Happy holidays !¡

Posted By: MadelynGanser

Posted On: December 22nd, 2017

Attending:

Hey everyone! Even though it seems unimaginable at the moment due to the amount of deadlines standing between me and the 21^st, I am going home for Christmas in a couple short days. In light of the holiday season, I thought I would write this blog about all of the things I miss about home and everything that I have come to love about Ireland (trying my best to not make them all about food). In no particular order, here are some of the things that put a smile on my face day in and day out over here, followed with the major parts of my life I miss from the US of A.

What I love about Ireland:

• The relaxing, daily cup(s) of tea
• Getting lifts anywhere and everywhere (thank you to Francis, the Cronins, the Murphys, the O’Shaughnessys, and the U18 Irish Women’s National Team)
• The Cronin’s outdoor dog, Charlie
• Learning dance moves from one of my u12 players, Ciara
• People enjoying outdoor seating at restaurants in 40 degrees and drizzling weather
• My welcoming, hilarious, challenging, and genuine friends that are my classmates
• Cadbury chocolate (specifically the Oreo mint bar which DOES exist Katie, Christine, and Clare)
• When the players I’m coaching enjoy a drill I have them do
• Reuniting with fellow scholars
• Penney’s (goes in for a pair of socks — buys 3 sweaters, 1 hoodie, and 2 pairs of jeans)
• The unprecedented amount of high-fiving before games with the other team
• The CIT resident dog typically spotted in the canteen, recently found in the library
• Ian and I going through a bottle of BBQ sauce (Batt’s only) and jar of peanut butter a week
• Some of my favorite sayings: What’s the story (what’s up), excuse your cheek (pardon your rudeness), how are you getting on (how’s it coming), “ALRIGHT??” (as a greeting – still not sure what to say in response to this), everything followed by “like”, fillet pronounced fill-it, brilliant!, that’s gas (that’s hilarious), it’s grand (used for anything and everything – things might be great or they very well might be terrible), make shapes (typically on the dance floor)
• Me and Ian’s personal chauffer (and friend) Ronan
• Cappuccino (or 2) a day
• The English Market (especially O’Flynn’s sausages)
• Hilarious English to German translation problems with our roommate, Alex
• Student deals – Apache and Boojum singlehandedly getting me through finals week
• Four Star Pizza’s chocolate chip cookies
• The Christmas lights everywhere in Cork
• The Cork Starbucks staff that give me a new name for me every time (Patty, Paddy, Manny, Maddie, etc.)
• Laughing so hard doing our group marketing project with Miriam and Grace that the apartment security guard came to break up our 3-person party
• The unbelievably beautiful sights – Mizen Head, the Blarney Stone, the Cliffs of Moher, Cobh (with many more to come)

What I can’t wait to reunite with at home:

• The fam (including our marshmallow of a golden doodle, Bear)
• My friends (Not Your Average Joe’s tonight?)
• Our brown couch at 96
• Dunkin Donuts and Panera
• Worcester, MA – HCWBB, inHouse, Boston Donuts, Chick-Fil-A, Culpepper’s, Antonio’s
• My mom’s cooking
• A general trust in weather predictions
• Boston Winter Christmas market at City Hall Plaza
• Aunt Kathy’s mushrooms
• Not getting made fun of for iced coffee
• Runs around Cutler Pond
• Boston sports (go Celts)
• Going for drives blasting music
• Not getting a Christmas tree until December 23rd

Ultimately, I have so so many things to be grateful and thankful for – both in the States and over here in my second home of Cork. I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and happy New Year with their loved ones! Till next year 🙂

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