Apartments and Parties

Wednesday was a BEAUTIFUL day and we decided to set out to the Department of Social and Family Affairs to get our PPS numbers (like Social Security numbers) - only after I had a small panic attack about forgetting some important pills at home that prevent me from getting pregnant.  Awesome.  Our cab driver was incredibly friendly and helpful, and wished us a Happy 4th!  (Side note: almost everyone in Ireland knew it was the 4th of July and what that meant.  I realized that I don't know many foreign holidays.  Cinco de Mayo, Bastille Day, and Boxing Day.  That's really all I can think of off the top of my head.  How come they know everything about the 4th?  Hmm.  #dumbamericanquestions.)  The place was across the river in a shadier part of town but everything went smoothly.  We waited about 45 minutes and got to observe lots of foreigners and all walks of life, kinda like the DMV or the Social Security office in Texas. We need PPS numbers to open bank accounts, rent apartments, and anything else important.  We then walked over to our next apartment viewing, stopping by the cute Temple Bar area and some other quaint touristy places first.  

Solo shot at Temple Bar!

The apartment we ended up seeing was nice.  Wooden floors and modern lighting and it appeared to be CLEAN, which is all I can really ask for.  Drew wasn't feeling it, and the location wasn't great for his job, so we let it go.  We went and got our mobile issues fixed, walked around St. Stephen's Green, a huge beautiful park in the middle of the city, and ate a light lunch at an outdoor cafe cause it was SUNNY out!  You could tell that everyone in Dublin was taking full advantage of the sun and they would stand in it every chance they got.  We headed to our next apartment viewing in a GREAT location right near St. Stephen's Green and Trinity College, off on a side street near great shops and restaurants and bars, and the apartment itself was AWESOME.  I don't know why but I fell in love with it.  It had REALLY CLEAN carpet, a microscopic but CLEAN kitchen, a gorgeous view of all the rooftops, lots of storage, a decent sized CLEAN bathroom - I thought we found the place we're gonna live!!  I was so excited but Drew didn't like it as much as me.  Damnit.  He wasn't sure about the location, since it was really close to a lot of touristy things, all of the young professionals that we've met lived in other areas, it wasn't too close to his job, etc.  He did call the guy to let him know we thought we wanted to take it, but when we got home, we saw online that a couple had come in right after us and taken it.  F. F. F my life.  We have two apartment viewings set up for Thursday but Drew is pretty sold on this other one we saw yesterday on Love Lane.  I don't have a great feeling about it but Drew does.  We have differing opinions, both valid: I want a place I can love and be happy in, because I may never work and may be spending tons of time in it.  Drew wants a place that's close to work and in a good location because...he's the whole reason we're here.  I see both sides.  But ultimately I think it came down to Drew really feeling strongly about this place and this location so...here we go.  I'll be praying for an attitude change this week.


We took the scenic route home, took showers, and got ready for our 4th of July party.  I didn't have a hair dryer so I had to stand on my tiptoes under the "towel heater" (basically a weaker version of a hand dryer in a public restroom) for 30 minutes to try to get my hair remotely dry.  Met Tracy at a pub near our place for some liquid courage, and off we went!

Pub pic at Bellamy's

We walked into a BEAUTIFUL, LARGE townhouse in Donnybrook (I swear I'm posting a map ASAP), which evidently isn't "normal" Dublin living - thank God - to a backyard full of strangers staring at us.  Thankfully several of them came up to meet us and talk to us and I did what I usually do when nervous - I started pounding the wine.  I'm kidding.  Or am I? I am.  Mostly.


There's not a ton to report from the party, except that there was good food, a lot of REALLLLLLY nice people who were open to helping us out in any way they could, a German guy and his girlfriend who were quizzing me on my knowledge of the Declaration of Independence and everyone who signed it (yikes - John, I don't think I made you very proud), a SPANIARD who I got to speak lots of Spanish with!, and me breaking a plate when I casually leaned onto a counter and it slipped right off.  Major party foul and I wasn't even drunk!!!!  And the girl I was talking to literally sped off the minute it happened, leaving me standing there in the kitchen with everyone staring at me!!  My worst nightmare.  That and clogging a toilet at a party.  F.  The host was gracious and said the plate cost $0.50 but I felt like a real tard card. Ah well.  Loved the people and loved getting to meet other people in our situation that look like they're surviving and thriving.  Whew.


Today we're going to find Advil, set up a bank account, view ONE more apartment, even though we already picked ours, probably walk around the city more, and have dinner with some other Americans at PWC.  More later!