As my semester abroad comes to a close, I can’t help but think how far I’ve come. Before this experience, the farthest I’d ever been from home was Canada and that was only for a week. Now, I’ve been Across the Sea (see what I did there) for almost five months.
And to be honest, I wasn’t even sure I would survive these five months. In fact, just two years ago I was homesick living on Loyola’s campus only an hour away from home. I guess time changes things because here I am: Abroad and Thriving.
This is Me Thriving. |
Before I came to Ireland, I was both excited and nervous: two feelings that you would be expected to feel if you were going off to a foreign place in which you knew absolutely no one. For me, it wasn’t so much the “foreign country” that phased me but the not knowing anyone. I wanted to see so much of the world but I couldn’t do so without a friend.
If I even thought to travel alone my mother would bite my head off, literally. I’m not joking. I would be headless. But besides the whole issue of being headless, I didn’t really want to travel by myself but I was also afraid I wouldn’t make friends.
Upon arriving in Ireland, I met Mary Breen our Study Abroad Coordinator and was instantly reminded of my own mother. Not only did she pick us up from the airport at 7:30 in the morning but she laid out a whole schedule of touristy activities to welcome us to Ireland and help us get adjusted. Without her, I’m not sure if I would have become such good friends with my roommate, Katie.
In fact, my first conversation with Katie was at the Blarney Castle Tour that Mary Breen planned (you may remember this from a past blog). We were slowly climbing up the staircase in a single file line when I almost slipped. “Do you think that anyone died falling down the stairs?” I asked out loud. Katie laughed “ I don’t know, maybe.” I sighed as we had stopped again on the steps,“ Well, I guess they probably don’t write that they died falling down the stairs.” “I guess not.” She agreed.
“But what about the women with their long dresses?” I questioned. “I don’t know. You’re asking the wrong person.” Katie laughed. “Well, it certainly would be a sucky way to die.” We found out later that we would be living in the same apartment and we soon planned a trip to see a musical in London. Thanks to Ireland and Mary Breen, I made a new friend and we have had amazing adventures traveling in Ireland and beyond.
Katie and Me. |
My thoughts of Ireland before coming here were of green grasslands, four-leaf clovers, leprechauns, and St. Patrick’s day. But surprisingly there has been no mention of Leprechauns, and St. Patrick’s Day is considered to be more of an American holiday than an Irish holiday.
Originally, I thought of Ireland as a very peaceful country but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Ireland, as we know it today, has had a very recent violent past with the War of Independence only happening less a century ago and the IRA terrorist attacks against Northern Ireland occurring only twenty years ago.
Not to mention, the Irish Potato Famine that sent thousands of Irish people to America.
I assumed that Ireland was a peaceful place given that the scenery is so peaceful, but I guess that’s like assuming America is always peaceful because of its scenery.
Now since learning all of this, I see Ireland not only as a now peaceful country full of green but as a resilient country able to go through all the hardships it’s had and still come out on top. It’s kind of like what Shane, my professor from Folklore, said about Ireland, “she was an old woman but that if you gave her love, she would turn into a beautiful woman,” or in other words, Ireland can be renewed with just a little love.