Zigzag surf magazine in South Africa recently sent some professional surfers to Ireland. Dave's brother showed them around and we followed with our cameras, capturing the action.
http://www.zigzag.co.za/multimedia/7112/Irish-Safugees
Dani had just returned from a job interview in London last Friday and as we sat down and spoke about her little trip, we casually reminded her she was climbing Croaghpatrick in Westport with me the next morning at 10:00am. Her eyes nearly fell out of her head when she remembered what she had promised to do a few weeks before. Fair play to her though, she was as keen as beans and we started off under showery skies the next morning. We were climbing as part of a fundraiser for the Irish Cancer Society, there was a group of around 100 taking part. The mountain is an extremely popular place, with many pilgrims coming to climb the mountain to attend mass in the church at the top. It is however no mean feat, but after many rest breaks, the momentum of people, young, old, large and small drew us up the rocky slopes. We reached the top after 1hr 45mins, with the last 20 minutes extremely steep and rocky. It is hard to believe that there are people who do this barefoot! What a panoramic view from up there, looking out over the islands of Clew Bay and all the way across Connemara in the other direction. It was a great day out, we managed to stay dry the whole time and really enjoyed the pint at the bottom.
Posted in
Connemara,
Croaghpatrick,
English,
hike,
Westport
The Galway Arts Festival is on right now, and we've been fortunate enough to be selected as volunteer filmmakers for the event. We're helping out with the production of videos on some of the acts in this year's festival. Our first assignment was to shoot the rehearsal of the annual Macnas Parade and get a sneak preview on what's in store this year.
Posted in
English,
festival,
Galway,
video
Its been a pretty rainy week here in Galway (what's new?), but the weather broke this morning. Lucky for me, I was going on a hike into Connemara with a couple of friends. We headed about 40 minutes into the country and did the hike at Máméan. There's an old church at the start and it is said that St Patrick slept at this spot for a few nights on his travels. The hike went steeply up over the top of the peak and brought us down along a waterfall and back to the road. 3 hours of great exercise and training for next weekend... we're climbing Croaghpatrick in Westport.
About three years ago we had the fortune of making a stop in Galway, on the west coast of Ireland, and we’ve been here ever since. The City of Tribes, as it is also known from when the place was ruled by 14 wealthy merchant families, couldn’t have a more appropriate name to describe it today. It has the absolute best of the Irish charm, coupled with a multicultural atmosphere which gives it the perfect easygoing mix.
With slightly more than 70,000 inhabitants, Galway is the third biggest city in the Republic of Ireland. It has the friendly feel of a countryside town, but is also a vibrant place where there is always something going on. And when the summer arrives...well it seems to draw the energy from the sun and spread inspiration through the town. And with those long summer days come countless gigs and festivals. It’s not without reason that Galway also carries the nickname of Ireland's Cultural Heart.
During the Little Havana Festival, we were walking down lively Shop Street and we couldn’t help commenting on how lucky we were to be in that very place, right at that moment. It was like a carnival on the streets, but more than that. The whole buzz enveloped us, immersing the followers from all tribes as we marched down the alleys and lanes.
We don’t know how much longer we’ll be in Galway, after all we are on the Road to Anywhere, and we never know where the next turn leads. But right now we sure are happy to be here.
Watch our new video for a taste of the Little Havana Festival, one of the first of this season.
If you have the chance, you should definitely come to Galway and check out one of the many festivals. Here are a few of the big ones: Galway Arts Festival - Jul 12 to 25http://www.galwayartsfestival.comGalway Races - Jul 26 to Aug 1http://www.galwayraces.comGalway Film Fleadh - Jul 6 to 11http://www.galwayfilmfleadh.comThe Galway Hooker Festival - Aug 20 to 22http://is.gd/cRYMxGalway International Oyster Festival – Sep 24 to 26http://www.galwayoysterfest.com
Posted in
cuba,
English,
Galway,
Ireland,
Little Havana Festival,
salsa,
summer
Last week we went up to Sligo to see my brother Barry off - he's going to make his fortune in the Mediterranean, sailing millionaires yachts around the world. Well, this is the start anyway, he's just completed his sailing certifications and is keen to get going on this exciting career. It's gonna put the surfing on hold for a while, but he'll be back keener than ever when the swells start coming in September again. Here's some pics from our farewell camping trip.
Posted in
Camping,
English,
sligo
Welcome to our blog, we'll be regulary updating it, so watch this space...
What an amazing experience this whole competition has been... thanks to all at Runaway Bride and Groom, Zara's Planet, Irish Times and everyone else involved in Kinsale and further beyond.
And thanks to all our friends for the support, off to dinner now to find out who's won!!
And this video will tell you why you need to apply for this job next year...
Posted in
English
A nice turn of pace for us today (or so we thought) - we woke up at a fairly reasonable 4:30am to edit our first video which was done by sunrise. We then had to finish the script for our next task, which was to tell next year's Ultimate Job hopefuls why to apply for this amazing position. And finally we then went out and filmed/edited the final video which was a piece promoting Kinsale as a wedding destination.
They'll all be uploaded now, this is first chance today we've had to get on the blog!
Posted in
English,
Kinsale,
video
How much can you do in 24 hours? Can you do enough? One always hears the saying of how much you wish the day could have 36 hours. Honestly, right now, we wish a day would last at least 48 hours!I guess that paints a good picture of how we feel like chickens running around...from candidates for the competition to chickens...well...what can you do?After only 3 hours sleep yesterday, we got on our feet again and prepared for another action-packed day. We had another challenge to run around Kinsale to find where a radio interview was taking place (OK chickens, ready, set....) We learned that Rosemarie was doing the interview at the famous restaurant Fishy Fishy (maybe if we were fish we could have swum better for this one, and had made it..oh, well).Mark and Denise won the race to the venue, so we kept running to work on our other challenge - to produce a video declaring why Kinsale is the perfect wedding destination. This would not be difficult to achieve - Kinsale SCREAMS wedding and romance. But with our deadline of one day, it was that bit harder as there is so much to shoot...In between shots we had a seafood and champagne lunch, a boat trip out beyond the harbour and more running around. Evening came quickly and we had a tasty bbq at the Hamlet (how happy we were, being the braai/churrasco lovers from South Africa and Brazil). With full bellies, we headed over to the White Lady for a bit of Coyote Ugly, with every couple bringing to life their cocktail inventions.And so, we once again hit panic mode (CAN'T BE HERE, THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE)...raced back to Ballinacurra House, for the first time used the elegant Victorian bath in our room, worked, slept for 3 hours, and here we are again...running around once again, chickens on the RBG farm!Today the schedule is even more hectic..., but this is a story for another post. So you can catch up later with hopefully some VERY good news!
Posted in
English,
Kinsale,
Photos
Sorry for the delay in getting this on the blog, you wouldn't believe how busy we've been since we arrived. In fact, we are still so busy with tasks, interviews, filming, editing and watching the clock that we don't even have time to tell you more!
Enjoy the story so far, off for dinner/cocktails now, then hopefully some sleep before the BIG day tomorrow!
Posted in
Ballinacurra House,
English,
Ireland,
Kinsale,
video
Have a look behind the scenes at this cheerful, intimate restaurant in Kinsale, Co. Cork. Meet head chef and owner, Olivier Queva...
Posted in
Cork,
English,
Ireland,
Kinsale,
Max's Restaurant and Wine Bar review,
video
Another day at the Ultimate Job and another challenge – this time we had to run around Kinsale following clues to find one of four restaurants. We were fortunate enough to come across Max’s Restaurant and Wine Bar. As part of the challenge, we also had to write a review on our dining experience. Here it is...Our reception at Max's set the tone for what would follow - an exceptional dining experience with all the ingredients. Anne-Marie, the jovial Irish co-owner, welcomed us to one of the ten tables laid out across the wooden flooring.Max's has an intimate atmosphere, with the perfect size for a dinner for two or a group of friends. A stone fireplace complements the elegant decor, creating a warm ambiance.As we deliberated over the choices in the varied menu, we had an animated conversation with a local couple who have been living in Kinsale for 20 years. Ted Whitaker believes that Max's is one of the best restaurants in town, and that French chef Olivier has a healthy respect for food.After recommending a wine from a choice of 10 different countries, Anne-Marie went through the daily specials, which included lobster, John Dory, sole and monkfish. For starters we had stuffed mushrooms with goats cheese, and baked langoustines with chilli and olive oil.For mains, it was monkfish and the roast rack of Irish lamb with dried apricot and cider sauce. We were impressed with the variation in the menu, evidence of how Olivier is not afraid to offer original flavour combinations. The matuta honey gave the mushrooms a sweet tang and the langoustines were succulent whilst firm.The rack of lamb was cooked to remarkable perfection, and the monkfish was lightly seasoned and served with chilli sauce.During our desserts, we spoke further with Anne-Marie, who told us that Max's had been open for 11 years and that she had met Olivier at a pub in Clare. Olivier explained that he had plans to go to Canada, but never made it after meeting her - lucky for Ireland who now has such a masterful chef cooking on its shores.
Posted in
English,
Kinsale,
Max's Restaurant and Wine Bar review
Dave definitivamente tem que tomar algumas lições de como ler mapas. Chegamos até Limerick sem nenhum problema, mas depois nos perdemos por três vezes antes de finalmente chegarmos a Ballinacurra House.
E olha, estamos muito satisfeitos de finalmente estarmos aqui. E, apesar de nos perdemos tanto, fomos os primeiros a chegar. Ballinacurra House é uma casa escondida no interior da cidade de Kinsale, com paisagens impressionantes em todas as direções. Fomos recebidos pelos funcionários super simpáticos da casa, que nos trouxeram para o nosso quarto, a ‘Tudor Suite’. Confiram vocês mesmos, e em breve colocaremos um vídeo aqui no blog.
Bom, agora temos que ir. Queremos explorar um pouco os 40 hectares dos jardins da casa.
Posted in
Ballinacurra House,
Kinsale,
Português
Dave should definitely take some map-reading lessons. We got as far as Limerick without any problems, but he then proceeded to get lost 3 times before we luckily 'stumbled' upon Ballinacurra House.And how happy we are to finally be here! This country house is tucked into the Kinsale countryside, with magnificent views in all directions. We were warmly greeted and showed to our splendid room, the 'Tudor Suite'. Have a look for yourself, we'll have a bit of video up soon....Oh would you look at that, the sun's come out - we're off to explore the 40 acre estate grounds!
