Playing catch up =)

From UCAB - Barquisimeto :)

Different and yet oh so similar! Spending my first week here on UCAB campus (Franky's uni and where the MC is based) brought back so many memories of GPP and tea drinking in the mini/main/green kiwi - ya pretty much anywhere they served a cupof tea decent or otherwise! Saw a group of most likely freshers doing a secret santa on the lawn last day if term and suddenly and most terribly missed Evie, Polly, Niall etc... I guess happiness is having great uni memories....coz well we don't remember the bad stuff....at least we don't dwell on it!

Cramming with Franky was a step backin time to cramming with Paula and Niall....with the notable exception that he dances more ;) video evidence to follow I promise :P

btw teachers/lecturers have the same tone the world over!Especially when explaining something that to them is as clear as crystal....fyi cost accouting will always be as clear as mud to me!

4 days on Franky's campus and thanks to my oh sopopular host when I sat in the garden reading, I had people coming to say hello! Nay they come to chat! hmmm......tempting....MC Vzla 07/08?! haha!

Moral of the story, less than a week in UCAB was enough to make me wish for one more day (just one mind) to spend in UCC with Niall, Eves, Polly etc between the common room and the various places that serve tea! One day to cram or chat, wander to the computer labs and complain about the queues - maybe even bring ourselves to attend a lecture or two =) happy days!

Fun times here though.....happy cd and singing in the car ;) first official correspondence sent from Irezuela =) oh! my name is, at least was on star on the wall of UCAB.




LCP Meeting!! Real live LCPs! Christmas dinner of Barquisimeto LC...eating Hallacas for the first time!

So much talk of compendium and manuals...it was kinda fun actually :) Roll calls at 1am in the middle of an estate...tunak tunak tun...well we do have a certain image to keep up ;)

It was seriously cool to meet allof Franky's team though as in the "P"s too!

Chichiviriche ....otherwise known as the Great sleep catch up! and man did we sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! but seriously wooooooooooooooooooooot! for the beach! double woot for having to take a boat there! through sparkling blue carribean waters! WOW! Cayo Sombrero beyond amazing (photos will follow when i get home!) and yes Eves Munster was well represented! oh and that evening we watched thesun set over part of the national park...the best part...the place where the flamingos live!

hmm....grrr to getting sunburned though! grr squared to getting so sunburned that when you wake up in the middle of the night to get water you end up passed out on the bathroom floor - ooops! factor 60+ for me in future!

The next day of our epic tour took us in the direction of Coro.....where we visited these amazing sand dunes that just defy belief! hihi...preparing for Egypt! We also went to the most northern point of Venezuela, Cabo San Roman! the trip was rough....but OMG the view sooo worth it! there was even a lighthouse there! not quite eligible for ATLIGHTS! :P After a night at the cutest posada we took to the streets of Coro where we visited a place where Miranda lived, the first church in Venezuela (it fulfilled all of the criteria) and we got a private tour of the diocesan museum!

Our last day away was spent on the beach, Cayo Sal. But in order to get there we tooka boat tour visited a cave, a grotto with 100s of statues, parts of the national park etc and no Maeve I did not get sea sick! Was much more careful this time...no sunburn! yummy beach food!

Back to Caracas for Christmas which was awesome and weird all at once! Franky's family were all so nice...the big xmas dinner is on the 24th, there were tonsof fireworks at midnight and it really was cool...we went out at 2am - odd for me as that is the timewe would usually be coming home at! Left the club at 07.30 or something like that! :O

Christmas away is a nice idea....don't get me wrong I've enjoyed every minute of it! but there is something to be said for arguing with the bro and xmas crackers, all and sundry calling round xmas morning and midnight mass with Bishop John!!

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgh! I am so far behind with so much to tell and this post is already turning into an epic novel!

In the end we didn't make it to Merida, it seemed the universe was conspiring againstus :( but instead we spent our time in and around Caracas!! Tuesday we went to Colonia Tovar, which was weirdness personified...a German hamlet (complete with wurst:P) nestled in the hills around Caracas! We took a tour with the craziest man alive! good fun though, even if someof his jokeswent slightly over my head! Wednesday was the coolest day ever! We went to the city centre with a friend of Franky, Andres and his friend from Equador Mitchell and what a day we had! We walked aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall over! Visted the house where Bolivar was born, the Bolivar museum, saw an oooddd! wheel chair presentation ceremony, the national library, the Pantheon, we climbed LOTS of steps to this abandoned church where Mitchell took tons of photos! But for the politics student in me the best part has got to be going to the national parliament! It was being renovated so we got to wander around and even had our photos taken in the President, Vice President and First Secretary's seats! coooooooooooool! It was also really interesting to see all the stands selling patriotic stuff and pictures of Chavez, "Venezuela - ahora es de todos stickers" etc.... We went to the science museum which was also an interesting experience in terms of political propoganda!! and then to a see a movie (Lifting de Corazon) which was in my Spanish so Iunderstood everything! We rounded out the day with some well deserved beers....several in fact! and while Franky slept in the car, we went for hot dogs! even the car alarm didn't wake him properly!

