Slán Éire: "Goodbye Ireland"

Things are winding down here as it is my last day in Belfast, my last day in Ireland. Tomorrow I will be on a bus back down to Dublin's airport and on a plane to Newark. In a way, it is crazy to think I've been here for three whole weeks already. Time has flown by! And yet at the same time, I am ready to come home. Three weeks certainly was an appropriate amount of time to spend in Ireland for our trip. I am so grateful for all of the wonderful things I have been able to experience while in Ireland.

One of my absolute favorite things about this study abroad trip was the along-for-the-ride attitude I adopted. It was lovely to just go-with-the-flow and take things as they came. I didn't get stressed out or upset. I knew things would always work out in some way or other. I let things happen as they may. It was amazing to let go of some structure and control. I loved not knowing what was on the agenda so that way each day was a pleasant surprise. Not planning things and just being along for the ride was such a freeing experience. Had I not had this attitude, I definitely would not have seen half the things I did on this trip.

As a way to wrap my trip up, I thought I would make a wee list of things that I love about Ireland. After reflecting on my three weeks here, I have come up with a list of 10 things. The list is in no particular order.

1. The countryside

Ireland's countryside is absolutely gorgeous! I've said it before, and I'll say it again. When I think of Ireland, I picture lush green countryside with short stone walls fencing in sheep. That is exactly what Ireland's more rural areas are like. Plus, there is the beautiful coast of Ireland. While the Atlantic is rather cold, it doesn't take away from the beauty of the ocean. From the 7km cliff walk from Greystones to Bray to the Cliffs of Moher and Giant's Causeway, I have loved seeing every bit of Ireland's countryside. No matter how many different times I saw the countryside, it never got old. The Irish countryside is serene and stunning! If I ever were to come back to Ireland, I want to spend more time in the country's rural areas.

2. Abundance of raspberry

This one sounds weird, but hear me out. I absolutely love raspberries and raspberry flavored things! They are my favorite fruit. One of the best things about Ireland is that they love raspberries too! You can find raspberry flavored things literally everywhere. They can be pastries, desserts, candies, jams, or yogurt. Seriously anything! I cannot tell you how many things I have eaten since I've been here that include raspberries in some shape or form. This is one thing I will greatly miss, seeing as in the States the popular fruit flavors are strawberry or cherry.

3. Admiration of simplicity

I mentioned this in an earlier blog post. The Irish people are a gentle and warm people. After interviewing an older gentleman, he informed me that Irish people find nobility in simplicity. Since I heard this, I couldn't get it out of my mind as I continued to experience more of Ireland. It couldn't be more true. This characteristic of Irish people plays a part in why they have so much pride for their heritage and ancestry. Perhaps I find this notion appealing as I myself grew up in a more rural area in the Midwest, or perhaps it is because, as the Irish, I find happiness in the small, mundane things. Either way, it is an inspiring way to live.

4. The level of environmental consciousness

One of the very first things that I noticed having arrived in Ireland is just how environmentally conscious the country is. Everywhere you go there are a variety of recycling bins for different recyclable materials, making it virtually impossible to not recycle. In most bathrooms there are hand dryers instead of paper towels to cut back on waste. Additionally, the grocery stores do not have plastic bags. Instead, they ask if you'd like to purchase reusable bags. There is also plenty of public transportation between buses and trams to cut down on individual drivers. If you aren't taking public transportation or driving yourself, most people ride bicycles or simply walk everywhere.

5. Generosity

There is no question that Irish people are friendly and inviting. They are helpful and warm-hearted. Ask any question and they are willing to help. Most Irish people are polite and mindful, which is refreshing after being around lots of rude tourists or Americans. As I mentioned earlier, Irish people are a gentle people. I think their generous nature comes back to their admiration in simplicity. Generosity is a simple concept that the Irish have locked down.

6. Culture

The Irish culture is fascinating! For me, there are three parts of their culture that I adore: traditional music and dancing, food, and folktales. Traditional Irish music is calming. The ambience of a pub with live traditional Irish music is rather romantic or idyllic. While I've been in Ireland, I've had the privilege to listen to loads of traditional Irish music. I've loved every second of it! On our first night in Ireland, we got to listen to traditional Irish music and see some traditional Irish dancing. It was a great start to the trip.

