Taking care of business...

13 September 2006

We’re in Business!

Irish vocabulary for the day:
Vodaphone: the cell phone carrier I use
Mobile: cell phone
€: symbol for the currency used in Ireland which is the Euro.

Characters to Remember:
Kathleen Ryan: landlady

I’ve been taking care of business. Some things are quite easy to take care of, others are not.

Yesterday I got a cell phone. It’s most common to pay as you go. Credit is purchased and the rates vary depending on who you call and where the two parties are located. Just so you can see the difference between Irish and American mobile prices, here’s what I’ll pay… (day time rate/ evening & weekend rate).

Network mobile phones and Irish landlines: 50c/15c
Other Irish mobiles: 65c/30c
Local text messages: 5c
International text messages: 25c

If you “top off” you credit (pay what it takes to get it to €20 of credit) you get €20 free credit to use to text and call other Vodaphone users. Most people in Ireland use text messaging, because it’s much cheaper than actually speaking to one another. Martin and Annie would do very well here! J

This morning I called the telephone company to inquire about broadband internet. It’s only €29.99 per month, the wireless router comes free and there’s no initial cost. For once something is cheaper here than in the states! Even cheaper, because the cost will be split between at least 3 people! I have to speak with Kathleen and make sure it’s OK to add the internet to the phone bill.

Banking is awkward. We must first get a letter from the program stating that we are students with a local address and that we will be receiving funds. Then that goes to the bank. Someone at the bank thinks about it for three days and then gives us an account number. Mind you, no money has been deposited yet. Once the account number is established, the money can be deposited.

You see, it’s a lot to think about! Fortunately things are falling into place.

Keep in touch!