Yes, you read right. I'm leavin', on a jet plane, not sure exactly when i'll be back again, but it's in a years time....
If you're a friend or a stalker you will already know that i am upping my lazy ass and packing my not very warm weather orientated cloths to take with me.
I moving down under to get work and to help pay for a return to college at some stage.
So in lieu of my departure i will be celebrating my life in Ireland coming to a brief closure, by seeing "most" of my friends and aquatance's in some manner of farewell.
Firstly i'll mention the day i bought my tickets, Wednesday, and then i will discuss what i hope to squeeze in in some way, funding forgiving.
So at an un-godly and dark hour of 5 am i woke to join my mother on the bus into town. Yes the train is still out of service, how annoying.
I showered and collected all my things and headed off into town.
I almost slipped up buying a return ticket, for the train, by not saying "student". I may not be a student anymore but i still have a valid travel card until the end of the year. I almost had to fork out 18 euro or something. But i said, in shock, student, but the ticket was already printed, the guy re-printed. €14.80 please....
Eh... wasn't it 12.50??? So i scrambled for change and was left with no coins and only my dads visa for buying my way to Australia.
Getting off the bus in town i told my mother of this and kindly i was able to recieve 5 euro to get me through my day. Possibly the last spending money i'll see for a long time.
I hoped on the dart in connolly to get to Pearse. It was raining and going via the Docklands is just not as nice as going up and down steps and ramps and being carried through the murk of 730am Dublin in Autumnal weather.
So in my computer loving way i thought, let's see if i still have access to the college network.
Aras an Phiarsigh... or IS services as i've always called it was locked, it was still not 8am.
The arts block however was open. Off i went.
Ahhhh computer fix. Okay so these awful College computers may now have Vista, but i'll use 'em either way!
This lasted till 930 or so and i hoped over to the Gimby for some newspapers. It was still raining, and i had only one task to do, with another in reserve, weather and time permitting.
I got into the Society and it was all so queit. Contract cleaners doing there thing and not another soul about.
There however, were NO newspapers. Just the dreaded TCD student newspaper.....
It was reading but it wasn't good reading. A Rockstar can and my iPod Nano kept me company whilst reading about college issue's, rejoice's about no fee's and a life that i have now left behind.
There i sat. A fresher couple on their laptops. A hanging guy crashing face down in a couch and the odd head popping in and out of the door.
Then in came Kaffee. He rounded the entire room before noticing me but came over and we started a good chin wag and catch up.
Then the "Tea and toast" service started. Dona and her boss lady, who's nickname i have forgotten rolled in and set up the wee event for Freshers and others.
At first i wasn't interested, but the smell of toast was all to good.
Dona, with her Tattoes, bouncy charm and Public Enemy t-shirt was happy to see me and everyone and handed out toast galore. With Spreads of Nutella and i think some jam available.
Although i'm actually doubting the jam... I think that essential toast-al condiment was ommitted for some reason.
Not being a flavoured water man i had no liquid to acopany my toast. But Dona soon rectified this by discussing how she and almost no one else she knew in the entire college didn't drink tea. I piped up and we shared some Semi-flat Cadet orange that was left over from a previous event. Dona mainly extracted this gloriously cheap muck as a means of getting on the wrong side of her OTHER boss lady, Boop.
I never got the full details but from what i could gather all is not so happy in the MC department. I want name names but it seems like its not exactly peachy.
Kaffee, myself and Ming sat down at the head of the room in a semi-circle and discussed, the society, life, friendships, and the social impact of facebook and it's wider implications on how we now live our lives....
IT's girlfriend arrived and Ming talk to her. So i then started to discuss the Society and college life with Kaffee. He's a tad disillusioned with the "cliques" and certain key figures about the place but instead of egging this on i just reassured him that he was still an important figure, and sort of a Yoda type. Dispensing little gem's and trope's of debating and knowledge wisdom. He listened but i don't know if it invoked the same zeal and enthusiasm by witch he has instilled in some like myself, or the same caffinated over-acting that Gammaman gives to any story...
I then slowly departed the Gimby with Ming in toe and we discussed my trip to Oz and how we should SO do another movie night soon. I suggested that the NEXT drinking game should be to all the "Fucks" in In Bruges.(A suggestion from my sister) I think it should be done. Just for the challange.
He also mentioned how my leaving is sort of like "abondoning" him. I don't take most of his comments about my leaving, or my failing nursing to heart, but i do sense he's uncomfertable about it. But we've made plans for another movie night and other stuff so hopefully we'll have a good friendly good bye and so on.
I walked across front square with Ming as we discussed my departure but then he ran into his GF so i waited a minute or so but then moved on waving goodbye.
As i walked to the travel agent i got out my notebook and sorted what page's of notes and information i needed. Oddly this meant i ran into Egyptian Paul as he was walking somewhere up Dame Street. I walked and talked with him briefly and then stopped, i had a bin to find for the ball of paper in my hand, there wasn't one. How strange. I walked back to Trail finders and walked in.
I had been directed to talk to someone specific that my sister knows from her School days. Some former Gonzaga or Clongoe's guy that she hung out with years ago. In short someone i wouldn't have met ever, so aiming to deal with him was optimistic at best.
I got to the visa desk and it was a slow process of odd questions and hovering pen movements to get it all finished. The woman who handled my visa application was nice and saw the funny side of the form and i exchange some words with her.
Then it was back to the front desk where i asked again for the stranger i was meant to go via, he was on the phones that day. So i was sent to someone else.
I told this guy where i wanted to go and he started typing and searching away.
Bermused by the lack of back and forth i mentioned the Date i wanted to leave, the city i wanted to go to and the specific airline. Why he hadn't asked me was annoying.
Then 5 minutes of silence later was the random question:
"Have you ever been to Israel?"
"eh, what, uh, no?"
"okay."
And then more silence.
Asked for visa. Used it. Done.
He went away, came back. Went away, came back. And i had a printed ticket. A few awkward thank you's and goodbyes and i was done.
I left and phoned the Dad and i was done. Now for more hanging out in the gimby.
No one was about, and no newspapers. So i used the computers in the attic.
Eventually Gammaman replied to my question about free for lunch and we met up and walked and talked.
I had had a Londis roll earlier and was left with no money, just change. So we went to M&S.
He got pasta salad while i bought a Doughnut for 60cent.
We went back to his room in Goldsmith, it has a hidden courtyard behind Pearse, pretty cool.
Then we sat down as he wrote his speech for that nigths debate. He paced and discussed stuff while I, well i just listened and played the wii. Yeah he has a Wii. Lucky bastard.
It was a pretty good speech.
Over to the debate and i spent time with a few people a few hello's etc but mainly sat beside Ming who gave the first Op speech. It wasn't that bad, but he seemed a bit upset over how it went.
The first expert's speech went on a tad too long and i had to leave after it for the 9pm bus. I walked fast and got it on time.
So here we are now.
And the plan for the next month is not exactly set in stone.
I hope to do the following over the next few weeks:
Lunch with Budsey and PG in Eddie Rockets.
Another Movie night with Ming and his friend Ché.
A movie and meet up with DS when he's back at the end of this month.
Maybe the UCD IV as a novice or to help some newbie get by.
Then maybe a movie night of my own, The Godfather Trilogy, all at once???
A Goodbye party, or two.
One with the society people in town, and another at my home close to when i leave, and when the trains are back.
A Chamber Debate on the wednesday before i leave, as a final goodbye to the Society.
All will be planned over the next week....
Until then toodles bloggers, readers, stalkers and wierd people i may like or fear some day.
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