getting a lot done at home though! long weekends are great.
Last week I finished my 2 night classes: Reiki and Pottery. Reiki I was a great class and very interesting. I am glad its over though because now Id like to read up on the concepts to really let it all sink in. Do I believe in it all? Yes, but I still need to master the techniques before I can start ranting about it. Apparently a picture of my class with our certificates will be in the local paper, I'll look for it to keep it...
Pottery was a bit too much with taking the Reiki class and all. I felt a bit rushed each class and barely finished all my pieces on the last day. I rushed them and as a result they're not all as well-thought out as I'd like. I enjoyed learning the techniques though and I have a new appreciation for pottery now. Things that look easy are not necessarily so! Ive posted pics of the better ones on flickr...

Cashel etc.

2006-04-09T12:58:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was beautiful weather finally which has lasted all week. On Saturday we went to Rock of Cashel in Co. Tipperary, a rather frequented tourist site. We saw lots of schoolkids from elsewhere in Europe and a few Americans. Pics from this with explanations are on my flickr site:
www.flickr.com/photos/yvoinireland/

At the end of last week the weather started getting strange-very mixed sun and rain. We heard thunder, apparently rare in Ireland. It was followed by a gorgeous triple rainbow but noone had a camera to capture it! Yesterday it hailed twice and today a little as well. Now its sunny again!(at least to my right)

ALSO, the good news is that I received my residency card for Ireland last friday. This gives me the right to work, live, etc. in Ireland for one year. I can come and go as I please now. HURRAY! However, Fabien and I will soon submit the papers for the Green card for him in the US since it could be a long wait, possibly. It seems to be a faster procedure if we apply from outside the US since they are dealing with less applications on this side. When we get that settled we can start planning our return to the US to work. Fingers crossed...

Wedding Pics

2006-03-26T06:53:00.000-06:00

So I have put up the best pictures I have right now. please see link...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yvoinireland/ look in 'Family & Friends' if they're not apparent.

my mother has some more good photos from the wedding up...look in 'FAMILY'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizziehelen/

Im still waiting to get back pics from other guests and from the photographer before we put together a real album.

And if you want any more explanation on the event or the people, just ask!

Ireland Update

2006-03-24T02:47:00.000-06:00

Its raining. Its been raining for over 2 days now. everyone here says it will rain like this until May. This was the weather I was expecting all winter but apparently its the springtime thats the most grey and depressing. Apparently it even snowed (slushy snow) while we were in France. Help!!

Call me 'Madame', please...

2006-03-23T02:38:00.000-06:00

So I am married now, officially. It was a wonderful time in France, the weather was great. I really enjoyed showing the region of Anjou to my mom, karl, and our friend Colin. It is a beautiful area. As for the Wedding, it went wonderfully. I was a bit stressed right before the ceremony but I was fine afterwards. I think everyone there had a good time.

I was very happy that my cousin Dawn could make it with her daughter Faith, they looked great!

I will of course have some pics up this weekend. i think the better pictures will be from the photographer, but we'll have to wait for those. And Im still eventually going to receive copies of other peoples digital pics. Eventually I'll have an album put together of the best.

And although I dont have a ring yet (we're waiting til Chicago to shop for them), I DO feel different since the ceremony. The commitment plus the fact that I am a part of his family now.

We now can think about the next steps in our life and we are looking forward to this.

France soon

2006-03-12T09:16:00.000-06:00

Im not yet nervous or anxious about next weekend... that will happen soon though. I have my outfit minus jewelry which covers most of my worries. The wedding plans seem to be going along smoothly but there are still a few strings untied: Will I get my hair done in a hair salon before the event? Will we get some picture portraits done in a professional studio? Will we need to find a translator to translate our wedding certificate into english pronto? Should we reserve a car from the airport before we leave? All questions that need to be answered then acted upon. Its not easy to plan a wedding from abroad. Im just trusting that something simple and nice will be put together by Fabiens family and I just have to show up and dress up. We owe them a lot for their help in all of this...

Birthdays and Pancakes

2006-03-03T02:53:00.000-06:00

So today is Fabiens 24th birthday. I got up early to make a banana bread but it took too long and wasnt ready until after breakfast. So we'll have it later. yum! (as it says next to the recipe)

Last Tuesday was interesting. For the rest of the Catholic world it was Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. In Ireland it is fondly known as Pancake Day.

Pancake day! Eat all those evil, sugary pancakes before you have to give them up for lent! Why pancakes, I have no idea! But they couldnt stop talking on the radio about how to eat your pancakes, and I got berated by the Irishmen here because I had no idea how important pancakes were for this day.

