No one has ever mistaken me for brave. I was never sorted into Griffindor, I’ve always been a Slytherin. I’ve spent my life running from new experiences, avoiding new people and keeping the very thought of adventure at arm’s length. and I got tired of it. I wanted to be a different person, one who wasn’t scared of every new idea presented to her. I wanted to be the friend suggesting new places and wild rides, not the one shooting those ideas down. I craved adventure in my very soul.
This semester is a part of a larger mission of becoming an adventurous and courageous person. Coming to Ireland in and of itself is an adventure, but I’ve had many smaller adventures along the way. In November I went to both Amsterdam and England, adding to my small list of visited-countries while simultaneously crossing off a few bucket list items.
I went to Amsterdam with three friends of mine and we had a wonderful time. We visited the Van Gough Museum, we went to the Flower Market and walked along the picturesque streets of the city for hours, taking in the sites, the bicycles, the smells, the people, the sounds, the very atmosphere of the city. It was a beautiful experience that seems almost surreal now. We weren’t there long, but the time we did spend there was unforgettable because we were there together. I’ve never traveled with so many people before; I have always flown by myself, so it was really weird to fly with my friends. I really liked traveling with them and they made the entire trip less stressful and more enjoyable.
I went to London with my friend Lauren and we tried to do London in a day and were maybe kinda successful…? We visited Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London, The London Eye, and Buckingham Palace (well the outside of Buckingham Palace). It was incredibly beautiful and a whirlwind of an experience. I felt like I sampled London and I want to go back for more.
Lauren went back to Ireland on Sunday while I went to Glastonbury to visit the Chalice Well. This trip I took on my own and it was the scariest thing I have ever done. I had to get myself from London to Glastonbury and back within 24 hours and I’m kinda surprised with myself for doing it so well. I also loved the quiet solitude of my solo trip. I got to do whatever I wanted and spend as much time as I wanted at each place. It was rejuvenating and restful and just what my soul was looking for. It was the pinnacle of adventure for me and gave me the confidence to plan future travels with or without other people. It fed my soul, you know, the way adventure should.