Posted in
Ballinacurra House,
English,
Kinsale,
Photos
Our housemate Angus made a real feast for us this evening, what a lovely sendoff before we head down to Kinsale! It was chicken wraps in a big way, look at us gorging ourselves - this Ultimate Job stuff is hungry work!
Posted in
English,
Friends
Alguns de vocês que acompanham essa jornada já sabem que nosso primeiro e "especial" encontro foi numa cozinha. E como muitas pessoas sempre perguntam os detalhes sobre como tudo aconteceu...achamos mais que oportuno nesta reta final da competição, dividir com vocês a nossa mágica história...que ganha mais um capítulo nesta corrida pelo emprego dos sonhos. Mas nós dois gostamos de opiniões imparciais. Então, pensamos que ao invés de apresentar a versão de cada um - a melhor pessoa para contar esta história seria aquela que foi testemunha chave de tudo: a Raquel Romano!
Conheci Daniela no mestrado em Jornalismo Internacional na City University em Londres. Éramos as únicas duas brasileiras no curso e nossa amizade foi crescendo com cada trabalho que fazíamos. Ela era (e é) sempre tão alegre, confiante e esperançosa. Eu a admirei instantaneamente por ela ser uma jornalista de verdade, por trabalhar sem descanso, por ser tão apaixonada por sua profissão, e por ter tido a coragem de se mudar para Londres sem falar uma palavra de inglês.
No fim do curso, quando nós duas tínhamos que escrever nossas teses, as circunstâncias da vida nos fizeram ainda mais próximas: dessa vez, morando juntas. Passamos um mês no apartamento de um amigo em Highbury enquanto buscávamos um lugar mais permanente para morar. Eu lembro claramente do comentário da Daniela ao encontrarmos um anúncio na Internet de um grupo de sul-africanos em Earl’s Court: ela disse que nós deveríamos conferir a proposta, já que sul-africanos eram muito legais e nós nos daríamos bem com eles. Uma semana depois, nos mudamos para a casa.
A casa não tinha uma sala de estar, então todas as interações sociais aconteciam na cozinha, que usávamos bastante (escrever uma tese dá uma fome danada). Um dia, uma de nossas companheiras de casa nos avisou que viajaria por um tempo e que o irmão de seu namorado iria ocupar seu quarto.
Então o Dave se mudou. Nós o conhecemos na cozinha, no mesmo dia em que ambas havíamos entregado nossas teses; uma coincidência feliz. Daniela estava cozinhando suas deliciosas costeletas de carneiro com alho para celebrar. Será que Dave foi atraído pelo cheiro?
Naquela noite, após Dave ir embora, a primeira coisa que Dani me disse foi que ele era um gato. Mas eu já havia notado que ela estava encantada pelo jeito com que ela havia sorrido para ele. E percebi que ele tinha ficado gamado nela também. Os dois são bastante ativos, alegres, cheios de energia, com interesses semelhantes e um amor pela aventura. Para resumir, duas das pessoas mais legais que já conheci. Lógico que se interessariam um pelo outro.
Eles dizem que fui um cupido, mas eu discordo. Fui somente alguém que percebeu que eles seriam um par perfeito e que os aproximou um pouco mais. Daniela estava se recuperando de uma relação mal sucedida e ela queria levar as coisas devagar, mas eu sabia que ela estava pronta para ser jogada nos braços de Dave. Um novo amor seria o melhor remédio. Tenho certeza de que ela me perdoa pela interferência.
Então, num dia em que Daniela estava no trabalho, eu encontrei Dave – novamente – na cozinha. E contei a ele sobre um show de um amigo ao qual Dani e eu iríamos, mas, já que eu viajaria em alguns dias, sugeri que ele deveria ir com ela. Acho que Dave percebeu que meu comentário (na verdade, meu oferecimento de minha amiga para um encontro) era uma indicação clara de que ela estava interessada.
Três dias depois, parti em viagem. Ao voltar para casa, não fiquei surpresa ao saber que eles estavam namorando. Foi ótimo encontrar a Dani tão feliz. E foi maravilhoso ver como eles se complementavam tão bem.
Alguns meses mais tarde, Daniela me surpreendeu com a notícia de que ela faria outro mestrado – dessa vez, na África do Sul. David ficaria no Reino Unido, mas eu sabia que a escolha dela não era coincidência – Daniela aproveitaria a oportunidade para conhecer melhor a terra natal de seu amor. E ela o fez tão bem que virou amiga dos pais de Dave. E, claro, completou o curso com distinção.
De volta a Londres, eles começaram a pensar em mudar para a Irlanda, enquanto planejavam viagens às Filipinas e à América Central para surfar. Na volta, se instalaram em Galway.
E agora, eles estão entre os finalistas para conseguir o emprego dos sonhos na Irlanda. Acompanho as aventuras deles com admiração e aguardo ansiosa para conferir suas reportagens sobre destinos de lua-de-mel. O casal que vive uma lua-de-mel eterna fazendo o que eles fazem melhor: aproveitando as melhores coisas que o mundo tem para oferecer e compartilhando suas histórias conosco.
Dani e Dave, vocês são demais!
Rachel Romano
Obs: Foto do amigo Hjalmar Tjan - Dani e Raquel na City University.
