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Surprises, part 2

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...

  1. Baby formula is not locked up on the store shelves.
  2. I don't think I've seen any high fructose corn syrup. No artificial dyes, or at least very few. No Red 40 anywhere.
  3. 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.
  4. Two-tap sinks are pretty common. One faucet produces hot water, and the other produces cold water. (Our house is not like this.)
  5. Paper sizes! I just learned that Americans are doing it weird! (i.e., 8.5x11" is not the standard anywhere else in the world.)
  6. A colleague just came back from maternity leave. Her baby is 11 months old.
  7. The highest-level sport championships--like the recent All-Ireland Hurling and Football Finals--are for amateur leagues. These athletes are doing it for fun, not for money. Relatedly, I heard an Irishman describe the Gaelic Athletic Association as "the best thing about this country" for its contributions to both sport and community. 
  8. The license plate stays with the car, no matter how many times it changes owners.

And a couple things that aren't really surprises, but which have been solidly confirmed:
  1. Yes, Irish people really do talk about the weather all the time.
  2. Far from being revered as "great," America and Americans are widely pitied. If you're reading this, I know I probably don't need to tell you, but maybe make sure the U.S. elected officials find out.

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