ascetic paige

Paige and Cheryl Surf Ireland

Paige — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:21:30 +0000

“Indiana, that’s a GREAT part of the world.” (How to find yourself on BBC Radio, and more!)

Paige — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:32:25 +0000

“Indiana, that’s a GREAT part of the world.” (How to find yourself on BBC Radio, and more!).

Most recent post of Cheryl and I in IRELAND!

A New Era: AsceticPaige in The North of/Northern Ireland

Paige — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:25:18 +0000

So here I have arrived. I’ve met Fr. John, Fr. Efren, Fr. Mel, Fr. Tom, Fr. Terrance, postulate Stefan, Bridget (the cook), Evon (the housekeeper), Regina (the secretary), Brian (part of retreat planning), Kevin (taxi driver, west Belfast tour guide, former political prisoner), Tom (Mayor of our village: Kilmore, meaning “big church”), Mary (his wife), Kathy, Margaret, Pat, more Mary’s, more Tom’s… and others whose names escape me, and/or I can’t remember.

It’s been THREE days in Ireland and I think I’m FINALLY getting a bit of a picture of the history (at least on the Republican side). I’m also getting used to riding on the left side of the road, being joked with about becoming a nun (actually this is getting old), changing plans, spontaneous plans, not saying “awesome,” and regular use of words and phrases such as “lad,” “wee,” “lovely,” “give it a miss,” “loo,” “gents,” “chips,” and I really need to start a list… I think I’ve already started adapting.

TEA = TRAP! Not that I mind regular breaks (morning, afternoon, evening), conversation, and warm beverages. Tis a lovely trap.

Belfast is a small small world. And I’m living in a village of Belfast, even smaller. A village of a village even: KILMORE. Population: ~200-300. Just behind the local publick house. It’s pretty awesome.

In 4 days: $500 for a Sticker in my Passport

Paige — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:38:45 +0000

So, after waiting for about 4 MONTHS for a Certificate of Sponsorship from the UK, I then went on to acquire a visa in about 4 DAYS. For anyone else looking to get a work visa from the UK, make sure you have that sponsorship NAILED DOWN. It’s the first part of the process, and it’s almost completely out of the applicant’s hands. But once you have that Certificate–smooth sailing (at least out of the US).

Here is a list of everything I sent to the British Consulate in New York:

Printed online application
Online application submission receipt
Email confirming application payment
Stamped biometric appointment confirmation
Priority service receipt of confirmation
Completed Appendix 6: Tier 5 with sponsorship certificate number
Letter of maintenance from Fr. John
Letter of sponsorship support from Fr. Pat
Printed self-assessment summary
Two passport size photos
Original Passport
Copy of all of the above

All pretty straight forward. The trickiest thing was scheduling my biometrics, and on the day I got it done I overnighted my entire packet:

Monday: Biometrics, copies, post office
Tuesday: Application arrived at consulate in New York
Wednesday: Visa issued in NY
Thursday: Visa returned to my house

Other things that needed to be taken care of:

Loans: called and forbearance no problem
Bank: opened another checking account via bro’s rec for best exchange rates and free atm fees
Flights: I’m ready to buy RIGHT NOW. Just waiting for the go ahead. I’ll be off on Monday, Nov. 28th.

You’d think after being at home in Indiana for 3 months, I would be SUPER prepared to go, buuuuut I’m not exactly. I suppose on a emotional/spiritual level, I’m more ready to go than I was 3 months ago. But on a logistical/”is this real life?” level–not at all. Even though I’m pretty well traveled, I feel like I have no way to adequately prepare for all this except by just going. I don’t know what to bring, what I might forget, what I’m doing once I’m there, I don’t know how to drive a stick (let alone on the opposite side of the road), I don’t have my renewed license or new check card, I don’t know if I’ll have a bank there, I don’t know if I’ll have a cell or internet where I live in N. Ireland, I don’t know when I will be returning (I’m not coming home for Christmas) or when/if someone may visit… It’s just nine months of unknown. How can I prepare? At least I’m not pregnant, nor have I ever been… And now I’m thinking of a birth metaphor for all this, because at the end of 9 months, I have no idea what to expect , and I don’t even know when I might get clearer picture.

Wow. All the unknown that tends to haunt non-married 20/30-somethings is right here with me, and I usually HATE it. But right now, it feels so good! After waiting for so long, I was worried I wouldn’t have the same gusto as when this whole process started–but it’s back!

Send me!

Yelp Elite?

Paige — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 21:37:06 +0000

I have been in Indianapolis long enough that my reviewing skillz are FINALLY recognized.

Check it out.

News (more like complaints) from the Unemployment Line

Paige — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:09:16 +0000

Since my last post about “the perfect Indianapolis day,” I have essentially become MAROONED in Indianapolis. It’s not so bad I guess. But I sure can understand all the “Occupy this-or-that” post grads with nothing better to do. Sure, most of the day I lay a round in a very nice house and cuddle with a very nice puppy, BUT THERE HAS TO BE MORE OUT THERE!!!!