Posted in
Português,
Raquel Romano
Some of you may already know that our romance started in a kitchen. We thought that you, as our followers and supporters, may like to know more about this story. After all, that day was the beginning of everything until now, with us on this race for the dream job. But we both are the sort of people who value impartial opinions. So, we thought that instead of giving you Dave’s or Dani’s version of the facts, we would bring you the story as told by the first witness, Raquel Romano:
I met Daniela during our MA programme in International Journalism at City University in London. Being the only two Brazilians in the course, our friendship grew stronger as assignments came and went. She was (and is) always so cheerful, confident and hopeful. I instantly admired her for being a true journalist, for working hard, for being passionate about her career, for daring to move to London without a word of English in her knapsack.
At the end of the programme, when both of us had to work on writing our theses, circumstances brought us even closer: This time, living together. We started by spending a month in a friend's studio in Highbury while searching for a more permanent place to live. Finding an Internet ad by a group of South Africans in Earl's Court, I clearly remember Daniela's saying that we should definitely check that one out, that South Africans were really cool and we would get along well. A week later, we were moving into the place.
The house didn’t actually have a living room, so all social interactions were in the kitchen, which we used a lot (writing a thesis gave us both the munchies). Then, one day, one of our housemates announced that she was going away for a while and that her boyfriend’s brother would be taking up her room.
So Dave moves in. We met him in the kitchen on the same day we both had finally delivered our theses; what a lucky coincidence. Daniela was cooking her delicious garlicky lamb chops to celebrate. Was he attracted by the smell, I wonder?
That night, when he left, the first thing Dani told me was that he was cute. But I had already noticed her enchantment by the way she had smiled at him. I could tell he was smitten by her as well. They are both very active, happy, energetic people with similar interests and a love of adventure. Simply put two of the nicest people I have ever met. No wonder they would be interested in each other.
They say I was their cupid but I disagree. I was just somebody who realized that they were a perfect match and pushed them a bit closer together. Daniela was recovering from a bad breakup and wanted to take things slowly but I knew she was ready to be thrown into Dave’s arms. A new love would be the best medicine. I am sure she forgives me for the interference.
So one day it happened that Daniela was at work and I met Dave – again – in the kitchen. I told him about a friend’s concert I was supposed to go to with Dani but since I was about to leave on a trip he should go with her. I believe he perceived my comment (or rather, my offering of my friend as a date) as a clear indication that she was interested.
Three days later, I went on my trip. Coming back home, I wasn't surprised to learn they were dating. It was great to find Dani so happy. And it was amazing to see how perfectly they complemented each other.
A few months later Daniela surprised me with the news that she was going to do another MA - this time in South Africa. Although David would stay in the UK I thought this was no coincidence - I knew Daniela would take the opportunity to get to know her love's motherland better. She did it so well she became good friends with his parents. And, of course, finished her course with distinction.
Back in London, they started talking about relocating to Ireland while planning their surfing trip to the Philippines, and then to Central America, finally settling in Galway in the end.
And now they are among the top finalists to get the Ultimate Job in Ireland. I follow their adventures with wonder and admiration and am looking forward to checking their reporting on honeymoon destinations. The couple who lives an endless honeymoon, doing what they were born to do: Enjoying the best the world has to offer and telling people about it.
Dani and Dave, you rock!
Rachel RomanoPS: Picture of Dani and Raquel at City University taken by their friend Hjalmar Tjan.
Posted in
English,
Raquel Romano
Toda a entrevista de emprego tem aquelas famosas perguntas cheias de pegadinhas, que te deixam nervoso, que parecem simples mas que falam muito da sua pessoa. E como vocês já sabem, no momento, estamos nos preparando para uma que está nos deixando com os cabelos em pé, e que vai rolar neste final de semana na cidade de Kinsale. Nós decidimos praticar e dividir as nossas repostas com o pessoal que nos segue aqui no blog, assim, vocês também podem conhecer a gente melhor. Abaixo encontram-se não só possíveis perguntas de entrevista, mas também perguntas que caracterizam melhor o nosso perfil.
Respostas do Dave
Como você se descreve em três palavras?
Justo, dedicado e organizado.
Quais foram os três momentos mais felizes da sua vida?
Durante o trabalho comunitário que fiz na Indonésia depois do terremoto de 2006, quando comprei minha primeira câmera profissional e quando conheci a Dani (esta aí deve aumentar meus pontos com ela!!!)
Que livro você está lendo no momento?
Shantaram
Qual foi a comida mais esquisita que você já comeu?
Balut – ovo de pato fertilizado com embrião em desenvolvimento, que são cozidos e servidos na casca, uma iguaria nas Filipinas.
Se você ganhasse €20 milhões na loteria, o que você faria com o dinheiro?
Investiria para ter o suficiente para mim e para a Dani para o resto das nossas vidas. Também doaria uma parte para trabalhos de caridade na Indonésia e o resto eu gastaria viajando.
O que você faz quando ninguém está olhando?
Dou uma coçada lá...
Lista de cinco coisas que você precisaria para sobreviver numa ilha deserta.
A Dani (é lógico)
Bodyboard (presumo que esta ilha tenha ondas)
Rádio
Violão
Um monte de corda
Respostas da Dani
Como você se descreve em três palavras?
Trabalhadora, criativa e leal
Quais foram os três momentos mais felizes da sua vida?
