Tons of Craic

This weekend was my homestay and it was a ton of fun ... erm craic. I stayed with a family in a county called Tuam. It was really cool to see how they live and interact with each other and Americans. There were two girls, Amanda age 10 and Rachel who was 15. They were used to hosting exchange students and travel to America about once a year. The house was pretty much in the middle of nowhere and very simple on the outside just grey stone and no garage. But inside it was very nice with oak floors and yellow walls. The family seemed to be pretty well to do. The girls had tvs in their rooms and a flat screen on the wall in the family room - but it was a small house. They were extremely welcoming and friendly. When we got there on Friday - I was with another American girl also named Katie, the mom had made dinner which was pretty simple but delcious. She wasn't sure what we would like so there was salad, pizza and chicken fingers.

The parents had to run out and buy some food so after dinner we just talked to the older girl for a while. It was interesting to talk to her and hear he talk about the lads in her class (she'd be a sophomore in high school in America) and they all wear uniforms in school. She also called a hair tie a go-go which was a little confusing at first. Later that night we watched Mamma Mia, which the girls adored and they sang along to all the songs -- even the mom and dad joined in on the singing.

Saturday we helped prepare for a party they were having with the neighbors that night. The neighbors had children ages 6-9, and they were adorable. We all played Sing Star together. For dinner our host mom served finger foods like veggie rolls, chicken wings, potatoes (of course) and pastries with a mushroom/chicken sauce which was absolutley delicious. I feel like all I did this weekend was eat. After dinner the drinking started, and I've never seen adults drink that much before. But they were all incredibly nice and just had a really good time. Even the older mothers new the words to current American pop music and we all created a dance to Katy Perrys 'Hot 'n' Cold.' It was hilarious. Later on in the night the Irish pub style music came on and everyone danced to Galway Girl -- even the older men. They really enjoy songs they can clap and sing along to. The party was probably nosier than any Penn State one I have been to -- and lasted longer. The neighbors didn't leave until 3:30 a.m.

I'm trying to think of the differences, but there aren't too many. The children are involved in a lot of activities from dance to swimming and singing. They usually spend the weekends haging out or going to friends houses or into Galway City - which is about a 25 min. drive. Sometimes their accents were hard to understand as were some terms of phrase. They cursed a lot (except for the 10 year old), fuck and shit are just part of the normal vocabulary. They don't use it excessivley but more than any American parents I have known. They also slag (kid) each other a lot more. They like making fun of one another and just making jokes. Irish people definitely love to laugh. They especially liked kidding us about our accents like the way we pronounced their county.


~ Katie