Sure I'll Be Grand

Irish people are very good at talking about the current U.S. President without saying his name. "Are you going to Doonbeg on Saturday?" "I'd love to visit America, but maybe ye could get rid of him first." "It's such a shame what he's done." I did not go to the protests in Dublin or Doonbeg today. I considered it. I had my protest placard designed in my head weeks ago (TRANSGENDER AMERICAN REFUGEE in simple block letters). For several reasons, I decided today would be a good day to stay in Limerick. I am here because that administration is making America unsafe for people like me, and for many other people too. There is no getting away from him. And it's not just because he owns property on this island--we all share the same planet. The consequences of war and climate change affect all of us, no matter where we are. The choices of one person do influence the rest of humanity, especially when that one person wields unthinkable power. I am ch...

As we approach the end of our third month in Ireland, I'd like to share a bit about our recent trips to Galway and Cork. It's been nice to take some time to explore more of the island and get a sense of what is the same and different across cities here. Hopefully we'll get to explore the countryside more as time passes--what we've seen from the motorways is beautiful (and full of sheep and cows). Galway, 8-10 August We celebrated our August wedding anniversary* by visiting Galway, the original home of the claddagh ring . The claddagh consists of a heart held by two hands and topped with a crown, symbolizing love, friendship, and loyalty. My spouse and I have worn claddagh rings together for a long time, and they proposed to me with a claddagh that has a diamond set as the heart. I also gave them a claddagh during our engagement, but due to a manufacturing flaw and wearing at industrial jobs, it broke. We decided that a good way to mark one year of marriage would be to v...

Today is 2 months since we arrived in Ireland, which seems like both a lifetime and the blink of an eye. Here are a few more discoveries that have surprised us since then... Baby formula is not locked up on the store shelves. I don't think I've seen any high fructose corn syrup. No artificial dyes, or at least very few. No Red 40 anywhere . Do you have any idea how much stuff is recyclable? Plastic film. Candy wrappers. Things they tell us to just throw away in the States. Almost every package is clearly marked as to how you're supposed to dispose of it. Two-tap sinks are pretty common. One faucet produces hot water, and the other produces cold water. (Our house is not like this.) Paper sizes! I just learned that Americans are doing it weird ! (i.e., 8.5x11" is not the standard anywhere else in the world .) A colleague just came back from maternity leave. Her baby is 11 months old. The highest-level sport championships--like the recent All-Ireland Hurling and Football ...

I am now the proud owner of a passport stamp that says I can stay in Ireland until next June. That was a productive quick trip to Dublin (about 2 hours by train).  Loughmore Castle, as seen from the window of the Iarnród Éireann train. (Technically this was on my way back  from Dublin.) For a lot of people with United States experience, "immigration" is a negatively loaded word. People who have immigrated to the U.S. are scapegoated for everything from violence to economic insecurity. The government agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement , only created in 2002 in the wake of the September 11 attacks, now functions as ICE, Trump's nefarious secret police,  terrorizing American communities and killing with apparent impunity.  When we traveled to Iceland last summer, our homestay host even commented on how scared we all must be of "the ICE guys" who can come into your home for no reason.  In large part because of these connotations, I want to write about the en...

Just a few things we've noticed since arriving in Ireland... Palm trees. They grow here . Death notices air on the radio daily. (I foresee writing a whole post about Irish death culture sometime in the future.)  The price of groceries generally--it's low compared to what we're used to! Non-alcoholic beer, wine, and cider are much easier to find than stereotypes suggest. Grocery items that have been difficult or impossible to find: applesauce, minced garlic, tomato paste (although tomato puree and sauce, etc. are available). Handshakes. They are generally not treated as a competition. I can't figure out how firmly to grasp or what angle of approach to use in any given situation. Every electrical outlet has its own switch. Laundry: If your home has a dryer, it's the same machine as the washer.  Household appliances are generally much smaller than we're used to. Duvets are everything. Flat sheets are rare. There are no screens on the windows. Coffee might be even m...

Two months ago, I formally said goodbye to my departmental colleagues in the United States. It pretty well sums up how I feel about America this 4th of July.