After the much bullshit-ed through interview, Tomás and I had lunch and went shopping, because I needed hair stuff (yes, I know, I've never felt so high maintenance in my life as I did this afternoon). I remember when I was packing to come here, someone (ahem, Mom, ahem) who said "Don't bother packing hair stuff like shampoo and product, you can probably buy much cooler stuff there." Well, no, Mom, not only is their selection smaller and exceedingly focused on hair 'putty' that I can only imagine makes one's hair look crustily emo-esque and greasy, but it's much more expensive. At home, I use Tresemmé volume spray (about $3), Sunsilk Smoothing Serum (about $3) and Suave hairspray (about $2). Good lord. First of all, here it's not Tresemmé volume spray, it's volume gel-spray putty nasty junky stuff, and it's more than 3 pounds, which is about $5. So, for all the things I want, plus the hairdryer and straightener, it was nearly $60. I guess I have to choose between eating and looking good.

Other than that, I'm lovely. It's chilly and rainy (shocking, I know) but I'm quite happy to be here. I took a black taxi into town this morning (p.s. I love how everyone here says 'town' to indicate going into the city centre, much like when people in England referred to London as 'town' no matter where they were or in New York, 'the city'). It's a really cool system because it's almost like a bus, only much faster and smaller. You wait at the side of the road, and when a black taxi with a white plate comes by you stick out your hand. If they have room they stop, you get in, they take you to Castle Street in the city centre and it's only 1 pound 30. Quite lovely and nicer than a bus. Made me feel very Belfast-y.

So. I don't have to get up tomorrow, or the next day, or the next. Pretty excited about that since I'm quite tired, though not quite as jet-lagged as I expected. Not sure when the next time I can post is, since we don't have internet at the apartment yet and I don't start work til Monday. Patience!

written by  ebienelson on January 21, 2009 from Belfast, United Kingdom
from the travel blog: "She is the Belle of Belfast City..."
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OK OK, I'm sending emergency Garnier to you! Try not to get too ugly in the meantime.

written by  Katie Nelson on January 22, 2009

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