Wow, I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is the last post I'll be writing from the Emerald Isle. My flat is cleaned, my bags are packed, and today is the last day before I head to Belfast for the weekend before catching a flight back to the States. Tonight I had a farewell dinner with some of the spectacular friends I've made here, and after that my host parents took me out one last time for coffee. It's all so... final. That makes me really sad, but I am also really looking forward to seeing my family and friends once again- it really has been far too long since I've been with them.
These last couple of weeks since my grand adventures around the UK have been pretty chill, actually. Mostly due to my lack of funds and to-do-before-I-leave list, I haven't gone out very much. I did take a few walks, though, and spent some time just being outside in this special place. Coleraine certainly isn't as fast-paced of an setting as what I'd gotten used to over break, but it has been wonderful nonetheless.
Last Friday we took a walk to Portstewart because there were fireworks, which was really nice. Then there was one day that I had to run to town because I was sadly low on supplies- it turns out being away for three weeks really limits the amount of items you can keep in your fridge. So off to town I went to run some errands. I also had a gift card that I could use at T.K. Maxx (I don't know why it's a K here instead of a J. It's a mystery that remains unsolved.) and so did a bit of shopping too. I made the terrible mistake of planning to "just try on" a really cute jacket that I had no intention of buying. Kudos to my self control that I didn't purchase it, but I am still lamenting its loss. I did get a nice new wallet, though, since my old one's zipper kind of died on me.
Portstewart is pretty by day and by night evidently.
*sigh*
Anyway, I just sort of spent the day in town, popping in and out of shops, nodding and saying hello to random people on the street, and enjoying the sunshine and the lovely little parks that Coleraine offers. On the way back I did have an incident where a guy greeted me with "Well, Hello again," which was strange, since I didn't recall any previous encounter that would warrant an "again." He was nice, though, and we chatted for a minute about school, shopping, and the weather, and then he went on his way. I figure I must have passed him earlier in the day or something, and just not have remembered. He was sweet, though, even if I did spend the rest of my stroll home wondering about when our first meeting must have been.
The rose garden in town FINALLY had roses blooming. :)
Last Thursday was pretty fun, too! My host parents took my friend Bree and I to the Ulster-American Folk Park, which is a little village museum with old houses and people dressed up and telling you stories and doing demonstrations. Unfortunately it was raining a lot that day, but it was still really interesting. You go and explore the Irish country homes, thatched-roof cottages, and then their little town center; then you come to a really impressively sized wooden ship replica, which you get to go inside and on deck and explore, seeing what the living conditions would have been like when immigrating overseas. When you come out of the ship, though, you're in a little 1800s American town, and then you walk out of the town and come to American country houses that tell you about the Irish people that immigrated. Funnily enough for me, there were many homes from PA, and there was a house that the Fultons lived in from Lancaster, PA. I found it amusing that I was across the Atlantic and still managed to find a house from my hometown. It was a really cool museum, though, and I'm really glad I got to go have one more experience like that before I head home.
Little Irish Town (full of little Irish People. Every day, like the one before...)
yo-ho yo-ho! All aboard!
Below Decks. Apparently each of those bunks housed an entire family. *cringe*
How short really were these people? Between the top of my head and that door frame, there was maybe an inch of space, and I am not a tall person.
There was another day that it was absolutely pouring outside, and we even had thunder and lightening, which I'd previously not seen here. It was consistent, too; I don't think it stopped raining until almost 9 at night. It was one of the days I was doing chores around the flat and I happened to look out at the deluge and... well, I couldn't help myself. I grabbed my key, and despite being clothed in bright blue sleep shorts and a tank top, I ran outside barefoot and played in the rain until I was soaked to the bone. It was unfortunately much chillier than the similar summer rains we have back home, but it was so refreshing and beautiful out that I couldn't have cared less. I waltzed and twirled and got more than a few strange looks from people driving past. It was really really happy and I couldn't stop the gleeful giggles that bubbled up.
Last Monday two of my friends, Robyn and Anique, and I, decided to take a walk along the coast. It was a gorgeous day out, and the walk between Portstewart and Portrush is exquisite. I will absolutely never get tired of the Northern Coast of Ireland. We stopped for ice cream, because as I've mentioned before, these people seriously know how to do ice cream; yet another thing I'm going to miss. It was a really nice time, though, despite the entire walk from Coleraine to Portstewart to Portrush to Coleraine taking around four and a half hours. I don't want to be depressing or anything, but I can't believe that's the last time I'm going to get to take a walk there. *sigh* Happy thoughts- I'm going to get to see my family in three days. Okay. Oh! Also, while packing up I found a sash that my swing dance group at college gave me as their "Irish-American Ambassador" that I'd forgotten I'd brought. So I made sure to take some pictures in it. It was great! There was a part of the walk too where we got to do a little bit of rock climbing! Despite it not actually being an incredibly impressive height, I felt wildly accomplished when I'd successfully navigated to the top without dying. We also walked down on the beach and I decided to take of my shoes, roll up my jeans, and walk out into the shallows a bit- it was cold, but super nice. I feel like lots of beach trips are going to have to happen this summer so I don't go crazy.
