The Strauss Ball was put on by the Trinity Dance Society, and was a fancy masquerade ball the night before Valentine's Day. In preparation for the ball, we were taught the Viennese Waltz for three weeks straight at ballroom dancing lessons. Needless to say, three weeks was certainly not long enough to make me look at all proficient or graceful. Nevertheless, I danced the night away, looking as clumsy as possible and stepping on a shameful number of toes.
I went to the ball with one of my apartment-mates. We searched through Dublin's thrift stores to find the perfect dress, and I ended up with this:
Being the smart person I am, I had brought my curling iron with me from the US, not thinking that the much higher voltage would perhaps change the curling experience. It did. Ohhhh, it did. To be more specific, it burned a whole lock of my hair off, which I then had to scrape off of the curling iron. It also made my room smell like burning hair for hours (which smells vaguely like burnt popcorn, actually).
Once at the ball, we donned our masks. Masks immensely complicate dancing; not only do I have to constantly count 1-2-3 in my head to stay on my feet, but I also have to be worried about keeping the mask on my head and seeing through the tiny, misshapen eyeholes. So I ditched the mask and unveiled my clumsy self to the world.
Valentine's Day was no less exciting. After several dreadfully boring classes and a romantic stroll through St. Stephen's Green, all the apartment ladies and I went to a pub for some hearty and unhealthy food, and then came home to Nutella-covered strawberries, chocolates, and an excellent game of Spoons. (I won!)
Also, very large painted eggs have been popping up all over Dublin. I spotted at least five in St. Stephen's Green, and another in Trinity College. I believe they were put up on Ash Wednesday in honor of the approaching Easter. Each egg is unique, painted by a different person or organization, and must be two feet tall. They're housed in displays that beg the viewer to "buy me!" My favorite egg has dead fish skeletons painted all over it.
This weekend should be relaxing, and filled with loads of polyetherether ketones. I'm researching for a Biomaterials paper--no fun at all. I really don't understand how I came over to Ireland, took all easy classes, and still managed to end up with 8 essays to write. I think my subconscious starts screaming whenever I don't have work to do.
And yes, I know, I still haven't written about my trip to Belfast last weekend. All in good time.
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