Learning the ropes

Some of the interesting things about life in Ireland that we are adjusting to:

- Driving on the left side of the road

- Remembering to get into the correct side of the car (driver is on the right here)

- Understanding how the two lanes in a round-a-bout work (right-hand lane if you are taking the 3rd or 4th exit, and I think it's left-hand lane for the 1st or 2nd exits)

- Remembering to look to your right first (not your left like back home) before crossing the street

- Figuring out the recycling and trash here - it's crazy! There is a black bin for food trash only(rubbish or litter); then a green one for all recyclables except glass and tin (we think) - and the glass and tin must be taken about a quarter-mile down the road to the recycling center. We're still trying to figure it out.

- Learning how to use the shopping "trolleys" at the grocery stores and malls: They have a 1 Euro coin slot and you have to put a Euro into them in order to release your cart; the only way to get your money back is to return the cart to its station - how is that for ensuring your carts don't get stolen or returned to the store?

- Trying to refrain from using "-ing" on the end of our words, end of sentences: here, if a retail store clerk asks if you need any help, you would say, "I'm having a look" versus "just looking" - or ask "Where is the car park?" - never "parking"

- Remembering that articles "a," an" and "the" are not used as commonly: during new reports, they will say that, "The victim was taken to hospital" - it's never "a hospital" - just "hospital."

- Learning that most businesses open later than in the U.S. - gym opens at 7 a.m. M-F and not until 9 a.m. on weekends. Shops don't open until 10 a.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday (due to mass)

- Learning that it takes 10 business days to have any utilities installed: It's a very busy place here with lots of people moving to Galway - the economy is strong. And if they can't help you on the first visit, then you have to schedule another appointment and wait another 10 days, usually - unless you have an inside connection.

- Converting pounds to grams, Celsius to Fahrenheit, etc. - not easy for the mathematically challenged like Lisa!

- Remembering to flip the safety switch on everything electric to use it - every wall outlet has a safety button.

- Always bringing a "hoodie" with you where ever you go: if it's not windy or raining when you leave, it will be very soon - and the umbrellas are pretty much useless.

- Learning how to use electric showers and a "hot box" (hot water heater closet)

- Accepting the fact that while Galwegians are dog people just like us, they do not know what pooper-scoopers are: the dog droppings are everywhere!

- Realizing that the Irish's idea of a clothes dryer is not like ours - we still don't have a working dryer after nearly two weeks in our apartment: it just blows cool air.

- Realizing that every other woman under 35 is pregnant here (except Lisa) - still not a motivator! :) Seriously though, this is a very young city and there are tons of pregnant women - I would love to see the statistics; probably 2 out of every 4 women under 35 are pregnant.