Live From Belfast 2007

I'm working as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland this year. My adventures are listed below.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

And So It Begins

Well, I've arrived in one piece and I've started at my new job. It hasn't really rained yet and I have to admit that I am glad about that. I'm getting settled in the volunteer house and trying to recover from my jet lag (which is terrible this time around). I haven't done too much just yet except hang out with my new boss Peter A and his wife, go to coffee at a cool East Belfast coffee shop with two girls from work and make the occasional trek to City Centre. The volunteer car should be arriving soon so maybe I will get out more often. Residents of Belfast you have been warned.

As one would imagine, I have made quite a list of new discoveries. Pretty much anything new to me is classfied as "Irish." For instance, people really do drink a lot of tea and coffee. I wouldn't normally call this instant black muck coffee but everyone at work does so I just go along with it. Also, they say "Right, I'm going to put the kettle on. Does anyone want anything?" This is Irish for, I need a mental break so I'm getting tea and to make myself not feel so bad for drinking this 12th cup today, I'm taking orders." Another difference worth mentionting is THE WEATHER. It is its own tourist attraction. Last night the wind blew so hard I thought bombs were going off a few miles away. This morning the wind almost knocked me over on my wee hike up the Springfield Road to the office but no one seemed to notice. Good Lord, I sound Irish already.

Well, that's all for now. I am crossing my fingers that broadband gets hooked up in the volunteer house ASAP so that I can put some pics up of my new house and office. I'm headed to a work conference this weekend up on the north coast of N. Ireland so that should make for pretty pics.