One Month Later

Hello again! It's been a while. About a month, actually, although it feels like it's been much longer than that.

My time in Dublin came to a close back on July 18th, and my new fall term at Indiana University began on August 24th. The time in between was mostly filled with preparations to move into a new apartment and time spent reminiscing on the beautiful things I'd seen while abroad. I've got my photos and videos from the trip all sorted and moved onto an external hard drive to make room on my laptop for actual academic files, and some of the things I went through feel almost like a dream. Every time I tell a story, I remember something new and forget something else.

The experience of studying abroad was unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's hard to believe that I'm the same person who wandered through mountains, biked penninsulas, and explored the seaside. I've come back to a place so far from the ocean, without the rugged terrain or the mild climate of Ireland, and I have to say, I miss it more than anything. I'm actually considering graduate school in Ireland if I can manage to get in; I can't imagine living my life anywhere else, not in the same way.

It's been just over a month, and my love for the country and the people I got to know hasn't diminished in the least. I know that I'm a different person now than I was before I left; I'm more comfortable exploring, happier being on my own, and generally a bit braver than I had been before I left the United States last June. These things are what I hold onto as I await the next opportunity to visit, and I know that I can be proud of the things that I accomplished in Ireland for the rest of my life.

So here's to Ireland, and to a summer spent exploring.

Taylor Haggerty