Reflecting on six weeks

Things I will miss:
-Friendly strangers
-Low humidity and crisp air
-Colorful, flourishing flowers
-Bulmer's
-Butler's Chocolate Cafe
-Coastal towns
-Porterhouse Brewery
-Cork's English Market (especially the olives)
-Scones and soda bread
-Being able to take day trips to some of the top wonders of the world
-Galway's Latin Quarter
-Hand-cut "chips" with vinegar and salt
-Locals calling me "love" or saying "Cheers"

Six weeks ago, I set out on a journey to Ireland. Nervous and apprehensive, I didn't know what to expect. I had ideas of what Ireland would be like - cold, rainy, windy, green, full of redheads - but many of my ideas were surprisingly wrong. With the exception of Galway, where it rained on and off for almost two weeks straight, the air was comfortably warm and the sun shone through rainless clouds. There were not redheads everywhere I looked, but instead, a variety of street performers and a mecca of cultures. With the final week in Dublin winding down, I asked myself, why would all these cultures (Asians, Italians, Mexicans, Arabs) want to come to Ireland? But then again, they could be asking the same of me.

Seated inside the Porterhouse Brewery (a pub we'd come to love and attend regularly in Dublin) on one of the final nights, I was surrounded by the group who were strangers to me six weeks before. Tonight's theme was 90's night; the DJ blasted tunes from our pasts as we jumped up and sang along. I smiled. My smile was not only a result from the reminiscent music, but from the fact that I had grown so comfortable with this group of strangers. We all could've not gotten along during our six weeks together, but we did. We all had different personalities, came from different backgrounds, and had different interests, but we all sat contently enjoying one another's company. I have Ireland to thank for my growing comfort with strangers, with traveling, with myself and my abilities.

I learned a great deal from my travels in Ireland. I learned how to capture detail and better record my feelings. I learned to quickly adapt into another culture and traditions. I learned not to be afraid when traveling alone. I learned to be more open when trying new foods. I learned to carefully observe maps and navigate my way through unfamiliar cities. I learned to be comfortable in my own skin, to not worry so much about fitting in with a group or being alone. Ireland helped transform my attitude and personality, and made me a more confident world traveler. Ireland has sparked an interest in me to want to explore more cultures, more cities, more customs. While I'm ready to return home, I will miss the Emerald Isle immensely. I look forward to returning one day.