Crumblies Hit Boston and Turning 21 Abroad

Mum and Dad have been full of praise about my blogs - maybe because they have to be, but I like to think it's genuine - so I decided to dedicate this post to them. You never really realise how much you miss everyone at home until you've had a couple of visitors and then it all comes flooding back. It's not just the milestones that happen without you, like all the 21sts this year, that you miss, it's the realisation that life does in fact go on without you. It's kind of a sobering thought, that people still go to college and school and fall in love and break up and make new memories of days out and nights in and rainy days and sunny days and projects and exams and parties. However, my friends and family might be getting on with their lives, but they still cry over me several times a day and that's the most important thing to remember.




So if you couldn't follow that rambling first paragraph ( I think I wrote the draft of it a little tipsy ) , my mum and dad came to visit me here in Bawwwssttonnn a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if I've mentioned it before but I HEART VISITORS! And I'm severely lacking on the visitors scale compared to my flatties, so please come visit meeeee! Okay, neediness over. Having visitors is lovely, especially parents, and not only for the sole reason of being brought out for 2 meals a day, every day. It's great being able to show off your home to newbies and I felt such pride in Boston while doing this. I love pointing out where my classrooms are and where the best cheesecake in the world is available and how to use the T (public transport) and explaining the importance of Dunkin' Donuts and feeling totally at home. Being completely immersed in the American experience but not actually being American also gives you leave to laugh along with your family at Americans for living up to their stereotypes and therefore not being disowned for turning into one of them. This, however, I feel may be a very real possibility :(


I find myself now having to use two different languages almost in my daily life. One is my homegrown Irish English that I have been speaking forever, obviously, but now is a bit of a struggle to remember exactly. The other is filled with words straight out of Kenan and Kel, Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Thelma and Louise and every other standard American tv program / film / book you've ever experienced. It's now more natural for me to say sidewalk, elevator, chips for crisps and fries for chips, aDULT and leeeesure and levver and why in the name of God do they not understand half - one? "Is that like, half to one or half after one??" Is it really that difficult to comprehend? Compulsory doesn't exist, neither does banned, and if you say mobile they know what you're on about but they laugh until you correct yourself with 'cell'. They have handles of vodka and get carded going into bars and regard fluff as a perfectly delicious sandwich spread. College work happens seven days a week and partying is contained to Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. No other nights. Ever. There are urban legends of people occasionally missing classes due to hangovers but these have never been confirmed. Abuse of Ritalin is rampant on campus to keep people going but hey, it's better than handing an assignment in late. 


My friend Conor (check out his blog! http://conor-leavinghome.blogspot.com/) has a nifty little phrase for when it hits you every now and then that you're actually in America. He calls them his 'America moments' and they're so apt for every time I find myself in a situation listed above, where I find it normal / easier to use the American version of the phrase. I have to take a step back after this happens just to take stock of the situation and I'm like ..... 'Dude, I'm in America! I'm not just here on holiday, like I belong here now.' These America moments have become more and more frequent as the weeks have passed  and I've become more and more involved in the life here. In case any of you didn't know, I'm a member of the Boston College Pep Band (shut up Ruth O' Connor)  

and it's an epic way to be truly truly American. I play at ice hockey and basketball games and it's perfect for somebody like me who has lots and lots of PEP and ENTHUSIASM and GENERAL OVERALL EXCITEMENT!!




I do have to confess though, I had a game to play on Friday and I had zero pep whatsoever :(  *hides face, don't look at me!*
I do have a genuine reason though. I turned that magical age of 21 last Monday and sure we had to go out on Thursday night to celebrate. (For reasons we couldn't celebrate any earlier, see above. Bloody Americans.) I was lucky to have had Mum and Dad over the week before my birthday so they could buy me my birthday present and I got several parcels in the post too, which was super exciting (if anyone wants to send me more, I'll happily pass on an address!). It did kind of suck having to open them by myself instead of surrounded by my family but I had a little America moment to calm myself down and then the rest of the week went by okay. My 21st will be even more memorable because of the fact that I celebrated it so far away from all my family and friends - LOL jk, a) I can't remember that night and b) I have loads of friends over here who helped me celebrate in style! We had a typical students' night out, heading to two bars in town called Mary Ann's and An Tua Nua (Irish, wouldn't ya know) for $2 pints and $2.50 rum and Cokes. Epic! Unfortunately, too many of these, including the ones bought for me, impaired my ability to do any work whatsoever this weekend so the Americans are going to kick me out of all my classes. At least I'll still have Pep Band to fall back on!


Oh, oh, oh and exactly this time 5 weeks I'll be boarding the plane to come back home for Christmas! I've been listening to 'Driving Home for Christmas' for a while now like a total saddo but I'm vair vair excited about coming home to see everyone. The reunion at the airport with the bf is going to be especially great :) Long distance relationships can be incredibly tough but we've gotten so close since I got here that it's made it all worthwhile :) I love you Mick!


Slán gaizzzz