September 20th, 2015 | Uncategorized
For a place that rains so much, Ireland is full of really, really happy people. Their friendliness comes out in ways that I don’t even think they realize. For instance, they have these little phrases that they use every day that embody this positivity I have come to associate with the Irish.
“Everything is grand.” I hear this countless times every day. It doesn’t even matter what the person is referring to. I could ask my classmates how they are liking college so far: “Oh it’s grand.” I could ask my teammates how work is going: “Oh it’s grand.” I think I could even set fire to my dormitory and my roommates would tell me, “Don’t worry about it; it will be grand.” The Irish have a way of putting a positive spin on things. Their grand attitude about life is so refreshing!
“Thanks a million.” Whenever anyone thanks me for something, it’s never “thanks” or “thank you,” it’s “thanks a million,” and it is just the cutest little phrase ever. I mean how good does that make you feel?! But wait, it gets better. If you do something really noteworthy, you might even earn one of these:
“You’re a star.” I accidentally walked off with one of my classmate’s notebooks, and I messaged him promising to give it back to him as soon as possible. His response: “You’re a star.” Really? For stealing your notebook and deciding to give it back? I mean I hadn’t even given it to him yet, so I really didn’t think I deserved “star” status. But hearing that simple little phrase made my day.
The Irish can even make swearing seem friendly. During my very first class of my very first day of college, my professor swore lightheartedly a few times throughout the lecture. Due to the high number of international students in the class, he decided to explain himself. He told us that the Irish do not swear for lack of a better vocabulary, but instead because they possessed “a linguistic richness.” Due to the fact that he had the entire class chuckling throughout the lecture, I can’t help but to agree with him.
I’m looking forward to the months to come, where I can continue to enjoy the linguistically rich catchphrases of the Irish. I will probably come back to America a happier person for it, telling all my star friends and family how grand Ireland was, and thanking them a million for asking.
Victory Scholar: Katie Fox
Present University: Waterford IT
US League: NEC
Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats
Alma Mater: St. Francis College
Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland
