The World According to Shawn
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Since I arrived in Ireland, I was hoping to land a job that would keep me here and I think I may have done that. I was hired by a French company called InterConnection last friday. I start Monday April 30th. I'll be a Marketing Representative for the company, and basically in charge of job placements for a couple hundred students this summer in Ireland. Not exactly journalism, but it is communications and that qualifies me as being a necessary employee of the state. Theres still a lot of work to do in regards to the whole work visa thing however.
In other news the economy in Ireland seems to be on a steady decline, and it's a bit scary because I don't think the majority of people here realize it. It was only about 7 years ago that the Euro came about as the main currency in most of Europe. That also happened to be about the same time the economic boom began in this country. 7 years on this place has arguably the highest minimum wage in the world at €8.30, and the highest prices on anything commercial to go along with it. For example a 750 ml bottle of coke is €1.80 in a supermarket here compared to about .45 cents in america if I remember correctly. Factor in that the Euro is worth more than the dollar, and that sounds like a really over-priced bottle of coke if you ask me. But it doesn't stop there, everything is over-priced, especially housing. The house that I live in is on the market for € 340,000 at the moment, and it is about the same size as my parents house in America which cost only about $ 102,000. The economy worked at first because people were spending there newly aquired high wages on cars, houses, and anything else luxurious that they could find. That has all slowed down now, and people are thinking smarter and saving for the future, and that has begun to cripple the economy here. This is an economic trend that generally takes years, sometimes decades to happen, and it all happened here in less than 10 years.
(2) comments
In other news the economy in Ireland seems to be on a steady decline, and it's a bit scary because I don't think the majority of people here realize it. It was only about 7 years ago that the Euro came about as the main currency in most of Europe. That also happened to be about the same time the economic boom began in this country. 7 years on this place has arguably the highest minimum wage in the world at €8.30, and the highest prices on anything commercial to go along with it. For example a 750 ml bottle of coke is €1.80 in a supermarket here compared to about .45 cents in america if I remember correctly. Factor in that the Euro is worth more than the dollar, and that sounds like a really over-priced bottle of coke if you ask me. But it doesn't stop there, everything is over-priced, especially housing. The house that I live in is on the market for € 340,000 at the moment, and it is about the same size as my parents house in America which cost only about $ 102,000. The economy worked at first because people were spending there newly aquired high wages on cars, houses, and anything else luxurious that they could find. That has all slowed down now, and people are thinking smarter and saving for the future, and that has begun to cripple the economy here. This is an economic trend that generally takes years, sometimes decades to happen, and it all happened here in less than 10 years.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Went to the gym last week for the first time in 3 months, and the workout nearly killed me. I was complaining about my arms hurting for 4 days afterward. I am determined to get back into shape however, I feel like i have put on some weight since I've been here, even though the scales tell me I'm still 135lbs, or 9.10 stone.
Also did some more sightseeing last week, went to Cobh on saturday afternoon and had the worlds fastest tour ever, but still somehow saw everything there is to see including all the spots where teenagers go to have sex with each other.
Then on Easter Sunday, went to Sunday's Well in Cork, which has some beautiful landscape, and the old Cork City Jail, which looks alot like a castle. The plan was to rent a car and drive to Kerry for the day, but I can't drive manual. I knew that someday, this would come back to bite me in the ass. If only Mr. Bjork had shown me how to drive standard, I would have had an even better Sunday. JK.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
This is a blog that I meant to post ages ago but kept getting side tracked by other things.
One of the major observations that I have made since I moved over to Europe, is the difference in work ethic and lifestyles.
Americans tend to work hard for 30, 40, sometimes even 50 years at a career and save up money so that they can enjoy thier retirement years. Which now I believe is after the age of 67.
Europeans tend to work from one holiday to the next. They enjoy alot of time off during the calender year, and spend there weeks off in exotic locations all over the world. Retirement in most countries over here isn't as a big of a deal, because all emplyees in all sects get a pension. So, saving wasn't a word that was very popular, unless it was saving for that trip to Lanzarotte in December.
I don't know which is better, because in the case of a rainy day, the American way of thinking seems to work best, but in terms of enjoying your life while you are young enough to have some fun, I'll take Europe for 1000 Alex.
(1) comments
One of the major observations that I have made since I moved over to Europe, is the difference in work ethic and lifestyles.
Americans tend to work hard for 30, 40, sometimes even 50 years at a career and save up money so that they can enjoy thier retirement years. Which now I believe is after the age of 67.
Europeans tend to work from one holiday to the next. They enjoy alot of time off during the calender year, and spend there weeks off in exotic locations all over the world. Retirement in most countries over here isn't as a big of a deal, because all emplyees in all sects get a pension. So, saving wasn't a word that was very popular, unless it was saving for that trip to Lanzarotte in December.
I don't know which is better, because in the case of a rainy day, the American way of thinking seems to work best, but in terms of enjoying your life while you are young enough to have some fun, I'll take Europe for 1000 Alex.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
I am still in shock about missing the World Series last year, I managed to see the first half of the Super bowl, have not seen a single NBA game this season, and now I am missing Opening day in the Major leagues. I think its time to invest in the Sky sports package. There is channel called NASC (North American Sports Channel), which shows the four major sports in North America. The price of the package including this network is about €120 a month. The catch is that you get a load of crap with it as well, such as the Australian rules football channel, Rugby League & Rugby Union channels, and some figure skating channel. I would feel like I was throwing my money away if I paid for those every month.
In other news, I have been on a few non-stop benders lately, like the one 3 weeks ago, when my friend James and I went out Wednesday night to the Cube got piss drunk, Thursday night to The Classic, Friday night to Clancy's, and then Saturday night to Instinct. By the time Sunday came around I just wanted to stay in bed all day.
(Insert random memory) I am recalling the night in Boston, when there was a party at 98 Hillside, back in the glory days of that address, in which Scott Fedak took 22 shots of Vodka, Whiskey, and a couple other mixes of things that shouldn't be mixed together.
By the way that picture was taken shortly before I blacked out after drinking absenth, all the things you've heard about it are true, its dangerous stuff.