Well I should have seen it coming, with lots of pancakes suddenly showing up in the supermarket. And a while ago I was buying flour at the store and the cashier started talking to me about pancakes. I thought she was just insane (well I still do actually). And then finally I understood.

So we ate pancakes for lunch that day. How did I have mine? With bananas and honey, delicious!

Other News, and Soccer!

2006-02-24T03:00:00.000-06:00

So I have been busy and tired lately. Its been hard to get up in the morning although I think its not a matter of poor sleep but rather of poorly waking up. Fabien gets up before me and that half hour of half-sleep really makes me groggy afterwards...I'd like to start getting up earlier than him, at 6:30am, but that means getting to bed early too. Plus its not light outside til 7:30am which makes it harder.

Anyhoo, last weekend held a bit of excitement in Dungarvan. There was an inter-firm soccer tournament in Dungarvan and E-Project entered a team. Since they dont have enough soccer-playing employees to field a team, they asked their friends and I volunteered Fabiens name. Fabien has been missing playing soccer since some of his french friends left after X-mas. So the whole purpose of the tournament was to integrate the foreign nationals in town and they said there was even a prize for the most culturally diverse team. I was sure we'd win at least that since most other teams would have only Polish and Lithuanian foreigners while we would have French and German as well..

Well the team never actually practised all together before the day of the match (last Sunday). Some of the team members met for the first time on the field...So anyway we played against Munster Timber Structures which you can imagine included BIG guys. So they destroyed us(well, them, I was cheering from the sideline with the other girlfriends). We lost 1-4. So then we had the chance to play for the Winners of the Losers Plate, which we lost as well against a pharmaceutical company. However Fabien did score one goal for us, I was very proud!

So all the players were tired so we all just went home. The next day I hear that we actually DID win the most culturally diverse team, but it was the biggest and most beautiful trophy of them all!! Its a big vase made of Waterford crystal with the event inscribed on the side. Its so funny, we played the worst of all the teams but we still got the best prize!!

Anyway, this weekend Im going shopping in Cork with Fabien for the wedding 'attire'. Not too many weekends left now....

Beautiful Mornings

2006-02-24T02:50:00.000-06:00

Here are some beautiful sunrises seen from our balcony, and all of these were within a week!

Gray Days

2006-02-05T11:14:00.000-06:00

I haven't seen the sun for the week. Winter is finally here.

My Reiki class last week was interesting. Lots of talk about energy and centering ourselves. I havent found the time or the need to practice centering myself this week, is that ok? Pottery class was fine, I thought I would succeed effortlessly in making whatever the project was but my first bowls are lopsided! maybe with the glazing they will become more charming:) We did pinching and rolling techniques to create a few small pieces and I did actually learn some simple techniques that I didnt know before. The class should get better and more interesting with time I think.

I saw 'Walk the Line' last night with a few friends. And I was worried that it wouldn't come here! (It opened on Friday). They talked about it so much on the radio since it was nominated for so many awards. And the same for 'Brokeback Mountain' but that isn't out yet.

The film scheduling here is completely backwards from the US, but in a logical way. Movies that were out months ago in the US have just arrived here, and vice-versa. So whatever movies are coming out soon in the US that sound interesting I cant even hope to see soon!

Anyway, I liked 'Walk the Line', being a Johnny Cash fan already, thanks to Les' Lounge in Urbana, IL! And the singing IS amazing, being only the actors true voices. But how much were they reworked in a studio I wonder...but anyway, hats off to all those multi-talented actors out there, they deserve more credit.

Thats all for now, its dark outside!

fun in the sun

2006-01-28T10:04:00.000-06:00

I have been quite busy lately with the paperwork for the marriage, but since an hour ago we have all the necessary papers and now we just have to send them to France in order to finalize the date. I am happy thats over with.
However, in order to finish the I had to visit the American Embassy in Paris which meant a quick trip from Ireland. Fabien didnt come, he had to work. So I left on Tuesday and came back on Wednesday. I stayed with friends Molly and James, an American-English couple that I knew from the last time I was living in France.
I didnt even bother to sight-see or go shopping, not enough time. I relaxed with my friends and had a good time on tuesday night. Wednesday I was up early to go stand in line at the embassy to make sure that Id get in before I would have to catch my flight back to Ireland. Luckily I was not alone, our friend Regina also needed to go to the embassy to get a paper notarized for her departure to live in CA with her American husband (shes German). The line was quite long since all French citizens that want to even visit the US need a visa now before they leave. I find it all very silly and I feel bad for the hassle that they now have to go thru just to visit my country. The lady standing in front of us had just lost her son-in-law in an accident (in the US) and she has to travel from the south of france to paris, then wait in line, then go back home to wait, then travel, just to go there to comfort her daughter and all. I felt very sorry for them.

