A few quick thoughts...
Ok. It's 11:15 which is a good hour past my bed time so I must write quickly. I need to say a few things though, so I'm willing to sacrifice what would otherwise be sleep time.
1. Excuse typos, as my internet hasn't worked in a week so my boss was kind enough to loan us her laptop which has *GET READY* dial-up capabilities. I'm talking toshiba from 1998 with a screen smaller than a piece of notebook paper and a keyboard the size of a cell phone. Thus the typing problems.
2. West Belfast, for the most part, has stopped burning. See, when they started rioting a few weeks ago, the police, crazily enough, tried to stop them. Thus, now the thugs are mad at the cops and the government, so they've stopped organized burnings (street kids still block my street with small fires daily) and have cleverly resorted to throwing paint at police cars and spray painting witty "cops suck" messages on roads. So be it. It's a serious improvement.
3. Next week is Residential and we are understaffed. To make it short, we take 10 mums, 8 teenagers, 10 kids aged 4-7, and about 10 babies/toddlers on a four day holiday to the mountains. That means that from 8 in the morning until 10 at night, we are the caregivers. This also means one cigarette in the morning and one at about 11 at night when the kiddies are in bed. As well as the fact that we have about 3 less staff members than necessary to normally make these things run smoothly. It will, indeed, be the four days from HELL. And it's two hours away which means I have to drive a big blue bus full of screaming children down a motorway for 120 minutes. I'm scared. But, to be fair, everyone says these trips build wonderful relationships with the children since we're the only adults they see for 96 hours.
4. Tomorrow is Morgan's 21st birthday. YAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGIE! I got you a card. I got you a present. They both are having a great time sitting in my room since the post offices close before I get out of work. I wish you could come and see me. In fact, I have a ticket for you in front of me. However, since it is simply a yellow post it note with "Mo gets a comfy seat on a big fun flying plane" scribbled on it in my own hand writing, chances of it working at IAD are slim.
5. Today I got a gift in the mail from Katy. I want to say a big thank you, as I loved it. Truly. And for anyone wondering, the contents included an ink filled cigarette, Hello Kitty herself, accent-inducing chloriseptic, and a hydro-cat. It's all very brilliant.
6. Rachel, my roomie and best friend here, were invited to a party for the first time in weeks. Normally, we spend our weekends (the only two days when we're not working) alone, watching tv, and quite possibly baking lasagna and the like in bulk for the upcoming work week (we are responsible for feeding the mommies meat-filled meals). Bygones. Anyways, we were excited to remember that we had friends, and for the first time in too long got giddy at the thought of consuming alcohol. However, the party was in Ardoyne, land of riots and gas bombs. Also, it was a suprise party, held at an undisclosed house which was no doubt owned by a paramilitary dude responsible for the above mentioned riots and bombs. So we declined. This made us realize the sad state of our social life, and we longed for the days of academia and booze. Thus, what were we to do? We've signed up to take night classes at Queens, the university where I went a few years ago. As it stands now, I will be learning a bout the cultural link between Robert Burns poetry and the Ulster community, figuring out why it rains in "Science for Non-Scientists", and speaking a new language (Greek for beginners). Though, as for the latter, I don't even know if you speak it.Maybe it's like latin. I'll let you know once I'm smart. We plan to learn new things, and HOPEFULLY, simultaneously meet new people who will drink with us. Fingers crossed.
7. Lastly, I've been trying to think of the small things that I miss from America. Tangible items that could likely be sent via mail. And I've figured it out, and now wish to beg that some friend out there in the good ol' US of A will send them to me. My request: a box of that Bisquick powder stuff for pancakes, and a large bottle of maple syrup. For the love of god, go to Kroger and make my dreams come true. Thanks.
Bed time. Maybe I'll make it to an internet cafe this weekend and post again. Maybe not.
1. Excuse typos, as my internet hasn't worked in a week so my boss was kind enough to loan us her laptop which has *GET READY* dial-up capabilities. I'm talking toshiba from 1998 with a screen smaller than a piece of notebook paper and a keyboard the size of a cell phone. Thus the typing problems.
2. West Belfast, for the most part, has stopped burning. See, when they started rioting a few weeks ago, the police, crazily enough, tried to stop them. Thus, now the thugs are mad at the cops and the government, so they've stopped organized burnings (street kids still block my street with small fires daily) and have cleverly resorted to throwing paint at police cars and spray painting witty "cops suck" messages on roads. So be it. It's a serious improvement.
3. Next week is Residential and we are understaffed. To make it short, we take 10 mums, 8 teenagers, 10 kids aged 4-7, and about 10 babies/toddlers on a four day holiday to the mountains. That means that from 8 in the morning until 10 at night, we are the caregivers. This also means one cigarette in the morning and one at about 11 at night when the kiddies are in bed. As well as the fact that we have about 3 less staff members than necessary to normally make these things run smoothly. It will, indeed, be the four days from HELL. And it's two hours away which means I have to drive a big blue bus full of screaming children down a motorway for 120 minutes. I'm scared. But, to be fair, everyone says these trips build wonderful relationships with the children since we're the only adults they see for 96 hours.
4. Tomorrow is Morgan's 21st birthday. YAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGIE! I got you a card. I got you a present. They both are having a great time sitting in my room since the post offices close before I get out of work. I wish you could come and see me. In fact, I have a ticket for you in front of me. However, since it is simply a yellow post it note with "Mo gets a comfy seat on a big fun flying plane" scribbled on it in my own hand writing, chances of it working at IAD are slim.
5. Today I got a gift in the mail from Katy. I want to say a big thank you, as I loved it. Truly. And for anyone wondering, the contents included an ink filled cigarette, Hello Kitty herself, accent-inducing chloriseptic, and a hydro-cat. It's all very brilliant.
6. Rachel, my roomie and best friend here, were invited to a party for the first time in weeks. Normally, we spend our weekends (the only two days when we're not working) alone, watching tv, and quite possibly baking lasagna and the like in bulk for the upcoming work week (we are responsible for feeding the mommies meat-filled meals). Bygones. Anyways, we were excited to remember that we had friends, and for the first time in too long got giddy at the thought of consuming alcohol. However, the party was in Ardoyne, land of riots and gas bombs. Also, it was a suprise party, held at an undisclosed house which was no doubt owned by a paramilitary dude responsible for the above mentioned riots and bombs. So we declined. This made us realize the sad state of our social life, and we longed for the days of academia and booze. Thus, what were we to do? We've signed up to take night classes at Queens, the university where I went a few years ago. As it stands now, I will be learning a bout the cultural link between Robert Burns poetry and the Ulster community, figuring out why it rains in "Science for Non-Scientists", and speaking a new language (Greek for beginners). Though, as for the latter, I don't even know if you speak it.Maybe it's like latin. I'll let you know once I'm smart. We plan to learn new things, and HOPEFULLY, simultaneously meet new people who will drink with us. Fingers crossed.
7. Lastly, I've been trying to think of the small things that I miss from America. Tangible items that could likely be sent via mail. And I've figured it out, and now wish to beg that some friend out there in the good ol' US of A will send them to me. My request: a box of that Bisquick powder stuff for pancakes, and a large bottle of maple syrup. For the love of god, go to Kroger and make my dreams come true. Thanks.
Bed time. Maybe I'll make it to an internet cafe this weekend and post again. Maybe not.