The Final Countdown

We've come down to the last 24 hours of our time in Ireland. I have to say, it's a very bittersweet moment. On one hand, I'm excited to see everyone from back home and give them their presents. But on the other hand, which I lean more toward, I'm super sad to leave! 😭 I don't think that we had enough time here. There are a ton of things that I want to do, plenty of places I want to go, and a lot of things I want to do/see again. Ireland has been the trip of a lifetime! I fell in love with the country and the people. I got to do things that I'll never get to do again. I got to see things that I may not get to see for a while/ever again. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, the people are very nice and welcoming. The views are out of this world. The opportunities are beyond imagination. And unfortunately the adventure is ending. I want to thank everyone in Ireland who has helped us along the way: Jacquie, John, Cormac, Santi, Daniel, Una, Jennette, George, Aine, Maria, St. Raphael's, and many others we met along the way! I will never forget this!

My favorite place has been the Cliffs of Moher. Being up there made me feel like I could stay up there forever and just forget about my cares, especially with the weather we had yesterday. I loved looking out at the beautiful water and cliffs, as the waves crashed along he rocks below us. I loved walking along the coast line and feeling the sun hit against my face and the breeze blow through my hair. It was very calming.

The part I'm not gonna miss is the cold weather, granted I heard that it's snowing back home. I won't miss having to bundle up in my rain boots, purpple rain coat, and beanie, just to walk 5 minutes to get chips at Libero's (Amber's and mine's favorite spot in Dublin). But I know that we'll get this weather back in the Blugrass State once we get back, so I'm not holding my breath.

Some highlights will be listening to "Serial" (the podcast) in the car with Daniel on our trips, getting lost on the way to and from Dundrum, family dinners with the Sheridans, getting chips at Libero's almost daily and coffee at Insomnia, doing impressions in the car, navigating through Dublin City Centre and Dun Laoghaire, joking with George over WhatsApp, having deep conversations with John after dinner, watching rugby (on TV and in person), and nightly chats with Amber. It's been a wild ride, but I wouldn't change a thing. This has been a month of opportunities.

As we prepare to fly back and get ready for graduation and getting back to normal life, I'm thankful that God gave me the ability to come. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Him. Another interesting point, that I didn't think of until just now, is that I've been given the opportunity several times to talk about my faith and beliefs, especially at the school and with Daniel. If I don't get anything else out of this trip, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I shared the news of Jesus with others.

I know I keep saying it, but it's be the BEST trip of my life! I am so grateful for everything that has happened for Amber and myself. I hope that the future groups to come will have just as much/more fun that we did. I also hope that our Irish friends will remember us and will keep in touch.

Tips for the future groups:
1) Pack lightly, because you're gonna want to bring back souveniors.
2) Capture each moment (through pictures and memories).
3) Do all that you can while you can.
4) Don't waste your time.
5) Prepare for rain, coldness, and sunshine. Bring rain boots, rain coats, and winter hats/scarves/gloves (if coming in winter).
6) Embrace the culture.
7) Be aware of your surroundings and pay attention.
8) Plan in advance where you're going.
9) Try new things.
10) Don't call home all the time.
11) Experience all that Ireland has to offer.
12) Blog/journal about your experiences.
13) Keep in touch with people back home, enough to let them know you're okay.
14) Make sure you always have your phone with you and emergency contacts.
15) Don't take things too personal. Irish humor goes only as far as you're willing to go. (advice from Daniel)
16) Take every opportunity you're offered, especially if it's free tickets to a rugby match.
17) Share stories from back home with others.
18) Ask others about the Irish culture.
19) Eat all different kinds of food at least once.
20) "Don't let the fear of something stop you from doing something. You don't want that regret lingering over you." -Amber
21) ENJOY your time! You may only come here once, or it may be a while before you come back.


Once again, THANK YOU IRELAND FOR THE AMAZING EXPERIENCE! And thank you to those who made it all possible for us to come here! 😍😀

The End of One Chapter & Beginning of a New One

The past 3 weeks have been crazy! Amber and I traveled to Dublin on or own, met the Classport team (Daniel, Una, and George), lived with a host family, and taught in an all-girls Catholic school. All of these experiences have been amazing, and I'm beyond blessed to have been chosen to come here. We've had experiences that no one else will be able to say that they have done. We've went to a live rugby match, toured different historical places around Dublin, ate (and became addicted to) chips from Libero's, watched street performers on Grafton Street, watched part of the Christmas lights get turned on, watched 2 Irish plays, and met tons of amazing people. I would say that Dublin was a success, and we had a lot more opportunities than if there were a big group of us, instead of just 2.

But today closes that chapter. Tomorrow, in less than 12 hours, we will be on our way to Belfast. The whole week will be spent traveling all over Ireland and seeing how things are in the western and northern parts of Ireland. We'll see the Titanic Museum, a Gaelic-speaking school, a sensory school, & other really cool things. It will be THE week of adventures. It's the last week, but also probably one of the most fun weeks.

Our last day in Ireland is next Saturday, the 10th, and we'll return for one more night in Dublin on the 9th. That's when we'll close this chapter on Ireland 2016. I'm so thankful to have been given this chance to explore Ireland with Amber and get to see what it's like to be a Student Teacher outside of the United States. I'm in love with Ireland! I don't want to leave, but hopefully I can return. I do miss my friends and family a bit, so I'll be glad to see them, but I would rather they came here instead. Thank you Ireland for showing 2 Kentucky girls how to be Irish for a month. You'll always have a place in my heart.

I'm hoping I'll get to blog a few more times before I leave. Expect to be updated on how the next chapter turns out soon.