Well after freezing in the cold all morning outside we got to the front and realized there was a separate line for notarial services and american citizens!!! Did they put out that sign AFTER we got there or were we just blind!! Stupid, but I got what I needed in the end, and now I know for next time:(

So then I ate lunch, got my suitcase and headed to the airport but I was more and more delayed at every transporatation switch I had to make, then I could not find the ticket counter at the airport for the life of me ( It was the only company in the NEW hall downstairs near the restaurants- God how I hate CDG) (But its being improved, for 2008. Until then-Beware!) So I missed my flight. payed a small fee to switch my flight to Dublin later that day. I waited a long time in the airport, fabien had to come pick me up in Dublin (3 hr drive) and we got home late. Tired!!

Thats all for now, its sunny outside here so I cant complain...

Oh yeah, and next week Im starting two night classes, Reiki and pottery! Im taking the Reiki class with a German girl here, Jacobin who is an architect, it should be fun!

The wonders of a warm winter

2006-01-15T05:22:00.000-06:00

Well I am FINALLY getting over my cold, I am feeling better every day lately. I owe it to the echinacea I started taking, and maybe the fact that I am not traveling all over the place!

yes, the good news is that I finally got ahold of the immigration officer in Dungarvan and he easily extended my tourist visa to the 3rd of April! That covers me until after the marriage. With the marriage certificate then I will immediately get residency status with the right to stay in Ireland for 1 year and work too! I am very happy because this means that I can start building my life here without worrying about flying in and out. I am already planning to take a night class in pottery that starts at the end of the month and lasts 10 weeks.

Update on the marriage: We are now going to rent a large hall for the dinner, so all friends and family are invited! Please contact me if you're interested, otherwise I'll get around to making invitations soon enough. I know its all on such short notice and I understand if there will not be many who can come. the date? March 18, 2006. The place? Chemille, France (49120). Other details to follow.....

A new year with lots of changes in store...

2006-01-04T09:44:00.000-06:00

I am back in Ireland now. The last week in France was alright but I was soon ready to go back to Ireland. The return trip was uneventful, fortunately! The weather is warm and sunny in Ireland, Im sure glad to be here for the winter.

Fabien and I have started planning our marriage in France. It will be sometime in March, no exact date yet. We are keeping the celebratory dinner to just the immediate family so sorry to those who are anxious to visit. Immediate family, contact me if you're interested and financially capable, I cant help you there....

There is still a lot of planning involved even for such a small ceremony, mostly involving visas and paperwork. I have quite a few issues to clear up with the American Embassy and the Irish Immigration and theres a chance that I'll have to use my return ticket to the US in mid-January. Im working on it in the meantime....

thats all for now.

Christmas in France, loosen your belts!

2005-12-26T08:11:00.000-06:00

So after one long sleep in France, the feasting began. A nice lunch with Fabiens father Jean-Luc, his wife Annie, their baby Elie (1-1/2 yrs old), and Fabiens younger brother Alexis. Fabien and I did some shopping for presents that afternoon. Then dinner with the same group, but this was the official Christmas dinner (on the 23rd). We started with the aperitif, I tried a nice drink that Fabiens father made himself, with white wine and quinces (a fruit that is common here, mostly for jelly). It was very nice and we even received a bottle as a gift.

Dinner was oysters then foie gras with warm fruits (mango, pineapple) for a starter. Main course was roe-deer, apparently a common meat for Christmas here. Dessert was a Buche de Noel. We opened presents next. Fabien and I received a case of 6 bottles of wine, chosen by his father, and a dvd from his brother, a collection of comedy skits by a Belgian comedian Benoit Voelpoorde.

The same night Fabiens group of friends were also having a party so we went there afterwards. That was fun, mostly dancing and talking. His friends are a good group and I feel welcome among them. They even got us a gift for Christmas, a box of 3 bottles of wine from the region, chosen by his friends. We stayed until 4am and finally went home.

