It was a hot topic for a bit at the beginning of the year, should we get a t.v. or not? We weren’t looking for anything fancy, just a simple screen that would provide us with basic cable and something the boys could connect a game station to. It’s now March and we don’t have a television, but truthfully, I’m a bit delighted we decided to hold off on getting one.
Catan is a game similar to Monopoly involving strategy and a little bit of luck
Even though we’re living in a new country, we all still succumb to the (in)famous Netflix binge. This may be shocking, but the weather sometimes prevents us from going outside and wandering about town. There are definitely times where we’ve had things to do non-stop, and the only refreshing feeling is isolating ourselves in our own spaces with some popcorn and a good movie. This semester though, we wanted to hang out more in our communal living room, but there wasn’t much we could do aside from scrolling through our phones or laptops. One day, Dom and Luke borrowed Monopoly from our res life office and ever since a friendly house competition has emerged. We’ve been filling our down time (and our competitive spirits) with regular games of Monopoly, Heads Up, Catan and a variety of card games. Playing these games together has definitely sparked some interesting conversations and it’s provided a bit of craic needed to enjoy our spare time.
One of my favorite streets in Cathedral Quarter
Even though we don’t have a television, I’m enjoying the activities I’ve gotten to do instead. When we’re not mentoring, coaching, playing our sport or competing against one another in board games, I enjoy exploring Belfast and the neighboring towns that surround us. Yesterday I went into town to pick up a few things and discovered there was a Tesco right near City Hall and soon after found a quaint little bookshop I had no idea existed. I’ve lived here for over 6 months and the fact that I’m still finding new places means I have more exploring to do before I head home. Although I miss plopping myself on the couch every Thursday night for an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, I’m going to miss coming downstairs to Catan waiting to be played even more. You can get ahold of a television anywhere in the States, but the memories I’ve made playing board games and gallivanting throughout Northern Ireland with my housemates can’t be replicated.
