10 things I will miss about Ireland

Well, 3-4 months left in Ireland and I am already starting to miss this place. I love Ireland for a number of reasons (although I love Brazil much more <3), but there are some things in particular that I know I will not have in Brazil. So I am going to list the things I love the most in this country that I cannot have in my home country.

Actually the things I will miss the most are not things. It is the people I met here and the moments I shared with them. The friends, the “almost-friends”, the staff from AIT and even my boss at the Research Hub. And what about the parties? The European trips? I love all of these things! These things are so special that they do not deserve to be put in a list – they already have a space reserved in my heart. So, let’s list the other things I will miss! ;)

1 - Irish lifestyle 
I think Irish live their lives in a more balanced way. I may be wrong, but this is the sensation I have. In Brazil we are always rushing, worrying, working or studying all the time… Always late, always in the traffic, stressed, etc. Crazy lifestyle (that often leads to bad quality of life)! They can manage better the relation between studying/work and enjoying the spare time - they seem to have their own time.

2 - Irish Culture (specially music)
Irish culture is so ancient, rich and beautiful! I love everything: their tales (with leprechauns, shamrocks, rainbows, Vikings and so on), their history, their dancing, the Celtic symbols, the music… omg, it is fascinating! But from all of these I must say the one that fascinates me the most is the music, either the traditional or the actual. It does not matter if it is a really famous band or that band that no one heard about: Irish are good musicians. Believe me! Going to Scribes (the pub inside the college) I was frequently delighted with the bands playing there. And they have many traditional instruments: concertina, whistle, fiddle, banjo, bodhran and more! So, besides U2 or Cranberries, try listening to other good Irish bands/musicians: The Corrs, The Dubliners, The High Kings, Flogging Molly, Enya, etc.

Listen to one of the most famous irish songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc0RXQM7CxA

(you probably will recognise this song from Metallica - they made a cover version of it that got really famous)

3 - Pubs
The environment of an Irish pub is indescribable. I will try to describe it, but only going there to feel the mood. First of all, you don’t have to pay to entry – even if there is a band playing there! Second, there are always good drinks, and at a reasonable price. It is a cosy place, where you can meet your friends just after school or go out at night. It does not matter the clothes you are wearing and you can go even in the beginning of the afternoon, if you want. In some specific days, you can even gather with your friends to have a jam session and have some beers (or just hear the other clients playing their own instruments, if you don’t play)!

[Hanging out with the girls at Scribes - the pub inside AIT]

4 - The Nature

What to say about Irish nature? Stunning. OK, Brazilian nature is undoubtedly stunning, but you cannot compare. Each one has its own beauty. In Ireland the green of nature is colourful and bright, almost like a photo edited on Photoshop. You see green everywhere and in many forms: the lovely parks in the centre of Dublin, the fields with horses in Athlone, the small forests and gardens in the countryside, the fields you see when you travel by bus or train, or the big fields near the coast. Talking about the coast, I could not forget about the sea, with its cliffs and beaches (totally different from the majority of beaches in Brazil). Since Ireland is an island, there is plenty of coast to be explored. I truly love how Irish preserve their nature - they put such an effort to it! You can find lots of beaches, but none of them will have many houses or buildings around. Normally the beaches are in remote places rather than inside cities. Truly peaceful!

[Admiring the view in Kinnitty, Co. Offaly]

5 - Snow

I honestly never thought I could enjoy this much seeing the snow, but it is so beautiful! I don’t know what is so magical about it, but it is! Also, seeing everything white around you gives you a peaceful sensation.

[Athlone covered with snow last month. Source of the photo: someone from my Facebook :P]

6 - Rainbows
Ok, I think is this point of the text you have already noticed that I love nature! Rainbows are no exception for this rule. The weather in Ireland is really crazy. It is possible to have rain, wind, snow, hail and sun in the same day! This is not exactly one thing I appreciate here, but thanks to that we have lots of lovely rainbows!

7 - Beer
Many options of good quality beers and for a quite good price. Do I need to explain you something more?

8 - Buying cheap delicious-but-not-so-healthy food in the supermarket
Kinder Bueno is really cheap here. So as cookies, ice-creams (Haagen-Dazs and Magnum), pizza, hamburgers… (no surprise I earned 10kg extra  here!). Can you imagine buying a pack of chocolate cookies for less than 50 cents (€0,50)? Yes, it does exist!

9 - Milk
I didn’t use to like drinking milk in Brazil (I used to complain about the taste of almost all the brands I tried there). But now I know I was not crazy. Irish milk is 100 times better - it does not taste like chemicals, it tastes like… milk! Really good :D

10 - Maple pecan and Mince pie
Well, it is easy to notice that I also love food, looking at the list. So let me explain you what this sweet foods are! Maple pecan is a kind of pastry with a sweet cream inside made of maple syrup and pecan (ORLY?). Mince pie is a small pie (the look reminds empadinha) made of crunchy pastry outside, with kind of a jelly inside - the mincemeat - made of dried fruit, distilled spirits and spices. Whether maple pecan is normally eaten at breakfast or as a snack in everyday life, mince pie is traditionally served during the Christmas season. It is like our panetone – some months after Christmas it is not sold anymore. That’s why I ate loads of them by the time I celebrated Christmas! hahahahah

So that’s all, folks! See you ;)

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