The next day we relaxed a bit then we went to his mothers house for Christmas Eve. We arrived around 6pm in Vauchretien. Fabiens mother has a beautiful old house, I always love to go there. So it was Fabiens mother Odile, her husband Joel, her children Stephane, Julie and Charlotte (twins), Florien, then Joels daughter Emeline and Joels mother, then Fabien, Alexis and myself. We had a few drinks then sat down to eat. The dinner was delicious. We had oysters and a salmon cake to start, then foie gras and roe-deer, then for dessert a lovely chocolate cake with melted chocolate on the inside and an orange sauce. And champagne to finish. Then we did gifts and Fabien and I received even more wine! 12 bottles plus a bottle of champagne. We will definitely not go thirsty this year! We have received an amazing 23 bottles of alcohol this year, they must understand that its not so easy in Ireland to find good wine (well unless you want to pay 15 euros a bottle, that is). We got home around midnight and immediately went to bed.

The next day (Christmas Day) was a big lunch for the family of Jean-Luc. There were all the uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. We got there at 1pm, had some snacks then opened presents. In this family, they trade off who plays Pere Noel, who comes into the party and hands out all of the gifts individually. They asked Fabien to play this year and he consented. Its was funny mostly because Elie was terrified of this crazy costume. Then we sat down to eat. First oysters, crawfish and shrimp, then pork and potatoes, then cheese, then fruit, then candy, then cake, then coffee. 4 hours at least at the table! We were exhausted by this point. The uncles started the evenings entertainment, they all picked up an instrument and struggled through some typical French songs. We took it as a good time to leave, which we did.

Thats all for now. This week we are eating light, that’s for sure!

The Boat....

2005-12-26T08:08:00.000-06:00

So the ferry ride DID NOT go as planned. But we did make it France. Eventually…..

We left at noon-ish from Dungarvan, all was well. The boat was scheduled to leave at 4pm so normally you have to arrive 1hr beforehand so that they can load up all of the cars onto the ferry. We arrived at 2:30pm and started queuing. We got through the check-in to the 2nd wait by 3:30. We waited. They started announcing that there was a technical problem with the ferry and that the departure time was not known. We waited. Then they announce that the departure is cancelled and that we should go to the Irish Ferries counter in the main building.

So everyone left their cars in the queue and went inside. We were among the first group to get in line maybe because there were many foreigners that might not have understood the announcement right away. The Irish Ferries company only had 2 girls working so the wait was long. Then most people coming in late just pushed up the sides of the line rather then getting behind so it became a big stressful ordeal. Some people were angry and shouting and complaining out loud.

They proposed to us an exchange of tickets. We would get on another ferry to Pembroke, Wales, then have another voucher for a ferry from Dover, England to Calais, France. We would have to drive across England to get to Dover. They gave us Mapquest directions.

That ferry didn’t leave until 9pm so we got back in our cars, and waited some more. At one point someone honked their horn and everyone else joined in. Who wouldn’t get anxious in this situation? We finally got onto the boat, and went to find the bar and something to eat. I stayed awake while Fabien slept on a bench. He needed his rest for the cross-country drive to come. The ferry ride was 3-1/2 hrs long, we got to Pembroke after 1am. We were the very last car off the boat too.

It was almost like a rally, all us cars let loose in England at the same time with the same destination. We were lucky to have filled up the tank before because no one could expect that this would happen. Normally we should have arrived in Cherbourg the next morning after sleeping well and eating well. We shouldn’t have had to worry about gas stations or restaurants being open when we arrived. The first gas station we passed was packed as a result!

Well at least there are not many cars on the road in the middle of the night. We made good time, got to Dover around 8am after stopping once to eat. We got on another ferry at 9am and got to France at 11:30am. That’s the time we should have arrived in Cherbourg. So its not like we lost a lot of time in the diversion, but we didn’t sleep well at all and we had to pay for the extra gas consumed, we lost some money on the euro-pound exchange, and we then had to drive by Paris where we got stuck in a few traffic jams. We finally arrived in Chemille around 7pm. We ate dinner then went straight to sleep afterwards.

We can only hope that the return trip does not turn out like this. Already I am ready to boycott this company for any future trips….Whew!

X-mas in Dungarvan

2005-12-20T05:28:00.000-06:00

For those of you who are curious as to what Christmas is like here let me tell you. It is very big here! The main streets of Dungarvan have lighted x-mas decorations hung across the roads, very nice. There are speakers with x-mas music playing in the center of town, maybe a little too much. Our friend David here has one of these speakers right across from his apartment and he is obligated to hear the same 3 x-mas songs replayed from 8am to 10pm, no fun for him. the Shopping Center is packed. The pubs are packed and they also play x-mas music all night long, though more than the same 3 songs. You can't escape it!

Apparently they celebrate St Stephens day too. So lots of excuses for getting drunk and all. So if you like that, then Christmas is lots of fun here!

And they eat Christmas pudding with custard. The Irish all love this and the foreigners think it's disgusting. I havent tried it yet but I'll let you know what I think.

