Showing posts with label Migration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Migration. Show all posts

Sunday 3 February 2013

Copenhagen: The Arrival


Our last night in London was spent at Leo's friend's apartment with some of his friends. The apartment itself was one of the most surprising I've been in in memory, it was in a dodgy block of flats, but inside the walls were lined with books. The banter was at times decidedly 'political' and I just kept my mouth shut for about an hour straight. I've become so moderate in my old age. I did have a really nice night though, and we decided that it probably made sense to just stay up all night.

Naturally, I couldn't hack it, and had the most intense 1 hour power nap of my life, emerging from my cocoon fresh and ready to go at 5am. Actually, I felt like absolute trash, but it's my blog and I'll colour the past whatever shade I like. The taxi driver didn't actually know how to get to Gatwick, but we got to the airport, managed to root through our bags to get rid of the excess materials and generally faff with about half an hour to spare. Norwegian quality airline that take credit cards, and Euro.

It wasn't the world's greatest breakfast, but it was a damn sight better than Ryanair food

What else do you need? A wave of relief spread over me as we left London behind. I don't mean to sound unappreciative for the opportunities that London gave me, but it tired me out and frustrated me in many ways. It was time to move on.


A Poignant 'This is Goodbye' shot




Getting to our hostel was pretty tricky considering we didn't have Kroner and couldn't seem to find a taxi rank outside Nørreport station. Thus we embarked upon the most challenging event of the past few days, dragging the contents of our little lives two miles. One of the wheels had fallen off a suitcase. It was not fun. About an hour later we arrived.

The rest of the day was a haze. That hour sleep was long forgotten, and after eating a really average burger and buying bed sheets that turned out to be for small children (Copenhagen prices, if it seems too good to be true, it is), we crashed. And with that, we had successfully made the move, several hundred miles, one timezone away, to a country with unpronouncable words and the nicest trains in the world. And I can safely say I am very happy to be here.


Friday 18 January 2013

Just Saying : Introspection on Friday Evening



'The flood of tea and excuses, and I'm just drowning in all the charm and bollox'


This film makes me cry just a little every time. I know it's clíched, and I know the grass is always greener, but it's beautifully shot, the script is great, and it just tugs at your heartstrings in all the right ways. I would recommend watching it five million times.

I feel homesick a lot and it's often hard to think about everyone at home getting on without me. I love Ireland and I wish that things were better there, that the politics was a little less conservative, the opportunities a little wider in scope, the Church a little less respected.

The things I adore when I go back are the things I got jaded by when I stayed there too long, and I have to keep reminding myself that. Films like this make you feel sad and melancholic, but you just have to keep reminding yourself that the Ireland of your dreams and the O'Connell Street in this video aren't real. They're tricks your mind plays on you to make you question yourself, your choices, your path.

O'Connell Street has never looked this perfect in reality, and it never will. It's filled with angry bus drivers, junkies scabbing Euros and Penneys bags. There isn't anything wrong with that, but it's hardly worth missing fondly.

Literally, thinking about all of this, home and here and family and all the friends I don't have in London, I'm balling my eyes out. It always comes back to me wondering if I'd be happier if I was there, even though I am really happy now. If I could, I would be in two places at once, always up for trips to Eddie Rockets and the cinema and hanging out singing songs, and here, living my 'real' life, whatever that is.

Things are going to change a lot when I move to Denmark, and I hope that, if anything, I stop feeling so homesick.