(Note: STILL waiting for the UK Border Patrol to get their act together so I can start my VOLUNTEER job in N. Ireland. I hope for a start date by January. Otherwise, I’m moving on to the post-Ireland plan, e.g. get a job or more school.)

OUT THERE–I have very successful friends, and maybe if I’m lucky enough to still be their friend as they continue in success, some of their success will drip over to me. What is success? I guess it’s those people who ACTUALLY GET TO DO what they set out to do, AND they like it. In the meantime, I guess I should be happy that I can substitute teach… Even though it has nothing to do with what I have been studying for the past 8 years of my life. And pays less than half of what I have been paid for the past 8 years of my life. I sure do sound bitter even though last month I went to Boston and had a beach vaca, and I will do the same in the coming month. After that it’s basically Christmas or bust.

While I want to try and empathize with those who are WAY less fortunate than I am, I honestly have trouble not feeling like I deserve what I want right now. And because I’m not getting what I want right now at this very moment, a petulant child is coming out. Some may NEVER EVER get what they want, and still be happy. And I’m reasonably sure I’ll eventually have what I want, but I’m still not so sure about this happiness thing. How does that work?

Soooooooo… While I’m waiting for what I want (Ireland, which is completely out of my control), I get to figure out what I want while I’m waiting for what I want. I would like to make money. AND LOOK! I can sub. Check. I would like to visit the bf and go on family vacations. I’ve done that too! I would like to do more churchy things. Done that too! And I’m getting particularly good at Yelp reviews–Yeehaw!

I would like to figure out what I will do AFTER Ireland… Working on it. It’s tough trying to narrow things down. I expected to just leave the country ASAP shirking all REAL responsibility (including unpacking and trading out seasonal clothes). Responsibility found me. And now I have no idea what to expect from Ireland.

Stupid adulthood.

Perfect Indianapolis Afternoon

Paige — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:06:00 +0000

Me, and my brothers, and my bf are all from the greater Indianapolis area… And all of us have little pride when it comes to the city. Sure, we have Payton, and the Indy 500, and the movie Hoosiers, but what else is there? Who wants to convince their friends to come visit them in, ahem, Indianapolis?

Maybe this will convince you:

View Larger Map

Two breweries and Chicken and Waffles all within walking distance. I could add other exciting Indianapolis activities (like the museums, the circle, or Broad Ripple), but really, this is the PERFECT afternoon.

It could begin and end wherever your heart desires, but this was the path we took:

Flat12 Bierwerks: This place hasn’t even been open a year, and they’re AWESOME. They’re doing some things very right here at this tiny new brewery. Maybe it’s the three porters being offered in the summer, and their t-shirt asserting, “Jesus Loves Porter.” Yeah, an easy way to get into the Hoosier’s brain is telling it that Jesus loves something. Seriously though, go in, try all the beers, and I dare you to pass up another pint or not invest in a growler. I’m convinced it’s impossible not to leave without finding YOUR perfect beer. The biermeister was also quite accessible. I had some questions about the beer, and he drank with me and my bros and answered our questions and was curious about our opinions of different beers. It was fun.

We then stumbled over to Sunking Brewery: This place is a bit bigger and more formal than Flat12. We picked up out tasting tokens (because you only get to try 6 beers, ugh), signed up for an ACTUAL tour, and got in line for our beer. Yes, there was a line. This place was busy! Their beer, not that great… especially after Flat12. Their tour? Pretty nice–they’ve got some beer aging in bourbon barrels, and my fav brewery in Maine (Allagash) does the same. Who doesn’t like a big wiff of bourbon in the afternoon? Nevertheless, I really wanted to tell everyone in there that they should walk over to Flat12. We even went back to grab a growler. But first we needed some CHICKEN and WAFFLES!

Maxine’s Chicken and Waffles: O.M.G. This is PERFECT. I got the $5 waffle and wing combo. So good. What’s better? Sweet potato waffle. Yes, they have that. I destroyed that meal, and wanted more.

Come to Indy people.

Ireland Update:

Paige — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:56:40 +0000

Oh man, traveling for a good cause is FRUSTRATING! As far as I can tell, this is normal. Since the last post I managed to move back to Indiana via Chapel Hill, NC via Washington, DC. DC was cool, I had never been, and I was eaten alive by the swampy mosquitoes, and was hipstered out by a local coffee shop (seriously, I felt guilty for not bringing my dishes to this place). Since all that, I’ve just been laying around Indy for the past week or so. FLIGHTS and VISA are still in the same place they were (waiting, waiting). But I figured out I have a another year I can put off paying loans–woohoo!

Lastly, I like writing Yelp Reviews. You should check that out.

To Ireland?

Paige — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:48:04 +0000

No no–definitely, TO IRELAND! That whole visa, plane ticket, moving, and student loan thing will work themselves out. Yeah, pretty much none of those things are accomplished yet, and there is little to update, but here are some updates:

VISA: my partner and I are waiting for a sponsorship number from our sponsor. Until we have that, we can’t apply. We’re just waiting. If we need to expedite the visa process once we have that, then we will.