Thats all I can say so far. Only 5 days til Christmas left....

Traveling Onwards...

2005-12-20T05:17:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow Fabien and I are leaving for France. We are driving to Rosslare, should take only an hour or so to get there, and then getting on the ferry to Cherbourg, France. The Ferry trip will take 18 hrs so naturally we will sleep in a cabin on the boat and arrive the next morning. Then we will drive from Cherbourg to Chemille which will take 5-6 hours I think. I am looking forward to the trip because I like traveling where I can watch the scenery slip by. I hope that we will have good weather on the sea.

This is all in hope that there will be no more problems with the ferry company Irish Ferries. Just a week ago the workers were still on strike because the company wanted to fire them and hire cheap workers from eastern Europe instead. They were on strike for 3 weeks and the end result was that if they hire Eastern Europeans it will be at the same pay rate as the Irish workers. Funny because it just puts the situation back at zero, they may still lose their jobs, but just not to cheaper labor.

In other news I am sick right now. Sore throat, headache, and all. I have been trying to rest and drink tea and OJ but I dont feel any better yet. Too much to do and not enough time.

Chapter 2

2005-12-14T08:28:00.000-06:00

I am back in Ireland. The weather has been sunny and a bit cold. I have not done much since I have been back in the apartment. I have been sleeping late since I am still adjusting to the new time zone. I have been getting the apartment back in shape mostly.
I have learned that I did not get the work permit. Reason being that they are only doing work permits for Highly Skilled employees which is silly because there is a different process reserved for highly skilled employees (work authorisation scheme) so why bother to distinguish? So anyway that means that Fabien and I are looking at Marriage. We are happy at this prospect, believe me, but this means that we will have to organize one quickly and inexpensively. We have talked about it in the past and we are thinking of doing a small celebration in France with just his immediate family and my parents if they can come. Then we'd like to have another small celebration in the US afterwards. Then we would like to have a larger celebration a lot later (1-2 years) to bring the two families and friends together. I have heard of this done by other international couples and I think it can work very well. I dont mean to exclude anyone special in our lives but on such short notice I think it would be unfair to ask for attendance from so many people who live far from Chicago or France. I hope that you understand.
In the meantime I'll be filling out forms rather than choosing colors and flowers and such:)

and now for....Adventures in Rolling Meadows!

2005-11-29T20:21:00.000-06:00

So Im not in Ireland at the moment having wild adventures. Im taking a vacation from that crazy life and am back to where life is calm and predictable....in Illinois.

But alas, there are still adventures to share, but not those exotic kind.....
My car had problems before I went away to Ireland. I was hoping they would go away in my absence. They didnt, so after a weekend of driving a very unstable car I took it in to get looked at. Turns out it just needed a tune-up, so now its a smooth ride (well at least now it purrs rather than shuddering violently).
Well then since I had a car that worked, I took my computer into Best Buy to get repaired. It has been problematic for a while, mostle since I got it back from its last repair job. Then about a month ago it just died. Fortunately, if I lose all the information on there, the only un-backed up items are my first rounds of pictures from Dungarvan. Nothing that I can't retake though.

I have started to work again at the castle. Things there have progressed slightly since I left: mostly just that things have been installed. Its great working for such an amazing project but I need to move on. But that idea is already in the works in Ireland. I am currently awaiting the response for a work permit application but I probably wont know until after Christmas.

I am going to France for Christmas to spend the holiday with Fabien and his family and friends in Chemille. I went there last year and had a wonderful time. Except for one family party where I was picked on because they played a game "name that singer or song title" and I had never heard ANY of the songs played, ever in my life. I severely handicapped my team and one guy took that seriously and asked for extra points since I was "inutile". Im sure he meant to be funny (french humor, I guess). Im terrible at that game even with popular songs from my generation, let alone French popular songs from 30 years ago! Well I think it will still be a great time this year, the food alone makes it all worthwhile...

Well, thats all we have time for today, folks....

And even more pictures!!!!

2005-11-24T12:42:00.000-06:00

I have set up a Flickr account to post more pics from Ireland, the URL is http://www.flickr.com/photos/yvoinireland/

I will put more up as I have time. Enjoy!

Look, a picture!

2005-11-24T11:37:00.000-06:00

Me, in the ruins of the cathedral at Ardmore, Co. Waterford, Ireland

I haven't finished yet...

2005-11-24T07:23:00.000-06:00

I got a bit carried away on that last blog so I will leave it as a single idea and start another.