So yesterday we headed to the beach with the other Frank and his cousin Maria, who btw is a riot! Choroni is somewhat of a challenge to get there, but sooo worth the wait! Amazing winding moutain roads through national park and finally you arrive at this picturesque village...the beach was beautiful, and it was kinda surreal to be there because when I first thought about coming here for Christmas it was a photo of Choroni that Eze had sent me that I posted here! and there it was right in front of me! Frank found us a room in the most amazing posada....all the rooms opened onto a courtyard with a swimming pool and hammocks and oh it was just too pretty!!

Last night was the most amazing night! I got to listen to Timbores and was quite honestly left speechless! seriously seriously speechless! Watching them play, sing and dance was kinda hypnotic! most definitely a night to be remembered! I was absolutely entranced!

Afterwards Frank had his cards read....that was super cool too, the lady seemed to know what she was talking about! :P

This morning after a yummy squared breakfast I through myself in a hammock to write for a while, before we headed back to Caracas!

Can't believe the time has gone by so quickly and yet it feels like I am here forever! right well I have more or less caught up...sorry about all the unanswered emails, I just haven't really been online, I'll catch up next week from home!

much love and hugs as always!!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!

I know, I know! I owe entries about soo many things other than Christmas and they are coming - I promise...but this is just a really quick post to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I hope that it was spent with those you love most and was everything you hoped it to be.....I know mine was :)

sleeps + 2

Anybody with the misfortune to have me on their msn list will have undoubtedly noticed the countdown...that pretty much started after IC....well the countdown is over and in fact I'm +2 sleeps! and what wonderful sleeps they were! The first fuelled by my refusal to sleep more than an hour in Amsterdam before I started out on my first transAtlantic voyage! and the second...well it started out as a snooze and turned into a night's sleep :) always the best sleeps I find!

Anywho the point of the post is not to talk about sleeps! There is so much more to tell! The magical key for one! Franky has a magical key...it works elevators, doors, parking gates and he tells me much much more! It is all part of the magic he has been teaching me...fun times I can tell you ;) Got to meet the rest of the Venezuelan team - and got to catch up with Antje...who I think was a little relieved to have another girl in the office...even if only for a week! Walking across campus with Franky is a nightmare...he knows EVERYBODY...or at least everybody knows him ;) Good times singing in the car...lucky there isn't anybody around to hear us!!!

And just great times in general hanging out without the feeling we should be at a session (not that we ever miss sessions ;) ) MCP sharing and caring....making plans for the next couple of weeks!! and boy do we have plans! I am beyond excited!!!

ps....I miss my girls in my office...

VENEZUELA

Arrived yesterday in Simon Bolivar airport at 16.30....having passed through immigration, retrieved my bag I headed to the arrivals hall where I met Franky armed with a welcome banner :) Not too much to tell for now...I´ve had a tour of UCAB by day and by night! been to an accounting lecture (snore!) and slept LOTS as in at least the recommended 8 hours thingy...but most likely more ;)

But having started a countdown in September...I am finally here! :)

Good evening Ireland, this is Amsterdam calling.....

So here I am sitting at Mischa's...just a few short hours ago I was being escorted to the bus stop by Luca, Stefano, Prue and Matthias...and now I am in Amsterdam following the first of my December adventures ;) but lets rewind a little...

Despite having travelled alone since I was 12 years old I am still a nervous voyager...or maybe it is because I have made most trips alone...who knows?! never the less I am usually amongst the first to check in, I don't unnecessarily dawdle through airport shopping, in fact i love nothing more to get a cup of tea and head for my gate with my journal, a decent book or ipod to keep me company or better still to just sit and obsever my fellow passengers...those who like me, prefer to arrive early and then proceed to check their passport/boarding card/random other items a thousand times or on the other end of the spectrum the so-laid-back they are almost horizontal ones that arrive at the gate just as the cabin crew are calling the flight number and somehow always end up boarding first!

Today I arrived at Dublin airport a little ahead of time, Dublin Bus is haphazard at the best of times, on a Sunday it is downright ridiculous so it is always better to be safe than sorry. Arrived, checked in and went through security continuing my streak of good luck with the sensors ie I didn't make alarm bells sounds for the 5th flight in a row (have probably jinxed myself for tomorrow now!) and following a last minute present purchase I headed to the gate.

