It is often said that it's not really about where you travel, but the company you keep. I came into this study abroad experience with my eyes half open I suppose, so excited to get going on the journey but so comfortable in the daily patterns of my home life. Let's be real: I know we all Facebook stalked each other before arriving on the trip, but how much can you really learn about someone from their Facebook page? Maybe their home town or college. Perhaps if their single or dating. Let me tell you what you can't learn. You can't learn how a person lights up when talking about the things they're truly passionate about, whether it's sailing or llama training or ice hockey. You can't learn how real the hanger truly is after getting lost in a foreign city for hours. You can't learn how it feels to just sit in a hotel room with someone after a really long night and talk about everything that's running through each other's minds. But all of these things and so much more are what I've learned through the past few months with yous. Yes, YOUS. Over our time here I've not only fallen in love with our city but all of you have become my family.
I think that life unfolds before you in a series of revelations. Your friendship has revealed to me things about myself I didn't even know existed. You all have opened my eyes fully to the point where I'm no longer concerned about what is happening at home or if the patterns are changing, but to just live in the moment because we are never going to get these days back. The memories I've made here will never leave my mind. When we go home, things are going to be different. There's absolutely no denying that. Our friends and family will never be able to fully grasp the things that happened to us here. That is a bond that only we will share and to me that's so powerful. Yes, we live scattered all over the United States, distances farther that the width of Ireland, but I can only hope that the distance will mean nothing when it comes to our friendship. Of course there will always be the college nights of getting far too drunk and acting a fool and then fondly reminiscing about it the next morning, but none of those nights will hold the same gravity as making it home from Dicey's at 4am before a bus trip the next day. The endless pregame selfies will never measure up to those taken as a tourist on the selfie-stick. For a while at least I'll look back on everything from study abroad and wish I was back again.
I cannot thank all of yous enough for being my friend over the past few months. Whether it was a night I was conducting the hot mess express or being there for me through the death of my friend, it was never a question of if I'd be able to turn to any of you for help. Thank you for being my travelling companions on this whirlwind adventure. Thank you for sharing your pizza with me, a most valued treasure. Thank you for listening to me complain about the same things over and over and always having a sympathetic ear. Thank you, thank you, thanks a mil.
Our time together in this amazing country is coming quickly to a close but hey, we don't talk about it right? I hope that none of us come out of this thinking YOU BLEW IT. I'm already counting the days until we are reunited.
I started writing this post weeks ago, long before I even considered writing our final papers, because i knew I would never be able to find the words I wanted to fully express my love and appreciation for all of you, but just know this: you've helped me live the life I've always imagined. You have taught me more than any of our professors in school. I've always thought that friends are there to help you become more of who you are. I came to Ireland looking for myself and found you guys along the way; and that's worth more than any other moment in my entire life.
One last time....
From Dublin, With Love.
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