Despite all my reading that I did while in Dungarvan, I did manage to get out a bit and see a few local towns. Ardmore is only a 20 minute drive down the coast. It is a historical coastal town and was a pilgrimage site even before(since 1200ish). They have a very intact round tower next to a church which is only slightly in ruin, and a cemetery. There are very interesting biblical reliefs on the west exterior wall of the cathedral, and some even older stone relics inside(ogham stones if that says anything to you). The views from the site are spectacular and I hope to return there when it is sunnier. I will post some pictures this weekend now that I have unlimited access to a computer (besides competing with mom and dad for my turn at least). The town itself has a few thatched roof houses and a beach. It is surely a huge tourist site when the weather is warm and sunny.

Just last weekend Fabien and I made an afternoon trip to Lismore, about 1/2 hour inland. We spontaneously followed signs for the Dromana Drive which turned out to be a beautiful scenic road through the Dromana Woods. In the middle of the woods next to a bridge is a very curious gatehouse made in the Indian Mogul style (based on the Brighton Pavilion (or Royal Pavilion) in Brighton, England by John Nash). Apparently it is the only example of this architectural style in Ireland. very exotic.
Lismore was stunning as the entry into the city consisted of crossing a high bridge over a river above which sits the impressive Lismore Castle. Unfortunately it is not open to tourists but apparently it can be rented ($$$). Well fortunately Lismore has more to offer as a town. It has a very nice 'Millenium Park' with a nice water feature and an ancient ice-store house structure. The town itself is very charming and there is a nice shaded walk up to a church that is also very charming and impressive. It is very gothic in style (June would love it) and the stained-glass windows were exceptionally beautiful (sorry, no pics of the interior to show). There may even be more to see in Lismore but it was getting dark so we headed home.

I was very happy to be living in Dungarvan, a town very beautiful in itself, but sometimes that is easy to forget when you are there every day over an extended period of time. I really enjoy the little excursions we had in Ireland because it rekindles my amazement at what a beautiful area it is, and how lucky I am to be able to live there. I am hoping to get a work permit to stay there for the next year and work, but I will not know if it is approved until after Christmas. I cannot say much more about that now. I hope it works.....

What time is it and where??? the end, part 1...

2005-11-24T06:40:00.000-06:00

Well I am back from Adventures in Ireland-Part 1. Although it was not as adventurous as I had hoped to share with everyone, it was still an amazing experience for me and I have learned a lot and have seen some very beautiful places.
First of all, Ireland is just a stunningly beautiful country and I am very proud to see that they are making huge efforts now to keep it that way. The country is developing very fast and that can lead to weak building regulations in quality, appropriateness, scale, and zoning. Fortunately they have passed some initiatives in the last 15 years to control what is being built and there are local planning councils that must approve all projects before they can be built. It is not perfect however as the councils can apparently be very inconsistent with their decisions and there is also room for small corruption. But honestly I think they are on the right path to keeping their culture and landscape safe from overdevelopment at this important time in the rebuilding of their country.
When I see how that can be non-existent in the USA depending on where and what the American wants to buy, I am frustrated. I think our priorities are all wrong and that we are risking to put in reverse our architectural legacy, what little one we have at least. If money is the controlling factor always, then all that exists today that isnt protected specifically by a preservation ruling will all be gone one day and replaced with something new and uninteresting.
I read an article in the Economist in October or so which talked about the mega McMansions going up in Dallas suburbs. The neighbors of lots where they had torn down the original 1-1/2 story house to build something 4x as big, they were very angry and appealed to the local government for help. The government didnt seem to want to take part at all, they suggested only to set up a council of the neighbors there so that they could have a say on the look of the new structures. I find that silly because that can only turn into a shouting match in the end between those who have no real power. Why doesnt the local goverment pass a few measures themselves, at least to keep the original neighborhood consistent in character?! Well I think I can guess why, but still. Its unfair.

I get it from my Mom...

2005-10-19T10:58:00.000-05:00

So I have been on a reading spree lately...
In 2 weeks I have read in quick succession:
"Evening Class" by Maeve Binchy
"Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by JK Rowling
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
and Ive just started "High Fidelity" by Nick Hornby

what would I do without libraries....

Still here...

2005-10-13T11:52:00.000-05:00

Sorry I have not been writing, I have been very busy with the work visa search.

I promise to write more later!!

