Looking back on my journey, it still seems surreal that I spent three entire months in Ireland. Although there are many differences between Ireland and the United States, Ireland was a very easy place to adapt to. I went on many adventures and met some pretty amazing people along the way. There were many times I felt overwhelmed with sadness but I would not trade this experience for anything. It was difficult to leave home for such a long time especially when I was leaving loved ones and daily habits. The very first day I arrived in Ireland I felt overwhelmed and broke down. However, once I started to explore and find some sheets and toilet paper I was able to rest and settle down. Then I just went through orientation, met my roommates, and got familiar with the town I would call home for the next few months. For the first half of the semester, I basically kept to myself and the joy of every week came on Tuesdays and Thursdays when I got to play volleyball. Joining a club was the smartest move I made during my entire trip. I met great people on the team and had a lot of adventures. For instance, I went on a hiking trip to Wicklow which was the highlight of my entire trip to Ireland. Of course, visiting Scotland over the break was definitely a close second. However, my trip to Scotland was also very sad. I went alone and the only company I had was the Polish couple I stayed with for five days. They were very nice and hospitable but it wasn’t the same as having family. Especially since my heritage traces back to Scotland and I didn’t have any family to share my experience with. After my spring break, my trip became a little more positive mostly because a lot of the people I met on the volleyball team started hanging out. Almost every night we hung out, we watched movies, played cards, cooked food and just hung out to pass the time. I started to feel a bit home sick at the 11 week mark and they certainly helped occupy my time. But the downfall to making great friends is knowing that you will eventually have to say goodbye. My last week in Ireland was certainly bittersweet. I was excited to go home but I was sad to say goodbye.
I had many expectations going into this trip. First of all, I expected to travel more than I did but on the other hand I am happy that I didn’t have too many experiences alone. I have had many great experiences but my favorites are the ones I have shared with loved ones and second families. I also expected to learn a lot about the culture which I certainly did in and outside the classroom. Now I know a lot more about the culture than I certainly ever did before. For instance, the literature in Ireland is very notorious and intricate. And Ireland has their own sports. I didn’t expect to take the most joy out of things I do in the States like play volleyball or American football. However, I met great people on the volleyball team and the football club was full of Irish people that I learned quite a bit from.
All in all, I relish my time in Ireland and I would do it over again exactly the same way (except I would bring better luggage).
