The End of the Journey

As I listened to the Irish music in the pub tonight I was once again brought back to the reality that in a few short days I will no longer be treading amongst these rolling hills of Ireland. A roller coaster of emotion flooded over me as I started to think of all the memories I made in just a few short months.

I have grown close with many who were mere strangers 5 months ago. Had I walked past them on the street at Christmas I would not have been able to pick them as the people whom I would now call friends for life. In 4 short months I have not only become friends with students from all over the states, but all over the world. Before I have even left Ireland, I am already planning trips to see them. I grew close to these students in such a short time because they were similar souls. I will miss many things about these new friends. I will miss how open-minded and accepting they were. I cannot remember ever excluding someone from going out with us. I will miss how unmaterialistic they were. I have never been a shopper, and those who I grew closest with shared the same feelings of disdain for shopping. I will miss their curiosity for learning new things or exploring 'uncharted' territory. The weekend trips and the intellectual conversation about other cultures will be greatly missed.

I will not only miss the people I have grown to love but the culture as well. I will miss the carefree spirit of the European lifestyle. Most times, I have thoroughly enjoyed the mindset of "If I don't get it done today, I will get it done tomorrow." I liked that it wasn't a get 100 things done a day stressful atmosphere, but a more relaxed get as much done as you can type of feel. I will greatly miss the Irish music which could be heard nightly at a pub downtown. I think I will have to try and find the 'irish' pub when I get to Cedar Rapids. Fortunately, I will not have to miss the friendly culture of Irish people as Midwesterners are known for their hospitality as well. I will also miss how environmentally friendly Ireland was. There were recycling bins all over the place, heaters only ran during optimal times, and most people used reusable grocery bags. I feel America can greatly improve their environmental efforts, but that movement must start within the culture not the government. So I urge you to start taking your grocery bags with you to the store, recycle more bottles in the bins, and consider how much impact you personally are having on the environment.

I will miss the island as a whole. I will miss the gorgeous green I saw everyday I walked the streets to class. The flowers which add color to my days in Botanic Gardens. I will even miss the rain I cursed as I walked back from the library. I will miss being able to travel among the rolling hills of Ireland. The waves crashing on the coast. The sun shining through the clouds. And the occasional rainbow after the showers. I will also miss the ease to which I can travel to other areas of the world from the island. It was so nice having the cheap airlines to get me to and from other areas of Europe.

There are a lot of things that I will miss about Ireland. But as I prepare to leave the island I have grown to love, I know that it will always be in my heart as this wave of nostalgia will flow each time I see a shamrock or hear the familiar tunes..

Oh Ireland, I will miss thee.