Nice Weather

2005-10-05T08:46:00.000-05:00

So I apologize if I havent had too many adventures yet. The job situation needs to be secure before I can start traveling around like a real tourist. So the boss at the firm I applied at said she was very impressed with my hand sketches. Its amazing how they seem to give me an edge in the jobsearch process although I rarely use them in the resulting job, at least so far. I actually dream that eventually I will become more than just a CAD-monkey and be able to do hand-made presentation drawings. And thats not just for my own pleasure but also because I worry about the negative effects of working on a computer all day long doing detailed work. The back problems, the risk of carpal tunnel (sp?) and the strain to the eyes. Mixing up the media I use would be a great relief, and enjoyable of course.
So Dungarvan will be going through a few facelifts in the next few years (besides those already in progress) and apparently the firm I am applying to is in charge of most of those! I am very excited at the prospect of working for them, though nothing is decided for sure yet.

Today is quite warm and sunny, I will try to spend the rest of the afternoon outside.

Fabien has asked me to do some drawings for furniture for our apartment. Apparently its no problem for him to make things at work in his free time. Fabien is actually quite interested in doing furniture if ever he sets up his own studio (in the far future most likely) and he would like to do something very good now for his own portfolio.

Thats all for now, time is short here.

its Monday, not like that makes any difference to me...

2005-10-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Well it seems that a lot has changed since my last post on Friday. It seems like I will get the job at the firm I mentioned before, now we just have to discuss the whole work-visa situation and I will probably have to take some kind of autocad test to prove that Im worthy of that. I've done a lot of research already on that but now I will go through and print out any pertainable information to make sure that I am not missing anything.
I also met with the technician today that I also mentioned. He encouraged me to see about the firm first since they would offer me a better learning environment than what he has to offer. He said that at his office I would have to immediately jump into a fast-paced environment and he wouldnt often be there to help and advise. So its a second option if need be, thats all.
Fabien started a new job today at a place in Dungarvan. Before he was working in a small town about 15 minutes away, which is not far but since gas is expensive its still a bit costly. Now he will be working for a guy his age (23ish) who just started up his own fine woodworking studio. Fabien is very happy because he will make a bit more money, do better work with more motivated people, and also he can come home for lunch now. I think it will be very good for him, especially in the long-term.
Thats all for now, I will write more later when Im not paying for time...

News...good mostly

2005-09-30T09:45:00.000-05:00

Well the jobsearch is continuing. Today was actually a step forward and I even have an interview with E-project in a half-hour! Ive already talked to the 2 other architects in town (whom I did eventually find), both of which had no job for me but lots of helpful advice to give. I may also arrange a meeting with a technician who could use some help and who lives out in the Ring, which is a town on the other side of the bay that has all signs exclusively in Irish. I think they have areas where they protect the Irish culture and this is one of them.
So wish me luck and if I dont find anything here Im going to start looking in Waterford as I have a few names already.

Otherwise I mentioned already that I was reading 'Tara Road' by Maeve Binchy. I just finished it and turned it back into the library, then I look in the newspaper and see that its just been made into a film! So thats always fun to see it as a film just after Ive enjoyed it as a book.

Moving on and up, hopefully...

2005-09-28T06:23:00.000-05:00

So I have officially started the jobsearch. I finished my portfolio yesterday and immediately went across the street to a firm called e-project that does contemporary and environmental projects. But the boss wasn't in so I just handed them copies of my CV, references and work summary. I looked for another architect in town but couldn't find the building at all on the small stretch of road where it is supposed to be. Then today I looked for another architect and had the same problem. The consensus between us foreigners is that things here are very poorly marked and indicated. So I think I will send my resume by e-mail and indicate that I am immeditely available to stop by anytime, wherever they are.
So there are only 3 architecture type firms in Dungarvan, then a few developers. Im not sure yet if I will try architects further out next, or the developers in town...
Otherwise the weather has been off and on. Yesterday I think it changed from sunny to rainy at least 4 times during the day! But we did have a beautiful rainbow as a result. typical.
On last Sunday Fabien and I with 3 other French kids went up to Mahon Falls in the nearby mountains. Its a waterfall at the end of a valley with a beautiful view out to the sea. It was windy but still quite nice. We climbed rocks and managed not to fall into the water at any point.
I would love to put pictures up but I havent figured out how yet. I guess I need to post them on the web somewhere then link to them. any suggestions?

grr

2005-09-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

I have a headache now. I just received the e-mail from mom telling me that now SBC has sent a collection agency after me for a charge that I have called and disputed 4 TIMES at least! I guess I'll have to call again and explain again and maybe this time they'll get it right....heres to hoping.
Otherwise the weather here is sunny and pleasant. I took a long walk today and ended up in an industrial area that wasnt very pretty. Dungarvan is developing a lot right now so its not even that far out of town.
So I hear that theres another devastating hurricane in the making, this time heading for Texas. For some reason I dont feel too sympathetic that the Gulf Coast is getting blasted after all the mishandling that went on after Katrina. I feel terrible about the loss of a very unique city ( ok NO is still there but it will be forever different now) and for the people that didnt have much to begin with and lost everything. But I dont feel bad when people do not learn from the past. And continue to build wood houses in hurricane ravaged areas.
So anyway, does it make sense that irish whiskey is cheaper in France than it is in Ireland? Im still trying to figure this one out...
Thats all for now...

