Culture Shock, Literally!

“Is something burning?” Those are three words one never wants to hear, whether it is in regards to the hair clamped in your curling iron, the last piece of bread in the toaster, or the new shirt on your ironing board. Lindsay and I can now say that this phrase is also not a good thing to utter when you are watching a movie on a laptop that’s charger is plugged into an adapter.

You would think the burning smell would have stopped us, but no, we just gave the adapter a “rest” before plugging it back in. Don’t worry; we knew enough was enough when we saw sparks and heard loud popping noises being emitted from the socket. It was official, we had completely fried Lindsay’s adapter. Luckily her laptop and charger were fine. Perhaps if we’d had it on the high voltage setting instead of low…I guess we’ll never know though.

Along with different 3-pronged sockets operating for 220-volt appliances (www.irelandexpert.com), electrical outlets in Ireland also have wall switches. There have been numerous times now when I have wondered why the water in the electric kettle was not heating up. Although the kettle has seen better days and can be quite finicky, it always helps to actually have the outlet turned ON – oops! The switches make me think of the power strips “green” Americans use. These gadgets provide the ability to completely turn off the electricity supply to multiple appliances when they are not in use. Irish outlets have the same ability; the only difference is that it is built in to every outlet.

The Irish also seem to be more eco-friendly with bathroom hand towels as well. While it is rare to find a bathroom in America without paper towels to use after washing your hands, in Ireland it is the complete opposite. I have only been in one public restroom (although if I was being true to Ireland, I would call it a “toilet”) where paper hand towels were provided. It had become so uncommon for Nina (the un-named, map-owning German from my previous post) and I to see these in a public toilet, we both noted how absolutely, unbelievably remarkable it was to one another! Well, maybe we did not get that excited, but we did both notice this rarity. Every bathroom here has hand dryers. My impatient nature yearns for the convenience of paper towels, but my inner tree-hugger has accepted that the amazing reduction in paper product waste may be worth the extra twenty seconds required to blow dry my hands.

The inner tree-hugger has yet to convince me that the Irish system of heating water is adequate though. The apartment complex I live in has a set water-heating schedule. This means that the water is hot in the mid-morning to early afternoon hours and after that, if hot water is needed, a “boost” button must be used. There is a boost button in every apartment of my complex. All would be fine and dandy if only the boost button did not take a full hour to heat water that only remains hot for 12-15 minutes if a shower is running. The heat also seems to be lost even faster if two people try to take short showers but in different bathrooms on after the other. At times, this can be a little frustrating but at least I have become a pro at 3 minute showers (my inner tree-hugger is happy and hoping this will become a habit once back in the States).

I thought I had come to Ireland prepared. The woman at the Apple store had helped me pick out the best adapter for my computer charger and assured me I would not have any problems upon arrival. Little did I know that I would need to do some adapting of my own. I would like to say I have made a full and smooth transition to my eco-friendly, electrical-conservation, water-saving routine here in Ireland. Deep down though I know, and my lovely curls (not quite, but they’re there somewhere in the frizz) know the truth as well: I miss my hair straightener and its electricity-consuming ways.