So, I started this blog on the 11^th in the Fall, so I thought it fitting to end it on the 11^th in the Spring. What’s happened?

June 3^rd- It was more real to me on the plane that I was indeed going home, but I still felt as if I was just going on another trip. My parents were waiting for me and my roommate came along to surprise me too! It was a bit of sensory overload as more friends came and visited- I definitely would not have had it any other way, I was so happy to see everyone, but it was weird because in my mind I felt I was still in Ireland, on Ireland time? I’m still figuring that one out…haha.

June 4^th- I woke up, way early- ah, so this is jetlag- thinking about when I should greet my friends in the apartment across the courtyard and then remembered that I was home; I felt at that moment how quickly the year goes and couldn’t believe that I was home already.

My weekend was filled with more visits from family and friends, which was wonderful and hard at the same time because the answer to the question “How was Ireland?” is never an easy one. You either want to tell everything or you have to keep it short and sweet. I found the latter is better (I can always show the family the pictures later).

I was very busy this first week back in the States, which in a way was good because it forced me not to be ‘homesick for Dublin.’ But today, I do miss Dublin. And I think that’s great. I certainly immersed myself within the culture, I look for certain things here in the States that remind me of Dublin, I’ve been told that I’ve been comparing Dublin with the States (i.e.- well, in Dublin we do… or in Ireland the way it works…). I say ‘cheers’ instead of ‘thanks’ still and add the occasional ‘like’ at the ends of my sentences and a personal favorite phrase picked up- ‘no worries.’ I will miss being able to walk everywhere, I will miss the rain (I still argue that rain in Ireland is very different from the rain we get here- insert your laugh here) and I will miss my friends. I can honestly say that studying abroad in Dublin was one of the best experiences of my life, I will always reflect on it and be thankful. When I miss Ireland on days like today, I find myself checking Irish news, music, and sports (I am in love with the band The Script and yes, who doesn’t love Rugby?).

I know I will be going back to Dublin, I just don’t know when.

I am very excited, though, to share my abroad experiences with my fellow classmates who were also studying abroad. So goodbye for now Ireland and hello again Holy Cross!

Cheers,

Megan   

Well, last full day in Dublin. I ran around Grafton St. getting last minute gifts, finished packing, and went to our favorite pub to say goodbye to friends. It was a great night, but hard to believe. I had established for myself another home and created a family of new friends; I was excited to go home but still couldn’t believe that I wouldn’t be walking past Trinity’s campanile or past the Arts Block or grabbing a coffee at the Science Gallery Café, following what had become my new routine in a new place. Off course this night I didn’t sleep because I was in a room that was now empty and it hit me that my wonderful, outstanding experience in Dublin was ending.

Had a great last weekend in Dublin- bittersweet though. Thursday night I spent time with my Neuroscience classmates, they are really an awesome bunch and I was so happy to celebrate the end of exams with them on what would be my last ‘class night out’ with them. Friday we spent more time at the Pav before going to a favorite spot called the Palace. And this weekend I began the packing process and in between went down to Sandycove to say goodbye to Silvia and drop some stuff off for next year’s group. It’s funny to learn how much stuff you can acquire in a year while abroad, my room didn’t seem too full, but my suitcases were definitely starting to fill up. Being that it’s a Bank Holiday today, I was able to relax with friends and enjoy the glorious sun we’ve been having. I am happy to be able to tell everyone back home that my last five days in Ireland were filled with sun and many of us even got a little sunburn!

Last exam today! Went well, glad it was in the morning because afterwards my classmates and I grabbed some lunch at the Pav. The Pav was getting to be quite the popular place once people were finishing up exams-which was great- because I was starting to have to say my goodbyes which seemed unreal.

While I’d been in Dublin for just about a year, I had yet to go to one of the music/club venues, Tripod. Friends and I got tickets to see a reggae band- Toots and the Maytals- and it was a fun concert to celebrate the end exams. And what I love about Dublin so much is that there is always something fun to do and a lot of diversity.

Two exams in one day! Given my schedule of Neuroscience combined with French, I was bound to have an exam clash and with this clash came a hilarious day of exams. My morning started out with a Neuroscience exam and then once I finished I was ‘babysat’ by an invigilator (what we call ‘exam proctors’) who would take me to my afternoon exam. Okay, so the day wasn’t hilarious but I thought it was funny that given this clash, my name wasn’t on the exam seating list, meaning my invigilator and I had to run up and down looking for the head invigilator so I could just take my exam. I was happy to have finished my second exam and to leave the exam venue which used to be a gym, so yea, it smelled like fish and a shoebox- maybe that’s hilarious.