Florida Vs. Cork

Florida and Ireland might be the most different places in comparison to each other. The people and atmosphere of both are completely different. However, I find the differences to be good things and I like them both more because they are so unlike each other.

It's always hot in Florida. Even in the dead of winter and you'd expect some snow. The morning might be a chilly 55, but by the time one in the afternoon comes around we are back to 75 or 80 degrees. Whereas, in Cork, it never changes. It's cold in the morning and it's cold in the afternoon. However, as much as it's fun to come home to Florida in the dead of winter and go to the beach, I also enjoy having snow during Christmas time. There are positives and draw backs to living in a state that doesn't have snow! However, I am getting enough of it in Cork.

Not only is Cork cold though, It also rains a lot more than where I grew up. Florida is a very fickle state when it comes to weather, but typically it's sunny! It is called the Sunshine state for a reason, however, it in no way rains half as much as it does in Cork. It rains in Cork at least 5 times a week, and it's randomly throughout the day. Cork could have rain on and off for five hours. Usually in Florida when it rains it just rains for a straight 2 hours and then is done. 

Traffic here is very different from Florida. It's more small town, small lanes kind of driving. Where as back home their are 4 lane highways, and huge intersections with large amounts of traffic. Traffic doesn't exist in Cork. If the bus system say's you'll get there in 3 hours, it will take you three hours. However, back home, you always have to give yourself a good 30 minute cushion because traffic is a very real thing. 

The city life in Cork is more appealing than my life in Naples, Florida. The people here are kind and very helpful! And although shops are busy, it's never too crowded. Whereas in Naples, it's always busy and people aren't always kind. Usually cities have a negative connotation next to them when I think of them. However, Cork is a great city and makes me rethink what a city really is and what it means. 

Finally, living in Naples is extremely expensive.There is a reason we were named one of the happiest cities in America. It's because we have people come down here and spend all their money on beach houses and expensive restaurants  The majority of the population is old people, of course they're happy. However, just because they can afford the high end life of Naples, doesn't mean everyone can. Some places you know just not to go. Cork is the complete opposite. When I first arrived here I thought everything would be expensive. It's the complete opposite, and I've never been happier. As a college student on a budget, living in a town that is affordable is perfect.

Naples and Cork are not only on complete opposite sides of the world form each other, but they are opposite in every other way too. Both places are homes though.

Naple and

II

Traffic

People Roll Their Windows Down Here

Everything in Ireland is about leisure. No one walks as fast as Americans do. I think when we walk through the streets of Cork, everyone know's we're from America because we do everything faster, and everything is a race. but I think the question that Cork has made me ask myself is: A race to where? and what's the prize?
As I walk through the city of Cork, and pass other people, I notice their contentment. An old lady, walking with her husband. A group of friends laughing loudly. A couple holding hands. No one rushing to work. No one honks. People in Cork enjoy the company of one another. 
I walk into the bookstore to find a quiet that I seem to find in all  book sanctuaries, but smiles are still passed between people. Whispered help is offered instantly by friendly faces. Somehow, kindness seems to be placed into every inch of this place. Even places where words aren't necessary.
The English Market is still one of my favorite places in Cork. The atmosphere of it is completely different from anything you'd expect in the states, and the people are even more different. The grocery store is a chore. One we hate doing in America. It's something that gets in the way of us doing something else or getting closer to that "finish line". But here people enjoy it. It's a social event. Families buy their produce together, and meet up with other families. People get food before getting their groceries for the week. It's time spent doing what's necessary  but while feeling happy about it.
I'll stop to get bread while in the english market, and people will dig into there wallets and hope to find change for the $2.50 loaf of bread. It's freshly made, and it's a mess of people leaning against a counter like a bar hoping to get the attention of the seller first. 
Life is lived differently here. People take the time to stop and talk to one another. It's not a race to the finish line, in fact, I don't believe a finish line exists here. Life isn't a competition, and its something that I've come to admire.Something I even want. We've always been pushed; push to do more, and be more that I haven't taken the time to stop and enjoy this life fully. While in Cork, I've been given an example of how life should be lived. The University is a 25 minute walk, and usually I can do it in less, but I've found myself slowing down. Looking around more. Hoping to live more like the Irish do. 

Cork

Cork smell's like rain. Even when it's not raining, somehow the smell still lingers in the air. It's like the buildings and sidewalks have been coated so thoroughly with rain that it's impossible to wipe off. What rain even smells like is impossible to describe, but most of us have been outside after It rains, and It's a heavy scent.  But it's a scent that brings about comfort. Rain is just what comes along with being in Ireland, and stepping out into the streets and smelling rain is something I associated with my new home. 
The streets are always filled with people. Some are going to work, others grabbing food, students rushing to class. Cars break for pedestrians  and buses maneuvering their way through the tiny streets. Cork is alive during the day, and when you walk into the center city you realize that people are always around. The city center during the day is filled with people, and the shops are all lines up next to each other ranging from cute shops in nooks, to large department stores that are packed with pushing people. 
Walking the streets of Cork is refreshing. It's about a 30 minute walk into town from University College Cork, and my favorite place to go to within the city center is famous! There is a place called the English Market, it holds everything you could possibly need food wise. The name stems from the English Queen visiting It, and stating It was her place in Ireland. So after that, it was called the English Market. 
The English Market is like any large market place, but it's all inside. Venders sell fresh produce, meats, bread, seafood, jams. Really anything you could want is available, and it's all fresh. Plus, as a college student since I'm on a budget I don't like to spend too much, but the English Market has wonderful products and I can get everything I need for the week for less than two euro. The shops are set up next to each other, and it's also a place where people socialize and meet up for a cup of coffee! It's directly in the center of town, so It makes a great meeting point.
Cork holds the Blarney castle, which holds the myth of if you kiss the blarney stone at the top of the Castle, you will get the gift of gab. This castle was one of the first places in Cork that we went to, and its surrounded by lush gardens of plants, waterfalls, and other herbs. It's legend is what makes it so popular to tourists, but really it's just something that they made up to get people to come. It definitely worked. I know I fell for it.
The University of College Cork also holds a lot of history. The main quad holds a large building that looks almost medieval. It's a busy place with students always walking around, but when it's empty, it's a fun place to explore.

