The Mullingar Diaries

“Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle.”

Leaving everything you know behind is easy. The hardest part comes when you have to acknowledge that you have left everything behind and that you can’t just go back. You can’t just call your family or your friends if something happens. You are out there alone and you just have to accept the fact that you are on your own, because no one you know will come and give you a hug if you need one.

When I left Denmark I couldn’t really believe that I was leaving. It felt more like I was just going to go away for a few days and then come back home. The fact that I would go away and only come back a few times a year didn’t really sink in and I’m not sure that it has sunken in yet. However I’m not regretting anything. This is what I have always dreamt of, but I’m sure there will be a breaking point. I think everyone who moves away from their family to go somewhere else in the world experience a point in their stay where they break down and all they want is to go back home. And I’m pretty sure I’ll experience it too. It’ll just have to be something that you’ll have to get over so you can continue with the happy days. I’m also positive that if you make friends it’ll make your stay easier, which is one good reason to find some friends. Another one is that I think I’ll go crazy if I don’t find anyone to talk to. As it is right now I am alright. I have an assignment at school and my weekly lectures and when they aren’t occupying me I have Netflix, but it’s just a matter of time before Netflix gets boring. Also I am aware that these winter months will be the hardest, because it get dark early and it’s cold and you’ll actually rather just stay inside reading a book or watching a film than go outside. Not that I have ever been an outdoor person. If I was a bit smarter I would have been the perfect geek. I'm definitely not lacking on socially awkwardness and bad humour. And this is probably where I am supposed to think: Oh God I’m never getting any friends!

I’m gonna stay positive and hope that I’ll find someone in my own league and just as weird as I am.

I made a new list last time I was out in Mullingar. Some of the things I mentioned in my last entry and others will … wait for it, wait for it … be mentioned right here right now!

As we all probably know then they are pretty religious in Ireland and they are also Catholics. To me that means nothing since I am non-religious and happy about it and afraid I’d be slaughtered if I came as a protestant. So many things here are a bit unreal and to be honest I laughed (to myself) when J told me that there is something called The Christian Brothers. In fact The Christian Brothers belong to Coláiste Mhuire, the school were I parked my bike when it was stolen. Just hearing the name The Christian Brothers makes me think of monks, which leads me to think that people come dressed to school like a monk. I haven’t seen any monks though. Coláiste Mhuire is (or was, I’m not quite sure) an all-boys school and it is next to the cathedral. They also have an all-girls school but it is at another location in town.

I’ve never really met many religious people in my life well not any that takes it seriously at least (if I have then I don’t know it) and I’m used to religion being one big joke. I’m pretty sure that it is not to be joked with over here though. Hell, I don’t even know if my mom believes in God.

In Mullingar you mostly see boys with boys and girls with girls and at the pub there are also loads of separated groups and it makes sense when thinking about the boys and girls being separated at school. When I told J that I was happy that it wasn’t like that in Denmark, because most of the times I can’t stand girls (there’s too much fuss around them), she said that a lot of the girls are shy when talking to boys in Ireland and I guess it makes sense if they aren’t used to being around boys.  

Another thing on my list was that I’ve noticed that the cars are very tolerant. They let each other in and out from parking lots (you know the ones on the side of the road). So they just stop all the traffic to let someone out when I would think that the person will just have to wait or it should have found another place to park its car. They seem to have patience here and the traffic is somewhat slow especially on the main street, but that might be because of the traffic lights and the heavy traffic.

I think this is it for this time! I think I might go into town tonight to see if I can take some pictures. But I might just walk, cause I don’t want my bike stolen again!