I scream, you scream
One of my "sash" pictures. :)
*strangled noises*
Double whammy- me having triumphantly climbed the rocks (that's only the top. It may not have been that impressive, but it was more impressive than what you see here.) as well as another Sting Swing ambassador-sash picture.
But...but...I don't wanna leave.
I couldn't resist. It was so nice out and the water is so clear here, and despite it being freezing it was totally worth it. <3
Then there was last night. Yesterday I completed cleaning my flat and packing, and had finished eating dinner, watched a movie, and spent a while on the computer wasting time, when I was just like "Wait a second! This is my second to last night in Coleraine! Why am I inside?" I looked out the window and realized there was a pretty logical reason- it was past 11 PM and it was dark. Deciding that didn't matter, I grabbed my hoodie and went outside to sit on the picnic table out behind my dorm and stared out at the river. At some point a security guard came up and asked why I was out so late, and we talked for a couple of minutes before he wished me a good night and went on his way.
Mostly, though, I was just sitting there and enjoying just being where I was. I talked to God and thanked him for all of this, too, because it really has been remarkable and unbelievable, and there is no end to how grateful I am for having this opportunity. I sang a little, mostly to a star that reminded me of a few songs- "Goodnight My Someone," "Fly Me To The Moon," "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "Moonriver," and so on. There was also a lot of thinking. About this whole experience, mostly. I know I'm really going to miss it, but I also know that in other parts of my life that I've been loathed to give up, while I still miss how I felt at those times, I'm always glad to have moved on because I like what comes next for the most part. I appreciate how each new experience changes me and makes me grow. While my heart breaks a little when I think of leaving- I've dreamed of being here for some long, and now that experience is coming to a close- I can only hope that this just paves the way for new adventures in the future. (Would it be (any more) cheesy if I referenced Tangled here? I feel like there's a Tangled reference just aching to come out- "find a new dream" and stuff. But no, I already did the weird "deep" thing. We can move on now.)
Tonight was nice, eating dinner with the girls I've gotten used to seeing almost every day and going on adventures with and then going for coffee (well, hot chocolate and a massive and delicious peanut butter and chocolate pastry) with a couple that has made me feel warmly welcomed into life around the North coast. Saying goodbye was strange, because even though I knew I wasn't going to see them again, at least not any time soon, I've gotten so used to them always being there that it almost felt like just another night, like tomorrow I could message them and we could go on a walk. It hasn't really sunk in yet that we're all going to be hundreds or thousands of miles apart after tonight. There was talk, however, of making plans to see each other in the future, though, and that at least is a comfort.
So yes. That's for the most part been my life since coming home from my trips. Well, that and a lot of packing. Tomorrow I'm off to Belfast for a couple of days, and Sunday I'm homeward bound for 'Merica. I'm not going to lie- the thought of me leaving is almost as difficult for me to grasp as the thought of me being here in the first place. I can't wait to see my family though and finally see my friends again.
It's been absolutely incredible, though, and I'm telling you, if you ever get the chance to visit Ireland, please, please, do- you won't regret it. As cliched as the saying is, "there are no strangers in Ireland, just friends you haven't met yet." Meanwhile, it is a country that is outrageously beautiful and full of things to explore and discover. In fact, actually, if you get an opportunity to Study Abroad, too, DO IT; for goodness sake DO IT because it is so so worth it. I have grown so much from this experience; being thrown into a country all by myself (no matter how gorgeous and friendly it is) was terrifying, but it all worked out and I know it has pushed me to be a stronger person, and has changed me for the better in ways I hadn't expected. I can't even begin to describe how happy I am that I took this chance.
Now, I'll write again when I get back home, tell you about my last couple of days in Belfast, but this is basically it for my adventures in Ireland. How crazy is that? I hope you've enjoyed this adventure with me. Well, talk to you again soon, next time from the other side of the Atlantic. : )
I'm really really really really really going to miss you, Ireland.
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Okay fine, bonus- here, enjoy a really excellent Doctor Who parody that has literally nothing to do with this post, since I will admit it was a little bit of a downer:
And for you non-Doctor Who people (shame on you) here's something that's also pretty fab for your enjoyment and also has absolutely nothing to do with the above post (this is all improv by the way, and I'm not sure how it's possible to watch this and not smile and be wildly impressed. Dancing- that's another thing I can not wait to get back into :) ) :
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