Ireland Day 5 - Diving into work!

Shop Street.

I don't actually have any photos from work, but the highlight of today is how busy things got! I managed to take a decent amount of photos once I left for the day, and I even did a teeny tiny bit of exploring past Shop Street. Woohoo!

Today was lots of training with Brad. I took notes and followed him around the studio listening to him talk about procedure. We had a very slow morning with only the phone ringing and someone scheduling a viewing for 4:30. The day was actually kind of perfect because he was able to train me without interruption, and then after we returned from lunch a whole slew of customers showed up and I was able to participate in a hands-on recreation (a real one!) of the scenarios he explained to me.

Rothar glas!

Every person that came into the studio was a drop-in, except for the very last person: they called and scheduled a time to view. Other than that, lots of questions and passports! Passports seem to be the bane of everyones' existence, they're such a huge hassle. A regulation on size would be awesome, I think, but really only for eases sake. I helped with a man's Vietnamese Visa photo, another guy's Irish passport photo and a baby's passport photo. Pretty much all of these people showed up at once, mind.

Shortly before closing he had me call a customer to get some information on a print. Before I arrived, he told me that it's easiest to just talk like the locals do because that way they'll understand me. So, on the phone today I used the words, "bump you up on the queue" and also, "ring us when you've decided". That was pretty exciting. I smiled and looked at Brad when I said, "bump you up on the queue" and he kind of laughed and gave me a thumbs up. I'm turning Irish!

It was a very good day. There were a few moments when I felt quite worthless and irritated because I was unable to help move the customers along since I'm still training. As the day wore on and I was able to get past the tiny hang-ups that stop me from being helpful (and instead make me a menace) and actually learn what to do the next time it rolls around.

I'm nodding off between sentences so I'm going to wrap this up.

I love the doors and buildings!

My walk around Shop Street was very enjoyable, I took some nice photos and discovered another bus stop where I can ride home. I found some swans and quite a few stores that I'd like to go in. Friday is going to be laundry and shopping! Woo! Tomorrow I have to pull some more money out so I can pay Miriam for food for the week. For dinner she made me a cheese burger, a salad and a bowl of fruit. Delicious! I can't wait for the weather to clear so I can explore! I know I've said this almost everyday, it's just so true.

I was offered a ride to Connemara by both Brad and Steve, which is really exciting! Perhaps I'll love it and I'll have two different occasions to go! Steve's family lives up there and he said he'd be more than happy to take me to the non-touristy places. I'd really prefer to avoid a coach and all of the other tourists. I want to be able to stop when I want and take lots of photos! I'm hoping to make a friend that has a car so I have someone to go on leisurely day trips with. I'll give them gas money!

After dinner, Maisa, Catherine and I played quite a few rousing rounds of Egyptian Rat Screw. I haven't played in ages, so that was good craic! I'm learning Irish vernacular. Craic is Irish for "fun". They use it frequently, "How's the craic?". There are many other examples but that's the only one I can think of right now. I'm seeing how many new words I can slip into my vocabulary :P

And now for throughout the day updates!

Interesting bramble.

8:44 am: bus stop: Today has dawned steely and cool with a different scent in the air than other mornings. A bit fresher and oceany than the others. I'm told there's a nice beach very close by, I'm anxious to be able to explore. I want food available to me in Steve's house, not just Miriam's. It wastes just enough time getting into her place that I can't eat before I leave for the bus. I grabbed an apple. I hope Brad is OK with me taking an early lunch.

8:53 am: bus stop: I think I missed the bus but I'm not sure how that is. It's supposed to be here at 8:48. I saw two buses drive past the stop while I was still walking.

9:08 am: 33 bus: The bus arrived as I was writing earlier. It was very crowded. I had to stand. A lot of people just got off so now I'm sitting. The bus is very stuffy.

9:13 am: 33 bus: This thing always squeezes through such tight spaces it's like like I'm on the Knight Bus. Oh gosh someone farted and it is awful.

12:11 pm: Photo One: I have my schedule! It is subject to change though. I have enough two days off in a row to visit quite a few places!

Another friend!

1:40 pm: La Salsa: Brad is taking me out to lunch. We were walking down Shop Street and he told me I was being too loud and that people really notice and dislike the loud Americans. I apologized and told him that even at home my friends tell me I'm too loud and I'm afraid of being too loud here and he should tell me when I'm being too loud again. He said he would so long as I didn't mind. He insisted he wasn't trying to be mean/rude, but he didn't want me to get into a position of being that person. I thanked him.

3:52 pm: Photo One: The studio got very busy after we returned from lunch. I was unable to do anything without asking Brad for help, which was unfortunate because he was helping people order prints. I don't like the new employee/training phase :(

5:55 pm: Photo One: What a day! My next helping excursion went much better than the first!

6:30 pm: Eyre Square: Brad is super nice. Excellent placement for my internship. I am going to learn soo much.

6:55 pm: Somewhere near Shop Street: People here drive like maniacs!

Does it look slimmer to you?

7:08 pm: Eyre Square bus stop: Bough a Coke and a caramel Galaxy bar from Holland's. It's 500ml, the bottle is very skinny. Drinks aren't very cold here even if they're coming out of a fridge.

7:13 pm: 33 bus: It looks as though someone egged the bus, a little gross.

-MJ