From Ireland to Iowa in a Few Short Days

Adjusting back to Iowa life has been surprisingly easy, yet hard at the same time. I have only been back for a week now and I feel like it has been so much longer. Immediately, I jumped back into the old lifestyle: going to a swim meet, playing with the dogs, driving my car, and running to my bridge. I also started work and class within the first 2 days I was home. Who needs to recover from jet lag or sleep deprivation, when you have hours of work and catching up to do. It was no nice and slow welcome home. I was met by the full force of the American way. New York City may be known as the city that never sleeps, but I have come to realize that America is the country that never sleeps. No matter how early or how late, there will always be someone else driving on the road. Trust me, the last few days I have experienced this first hand. The country is always moving; it never sleeps.

Now that I'm back and trying to catch up on all the things I pushed aside until I got 'home', I feel like I never sleep. The hectic last few days have made it hard for me to come to terms with the fact that my semester abroad is officially over. I haven't had to time to sit and think about all the implications this has on my life. All I know is that it feels as if a part of my life is missing. The part that was filled by the friends I made and the culture that I grew to love. The part of my life that knew Belfast as 'home'.

I have put 'home' in quotes throughout my post because this semester solidified my view that 'home' is where the heart is. Some people search all over the world to find a place they can call 'home'. I am fortunate to have a few. My heart has always loved Perry as it grew and matured there. My heart learned to love Cedar Rapids with all the trials and joy that I experienced while in the middle-eastern part of the state. However, these last few months my heart has grown attached to yet another 'home'. This home has it's own special place in my heart as it is so unique. It is not only unique because at the beginning it was thousands of miles away from everyone I knew and oceans apart from everyone I loved. It is unique because this was a home I built on my own.

The foundation was built by curiosity. It was laid years ago when I met my first exchange student and I became determined to study abroad myself one day. The framing and structure of the house were built by my faith. Even though the foundation is the beginning of all houses the frame holds the whole house together. Faith is the most important of all the building blocks. Even though I flew out knowing no one, I did know one thing: God was guiding my path. I knew there was a reason I was going where I was. The floor is laid on my foundation and is the fortune I was given by being born who I was. The foundation wouldn't be much if there wasn't a floor to walk on. The blessings I have merely because of my birth are what have allowed me to walk the path I do. Without this fortune as an American I might not have the ability to indulge my curiosity and travel to experience new cultures. The walls were constructed while I was in Belfast and they represent the people I met that turned the city into a 'home'.

Both other places are a 'home' because my family and friends reside in these places. The mere mention of the city evokes feelings of nostalgia synonymous with those evoked when a loved one's name is mentioned. The place has become somewhere I love because of all the memories and relationships I have made there. The city has become a 'home' because my heart loves the people who are there and the places that I have shared memories with them.

Belfast started as just another city to me, but has evolved into a place that I call 'home'. It is a place that I miss; however, just like the other two cities it is not a 'home' merely because of its location. It is a 'home' because of the people I grew to love and the memories that I made there. One of the hardest parts about coming back to Iowa was knowing I could never go back to my 'home' in Belfast. All that remains is the abandoned house. No other occupants remain, but the house itself still echos with memories. The part in my heart which calls Belfast 'home' longs to go back; however, I know there would be nothing to go back to except for empty memories.

Yesterday I heard "Nothing but a Memory" by Miranda Lambert and I felt the song pretty much mirrored my feelings. She sings about a house that is no longer her 'home'. It still holds all the old memories, but the people who made them are gone.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
this brokenness inside me might start healing.
Out here its like I'm someone else,
I thought that maybe I could find myself
if I could just come in I swear I'll leave.
Won't take nothing but a memory

I know that I will never be able to go back to my 'home' in Belfast as I knew it. The walls will have changed and I might not even recognize it. But the little bit of hope that I hold onto is that I can still visit those whom I loved and that possibility is all I have to heal the brokenness I feel. Nothing can bring back the experience I had, and likewise nothing can stop me from visiting those who I grew to love for with each of them is a little bit of home and therefore a little bit of my heart.

