Living in Ireland these last three years has brought A LOT of change into my life.  I've changed the side of the road I drive on...the way I dry my clothes...the temperature I keep my home in the winter...how I shop for food...how I get hot water for a shower...how I drink my tea...and much, much more!

One if the things I didn't expect would change so much is my vocabulary.  I mean, they speak "English" in Ireland, right?  Yes, yes, we do...but it's just amazing the number of words and combination of words that I have realized I never expected to change. 

Words like "clamped" -- this is one of my least favorite words EVER!  It's an infuriating AND extremely expensive word.  "Mobile" no longer means "capable of moving" but instead is what I call my cell phone.  Other fun new vocabulary words:  chipper, lashing, craic, courgette, petrol, jumper, rubbish, cooker, compote, and swimming togs.

Just this week I was headed out to meet some friends for coffee, and as I was chatting to them I ended with..."on my way, I'm five minutes from the castle now!".  It struck me after I said it how strange it felt deep down for the words "meet you at the castle" to be part of a normal conversation for this girl from Tennessee.

One of the most laughable phrases that has ever left my mouth happened over a year ago when I found myself moaning to a friend that "I left my sunglasses at the monastery I stayed at last week".  Yup, definitely a phrase I NEVER thought (or hoped) I'd say :) 

As I write this, I guess I'm just impressed with the idea that we can adjust to a new "normal".  It takes effort, but things do eventually change.  Giving "lifts" to friends or "ringing" people on the phone aren't work to say anymore, and I know I can count on a royal "slagging" when I head back for a visit to the States and start talking about "tomatoes" (pronounced "toe mah toes"), and basil (pronounced "bah sil")...but such is life...I guess!