My first interesting encounter was with a family of four...mother stressed and carrying one toddler while dragging the another behind her, both naturally enough screaming their littles hearts out as her many bags kept falling off her shoulders...father stroled unconcerned behind, in fact to a untrained eye he didn't even appear part of the family group...but I am a seasoned traveller and so have turned Gate watch into an art form. While his wife struggles to find an empty seat at our gate into which to deposit their bawling children, Daddy has spotted the Thai massage outlet and is suddenly stripping down to his t-shirt so that he can indulge....I'll be honest here, I have never once in 23 years seen or heard my parents argue..in fact it wasn't until very late in life that I discovered that married couples don't always like each other...but today...today seeing the look of pure disappointment, resentment and hurt etched on that poor woman's face as her children clung to her screaming, while her bags fell around her and stuffed animals were thrown in temper at passers by...in just one look shot toward her husband I saw the pain that can be inflicted by the one you are supposed to rely on most and I was once again thankful for the parents I was blessed with.

Interesting passenger number two was I suppose not so much interesting as memorable. My flight from Dublin to Amsterdam will for sure go down as one of the worst trips i have ever taken. All was well until I discovered that on check in I had been given a window seat...which i sincerely dislike, but I figured it is a short flight Aine - get over it! and so I did telling myself it would be fine. I boarded made my way to my seat and for a while it appeared as though the seats next to me would remain empty...sweet as! Alas this good fortune could not continue for as the last few passengers filtered onto the plane two men approached my row, one elderly gentleman accompanied by what could have been a grandson of about my age. The fact that they spoke French hardly seems pivotal to the story but I thought I would provide that detail anyway. From the moment the elderly gentleman sat in the middle seat I began to sense a problem. There was a considerable smell. It was blend of stale sweat and tobacco with overtures of dirt. Just plain dirt. As in that earthy smell that lingers in garden sheds. At this point I was simultaneously regretting the scarf I had stowed in my bag in the overhead locker and grateful for the hoody Aisling advised me to wear as travel apparel because although I could not wrap the scarf around my nose, I could play the turtle act and disappear up to my eyes into the neck of my hoody (well I say my hoody ;)) Colleen... bobo squared does not begin to cover this! ick ick ick.

But I did arrive in Amsterdam, safe, sound and I suppose a little queasy! Met by the delightful Senor Pintchiuok (with the extra 3 letters) we took the double decker train home...and then a short bike ride/walk later we arrived at Chez Mischa...where he insisted on feeding me LOTS! We watched a bit of Training Day...curious fact of the day...movies aren't dubbed into Dutch so they play in English with subtitles..great for me! but then we headed out on a night time tour of the city - by bike. I should point out that I have never cycled in a city, indeed the last time I did cycle it was through vineyards in Germany...not much traffic there! But no my little genius figured it was perfectly fine to take my out into the city on a bike at 11 oclock in the evening into traffic that was coming at me in the completely opposite direction to which I am used to...see how clever he is?!! Nevertheless it was fun...I may have come close to knocking a few people over and being run over myself but what the hey!

And now I am sitting in his living room, while he takes a power nap before getting up to cram! and I am off to start advertising MC apps on aiesec.net, catch up on some email and then journal a little...yes it is 01.30 but I am far too excited to sleep....I mean in less than 20 hours I get to CARACAS!!!

доброй ночи!!

PS Dan...don't worry, your can of draft is on the way! ;)

PPS for all you doubters that thought I couldn't pack my bag to under 20 Kgs!! You suck and I rule! checked in at 18.7! Go me and precision packing!

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaziness!

Can you believe I started counting sleeps on August 2nd!??!! And now with just one sleep left I am sitting in the office going through contacts to see who I should be sending Christmas cards too!

Russell and Jenny just left! So nice to talk to people who have had pretty much exactly the same experience as me....gives new meaning to the phrase "same shit, different day!" but still it is great to know that there are people that understand!

So tomorrow I hop on a flight that is Amsterdam bound...I get to see Mischa again, crazy considering I hadn't seen him in a year and a half and will now see him for the second time in less than a month ;) Then Monday morning bright and early I set off on my Latin American adventure! If all goes well I will be landing in Caracas at 16.30 local time to spend almost a month with my nearest and dearest MCP!! The plan includes an LCP meeting, Christmas in Caracas, a cable car to the top of Venezuela's highest mountain, some great big sand dunes and much much more! And even if none of that was planned I know I'd still have an abfab time!

And just in case I wasn't excited about seeing Franky, the IPM community opened and the conference site is just AWESOME! To think I will get to say "see you soon.....somewhere...." to all my MCP colleagues in a place like that! siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh!

So talk to you soon from somewhere other than Dublin :) hasta luego!!!

Oh and not only do I get to spend so much time with Franky...but I get to see Eze too...who never quite made it to IC...but we'll make up for it in Caracas ;)

Goooooooooooooooood Luck!!

Ivo
Originally uploaded by aineoconnell.

Best of luck this weekend Ivo! Show them what you are made of! ;) I'll be thinking about you with my fingers crossed :)