Ireland is ticking so many things off my bucket list. This week, I had the joy of experiencing my first snowstorm. Actually, as I write this, I can look out the window and see little pieces of sky falling to Earth. I can hear the wind whispering as it makes its way through the trees. And I can feel the freezing fingers of winter grasping everything around me.
Coming from a tropical country, and studying in the ever-sunny state of Florida, I would have never imagined the beauty of snow and the happiness it can bring. Granted, I secretly hoped that I would get to experience it in Maynooth. And boy did my dreams come true. The storm commonly referred to as ‘The Beast from the East’ has brought around 15 cm of snow (that is almost 6 inches for my American friends) to Ireland this weekend.
On Wednesday morning, I woke up to an entirely different view from my bedroom window. What is usually a green scenery with a quirky lamp post and a creaky wooden bench was painted white. Snow as far as the eye could see had been deposited like a blanket over the landscape, making it a true winter postcard. I could not help but remember the lyrics of my favourite Christmas song (yes, right at the beginning of March) ‘Sleigh Ride’. It nearly was a picture print by Currier and Ives, so naturally, I put on the first thing I could find that would warm me up and headed out to explore.
First things first, snow is cold. Like, almost unbearably cold. But, it is also quiet and serene. I always heard people mention how the world gets silent, slower when the snow hits. Not even the pigeons and the wrens dare disturb the peace with their chirping. However, me and my friend Grace did, so we spend an entire hour making snowman and snow angels, and filling the soundless void left by the snow with our laughter. Then, me and my Spanish friend, Ari (she says hola a todos!), decided to spend the rest of the day inspecting the newly painted landscape courtesy of God, and some rather obvious climate change.
Second thing: Maynooth University under the snow is the best thing I have seen so far in Ireland. The old campus (also known as South Campus where St. Patrick’s College is) with its 18th century steeple and its lavish greenery engulfed by snow looked like it was snatched straight out of a Harry Potter movie or a Victorian Drama. I felt transported to a time and a place I have never been before but could only read in books. Moreover, because no one was there, we had all the time in the world to take in the sights (and as many pictures as possible, which are right after the post as per usual). We also got to experience near frostbite, and the rather odd feeling of having our cheeks turn pink from the cold. And maybe, just maybe, we also sang the Frozen classic ‘Do you want to build a snowman’ (shout-out to my niece Savannah Nicole for teaching me the importance of having a ‘Ulaff’). I guess the only way I can describe this experience is through the phrase I recently learned from my friend Karis: it is well with my soul.
Finally, cheers to the Beast from the East for cancelling classes and forcing me to take a day (or week) off to experience a lazy day in Ireland. With studying abroad comes the need to always be traveling, exploring, or getting lost in a new city. I had not noticed until today that I had yet to take a day to drink some tea (yes, I am a tea person now. That is what Ireland will do to you), read a good book (thanks Morgan), and binge-watch Doctor Who. My mind has been wandering at the speed of light since I got here, but today I got to let my mind calm down and become one with the silence and tranquillity of the snow. If I learned one thing today, it is that you also need to take a day to experience Ireland (or wherever you are studying abroad) for what it is: the place thousands of people get to call home. And, by the end of the day, I can guarantee that you will have, in the words of ‘Sleigh Ride’, “A happy feeling that nothing in the world can buy”.
