Waking up

Even though I had gone to sleep at 1:00 the night before, I woke up at 7:30 on Sunday. Half awake, with half opened eyes and ears, I heard the sounds of the outside world through my opened window. The night before it had been dead quiet, but the sounds of the seagulls and a cat’s meow came with the morning sun. I stood up, shut my window, checked my phone, and got back in bed. I had walked around Dublin for hours the day before. I needed more sleep.

Tattoo Festival Pt 1

She sat down for her tattoo when we got there and I looked around at the artists’ booths. People were already getting tattooed. They wore all black, and had piercings and tattoos. I was wearing my Nautica sweater, and my corduroy pants. I felt out of place. I hadn’t felt out of place since the first few days after arriving in Belfast. I’ve found that the Irish are very welcoming, and like to share about their lives and culture. 

I was about to leave when Makayla, Jesse, and Paige showed up. I walked around with them, and it was nice to have people to talk to when going around the festival.

Lunch?/Fathers Day in Belfast

After we were done looking we went out to get lunch, and I called my dad for fathers day while the rest were waiting in line for Maggie May’s. We talked about how my time in Belfast has been, and how I miss them and wish I could be there for Father’s Day. I told him I pitched in one hundred dollars for his birthday present. The call was 17 minutes and cost four dollars and twenty-five cents. I had never had to call my father for fathers day before since I had always been there. 

 I decided to skip Maggie May’s and went back to move into my new dorm.

Moving In (Again)

It started to rain after I got my new key from the treehouse, but by the time I packed up it was clear. It took me two trips to get everything to my new dorm, and cost me a carton of eggs, which I cracked, and a sack of potatoes, which I threw away because there was no room in my backpack. I realized I forgot to get the pierogies out of my fridge, but it was too late to go back and get them because my key fob would no longer open my old room’s door. My new room was bigger, but the bed was the same size. Now I had a personal toilet and shower. I unpacked a bit and decided to go back to the tattoo festival.

Tattoo Festival Pt 2

When I got back to the tattoo festival I went around eating the candies that the artist put out. They were all Irish candies which I had never seen in America. To be honest they were almost all bad. Only one chewy candy, and one hard candy were good. I saw Riley and her friend Eva who is from the Netherlands.

Walk Around City Center

 Me and Eva walked around Belfast city center looking for a snack while Riley got her second tattoo of the day. We talked about accents and politics and she recited a monologue from her drama classes in an American accent. It was a lot of fun. I really enjoy talking to people from other countries and learning what their life is like. Erin, who was on my floor at the first accommodation we had in Belfast, is from Galway and had told me all about what that is like and all about Ireland. She taught me how the Irish language used to be illegal to teach, and how people had to learn it in secret. I also learned that in Ireland they don’t have Reese’s puffs.

While walking around I saw all the beautiful Irish buildings, like Belfast city hall. The city center reminded me of Boston, while the outskirts of the city reminded me more of Salem. I loved to see the seagulls and the pigeons because they remind me of Boston and Salem as well.

Pizza and Guinness

Eva and I went back to the tattoo festival. Riley’s tattoo was close to being finished so we waited for her and then went to Giuseppe’s pizza. After that we went to the Post House for drinks and soon after Jack and Declan came in.