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.

Do Your Eyes See the World or Just the Developed World?

Many emotions were evoked today as I landed in Belfast for the last time while I still call it home. I know that I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Ireland and will definitely be walking in Irish rain at another point in my life. But I cant seem to get past the fact that THIS time in my life, my time as an Irish citizen, is almost over.

In 8 days I am done with my exams for Queens. In 13 days Nadine gets here. In 16 days my family gets here. And in 19 days I say good-bye to the last of my Ireland friends to depart.

Time is a funny thing. It goes slow when you want it to go fast and flies by when all you want is a few extra seconds to revel in the moment. My time here has gone by fast in some regards and slow in others.

As I stated in my last post, it is weird being an ocean away from everyone I have ever known and loved. It was weird knowing that my friends were walking across the stage at graduation and will never walk the campus as students again. I am soon to be a senior in college now. Where has the time gone? It was hard knowing 3 of my best friends were going out to lunch and would see a belly which has grown so much in the 4 months I have been gone. Our conversations are no longer at sleepovers where we talk about boys and crushes, but at lunch dates where we talk about babies and weddings. When did I grow up? It is unreal to be talking to my brother and his fiance about their house. And how my other brother hosted Easter brunch at his. Wasn't it just a few moments ago when we all lived under the same roof and I was known as Finneseth's little sis?

And amongst all the change there still remains some things that stay the same. I will always call those who are now known as Coe alum my friends. I will always have my girlfriends from home to call upon when I need a ear to listen or shoulder to cry on. My siblings and I will never live under one roof again but the bonds that were made because we did will never be broken.

Just as things have changed while I was gone, I too have not remained stagnant. I have also grown and changed in many ways. I have learned the importance of experiencing another culture and have also realized that even though I have immersed myself in another culture it is not so far from the one I know. And to truly see how the majority of the world lives I must go to a developing country. I have learned that this is something I have always felt called to do. A portion of me has always been a traveler at heart, but the larger portion seeks to improve the lives of others. In my adventures abroad and in reading the book "Half the Sky" by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, I have officially decided to combine the two portions of my heart. This life path will make me happy, this is what I was meant to do.

I truly feel that I am called to use my fortune from being born in a developed country to help those in the developing world. What sets me apart from the woman sitting in Africa other than the place I was born? So then I ask why does this make me more important?

If you feel I am being conceited in saying that I am more important than a woman in a developing world, I would agree with you. However, this is not my opinion but that of a greatly skewed society. Americans as a whole are well educated and rarely stress over the true necessities in life. However, even though we are educated we are only educated in our own world, not the world. We see the world through the eyes of a developed country without realizing that 82% of the world live in developing countries. We, my friends and family, are blessed. And we are blessed merely because we were born in a developed country.

1. I am blessed that I can sleep in my own room at night. Most people in developing countries share a one room hut with their whole family. I have my own room.
   
2. I am blessed to have my own car. Most people walk miles each day for water, a necessity in life. I hop in my car to get ice cream, not a necessity.
3. I am blessed to have food and water at my disposal. Most people never consume as much food in a week as I have in my fridge.
4. I am blessed to be educated. Most women in third world countries have limited educational opportunities and university is extremely rare.
5. I am blessed to have the choice to marry whom I wish and when I want. Most women in developing countries are married by the age of 16 and many do not have a choice as to who they are married to.
6. I am blessed to have the opportunity to choose when I start my family. Most women in developing countries have had at least 3 pregnancies by my age. This is much more of a blessing then a mere choice as to when to start a family. In Sub-Saharan Africa 1 in 7 labors result in maternal fatality. I am blessed to be alive.
   

The list could go on and on but I feel these 6 give you a greater understanding as to why I feel it is my duty to help give the basic human rights to those who weren't born into them. I hope that by reading my blog, I might inspire you to start your own journey of giving back to those in need. I would greatly recommend the book "Half the Sky" to anyone who wants to be inspired more and to open their eyes to the world out there, not just the world they see. If you want a more immediate way to help, my friend Mitchell Lincoln is doing missionary work in Rwanda and his uncle is going to visit him with suitcases full of equipment for the school Mitchell is working with. If you want to send some things with Mitchell's uncle he is asking that you purchase the items off amazon from Mitchell's wishlist this week so they get to his house in time.

