50 Ways to Say Goodbye

In only 4 more days I will leave this country and say goodbye to the people who have made my life wonderful for the past fourth months. It’s amazing how quickly time passes. When you study abroad everyone tells you “oh your time there will fly and you won’t believe how quickly it’s over.” And I always thought that was a load of bull. But now it’s December, and didn’t I just step off the plane yesterday?

These four months have been amazing. I wouldn’t trade the mistakes and the joys for anything. I have learned so much about myself and the world and nothing can take that from me.

I’ve told some of you more details about my life choices the past few months, but for those who don’t know, let’s just say that I went a little crazy, pushed some boundaries and had more of the stereotypical “college years” than I’ve had at Grove City. Ireland is the land of drink and no commitments and I’ve partaken in that. But thankfully, I didn’t do anything with lasting consequences and with the help of Abby and my other GCC friends and my parents I’ve come out the better for it all. So I want to thank everyone who stood by me these past few months, especially Abby, who I have not always been the best friend that I claim to be, and my mother, who I know I worried more so than my dad, who is a bit more on the wild child side like myself.

These past four months and the things I experienced have taught me, more than anything, that I need to become the person who I have always dreamed of being. And that means dedicating myself to building a stronger relationship with God and those people in my life who help me to grow. I am not the same person I was when I left the states and that is going to make things a little difficult when I return. Seeing the world, even just a small bit of it, and the people it holds have helped me to learn that life is for the living and you can’t just let it happen to you. You have to grab opportunities and take chances.

And so, as I prepare to leave, I am trying to make sense of all of this to ensure that when I get back I won’t just settle back into my old routine but will instead remember all of the truths I have learned through this experience.

And I also have to say my goodbyes. And unlike other times when a chapter of life has ended, these goodbyes are more…permanent. Because while I know that some of the people I met here will continue to have places in my life, I know that others will fade away. Sure, we talk of visits to America and returns to Ireland, reunions and staying in touch…but it’s just not as easy as that. We have our lives and they are all so very different. So in addition to saying goodbye to this beautiful country that I have, as predicted, fallen in love with, I also have to say goodbye to the people who have made it what it is. From my API family to my crazy flat mates, and all the people who have helped me in more ways that I can count.

In closing, goodbyes are hard. And leaving is hard. Home and the future await and to be fair I can’t wait to set foot in Philadelphia and eat some American food, but there is a part of me that will always remain here, among the green hills of this country that I have called home for the past four months.

Good-bye Ireland. It’s been real. I’ll see you again. 

A Journey to the Other Ireland

                I slacked off on my writing of this chapter of my Ireland story. Got a little busy, didn’t make time for it, but now I’ve got time!

                A few weeks ago, as many of you know, my parents came to visit Abby and I. They were here for both of our birthdays and we did some fun things. On my birthday, which was my 21^st, we went to The Locke Bar in Limerick City for fish and chips and Guinness. Even my dad, who hasn’t had a drink in 21 years, had a pint for my birthday! Mom didn’t though. Let’s not get TOO crazy. Then that night I went out with a couple of my friends to some of our favorite spots in Limerick. We had a few pints at Dolan’s, then a fancy cocktail at the Savoy and finally finished it up at our favorite pub, Costello’s.

                Then, the next day we headed off to Northern Ireland! First stop was W.B. Yeats’ grave, which was exciting for us nerds. Then we stopped at Belleek pottery (Google it, they make beautiful stuff), where I picked out imaginary wedding gifts for my imaginary wedding. Then we drove on to Donegal, where we went to a pub called The Olde Castle Bar. Then I watched the movie JFK, which ended up being a more than 3 hour commitment. But once I was into it I just couldn’t stop.

                The 23^rd was Abby’s 20^th birthday, and the first place we went was Slieve League, beautiful cliffs in Donegal, recommended us by our roommate, Lewis, whose from Donegal. The only other people there were a group of students from PA who were there on a field trip. Which was pretty crazy, because it’s a bit off of the beaten path. Abby and I also managed to get our picture taken with some sheep which was pretty much a lifelong dream of mine. Good times.

                After we left Slieve League was when things got really exciting. Due to the narrow roads in Ireland and the appearance of a rather large truck, we ended up with not one, but TWO blown out tires. Which resulted in a couple of fun hours standing by our car near a sheep farm. A man came and loaded all of the sheep into a trailer. We fear he may have been a sheep thief, since he didn’t have a key to the gate and his trailer “Crooks” brand. Suspicious. We may have unwittingly been accomplishes in sheep thievery. Oops.

                Anyways, after our crime streak, we went for Abby’s birthday dinner. After which we went to visit the Mawhinney family in Magharafelt. My grandfathers second cousin or something like that and his family live there and it had been a few years since we had seen them. We had a nice few hours visiting with them, during which I consumed more food than I have for the rest of the semester. I think I have like 6 different kinds of dessert.

                We spent the night at the same lovely B&B we stayed at last time we were there. Then the next day we drove home, with a stop in Belfast for a few hours during which we went to the Christmas market there, which was SO packed. But we did have some delicious Bailey’s hot chocolate.

                And that pretty much sums that trip. This entry was not as well written as the others. I apologize. Betters things to come.