Acho que sou uma pessoa muito privilegiada – tenho uma família maravilhosa, tive muitas oportunidades na vida e agora tenho o namorado perfeito. Então, é bem difícil escolher somente três momentos, mas, vamos lá:
- Quando o Dave me disse eu te amo pela primeira vez durante uma viagem a Portugal. Sabia que para ele dizer aquelas palavras, era isso realmente o que ele sentia.
- Acho que sempre que estou fazendo uma cobertura jornalística, independente da matéria, estou num dos meus melhores momentos. Tenho uma adrenalina que nem consigo explicar...pelo processo inteiro me da uma adrenalina incrível, desde a busca por informações até quando você vai para a rua filmar, escrever e vê o produto final.
- Quando terminei as três teses que já escrevi na minha vida. A primeira durante a faculdade e as outras durante os meus dois mestrados. Foi uma sensação de vitória, de missão cumprida, e também de “graças a Deus isso chegou ao fim”.
- Que livro você está lendo no momento?
No momento estou tentando terminar o livro Blood River (Rio Sangrento) do Tim Butcher, que fala sobre a jornada dele através do rio Congo. O livro acabou ficando um pouco de lado por causa da missão em busca do emprego dos sonhos, mas não vejo a hora de terminar.
- Qual foi a comida mais esquisita que você já comeu?
No topo da lista está Balut nas Filipinas. Mas acho bem interessante como esta questão de comida esquisita muda de país para país. Balut nas Filipinas é uma iguaria e todos adoram, ninguém acha estranho. No Brasil, gostamos de usar coração de galinha no churrasco. Eu adoro mas o Dave acha esquisitíssimo.
- Se você ganhasse €20 milhões na loteria, o que você faria com o dinheiro?
Eu viajaria muito e guardaria uma parte para a nossa aposentadoria (minha e a do Dave). Também ajudaria minha família e gastaria uma boa parte em projetos de educação para pessoas carentes. Sou uma pessoa de muita sorte porque os maus pais sempre acreditaram que educação era o que eles podiam me dar de mais importante, mesmo não tendo muita grana para outras coisas. Ficaria muito feliz se eu pudesse dar esta mesma oportunidade para outras pessoas, até mesmo porque, é muito mais difícil manipular pessoas com um bom nível de educação.
- O que você faz quando ninguém está olhando?
Canto e danço.
- Lista de cinco coisas que você precisaria para sobreviver numa ilha deserta.
Mmm, Dave, ele é muito útil em todos os sentidos...água de coco, protetor solar, a geladeira cheia de carne para fazer churrasco e uma casa toda ecológica...mmm, posso acrescentar um bodyboard, a minha coleção de biquinis e as minhas havainas?
Posted in
Daniela Gross,
Dave and Dani,
Dave Mottershead,
Português
Every job interview has its infamous questions...and as everyone knows, we are preparing for what is promising to be the most nervewracking job interview of our lives this weekend in Kinsale. So we decided to get some practice and share the answers with our followers, so they can also get to know a bit more about us.
Dave’s answers
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Fair, dedicated, organised
What were the three happiest moments in your life so far?
Doing relief work in Indonesia after an earthquake in 2006, buying my first professional video camera, meeting Dani (brownie points!)
What is the last book you read?
Shantaram
What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?
Balut – soft boiled duck embryo, Philippine delicacy
If you won €20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
Invest enough to support myself and Dani for the rest of our lives. I would apportion some for relief work in Indonesia and the rest would be spent on travelling this world before it/us is gone.
What do you do when you think no one is looking?
Have a good scratch…
List five things you would need to survive, if left alone on a deserted island.
Dani (of course!)
Surfboard (I’m assuming there are waves on this island)
Wind-up radio
Guitar
Lots of rope
Dani’s answers
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Hard worker, creative, loyal
What were the three happiest moments in your life so far?
I think I am quite a fortunate person– I have a great family, have had good opportunities in life, and now I have the perfect boyfriend, so I can’t complain. To pick out three moments though…
- When Dave told me the words I love you for the first time during a trip to Portugal...I knew that for him to say it he really meant it.
- I think that always when I am covering a good journalistic story I am in my element, regardless of the story. I get this adrenaline that I can’t explain...it’s the whole process, from getting the information, from going out there to film it, writing, editing, and seeing the final product.
- When I finished writing the three theses I have had to do in my life. First for the graduation course and after for my two MA degrees. It was just a feeling of achievement, of mission accomplished, and of “thank god this is over!”
What is the last book you read?
At the moment I am trying to finish Blood River, by Tim Butcher, about his journey through the Congo River. Got a bit sidetracked during The Ultimate Job, but I can’t wait to get back to it.
What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?
On the top of the list is Balut in the Philippines, for sure. I find it quite interesting how the weirdest food changes from country to country. Balut is a delicacy in the Philippines, everyone loves it, and they definitely don’t think it’s strange at all. In Brazil we like to cook chicken hearts on the BBQ. Dave finds it very strange although I love it...
If you won €20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
I would definitely travel a lot, and keep some for our retirement days. But I would also spend a good part of it on educational programmes for disadvantaged people. I was lucky enough to have parents who always believed that education was the most important thing they could give me, even if they didn’t have much money for other things. And I would be very happy if I could give the same opportunities I had to other people, after all, educated people are much harder to manipulate...
