Seeing with the eyes of a local

by Venancio Graboski Perin (Brazil)

Making a local connection Ireland

I had just arrived at Dublin airport and I was a little nervous. After living during the last few months in Lisbon, I decided to move to Italy to get my citizenship, thanks to my great-great-grandparents who had long ago emigrated to Brazil. I had been talking for a while with a boy who lived in Dublin, so we arranged to meet there and spend some time together until I left, his name is Shane. I never felt that I should settle in just one place. I like the idea of being able to constantly change, to be constantly in motion. Of course, certain periods of change take longer than others - days, months, years. Amazingly, I missed Dublin’s icy wind and random raindrops. There is something about that city that attracts me a lot. Perhaps it is the way that the exposed brick walls of the buildings incorporate the landscape so well or even the friendliness of the people. As I was walking down O'Conell Street, Shane recognized me. I opened a smile when I saw him. We hugged and started walking around the city as we had met before. Most of the places that I knew and enjoyed in the city, were places that he frequented less, because they were touristy. From then on I let him guide me through his city, after all he knew it better than I did. I wanted to see Dublin with the eyes of a local. The more we walked and talked, the more we got to know each other. It was a perfect first date for me. Walking around a new place, talking to someone interesting, kind and who apparently had a lot of affinity with me. As the sun disappeared, the rain got stronger. Shane took us to a pub he already knew, and since I don't drink, he ordered a beer for himself and sat down while I went to the bathroom to roll up joints for ourselves. Right after I accidentally burned my hair on a lighted candle, we left the bar and headed for the docks. We started smoking together as we walked towards the next destination. Shane kept telling me everything he knew about Dublin and I could listen to him for hours and hours telling me the stories. Not long ago, the place we were in, Silicon Docks, was a run-down space, but today it was all renovated and modern. An important part of the city, right in the center of Dublin, had been returned to the inhabitants. Gentrification has its positive sides, but the question is, what part of the population was it returned to and at what cost? The next day, after waking up, we went to Phoenix Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe. Once there, we started looking for the deers that usually roam the park freely. We spotted them and soon they came towards us and we gave them some raspberries. They were so beautiful and friendly, although probably they were only interested in the food. We smoked some more while walking through the huge park. I felt freedom. Such a large space of nature in the middle of the city. It looked like a place of escape from the chaos that urban agglomerations sometimes represent. At that moment, I didn't need anything else. The light cold of Ireland, a beautiful day of blue sky and sun, the green and the hills at the bottom of the landscape, smoking weed with the perfect company. My time in Dublin was running out. So we had to go. After picking up my bags at the hotel, Shane took me to the bus stop and we said goodbye. There were few words spoken. We kissed and I got on the bus. While I was seated, I stared out the window while the city moved away. I didn't stay long, but in the short time I had, I was able to meet an incredible person. It was only 24 hours. 24 hours that worthed so much more. Hours that meant not only the departure of my phase in Lisbon, but the beginning of my phase in Italy.