Maynooth is a very small town (or in Ireland’s case a very large town). And if you don’t believe me, it was awarded the “Best Kept Award for Large Towns.” It has about two streets that are lined with small shops and eateries. There are three bus stops and I could walk the way from any of the stops (or the train station) to my apartment with my eyes closed. Maynooth is never a place I would think to call home, yet it has fit me so well. In contrast, there is very little in which Winter Park is like Maynooth other than it’s English speaking. Yet I find myself getting on the plane in Dublin excited to return home with the distinct brisk Irish air surrounding me. Now for a native Florida girl to say that, I think it’s quite remarkable.
I don’t know if I can even fathom a value for studying abroad; it’s one of those things that can be so necessary on how you develop as a person. It can change what you want in your life or challenge how you saw things. Maynooth, for example, has challenged the way that I see the pace of life and altered my appreciation for small towns. In Ireland, things go on a bit slower than in the States. Nothing is ever on time; every Irish man’s favorite estimate is “about twenty minutes” even if it’ll be approximately two hours. There is a philosophy of “you’ll get there when you get there.” As frustrating as it is in the first few weeks, I’ve adjusted to it and it’s really an interesting concept. The States is controlled by time since we see it as a true embodiment of money. When the focus isn’t on time, you reflect more or at least focus on those around you with a bit more attention. The other thing Ireland has instilled on me is an appreciation for small towns (and I thought Florida suburbs counted as small towns). There is a lot to be said for a town that has transportation into a city, but the focus is still on locality. In Maynooth, people are always personable and there is an inherent simplicity in everyday actions. I’ve learned to enjoy this change.
It’s hard to think that next month, I’ll be leaving Maynooth. Yet, Ireland will retain a place in my heart as a home away from home. Maybe I’ll even considering returning for a masters. This semester has made me understand it’s important to live and experience places far from home. After doing this, you start growing a network of places which you understand and can return to whenever you might need them.