Cork is a city filled with views and houses perched on hills of pure green. It's always busy, but its a safe town that holds adventures, and people who make the place even better.

Minor Differences

Caitlin and I are similar in all the ways that matter. We have a lots of things in common, and lots of them are what makes us such good friends. However, I also think it's the differences that also make us close! We have more in common than we do differences, but we still have plenty of things that make us individuals and set us apart.
First off, Caitlin loves coffee. I touched on this in my past blog post, but really, her love for coffee is unreal. I'd like to point out that it's probably an addiction. I'm not going to claim it's unhealthy, but. I don't drink coffee and I very much don't like it. The only time I force myself to drink coffee is if I only got 3 hours of sleep the night before. And I know for certain that if I don't drink caffeine I will pass out before I make it to class or work. These are very rare moments, whereas Caitlin looks for a coffee shop on instinct, because she's a bit obsessed. It's fine though, because even though I'm dragged along, I am a fan of tea and muffins so I'll just get one of those.
Secondly, Caitlin is from Boston, so she loves her Patriots like any other person from Boston. And like any other person from Boston, the patriots are "the best ever and Tom Brady is the GOAT."Clearly I don't agree with this. I hate Tom Brady, and because he's a part of the Patriots, my hatred has moved to hating the entire team. Sorry, guys. Anyways, Caitlin was more excited about this Superbowl than anyone, and I was never more excited for the patriots to lose. We didn't talk about it that much the next day because I know it was a hard hit in the pride for all those patriots fans, but I think they needed the punch to the ego personally. Caitlin wasn't too poor of a sport about it, but it's still a sore spot even now.
Thirdly, Caitlin refuses to own or compliment any Apple products. To her anything that isn't Apple is far superior. She has an Android, and always tells me, "Steph, you should get an Android" and I always say, "Caitlin, I had an android for the last five years, I just switched because Apple is better." Those aren't words that Caitlin believes, but I now own everything Apple. I have an Apple computer, Iphone, Ipad, watch. I'm very much a fan of Apple. Caitlin stands firm against Apple, and I know for a fact that there will be no changing her mind.
I'm loud, and I know this. I'm aware that I'm a very outgoing person. Caitlin is a people person, but she's in no way as loud as me, or as crazy. I'd have to say I'm aware that although I don't go out as much as her, I'm a bit more crazy. I also tell myself that she want's me to go out more because she know's I'm a crazy person.
Finally, the biggest difference between Caitlin and I is she love to take pictures and post them all over social media. See, I don't mind photo's if I know they aren't going to go anywhere, but with Caitlin I know she's going to post them everywhere. So when I'm around her I tend to hide when she takes photos, or I make sure I'm at least hiding my face. She is always snapping pictures with her phone, and asking for us to take pictures with her. I've said no plenty of times.
Caitlin and I are different, but as you can see it's all minor things. Nothing that make this friendship difficult, if anything these difference's make us closer.

List of things Caitlin Cobau does

Every morning, Caitlin wakes up with the intent to do something.

She woke up this morning around 11 o'clock in the afternoon. Which she explained to me was pretty late for her, but she loves her sleep. This morning she went for a run to make up for her inability to wake up early this morning. She ran through the center of the city, passing the shops and bakeries and then came back to her apartment just barely missing the rain that comes down every other hour.

Coffee seems to be something that Caitlin looks for without even knowing It. Her nose just seems to follow the smell, and boom we're at a coffee shop. We could be at a super market, and then the next thing I know Caitlin is at another stale getting coffee. She told me that typically people pick between naps and coffee. She chose coffee. I've obviously picked wrong. (NAPS 4 LIFE).

Caitlin tells herself everyday that she'll watch the list of movies that she has on Netflix, but she hasn't yet.  From what I've gathered, I don't think she'll get through more than 4 of them while here, but don't tell her I said that. Also, her sense for adventure has been such a powerful force here, that I don't think she will get to these movies because her need to travel and explore is so much more important to her. When in Ireland, Caitlin is going to travel.

After going on her run, Caitlin seems to want to hit the library. She loves libraries and surprise, on campus their is a coffee shop within the library. So she usually get's a coffee before she even sits down at the library. She just likes the atmosphere within libraries, so she's not even doing work for class every time she goes there. Sometimes it's just to read or play on her computer. Who know's maybe one day she will watch one of those movies on Netflix there.

After some semi-hard days of class or doing work, the end of the night usually ends with Caitlin going out or hanging out with a group of us. Caitlin's the advocate in our group for going out. She's always down for a night out, and usually she is able to convince me to go out. I usually find her in her room getting ready to leave for the night, and by the time everyone else arrives, we're ready to leave for the night.

The walk into the city with Caitlin, who's a little bit happier after consuming a good drink, is an enjoyable one. She's constantly talking and I know before we even arrive at the pub that she'll want to take a picture for Snapchat or her prized social media Instagram. I usually try to hide, but somehow she always get's me to take a picture with me. It's safe to say Caitlin has plenty videos and pictures of me looking like an idiot that I hope never go anywhere, but knowing how she works they will definitely see the light of social media at some point.