At last I'm back again ....
Well, beginning with the 30th:
Not at all surprising my flight from Salzburg to Dublin was delayed and I arrived in Ireland two hours later than I had planned.

-A good tip here for all of those who have never been flying with RyanAir: do take accounts of delays. They happen more often than you can wish for ....-

I didn't catch the bus at 3 pm but easily got on the one at 5 pm, so at a quarter past nine I -at last- smelled the air in Cork and my hostmum was already waiting for me to drive me home.
I didn't do a lot that evening. Sitting on the sofa and watching the telly was enough for my exhausted body and mind and the next day I slept till 2 pm (!).

So, half of the 31st I overslept and I was nearly not wanting to go out in the evening. But then Pats son, Marc, told me to come with him and an Austrian friend called Gitty and they dragged me into the local pub.
You must know that New Year's Eve is not as long celebrated here in Ireland as we tend to do it in Austria. Back there already on the 25th and 26th one could here the bangers going off everywhere.

Apart from fireworks being illegal there wasn't a lot of conviviality. Of course a countdown was on, cheerful clapping when it reached the end, hugging and kissing, destroying balloons with a loud bang, wishing everyone a happy New Year, but after five minutes everything was over, back to 'normal' and everyone continued their conversation from before.
No-one did even think about going outside of the pub and looking if maybe a few illegal fireworks in a private alley had started or if maybe the local commune hast thrown out money for this .... .

Well, after all I had a nice evening and at 2 am I slowly doddered home (just to see that Pat was still up and I even got into bed before her!). So far my New Year's Eve. ....

Yesterday I was a bit (just a tiny bit) groggy and althought I said before that I would learn on the 1st of the year to prepare for my course, I didn't. *ashamedbe*
But, because I got up very late again, last night I couldn't doze off until two o'clock am, I got up at half past six and therefore I'm a bit tired as you can imagine.

Today the course was quite nice as we were only three girls (and those two I already met in November). Yeah, a bit hard to concentrate but I managed.
There are very little people here at the mo and it wouldn't be worth opening new classes that is why we are seven students in my class, four taking the CAE and three going to the normal 'Advanced Class'.
[Just a quick note to my parents:
This is a temporary solution, so nothing to trouble you.]

Well, this is all I have to tell, apart from: that I miss u all very much and that -although I'm only here for two days now- I would like to come back and venture sth. with u all!!

Have a nice time my dear Austrians, we'll see, we'll see.
Bye-bye, yours beloved
Joanne.

AND sth. else: No, u don't get any mails (Newsletters) when I published new (interesting) stories.
AND AND: If u have any nice presents or other lovely things just send them to me (it's my birthday in two months!)!