Before leaving for my trip to Dublin, I was worried about adjusting to life abroad. I was shocked to have a pretty easy adjustment and at how quickly I fell in love with the culture and lifestyle of Ireland. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was how difficult it would be to readjust to life in America. Of course it was hard to suddenly be miles away from the people I had spent 8 weeks with and grown to love so dearly. And of course it was equally as hard to suddenly not have activity 24/7 and to not be able to walk out my door and explore a new city. But even harder, was it to leave the culture and life of Dublin that I had gotten so attached to.
I miss the welcoming and kind Irish people. I think the untrue stereotypes of the Irish people don’t go too much further than the Guinness. These stereotypes, however, fail to correctly illustrate a population that is genuine, easy-going and welcoming to all. I was lucky to have encountered some of the best people I know at my office in Dublin. These people embraced me with open arms and for that I couldn’t be more grateful. With my Irish coworkers I was able to debate the happenings of the world without judgement from anyone. We all had very different opinions and it was incredible to learn about so many different outlooks on life.
I miss the busy city life. One of my favorite things was my walk through the city on my way to work in the morning. Walking through Grafton Street allowed me to pass by many cafes and restaurants with employees preparing to start the day. People were delivering shipments, setting up tables and welcoming the first customers in. Then there were the other business people hustling on their way to work. The excitement in the air made me motivated to take part in the working world of Dublin. Being back in the suburbs of Austin is just a little different from this experience… I love home life, but there is just something about the hustle and bustle of Dublin.
I miss the heritage. Dublin is so rich in culture. I loved asking Irish people something about their culture; asking someone to explain gaelic games, Irish dancing, pubs, their wars and history, would turn into a long conversation and would probably include a few pints of Guinness. Everyone was so in touch with their country’s history which was so cool to observe. I love the spirit of the Irish people and that is something that I miss terribly.
Above all, I miss the experience itself. I couldn’t have been more lucky with my time in Dublin. The people I met, my job, the city itself, all came together to make my trip to Dublin the best 8 weeks of my life. I think a little bit of me will always miss Ireland and the memories I made there, but I am excited to take everything I’ve learned with me the rest of my life.