Less than 2 Months..

In less than two months time, the accumulation of twenty years of anticipation will come to a conclusion as I land in the country which has held so much significance in my life, Ireland. However, this conclusion of wait only begins the greatest of my adventures, a semester studying in Maynooth, Ireland.

For years, I have dreamed of traveling to the Emerald Isle. Ireland has been the place I have claimed as my "homeland" and from where my (apparently difficult to pronounce, yet actually quite simple) first name finds its origin. I have pictured myself walking the streets of Dublin, visiting Inishturk, Co. Mayo where my great-grandfather once lived, kissing the Blarney Stone, seeing the North where the "Troubles" occurred, and sipping a Guinness in a pub while listening to traditional folk music. These are some of my greatest of dreams and cannot wait to experience all of these and more. Although I still have to sit through two weeks of classes at SMC and survive finals week, my mind constantly reverts to the rolling green hills of my soon-adopted country.

When I get to Ireland in mid-January, I'll be there for about 5 months until June 6th studying at the National University of Ireland-Maynooth. Maynooth is a small town that is only about a 30 minute train ride from Dublin's city center. For the most part, I'll be finishing up my gen-ed requirements while over there. Unlike my living arrangement at SMC, I'll be living in an apartment with four Irish students with each of us having our own room and bathroom. Each apartment is also complete with a common room and kitchen, making my time over there an interesting challenge since my culinary skills are limited to pancakes and anything microwavable.

Luckily, I'll also be in good company in Ireland with some friends who have been in Maynooth since September and are staying for the year and those who I'm traveling over with in January. Despite my nervousness about being homesick and adapting to a whole new way of life, I know I'll have friends to help show me the ropes and those who I can confide in while making the adaptation.

I would be lying if I said I was not going to miss my friends and family at home and I know I will, but then I also remind myself that this is an opportunity I may never again be able to experience. I have always been interested in exploring the world, only being fueled by the likes of Anthony Bourdain on the Travel Channel exploring far-off lands. Fortunately, I've been able to see a great deal, yet unfortunately for my parents, I have been bitten a great deal by the travel bug and pester them for any opportunity to go beyond the city limits of Peoria,IL.

I still have a bit of time to enjoy my friends at school, make my bittersweet good-bye to SMC/ND and South Bend's winter weather, enjoy my favorite American cuisine, cherish time with my family and friends, and make my bittersweet good-byes, but I know the time will gone before I know it and soon enough, I will be boarding my 7 hour flight to Dublin. It will all come too soon, but too soon will my grand adventure also end in June.

Until my next post in Ireland..Slainte!