A Lidl Disappointed

I'm about to run off to my very first screenwriting workshop...I'm excited to get back to work on something big!

We're only a few days into the semester here in Ireland, but already the penny-pinching is getting extreme. I walked into another of the student apartments over the weekend to find a group of at least four people standing around a pot of marinara sauce warming on the stove, ladling big warm spoonfuls of sauce into their mouths. That's one way to get your vegetables!

After our first night's meal of grostequely pricey deep-fried fish and chips, we've tried to avoid fast food. Jet lag plus the hangover of too much grease and sodium, combined with the simple knowledge that you've just paid about $15 for a plate of food you could get at any mall food court for under $5, is pretty nauseating.

So with optimistic hearts, we set out on Sunday for Lidl, a cheapo grocery store on the north side of the Liffey. It was kind of a letdown. Some good deals, sure, but not what we poor college kids were hoping for! Plus, not taking credit cards? No good. No good at all.

One thing that I really appreciate about Ireland (and, from what I've heard, a good deal of Europe) is the lack of shopping bags. "Paper or plastic?" just isn't an option here, unless you're willing to cough up a few extra Euro. That being said, having to pay for the use of a grocery cart is pretty startling too. But the fee for shopping bags means everyone brings their own, which thrills a little green piece of my heart. Anyhow, we're surviving on simple fare, which is satisfying in its own way. A piece of seedy brown bread with blackcurrant jam for breakfast. A banana and leftover pizza slice for lunch. A salad with oil and vinegar and some baked chicken thighs for dinner. Little by little, we're finding shortcuts and timesavers for getting through the days!

Time for class --- more later!