u/pigandlotus

I’m planning to visit Bergen for five days in November. I’ve read a lot of older posts saying it’s probably the worst time to visit because of the weather. That said, I live in Ireland, so a bit of drizzle doesn’t really bother me.

I could also go during the Christmas holidays if that’s a better time, or just wait until next summer.
I recently read Karl Ove Knausgaard, so I’m also thinking about visiting Kristiansand while I’m there.
I’m mainly looking to spend time in nature, explore the city at a relaxed pace, and enjoy a few good pubs. I’d love to hear what locals think. Is November really that bad or is it still worth visiting?

///Long post ahead. 

I had a bit of free time to type this out. These words never do justice for my love for Ireland.

Summer 2024. Boiling hot in a town an hour from Dublin. I finished my 5k run right beside the pub. The sun was behind me, my exposed neck was burning. Sweat pouring out of me as if my body were a lawn sprinkler. Two years before, 2022. A village on the south coast of India, boiling in the scorching heat, with around 300 people. All I was excited about was the course I'd applied for at a college in Ireland. I hadn't done any research beyond the course itself. On a whim, I quit my job, spent two months on my grandmother's farm, reading piles of books. My perspective had changed too, on the world and on politics, a massive shift I couldn't quite comprehend. I felt I didn't belong in that room where i stood. Eventually the email came through. Positive. Seven months later. autumn. Dublin Airport. Standing outside with two big suitcases, waiting for a taxi. The first breeze blew through me and a shiver ran down my spine. Then the smell of a fag in the air.

As I finished that 5k run by the pub, I thought, Ah sure, fuck it, let's grab a pint. Soaking in the sun with a pint in my hand, wearing a soaking wet tshirt, people occasionally staring because I was the only foreigner there. Then it became my Friday ritual. Months passed. The weather got colder. Two pints became four. One evening I bumped into my coworker. She introduced me to her boyfriend and all their friends in the pub. I don't think I'd ever felt that welcomed before. Since then, I usually pay for the first pint, and after that someone I met through my coworker always insists on buying me one. That's where I learned Guinness is also called mothers milk. My love for Guinness... I could go on about it for two days. I've travelled a fair bit around Ireland and been to plenty of pubs, but the local still pulls the best pint in the country.

My life here has mainly been divided between two places. Dublin and the town where I live now. The excessive nights out in Coppers and Camden. Pints and pizza in Kodiak. The cheap Italian place around Camden. Pizza on South Circular Road. The bus stop beside it, where, for the first time in my life, a local girl complimented the way I looked. Then, over time, a few more compliments from locals here and there. Flat whites from Nick's Coffee. 

Then watching the sun disappear into the horizon.

Almost all the friends I made left for different countries. I was left with one close friend before moving to a new town for work. Now my life circles around clogher, fish and chips, the cliffs, Newcastle, Carlingford, and the places around slane. All the Irish authors I've read. The names of  Irish native flowers I learned through Claire Keegan books. The slang words. Paintings by local artists, some hanging in the local coffee shop. I love seeing them whenever I go in for coffee. I've always wanted to be one of those people. But this is one of those feelings that moves on quickly, and somehow isn't that hard to forget.

It feels like the Atlantic. Even when Ireland is sweltering, the Atlantic stays untouched by the heat. But once you get into the water, it somehow gets better. That's how my life has been. My mental health is better. I've changed through the books I've read, the people I've met, the art that surrounds me. At the same time, I don't belong here, just as the heat doesn't belong in the Atlantic. Yet somehow, it keeps getting better :)

Think it’s alright to post this here.
I’m a non-eu fella living in the eu renting a room from an aussie couple. One of the landlord’s dads lives nearby and drops in fairly often, but I’d barely spoken to him before.

Last night there was a party and we got chatting about where i am from this and that all that shite. The conversation eventually turned to why he left Australia and he ended up going on a rant about Aboriginal Australians that I found pretty shocking. It wasn’t just political disagreement it came across as outright hostility towards an entire group of people 🤦

What threw me even more was that my landlord was sitting right there and didn’t say fuck all.

Today it’s felt a bit strange being around the flat after hearing all that. I ended up reading more about Aboriginal history this morning and regardless of anyone’s politics, it seems like basic respect shouldn’t be a difficult standard to meet.

just needed to get that off my chest because it’s been rattling around my head since last night. Mods feel free to delete if it doesn’t belong here.

I’m a 27M and moved to Ireland just over 3 years ago. I work full time and am looking to make a few friends around my age. Based off Dublin / Louth

Most of the friends I made here have moved away, and I don’t tend to click with people that easily. My interests are probably a bit niche as well 😅
I love coffee, reading, playing piano, running, photography, and learning about all sorts of art. I’m a big fan of contemporary classical composers like ennio, Max Richter and Hania Rani and I’m also really into cinema.

