The little things that start to happen after two years of life in Ireland

Today, two years ago, Andy and I arrived to Ireland to start again. Making the desicion was actually easy since we both have been here before and loved it. But of course, making a place for yourself when you know no body and you feel overwhelmed with all the paperwork and things you need to do is not.

One of the first places we went to, of course, Phoenix Park

I went to watch Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago and it is spot on on many things, which Eilis, the main characters sums up in one brilliant speech (beware it's a light spoiler):

"You'll feel so homesick that you'll want to die, and there's nothing you can do about it apart from endure it. But you will, and it won't kill you. And one day, the sun will come out you might not even notice straight away-it'll be that faint. And then you'll catch yourself thinking about something or someone who has no connection with the past. Someone who's only yours.And you'll realize that this is where your life is".

A lovely movie I'd recommend to anyone

Maybe I'm talking about a movie to avoid getting too personal, but the fact is that after two years, there are little things that start to change, and it feels lovely. They might seem silly (yes, I made a list), but they make life so much better.

• When someone gives you an address, you now know in which area it is.
• When you enter your corner shop, the staff recognizes you and maybe even make small chat.
• When you listen to the radio, and a they play a song from a local artist, you recognize it and hum along,
• When you walk home and bump into a neighbour, you make quick eye contact, say hi and go on.
• When someone uses slang, you know what they mean.
• You use slang sometimes (my favorites include "give out", "what's the story" and "deadly").
• When you want to go out for food, you know a nice place.
• When something breaks in the house, you know where to get it fixed.
• You occasionally bump into a person you know in the street or the supermarket.

And one of my favourites: when a tourist approaches you and asks you where is something, you are able to help them because you know :D

Sometimes I still get lost and have no idea where the place I'm supposed to be is, or something is a big deal in the news and I've no idea why, or there is a celebrity nearby and everyone looses it but me. And while that makes Radiohead's "Creep" play softly in my mind as I walk with too many layers of chlothing for such a lovely, sunny, one-digit-temperature day, I suppose it's OK, and I believe it's part of the process.

Finally, I made a similar post one year ago, where I wrote my thoughts after the first 12 months. 

I hope to revisit this in a year, and for now, I'll keep learning, working and trying my best :p