What do you do when you think no one is looking?
Sing and dance.
List five things you would need to survive, if left alone on a deserted island.
mmm, Dave, he comes really in handy for all sorts of things, Coconut water, sun cream, a fridge full of meat to make BBQ, and an environmentally friendly house....mmm, can I add a bodyboard, bikini collection and havaianas?
Posted in
Dave and Dani,
English
We have already put a post on the blog saying how thankful we are for all the support we have received along this journey. Both of us have always found that family and friends (including new friends) are essential in life...but now, with this Ultimate Job race, they have even more value – if we tried to put it in figures, 100% would be far from enough. A few days ago we even got some comments from a friend called Raquel Potí. We met her and her boyfriend on a trip to Panama about 3 years ago, and thanks to the Ultimate Job they found us again. She saw us on the TV Globo story and now we are in touch again...
We would need pages and pages to name all the people who have been with us on this dream... (and we wouldn’t try to name them in case we miss someone, but you all know who you are).
Anyway, one of these friends is our Irish housemate Valerie. She decided to write a reference letter for us (after all, this is a job, isn’t it?) – and as with all job applications, you do need references from people who know you well. So, here it is, our reference letter by Valerie Webster:
Now, I reckon it’s time to dish the dirt on Dave & Dani!
I live in the same house as them, so I should be able to come up with some nasty stuff that can be used against them, hehe…
Well, let’s see…Dave is freakishly tidy and organised – that makes me seem like even more of a slob than I am. AND he’s a guy – that’s just not natural! Also he’s impossible to have an argument with – so annoying!.
As for Daniela…she’s always coming up with innovative ideas, always beavering away at something, can turn her hand to anything…makes me sick altogether!! A little powerhouse of energy, always so active..again, that makes me look so bad!!
Sorry to disappoint, but that’s pretty much the worst I can say about Dave & Dani. I’ve shared a house with them for almost 2 years in total now, and I’d like to you to know the following:
Dave & Dani are great people – both individually and as a couple. They are unusual in that they are a very close couple, and yet they remain their own people. They’re one of the few couples I’ve ever met in whose company you never feel as though you are intruding. They do not exclude others, and they are both naturally like this. As an example, I went on a 10-day camping holiday to the north of Spain with them last September – just the three of us. Honestly, I cannot imagine any other couple with whom I could have done that without feeling like I was the biggest gooseberry. We met loads of great people and had a ball!
As well as being open, and generous of themselves, they are also kind and generous with whatever they have. They always invite whoever is around to eat with them and don’t think twice about it.They are always organising “braais” (churrascos/barbeques) for friends as soon as the weather makes it possible – but they’ve even been known to braai in the snow!!!
Dave and Dani are outdoor people – they love camping, biking, surfing (even in the depths of winter – madness!!). On their travels, they take beautiful photographs and make videos which, as you can see, are exceptional. They know the West coast of Ireland far better than myself, and probably most other Irish people for that matter. I’ve been lucky enough to share some of their adventures with them. Their “camping missions” (as Dani refers to them) are always great craic!
I so admire Dave and Dani’s abilities - they are an inspiration to me and to others. I’ve always known that these two are going to be very successful one day. They have that “something special” about them. It’s the combination of great talent and skills, education, experience, versatility, innovation, energy and determination. That’s a powerful combination. On top of all of that, they are extremely likeable people, they have great personal qualities, they are unassuming and natural – and it’s easy to see why they have so many friends!
To me, Dave and Dani are not just housemates... they are loyal and true friends and they have proved it time and again. I can say that, by now, I even consider them as “my Galway family”. I already have two brothers, but Dave is like another brother to me, and Dani…well, Dani is one in a million!
This is my own view, and of course I’m biased because they are my friends – but I wanted to write it so that others will know what lovely people Dave and Daniela are, and why they so much deserve to be successful!
All the very best of luck amigos!!
Valerie Webster
Galway 6th May 2010
Posted in
English,
Friends,
Raquel Potí,
Valerie Webster
Se algum de vocês que está acompanhando a nossa história, já se perguntou o porquê de um casal do Brasil e da África do Sul (países lindos, cheios de sol) parar na Irlanda - aqui está um vídeo produzido pelo Dave para explicar as nossas razões...
As cenas neste vídeo foram colhidas durante inúmeras das nossas viagens por todos os cantos da Irlanda, da região de Donegal, no norte do país, a Kerry, no Sul, e de Wicklow, no leste, a Connemara, no oeste. Neste vídeo você pode conferir por conta própria os cenários da Irlanda que tanto admiramos.
Posted in
Cenários Irlandeses,
Connemara,
Donegal,
Irlanda,
Kerry,
Português,
Wicklow
If you ever wondered why a couple from South Africa and Brazil would settle in Ireland, this video produced by Dave should explain it all.
Posted in
Connemara,
Donegal,
English,
Ireland,
Kerry,
Scenic,
video,
Wicklow
Muitas das pessoas que assistiram ao nosso vídeo, além de comentarem o quanto estavam impressionados com a beleza da Irlanda (e com o nosso talento como atores – hummm, nem tanto), também nos perguntaram sobre a cadela fofa que nos seguia por todos os cantos. A verdadeira celebridade no vídeo!! Até os jornais a mencionaram.
