An afternoon in the life of an American in Dublin

Author James Joyce is among the most celebrated literary figures in contemporary Irish culture and his novel Ulysses, published in 1922, is among the most studied works in literary history. The story's plot centers on a day in the life of its protagonist Leopold Bloom as he navigates Dublin's streets.

Thursday, June 16, 2011, is Bloomsday here in Ireland, a day-long festival commemorating Joyce and his literary and cultural contributions. This post pays humble homage to Joyce's contributions to Irish culture by offering a sort of "afternoon in the life" perspective of an experience I had in Dublin.

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I was out for a stroll yesterday in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin's version of Central Park, when I noticed some ducks, innocently swimming in a pond. I started laughing out loud as I recalled a scene from the movie "About A Boy," in which a boy throws a loaf of stale bread at some sunbathing ducks, accidentally killing one.

It then struck me that, ever since I arrived in Ireland, I've been finding humor in the most random, unexpected places. This led me to the realization that the world is so much funnier and more interesting to me when I am not consumed by work, exams and the trials and tribulations of everyday life back home.

I've come to admire the Irish ability to savor life as it comes, regardless of the troubles that accompany it. As I glanced around the park, I noticed everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves: sitting on the grass, enjoying the summer sun, conversing and laughing with each other.

"If this is my perception of the Irish, I wonder what the Irish think of Americans," I say to myself. So, I decide to go up to the first group of young people I could find and ask them.

Here is the recorded conversation I had with a few Irish students I'd met in the park.

Although these students may not sound like they would be friendly to the average American, take my word for it: they were very hospitable. I was just a stranger who approached them in the park and badgered them for almost 10 minutes, yet they welcomed me like an old friend!

As I left the park that day, I thought about the differences between what these students had told me and what other Americans might say about the Irish. Then, my attention span gave way to a grumbling stomach as I imagined what I might be eating for dinner.

Stay tuned for next week's interview!

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The feedback I'm getting on my blogs has been great so far! Feel free to continue to reach out to me however you'd like (Facebook, BBM and e-mail are all good options). I'm especially curious about what people have to say about the videos I've attached.