I hope I inspired a journey in you. For we, my loved ones, are blessed.

Far in Miles But Near in Heart

Today, many of my friends graduated from COE. They are closing one chapter in their lives and beginning a new one. It is an exciting time in their life, one they will never forget. And as those friends walked across the stage, many miles and an ocean away, I was thinking of them. I wished with all my heart that I could be there with them. Cheering them on as they walked the final few steps of their college career. Instead, I was sitting in Belfast thinking of all the things I will miss next year.

Next year I will miss the boys texting me at 11:30 to see if I want to grab a beer. I will miss ladies night at the Moose with the girls of 2010. I will miss the random nights of drinks and fun that we shared. I will miss many things about the class of 2010, but with all my heart I wish them a pleasant beginning to their new journey.


The best tribute I could think of is this column article written by Mary Schmich in 1997 for the Chicago Tribune, which was made into the "Sunscreen Song."

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you Sing Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…

Our Barcelona Break

3 canceled flights

9 extra days
280 dollars
Experiences in Barcelona..

If I was to be completely honest, I would reveal that we weren't exactly thrilled when we found out our vacation got extended. Each time our flight got canceled, which happened 3 times, we were disappointed to not be going home and to be "stuck" spending more money on a vacation we hadn't planned on. At the time, it was hard to justify spending the money in Barcelona when we were hoping to use it to go to other places like Edinburgh. We also missed a whole week of classes which stressed us out even more since it meant we would have even more coursework to make up.

But when I look back on the extra time we spent in Barcelona I can come up with many reasons why I am glad we had that time.

First, we met so many amazing people that we never would have met if we had left Barcelona on the 16th like we were supposed to. Even if we would have gotten on the second or third flight we would have missed out on meeting some of the people we did. We met another Massachusetts Sean who helped to keep our Belfast Sean company since he had been amongst girls for 3 weeks. We had to start referring to Belfast Sean as Sean 1 and Manchester Sean as Sean 2 just to make it less confusing since Sean 2 became an integral part of our group. He stayed with us up until the end, when we parted ways for the airport. We met Aaron and Brian who were two missionaries that we had many talks about life and the need for the church to change its approach towards faith in the youth generations. Ben was a guy from California who graduated early and used the month from his last semester to transverse Europe. The 3 Brit boys never failed to amuse us. You would think Brits and Americans would be very similar. But nope, we could never agree on the rules for card games, even UNO!

Second, we got to truly know Barcelona. The first two days we were there we did as much as we could because we thought that was all we were going to see of Barcelona. Because of this we didnt really have much touristy things left to do for the following 9 days that we were in Barcelona. This meant that we explored areas of Barcelona that tourists might never have found. One example is the second hand English book store that we spent a good hour in one day. We also got to see the Magic Fountain which is truly spectacular. The shows are only on Friday and Saturday nights so we only got to see them since the flight was canceled. The show synchronizes the fountain with lights and music. It is definitely a must see in Barcelona. The Park Guell is also another must see in the city! It was like a real life Candy Land or Hansel and Gretel Candy Cottage!

Third, we got to see Montserrat. Montserrat is a monastery built in the mountains of Spain about an hour away from Barcelona. The view from the monastery was breathtaking! I could have sat on the mountaintop for hours just taking in the scenery. It was interesting to think of all the monks who used to climb all the way up the hillside to get to the monastery. Once you go up, I doubt you came back down. But just the shear dedication to get to the top is impressive.

Fourth, we got to experience Barcelona during Sant Jordi. It is like a Catalone Valentines Day in Barcelona. The men get their significant other a rose and the women get the men a book. Ironically that was the day we went to the second hand book store. I jokingly took Sean 2's book and gave it to him so that he was "given" a book on that day. One interesting observation that we made was that people seemed to expect the gift and it didn't really even seem like an act of love but an expected act. But on the other hand we decided it made it easier on the guys. All they had to do was get a single rose for their woman and not have to worry about coming up with something creative and original that beat the previous year.

