Two weekends ago me and my fellow Dubliners took a trip all the way to Rome, Italy. We had an absolute blast, however, honestly we still felt like Dublin was home. That’s not to say we didn’t enjoy lots of pizza, pasta and hot Italian sun while we were there.
We managed to pack a whole lot into our two day trip. We saw the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Vatican and got to squeeze in lots of food and laughs. It was an incredible experience to explore a new city with some of your best friends.
One thing we weren’t prepared for was the lack of air conditioning. Even as a Texan who feels like they can put up with some pretty intensely hot summers, I was toast. Literally. When we touched back down on the green, Irish ground we were happy to be welcomed back by some cold weather, even though the little taste of sun was wonderful!
Besides having the time of my life in Italy for the first time, I learned two things on my weekend trip: my desire to continue traveling and my love for Ireland.
I envy the way that Europeans can simply hop on a plane and see another country in a matter of hours. I would love to visit the places that my coworkers have and learn about the other cultures in the world. Getting lost on the streets of Rome was a treat and I would love to spend my days wandering around new places. Yes, on this trip I saw what the life of a European would look like, jetting off for a weekend to explore a different country… aahh the life.
I also learned that Dublin truly is a home away from home for me. Every time I take a trip to another place in Ireland or another country, when I come back I am instantly comforted. Seeing the familiar streets of the city and the welcoming Irish people I feel an excitement inside that is just hard to beat. As I am nearing the end of my time in Dublin, I am sad to leave this place that has been my home for the summer and the people that have become my family. I hold onto the dream of coming back someday – for a long time or even just a visit to this place that will always hold such a special place in my heart.