Então, aqui estamos para oficialmente apresentar a vocês a Jessica.
A primeira vez que a encontramos foi, mais ou menos 3 anos atrás, quando nos mudamos de casa em Galway. Foi amor à primeira vista!! Nós dois, além de sermos apaixonados pelo o que vocês já sabem (viajar, filmar, escrever, Irlanda, Brasil, África do Sul e por ai vai), amamos animais, especialmente os caninos. Em todos os lugares que vamos eles parecem nos seguir. E com a Jessica não poderia ser diferente.
Além de falar a língua dos cães, a Jess também se comunica muito bem em inglês e polonês....nunca diga para ela a palavra “spacerek”(vamos passear em polonês) se você realmente não pretende fazê-lo. No momento, ela está tentando aprender português, mas esta achando bem dificil, principalmente o ‘ão’ no final das palavras.
Jess deveria saber muito bem o trabalho nas fazendas, afinal, a raça dela é conhecida pela agilidade na lida com as ovelhas....mas ela não gosta de trabalhar não. Gosta é de vida boa. A Jessica na verdade morre de medo de ovelhas, cavalos e vacas. Ela foi mimada pela vida na cidade, no sofa assistindo T V – o que os seus antepassados diriam de você, heim Jessica?
Nós mudamos da casa do John (o dono da Jessica), há um pouco menos de um ano. Devemos dizer que não foi fácil, mas precisávamos de mais espaço. Porém mantivemos a boa amizade com o John, e é logico, com a Jess – nosso amor por ela é para a vida inteira. Sempre passamos na casa antiga para pegar ela e trazê-la para as nossas aventuras. Ela ama praia, lagos e florestas, que são seus lugares favoritos. Mas, a Jessica também é muito popular – ela tem muito, muito amigos e adora conhecer gente nova (quando o pessoal da Globo veio para cá fazer a matéria do Fantástico a Jess, que adora uma camera, queria ir com eles para Londres). Então, às vezes, ela está com a agenda lotadíssima.
Com frequência também ficamos de babá da Jessica, o que é um prazer enorme... mas agora, que ela virou uma celebridade, sempre precisamos ter certeza que temos um osso bem suculento para pagar ela pelos serviços de atriz. A Jessica também tem preferência por uma dieta bem saudável, afinal, ela quer manter o corpicho em forma – cenouras cruas nunca podem faltar no menu.
Jess, nós te amamos. E não se preocupe, se conseguirmos o emprego dos sonhos sempre manteremos contato...(ela aliás nos disse na língua dos cachorros que vai sentir muita saudade, mas que tudo bem a gente embarcar nesta aventura. Ela sabe que esta é a oportunidade que a sempre quisemos!!)
Aqui está um vídeo curto da Jess fazendo o que ela mais gosta na floresta de Barna, aqui em Galway.
Posted in
border collie,
cachorro,
Galway,
Irlanda,
Jessica,
Português
Many people who watched our video, apart from saying how impressed they were with the beauty of Ireland (and our acting skills – hmmm, not quite), asked us about the cute dog that was following us everywhere. The real celebrity of the video!! Even newspapers have mentioned her.So, here we are to properly introduce you to Jessica.The first time we met Jess was about 3 years ago, when we moved to a new house in Galway. It was love at first sight!! Both of us, apart from all the passions you already know we have (travelling, filming, writing, Ireland, Brazil, South Africa and so on), love animals - dogs especially. Everywhere we go they seem to follow us. And with Jess, it wasn’t any different. Apart from speaking “Doggish”, Jess communicates very well in English and Polish...do not dare to say the word “spacerek” (go for a walk in Polish) if you don’t mean it. At the moment she is trying to learn Portuguese, but is finding it a difficult language, especially the “ão” at the end of the words. Jess is supposed to know her farm duties well, after all she is known as a sheep dog here in Ireland....but she doesn’t like to work. She just likes the good life. Jess is actually quite scared of sheep, horses and cows. The couch-sleeping, TV-watching, spoiled Jess – what would your ancestors think of you Jess??We moved out of John’s house (Jess’ owner), less than a year ago. We have to say it wasn’t easy ...but we did need more space. We are still very close to him, and of course to Jess – this is a love for life... We always try to drop by to take her out for an adventure. She loves the beach, the lakes and forests. Those are her favourites.But Jess is also very popular – she has many, many friends, and loves making new ones (when the people from TV Globo came to Ireland to do the story with us, Jess wanted to go to London with them – she is a real media hog). So sometimes she might have her agenda fully booked for months.We often babysit her as well, which is the biggest pleasure...and now that she has become a celebrity, we always need to make sure we have some very juicy bones to pay her wages. Jessica also has a preference for healthy food – she looks after her figure – and raw carrots can’t be missing from the menu.Jess, we love you! And don’t worry, even if we get the Ultimate Job, we will always come back to you...(she actually did tell us in a series of yips and yelps that she would miss us, but that it was ok. She understands this is our dream job!!)Here is a short video of Jess doing what she loves most at Barna forest in Galway.
Posted in
border collie,
dog,
English,
Ireland,
Jessica
Nossa, só mais alguns dias até a final da competição, até a hora de encontrar os outros nove casais na cidade de Kinsale no hotel Ballinacurra House. Hora de terminar tudo o que ainda esta por fazer...e olha que tem coisa que não acaba mais.Bom, mas vamos lá – desafio do cocktail – feito!