Fifth, I already miss the relaxation of not having anything to do. Last night when I was lying in bed with the list of things I had to do running through my mind, I wished I could go back to the peace of Barcelona. It is amazing how relaxing it is knowing you have nothing to do the next day except for read a book and maybe wander around the city.

Sixth, I got to make tons of memories and spend extra time with my American friends. I figured this paragraph would be best done in a bullet format.

• We had Tinto de Verano and Principe cookies almost every night because it was cheap and soo good.
• We watched around 6 movies while in Barcelona, which served as good bonding time.
• We relaxed on the beach a few days and I soaked up the sound of waves since I don't get to hear that as often as all the others since I am in the Midwest.
• We learned a little more about each other.
• The memories and experiences we now have..
  

Priceless

Oh Eyjafjallajokull..

Today is Sunday April 18th 2010. I have not had consistent internet so you will have a lapse in my travels until I get back to Belfast to fill it in. I figured it would be better to blog about what is happening now since it was a drastic change in our travels that all of you should be made aware of if you dont already know. We are stranded in Barcelona Spain because Volcano Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland erupted on Thursday cancelling our plans of returning to Belfast on Friday morning.

We got the news via a text message from aer lingus informing us that our flight was cancelled due to volcanic ash in the air. We had received a text earlier from a friend asking if our flight was cancelled too and we were quite confused. Once we got this text the pieces all fell together. We were stuck in Barcelona for at least 3 more days. We were tired, dirty, and travel worn but we had a few more days ahead of us. We found a place to stay and then started researching what was left to see for free in Barcelona.

Friday we went to Park Guell, which was designed by Gaudi the famous architect. The park was really awesome and started to made me feel better about the extra few days in Barcelona. We got some pasta and fruit to eat in the hostel and then went to see the Magic Fountain. The Magic Fountain was amazing! It was so awesome watching the water burst in unison with the music and lights. You should watch this Magic Fountain youtube video to full appreciate what I saw that night. After that show I was feeling even better about my unexpected time in Barcelona.

The next morning we had the best hostel breakfast we had ever had! It was so impressive that I am blogging about it! That should say enough! I had muffins with powder ontop and chocolate on the inside. They were so good! I also snuck out a kiwi and banana for later. We then went to Montserrat, a monestary in the mountains about an hour away from Barcelona. The view from the mountains around there was truly inspiring. I forgot how mountains can make you feel so humble, especially when you are surrounded by crosses on the hillside and a monastery in sight.

The monastery itself was impressive as it was build into the actual hillside. How the builders got up there in the first place is still a mystery to me. We took cable cars all the way to the top and the incline was very rugged and steep so I cannot imagine how hard it must have been. Once you came up, you rarely if ever came down.

That night we returned to Barcelona and found where our bus for the airport left from. We were going to catch the bus in a few hours and then sleep in the airport Saturday night to save some money since our flight was Sunday morning.

Unfortunately, we received yet another text message from aer lingus stating that our second flight was also cancelled. We started the cycle again. We were at first upset because we were tired, dirty, and ready to be home. We went to a local internet cafe and researched our options. We found ferries that could get us across the ocean to Belfast but we couldnt find an easy way to get to the cities where the ferry left.

After searching for awhile we decided to go as the people at the train station what our best option was. As we were standing in the information line a man infront of us told us about the French train strike. We were now stuck in Spain with buses as our only form of transportation out of Barcelona. After talking it over we decided that financially it was still a better idea to stay in Barcelona and lay on the beach everyday and wait for Wednesday to come when we would hopefully board a plane.

So today we just relaxed at the hostel since it was cloudy and windy outside. Sean and I went to the Picasso museum because it was free on Sunday! That was a nice perk since the others paid for it earlier in the week and we had decided not to to save money. But we still got to see it and didnt have to pay anything. I will have to say it was interesting seeing Picasso´s work and he is an amazing artist, but I am not a huge art lover. I would much rather go hiking or to the beach so I am still happy that I decided to spend 4 hours on the beach earlier in the week than pay for the museum.

