Posted by matilda on March 20, 2001 at 20:33:16:
In Reply to: Re: American Mark's Castlebar Diary.PJ posted by PJ on March 20, 2001 at 14:51:13:
Yes Pj I would agree about the diary being a secondary issue now but I also think its about more than our sensitivity to how other people view us. In Portugal they view as people who like beer a lot, well thats a common view on irish people isnīt it? But almost EVERYBODY I meet (Portuguese)mentions beer in the conversation! Many people have told me about the football match between Ireland and Portugal in which Ireland lost but all the fans still celebrated afterwards with the Portuguese fans.
Back to the point you made earlier about accents. I can promise you I was not one of those people who went who went to college in Dublin and came home with a D4 accent. I came home with an innercity accent as I went to Kevin St!! JUST JOKING!! I didnīt acquire any accent and in fact was often teased about my accent, especially in the canteen when I asked for hang samiches!!
I have to admit that I think I donīt speak with a Castlebar accent when I am here, unless on the phone to home!! Its not that I wnat to lose my accent but speaking wiht foreigners all the time I have to speak more clearly or they wonīt understand and I donīt use certain phrases Iīd use at home. This is not something I enjoy but more a necessity.
regarding your remarks about Portugal, I would have to agree wiht you about the pilgrims in Fatima. I also found it fanatical, as you put it but I think thats not to do with me not being Portuguese as my Portuguese fiance also thinks of as fanatical, although that was not his words!!
I think the area in Lisbon you were talking about is Bairro Alto. I wouldnīt go so far as to say it was almost 3rd world but there is a lot of unsavory characters around. However, they are now renovating a lot of the old houses and although a lot of poor families live there it is considered cool among the younger generation to live there now. It is also very popular area at night. There are other places which are definetly almost 3rd world though. People living in wooden huts etc. I donīt know if you saw any of this. These areas are populated mostly by drug addicts and nobody in their right mind would go there.
I live in the area of of Portugal known as the Lisbon-cascais line. This is one of the most afluent and populated areas of Portugal. Iīm not trying to impress you saying I live here as as you know there is a lot of poverty here but also a lot wealth. Portuguese people from here have told me this is not the real Portugal, this is paradise compared to the rest of Portugal, with the exception of some places eg the algarve.
IN the country life is very different and I am always surprised and maybe shocked sometimes when I visit small villages in the country and see the wya of life there. The people are very poor and the life they live is like from the last century.
At the same time I also love these places for their authnticity and also the friendlness of the people.
I think I have digressed from the point but....
OK, Iīm going for my dinner. I have also enjoyed the exchanges and thye have made me think!
Oh and I am looking forward to your play about castlebar, will we get to see it on the BB?? I was alos wondering if it was some thing to do wiht your sensitivity about this that led you to so staunchly defending marks work???