Como muitos de vocês já sabem, quase todos os dias recebemos um desafio dos organizadores da competição.
Um dos últimos foi criar dois cocktails – um para levar o nome do emprego dos sonhos e outro que tivesse tudo a ver com a gente. Para cumprir mais este desafio, nos fomos para o calcadão da praia aqui de Galway que se chama Salthill. Colocamos a nossa mesinha por lá, a nossa placa, e fizemos um teste para descobrir os dois cocktails ideais.
Para começar, nós fizemos uma caipirinha (caipiroska na verdade, porque aqui na Irlanda é bem dificil de achar cachaça para comprar). Depois, decidimos dar uma modificada na caipirinha, acrescentando Guiness (a cerveja preta Irlandesa) e Amarula (um licor famoso na Africa do Sul). O resultado ficou terrível – lição aprendida – nao tentem modificar a já perfeita caipirinha.
No final, chegamos a estes dois cocktails. Nos inspiramos no Brasil, na África do Sul e na Irlanda!
Dave & Dani’s Ultimate Love Potion ( Dave & Dani - Porção do Amor)
- Morangos batidos no liquidificador (para o amor)
- Uma medida de Baileys (para dar um gostinho da Irlanda)
- Uma medida de Amarula (para dar um gostinho da África do Sul)
- Uma medida de Vodka
- Guarana em pó (para te dar energia para o noite toda)
- Uma medida de leite de coco (para te lembrar dos tropicos)
- E um poquinho de leite condensado (para deixar o amor mais doce)
- Gelo
Bata tudo no shaker e sirva num copo longo, com morangos para decorar!
Ultimate Job Energy Booster ( Energético do Emprego dos Sonhos)
- Café brasileiro
- Uma medida de Baileys
- Uma medida de Amarula
- Guarana em pó
- Gelo
Bata tudo no shaker, coloque num copo de matini e acrescente chololate granulado em cima.
Slainte, Cheers and Tin-tin!
O vídeo abaixo mostra como é que foi este teste! É em ingles, mas acho que dá para ter uma ideia ...
Posted in
calçadão,
Cocktails,
Galway,
Irlanda,
Português,
praia,
Sathill,
Vídeo
How much can you do in 24 hours? Can you do enough? One always hears the saying of how much you wish the day could have 36 hours. Honestly, right now, we wish a day would last at least 48 hours!
Another day at the Ultimate Job and another challenge – this time we had to run around Kinsale following clues to find one of four restaurants. We were fortunate enough to come across Max’s Restaurant and Wine Bar. As part of the challenge, we also had to write a review on our dining experience. Here it is...
Dave definitivamente tem que tomar algumas lições de como ler mapas. Chegamos até Limerick sem nenhum problema, mas depois nos perdemos por três vezes antes de finalmente chegarmos a Ballinacurra House.
Dave should definitely take some map-reading lessons. We got as far as Limerick without any problems, but he then proceeded to get lost 3 times before we luckily 'stumbled' upon Ballinacurra House.
Conheci Daniela no mestrado em Jornalismo Internacional na City University em Londres. Éramos as únicas duas brasileiras no curso e nossa amizade foi crescendo com cada trabalho que fazíamos. Ela era (e é) sempre tão alegre, confiante e esperançosa. Eu a admirei instantaneamente por ela ser uma jornalista de verdade, por trabalhar sem descanso, por ser tão apaixonada por sua profissão, e por ter tido a coragem de se mudar para Londres sem falar uma palavra de inglês.
I met Daniela during our MA programme in International Journalism at City University in London. Being the only two Brazilians in the course, our friendship grew stronger as assignments came and went. She was (and is) always so cheerful, confident and hopeful. I instantly admired her for being a true journalist, for working hard, for being passionate about her career, for daring to move to London without a word of English in her knapsack.
Respostas do Dave
Dave’s answers 
Dani’s answers 
We have already put a post on the blog saying how thankful we are for all the support we have received along this journey. Both of us have always found that family and friends (including new friends) are essential in life...but now, with this Ultimate Job race, they have even more value – if we tried to put it in figures, 100% would be far from enough. A few days ago we even got some comments from a friend called Raquel Potí. We met her and her boyfriend on a trip to Panama about 3 years ago, and thanks to the Ultimate Job they found us again. She saw us on the TV Globo story and now we are in touch again...
Now, I reckon it’s time to dish the dirt on Dave & Dani!
Muitas das pessoas que assistiram ao nosso vídeo, além de comentarem o quanto estavam impressionados com a beleza da Irlanda (e com o nosso talento como atores – hummm, nem tanto), também nos perguntaram sobre a cadela fofa que nos seguia por todos os cantos. A verdadeira celebridade no vídeo!! Até os jornais a mencionaram. 
Many people who watched our video, apart from saying how impressed they were with the beauty of Ireland (and our acting skills – hmmm, not quite), asked us about the cute dog that was following us everywhere. The real celebrity of the video!! Even newspapers have mentioned her.
Nossa, só mais alguns dias até a final da competição, até a hora de encontrar os outros nove casais na cidade de Kinsale no hotel Ballinacurra House. Hora de terminar tudo o que ainda esta por fazer...e olha que tem coisa que não acaba mais.