We have met many other travelers that are in the same predicament. Some have found ways out, mainly via buses, but most are waiting around until Wednesday hoping that the ashes clear. So as we sit in Barcelona and wait for the ashes to clear, I ask you to pray for all us stranded souls that we find the best in our unexpected adventure and get home safe, yet soon.

Memories in Munchen

We arrived in Munich on Saturday April 10th 2010. I was soo excited to see Jakob, my best guy friend in Belfast. I hadnt seen him for a few weeks and was really missing him. He is the person I go to when I need to be cheered up and I hate going without my daily "Jakob talk".

So needless to say I almost knocked him over when I gave him a hug on the train platform in Munich. haha We went back to his apartment where we met Jonathan Noe his flatmate. His nickname is NoeNoe and at first it was weird calling a guy "No, No" and it served as a funny joke for the remainder of our time there. NoeNoe and I ended up being really similar and Jakob had his hands full when we realized that we have a lot of funny "blackmail" stories about him. We both serve as Jakob's confidant so we shared a lot of stories and laughed at Jakob's expense. But he handled our teasing very well. :) haha

The first night we made fajitas, Jakob and my favorite dinner! Very German we know. ;) We also got three types of beers to try out. They were augustiner, franziskaner weißbier (a wheat beer) and Radler (a lemonady beer). I have never really liked wheat beer, but I really liked this one! It was actually one of the best beers I've ever had! So Billy you should be happy to know that I have acquired the taste for wheat beer since you love it so much. :)

We went out to three different bars that night. The second one was my favorite as there was a dance floor! We also got some sausage and chips (french fries) while we were out. I asked for ketchup with it and forgot that ketchup in Germany and some other European countries does not taste like American ketchup. My advice is to stick to American ketchup if you ever want some overseas. European ketchup is just not up to par in my opinion, and I'm not even a ketchup fanatic. haha

The next morning NoeNoe and Jakob cooked us a traditional Bavarian breakfast, weißwurst-frühstück. It consisted of white sausage, honey mustard, pretzels, and franziskaner weißbier. It was such a good breakfast and I seemed to crave it the next few mornings I woke up. I have told Jakob that we should try to find the stuff in Ireland so we can make the breakfast again! :)That day we just relaxed and watched movies in Jakob's flat. We also wandered around Munich for a bit, but we mainly just hungout at his place.

The next day Mackenzie, Sean, and I fulfilled our tourist duties and went on another Sandeman's free walking tour. Our tour guide was an Irish guy so we enjoyed listening to an Irish accent once again. I have come to realize that I can tell English accents apart a lot better than when I arrived in Ireland. It is much easier for me to pick out an Irish, Aussie, British, or American from the crowd. What the person is wearing is also a good indication of where they are from. Take Americans for example, they are probably the easiest to spot just look for someone with a north face, baseball cap, baggy jeans, athletic sneakers, or a tshirt on. Most Europeans dress up more when they got out in public. Americans on the other hand don't care what others think of their sweatpants. Aussies are probably the closest to Americans in style as they also don't have a problem wearing just a plain tshirt and jeans around. Europeans on the other hand will occasionally wear a tshirt and jeans in public but that is the rare exception.

I learned some interesting facts on the tour. For example, Germany is a younger COUNTRY than America is. Germany did not become a country until 1871. Before that it was a collection of so called states. Munich was a city that was greatly involved in the "white gold" trade, which as some of you have probably guessed is salt. Munich also goes by another common name, Munchen.

That night was our last in Munich so we all went out again. We went to a fooseball bar where we stayed for quite some time. Jakob and NoeNoe obviously frequent that bar quite often as they were very good at fooseball. We stayed there for awhile and then returned to Jakob's flat for the rest of the night. The next morning we headed out for our long day of traveling to Barcelona.

We had 5 hours of chilling at an airport to wait for Lainey to meet up with us!