FLIGHTS: well… we can’t really go until we have visas. So we continue to wait. In other news, my parents are buying my flight home for the holidays for my birthday! Weeeeee!

MOVING: packing up this weekend… not sure if it’ll all fit in my car, BUT I AM DETERMINED! Who needs more than a blazer full of stuff anyway? I can get rid of stuff, or ~~hide~~ store stuff in other places (like my room where the new tenant will be “borrowing” my furniture). Then I am off on a roadtrip to DC, NC, and final destination: Indy. Most of the big paper work is going to have to wait until then…

LOANS: I’ve been furiously investigating how I can manage living/volunteering/working in another country with a ton of student loans. I asked Yahoo answers, and didn’t exactly get the answers I was looking for… Mostly they told me stuff I already know, like that I’m a crazy person. I also found a nice article that explained everything I should know about loans when I go to volunteer. That was the most helpful. But I’m pretty sure I actually can’t do anything (save for call the lenders), until it’s too late, i.e. I’m in loan trouble. Which sort of makes sense… I guess. And most of my loans are going to be out of grace in December. There is a lot of waiting involved in traveling.

On those neutral notes. I’m out.

Sarasota, Florida: Atlantis Shuttle Launch, Siesta Key, and Harry Potter World

Paige — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:55:32 +0000

I recently went to Sarasota, Florida to hang out with my bf, his mom, and dog. Sarasota, as one might imagine, is not exactly a Florida hotspot… especially mid-July. The city’s heyday was probably in the 50′s, and now the streets are mostly aligned with ugly strip malls and nearly abandoned motels. The “outskirts” of the city are new sub divisions named after the ranches that used to be there, and the population consists of, well, old people, but also, I think, local vacationers, i.e. Floridians enjoying Siesta Key and just relaxing. Sarasota is way low key compared to other areas of Florida I’ve visited (Orlando, Destin, Miami, and Tampa). There isn’t a whole lot there, but IT IS everything you need.

The Beach

Siesta Key is gorgeous, and apparently the #1 beach in the US. One day the waves were rolling, another day quiet and calm. This is me, obviously, having a good time. I have some nice photobombers in the background there. NOTICE: there are a lot of people there. Go early. Bring food and drink… There really is no oasis around the beach area, except maybe a hotel bar. It’s pure beach. Parking to water seems like a mile walk in the desert, then you have to find a place to park your butt, and then you just sit and swim: glorious…. until you’re hungry or thirsty.

Atlantis Shuttle Launch

NOTICE: this is not actually Stargate Atlantis, but I thought it was funny that fb tagged it that way. It’s just the last shuttle launch, that’s all. Three hours to get there (we’re about 5 miles away on bridge on the side of the road) and it was MADNESS everywhere! People camped out in their cars. Running across 4 lane traffic. Risking their lives! Hoping to catch a glimpse of this fiery triangle. Traffic two and from: awful, but totally worth it. You should go watch the ne… oh wait… THERE WON”T BE A NEXT. Sad day at Cape Canaveral. Well, you can always go to the Kennedy Space Center or hit up Cocoa Beach.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

I realized on our three hour drive to Cape Canaveral through Orlando, HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER!!!! HARRY POTTER WORLD IS HERRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEE!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! I”M SO CLOSSSSSSEEE!!!!! I HAVE TO GO!!!! I HAVE TO GO!!!!!!!!! EEEEE!!!! EEEEE!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

So, in the blistering heat on the weekend after the 4th and before the final release of HP7.2–me, bf, and his mom went to universal and islands of adventure for a day. Just to clarify before you ask: Harry Potter World is a mini-theme-park in Islands of Adventure in between the Poseidon and Jurassic Park mini-theme-parks, and no, it does not cost extra to enter Harry Potter World. However, it’ll cost you 11 bucks to get a Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice… Surely it isn’t that much in THE REAL Harry Potter World. We skipped the pumpkin juice, but I enjoyed a frozen butterbeer (tastes mostly like a butter scotch smoothie, so if you don’t like butterscotch, you won’t like butterbeer) and a turkey leg in the Three Broomsticks.

The experience was surreal. The setup was incredible. I rode the hogwarts ride, and standing in line alone was incredible–you get to walk through Hogwarts!!!!!! Moving paintings (super cool btw), statues from the movies, entire classrooms, holographic characters talking to you. Pretty awesome. I probably could have spent a lot of time checking out all the detail, but alas, we had two theme parks to conquer in about 8 hours.

NOTE: the Spiderman ride in Islands of Adventure is still my favorite and most memorable ride EVER. That is all.

So Sarasota, you were good to me. Beautiful beach nearby. Decent food if you yelp (seriously, YELP, otherwise you’ll be eating at Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and IHOP the whole time you’re there). And far enough away to avoid the crazy parts of Florida, but close enough to be able to go for a day if you want. Everything I need: beach, space, and Harry Potter.

This weekend: Erie, PA (I know, I really get out).

….Still working on that visa…….. and wondering, should I get a bike in the UK?