Details, details....

2005-09-21T09:33:00.000-05:00

So today is still cloudy, with hints of sunshine, and actually quite warm! I have been sleeping in this week, although I thinks its my body's reaction to an impending cold, not just laziness. I dont feel spectacular today, but nothing too serious yet. I am trying to finish my work portfolio this week so that I can start asking around about jobs next week. Fabien is pressuring me to find a job quickly so that more decisions can be made about our future. I will try my best.

So far I like being in Dungarvan though there is not a lot to do on the weekends besides going to the pub. They had a small cinema before but apparently it was just terrible. That one is closed down now and they are building a new one. They are also building a new shopping center right near the center of town which is to include a bowling alley. What is finished of the shopping center already is quite nice, there is a Dunnes apartment store which is a nice alternative to the small (and sometimes expensive) shops around town.
I was looking into taking a class like watercoloring while I am here but they all run until mid-december and I am leaving before then. So that will not be possible, oh well.
Last night I met the majority of the French population in town, a mix of ages and reasons to be here. Fabien also has some Irish friends that are from here. They are very useful sources for living here. One of them did warn me though that I should be aware of people trying to take advantage of the fact that Im foreign here. Its probably more a matter of money than anything else, I just have to questions any extra charges on services and things like that.

I checked out a book from the library, 'Tara Road' by Maeve Binchy. They didnt have 'Evening Class' so Im settling on this for light reading for now.
Thats all for now....

Long Weekend

2005-09-20T10:41:00.000-05:00

So the library isnt open on Mondays, hence the long delay for an update. We had beautiful weather this weekend. Fabien and I took a short drive to Tramore along the coastal road. It was pretty. Tramore was not very interesting though. Its more of a touristy seaside town, with what little beach it has. It has the Coney Island feel to it, with a carnival for the kids and casinos for the parents I guess. It was not too busy at this time of the year, but in July and August its almost certainly packed.
Weathers has been cloudy since then. Im finding my way around town and trying to make my electronics work for me.
sorry, out of time....

The Adventure Has Begun.....

2005-09-16T08:43:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. I am safely arrived in Ireland. The flights were fine, I was lucky enough to be sitting next to people on both legs of the trip with whom I could have an interesting discussion. And contrary to my belief, they did feed me, and wasn't too shabby either! My first flight, Chicago-Dublin was a bit early. The weather at the Dublin airport was grey and depressing so I was happy to be moving on. The Dublin-Cork flight was a bit messy though. The gate changed, gave me a bit of a scare, it left late, then we queued for a long time to take off. We actually took off a little after the time we were supposed to arrive in Cork! But the weather was nicer in Cork-scattered clouds and not too cold. Fabien was waiting to pick me up, we got stuck in traffic coming out of the airport (construction on the roads) and finally made it to Dungarvan by 5pm or so.

So the apartment is fine. Location in great, its in downtown Dungarvan. Spatially the apartment is wonderful. When you walk in there are 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and a staircase that leads up to....the living room/kitchen space. This is an amazing room with a lot of natural light and a high ceiling (gable roof-shaped) plus a balcony that cuts into the space with glass walls. The view is amazing-I can see most of the bay, part of the harbor, a bit of the mountains to the left, the 'ring' peninsula to the right, and theres the back of the Dungarvan castle right in front of us. I think its a very inspiring space, I am very happy for that. Otherwise the apartment is a bit shappy in terms of handiwork. Linoleum floors in the bathrooms, cracks in walls etc. but nothing serious.

Ive walked around town today-it doesnt take very long but its very pretty. Theres a library practically behind the apartment, which is where Im writing from. Lots of small stores, pubs, restaurants. I can find most anything I need withing a 10 minute walk. I hope to post some pictures soon but its seems I cant from the library so I can try tapping into a local wireless network from home but that has its risks....we'll see.

Well my allotted time is almost up so I hope to write more soon. There will be a lot to show and tell so stay tuned....

IM ON MY WAY!!

2005-09-14T17:43:00.000-05:00

Actually We're running late already.....

Stay tuned for an update from across the Atlantic (if you're state-side that is)....