Woke up at 10:00. USIT Orientation was at 11:00. I jumped out of bed and into the shower. I ate the doughnut that I had bought the night before for dessert from The Rolling Donut. Then, I headed down to the office. I smiled when I walked in, and said, “Good Morning, I’m here for the Orientation?”

“Yes, you can just wait over there,” they said.

I sat down with my water and just looked around. This was the resource center. It looked like a computer lab, really. It had postings on the wall for jobs and accommodations. I made a mental note to come look at that after orientation.

“Hey, Rachel? We’re actually going to be in this smaller room. Normally, we’re in the board room upstairs, but they’re having a meeting. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, no I’m good.”

I learned at the orientation what I needed to know about the processes of becoming a temporary resident of Ireland. I have to get a GNIB card (Garda National Immigration Bureau) that gives me eligibility to work. Then, I have to get a job and obtain an official offer letter for a position. Then, I find accommodation, although this step doesn’t have to wait for anything. After I have a job and accommodation, I can get a PPS number (basically our Social Security Number). After this, I can fill out a tax form, and until then, I”ll be on emergency taxes which is basically taking 50% out of what I make. Once I fill out a tax form, then I’ll be being paid normally, and I can get a bank account. There are multiple steps to do once I leave as well, but they didn’t explain it, and I didn’t want to know about it yet. After that, I went back to my room and did some searches again, sent some emails. I’m discovering that they don’t really respond to emails. I decided, despite the fact that I wanted to keep looking to really find a place to stay, I needed to get out. I went for a walk and took pictures of statues that were pretty looking. They were in Gaelic though, so I didn’t know who they were or why they were up there.

William O’Brien, according to Wikipedia (I know, not always the most reliable source, but the most accessible), was convicted of sedition for being part of the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, which was short-lived and failed. He encouraged the use of the Irish Language. He was sentenced to death, then got deported to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania). In 1854, he was released but still exiled from Ireland. In 1856, he was released from his exile and returned, but was not active in politics anymore.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Smith_O’Brien

Sir John Gray “was an Irish physician, surgeon, newspaper proprietor, journalist and politician.”  Through his offices, the Vartry Resevoir water supply work were completed, provided fresh water to Dublin and its suburbs. He was involved in other political movements, but is most well known for his work with fresh water and its health benefits for Dublin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gray_(Irish_politician)

James “Jim” Larkin “was an Irish trade union leader and socialist activist.” He founded workers’ unions, the Irish Labour Party, and is most well known for his role in the 1913 Dublin Lockout, the most lengthy and violent industrial dispute in Irish history.

This quote was at the base of his statue: “The great appear great because we are on our knees. Let us rise.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Larkin

That night, I had dinner at Beshoff, a small cozy seafood restaurant. I had basic cod fish and chips. The chips were very large fries that I was unable to finish because there were so many. It was good, and tasted healthy because they used vegetable oil. A bit of history about the lineage of the owners, is the founder lived until 104, his father lived until 108, and his grandfather lived until 115. That’s insane to me. That’s really old, and though it didn’t say, I’m sure they weren’t decrepit either. Eating healthy really makes a difference. After I got my food, I sat by myself at a table that was half booth and half regular chair. I felt awkward at first sitting by myself, and even felt bad because the place was picking up. I felt like I was taking an extra chair, but I looked to my right and my left, and there were at least three other people eating by themselves. I thought, “I’m gonna fit in here.” I went back to my room, and finally finished the book. It’s not that long, but it’s one you have to take time on or you’ll miss it. The essence, the spirit of the book. You might think I sound like a weirdo, but just read the book, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s kind of like L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle. That book is sooo slow in the first ten chapters. If you can stick with it that long though, it gets amazing and is my second favorite book ever. Jane Eyre is first. I love history and learning and new experiences. Despite rough beginnings, I’m excited about this, a lot.