In addition to music and dancing, the food in Ireland is great. Irish food is a bit similar to American food in some respects, especially in the Midwest with the typical meat and potatoes kind of attitude. I have noticed that Irish food is always piping hot. I'm sure this has to do with the chilly and often rainy weather. You've got to warm up somehow. While I've been in Ireland, I've eaten a lot of traditional Irish stew (lamb and beef), steak and vegetable pies (stew with a puff pastry on top to trap in the heat), fish & chips, and croissants. I've also enjoyed lots of gelato, and I don't regret it.

Another part of Irish culture I love is their folktales. I did not know much about Irish folktales before this trip. While I still don't know a lot, I'm even more interested in educating myself on them. I love the way the Irish engage and indulge in their folktales. It is part of their history. Two of my favorite folktales were the origin of the Giant's Causeway and Tír na nÓg ("Land of the Youth"). Just as any culture, storytelling plays a role in the identities of the Irish people. I love hearing how the narratives are told and what messages are learned from them.

7. Taste in music for restaurants

Most restaurants, pubs, and cafes that I've been to while in Ireland have had such great songs playing. I'm serious! Playlists consisted of famous Irish bands like U2, Snow Patrol, and the Cranberries, but the Irish seem to love music of the 90s and early 2000s. All the songs that I grew up on are constantly played in these public places, songs such as Everybody's Changing by Keane, Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve, High & Dry by Radiohead and many other alternative gems. Of course they also played more modern hits too, but I loved the throwback hits. It is bop after bop in restaurants, which was quite the unexpected surprise.

8. Weather

This one is a little bit of love and hate. My group and I lucked out while staying in Ireland for the past three weeks. Most of the days we had sunshine or at the most overcast skies. It honestly hasn't rained too terribly much on this trip. It rained on our last day in Dublin then the first two or three days in Belfast; however, for the most part the weather was better than I expected. While we've been in Ireland, the temperatures have stayed consistently in the mid-50s to low 60s. It can be chilly and windy here at times, but the cool weather isn't bad as long as it isn't paired with rain. Though the weather hasn't been terrible, I am ready for some warmer summer weather.

9. Accents and sayings

I love the Irish accent! From the very first Irish person we spoke to (our Learn International program coordinator Mark Mullally), I was in heaven. The way the Irish speak is gorgeous! I was seriously hoping to pick up an Irish accent after being here for three weeks, but their accent is a bit harder to pick up. I do know that "th" sound is different here, as they tend not to pronounce the "h." For example, if you were to ask them what time it was at three thirty, what they would say would sound like "tree tirty." The Irish know they do this, so they tend to say half past and hour instead of the word thirty to avoid this. In addition, the Irish filler word is "em," not "um" or "uh."

The Irish also have some fun sayings! Here are some of the ones I've picked up on and hear frequently. "Thanks a mil," "Cheers," "I will yeah," "That's grand," "Feck," and "What's the craic?" The first two sayings are used to say thank you and farewell. "I will yeah" means no, which is hard to get used to. "You're grand" or "That's grand" are both commonly heard here. It's like the American way of saying great. For the Irish, "feck" comes from a verb that means to keep watch, but it is commonly used by children to get away with cussing without actually saying the f word. Craic is an Irish word for fun. When they say, "What's the craic?" they simply mean what's happening. The Irish use "wee" a lot instead of little. There are also all sorts of things that they refer to differently, such as trolley parks for cart returns or toilets/jacks for bathrooms. It is strange, but you get used to it fairly quickly. They do not say, "Top o' the morning to ya" here, so avoid that.

10. Irish pride

The Irish people are rather proud of their heritage and ancestry. They love telling tourists about their history, folktales, and culture. Their love for their culture isn't overbearing or haughty. They don't think they're better than anyone else. Simply put, they just have immense pride in their background and past. No country is perfect, and Ireland is no exception, but the Irish are proud to be Irish. The Irish flag is a representation of their country: the green is for the nationalists, the orange is for the loyalists, and the white in the middle is for peace between the two. They certainly recognize their faults, but they are never ashamed to be Irish.