I’d consider myself fairly liberal and easy going. If any of that sounds familiar, feel free to send me a message

There’s a girl who works in a local deli. (very pretty )She doesn’t work there very often, but whenever she does she seems to look after me (maybe all the customers she likes). A roll with 4 or 5 fillings always ends up costing €5 if I buy 3 sausage rolls I leave with 4 and a chocolate croissant gets charged as a plain one 😭. If I get a yogurt always ask me if I need a spoon.

She’s always smile at me, but we’ve never gone beyond small talk. I’m fairly shy myself.

Before anyone label me as a creep, I know being friendly is part of the job and I respect that. I’d never make things awkward while she’s working.

Just wondering , does this sound like she’s simply being sound to a regular customer or is there any chance it’s a bit more than that?

last two years, i have been gone out on like 12 dates. some went to second dates then didn't go anywhere. most of the tine i just have this neutral feeling as soon as the date is over, then think maybe i need to meet them again to get to know them properly. some i could tell it would never work at all.

2 out of 12 have been exception in this. i matched with this girl around christmas time, somehow for personal reasons we couldn't meet up for 3 weeks, then we finally met. i could see the sun rising over a vast empty ocean horizon, we ended up hanging out for 6 hours. the whole date still feels dreamy to me, plenty of laughs, slagging, pints in hand, her fragrance, choir on the street, both of us full of ourselves.

i was at the peak of the mountain and the next day a jacket that falls off a hook.

the second one was 2 days ago, same neutral feeling at first but on the second date romantic and physical attraction developed in me for her, but she didn't feel the same way.

i am 27 and i am worried about how long this is going to go on for. i also go on dating apps every 2 or 3 months, once i get a date then i quit for 3 months because it feels mentally tiring.

also worried that my loneliness influences my thoughts and tricks me into thinking i like someone even when i don't.
would really appreciate advice if anyone has gone through the same.

I developed RSI in my fingertip from piano lessons (which I’ve stopped for now). I work in IT, so whenever I’m typing or using my phone, it starts to sting. I’ve been to a walk in clinic twice and both times they basically said there’s not much they can do no tablets, no gel, just rest and let it heal on its own.

It’s more manageable now than it was a few weeks ago, but the pain is still there. I’ve seen a few websites suggesting that physiotherapy can help with RSI. Thanks

I can pronounce the “R” sound on its own, but I struggle when it’s inside words. Like I can say it separately, but in actual words it kind of disappears or sounds off.

For example, last week I said I was going to West Cork and people thought I was saying west 🐓 😭

Has anyone got tips for this? It’s frustrating because I know I can make the sound, but I can’t seem to use it naturally in speech.

My dating life feels a bit like a lone jellyfish drifting from place to place, never quite finding somewhere to settle.

I'm 27m, fairly arty and l've been living here for four years. I went on about 11 or 12 dates in last 2 years. Most of them were the sort where, from both sides, you could tell pretty quickly there wasn't much hope of it going anywhere.

But the last two dates felt different. For the first time in a while, I could see a bit of sunshine on the horizon.

One of those was yesterday. We spent six hours together laughing, singing and genuinely having a great time. Then this morning i got a text from her saying she really liked me as a person, had the best night out she'd had in ages, but felt that something was missing. So there goes that little dream.

I've been on and off the dating apps for years and tbh the whole cycle is exhausting; matching with someone, starting from scratch, texting to and fro, organising a date, getting your hopes up though inside is fucken hopeless and then doing it all over again.

I deleted the apps today and probably won't go back on them for at least two or three months.

At this point, I'm not even sure if I'll ever find someone I genuinely click with. I'm not into sports, I'm a bit arty and I don't click with many people. That said, I do have a few very close friends who mean a lot to me.

For anyone who's a bit like me, with niche interests and a smaller social circle, are there other ways to meet people? I've tried a book club and I'm meaning to give a cinema club a go. Is there anything else to try?

Sorry for the rant.

Sorry for my awful long post

Was out with a friend last night and there was this girl he’d known for a while. Very pretty and I knew she was single.

I was literally sitting there waiting for my mate to go to the toilet so I could ask her out for a coffee. Even if she said no, I was going to do it. We were chatting, laughing, having a good time, but my brain was constantly focused on asking her out. My hands and legs genuinely felt weak. Then somehow the conversation drifted onto dating. She mentioned that sometimes she’s disgusted by men because she’s been asked out so many times by lads she’s only met once. She said it makes her feel like some men are only talking to her because they want to ask her out.

Meanwhile I’m sitting across from her in full panic mode, smiling and acting interested while internally my hopes sinking in abyss the shame is still with me today

I’m 27 and single. Dating apps feel like the only option sometimes, but that’s a rabbit hole as we all know. Then situations like this happen and it reminds me there’s a fine line between showing interest and making things awkward. Now I’m just confused about how people get dates in real life anymore. For context, I’ve been living here for 4 years, so maybe there’s a bit of a culture thing too. Boys and girls, what’s actually the right time to ask someone out these days?