Things I've Learned/That's All Folks!

For the record I know this post is super late but I am going to blame it on my denial and reverse culture shock.

I can't believe I'm home. Seriously, I can't believe it. I've been home 4 days and I haven't made a dent in unpacking yet. My understanding that I'm officially home isn't really sinking in. I miss Cork so much! It's like a disease. I feel like everything reminds me of it. And I'm even trying to bring it home with me. Wearing all the clothes I bought over there, doing my usual "go into town and get coffee and read" routine, and even eating the same foods. This is like a disease.

But since I'm finally taking steps in accepting this change in my surroundings, I wanted to take the time to show my gratitude for the past 9 months of my life. Correction, some of the best 9 months of my life. I learned so much and, maybe I'll be the only person to notice, but I feel like I've changed a lot. Hopefully for the better. Here's some of what I've learned, at least a few of the points I can think of:

1. Learned how to braid my hair - Obviously this list is not in order of importance. But I taught myself how to braid my hair about a month ago and it has been an absolute godsend. Now I don't have to be the lame 21 year old girl who has to ask others to braid her hair for her because she never learned. Seriously, 7 years of camp and I never learned. But, in all honesty, this is one of my proudest accomplishments while abroad. Hair styling success.

2. Confidence - When I was at camp last summer, I had to take my cabin on an overnight campout. We were still on camp property, but it was our responsibility to make a fire, cook dinner, and spend the night in the woods. I was incredibly nervous about building a fire and cooking the food because I am definitely not Miss Nature Girl. When we got to the woods and I successfully ignited a fire with only a few matches, I have never been so proud! I leapt up and exclaimed to my girls "If I can provide you with food, then I can do anything!" I have very similar emotions about this year, more specifically about the first few weeks. These were certainly some of the hardest weeks I have ever had to get through. If someone going abroad next year asked me for advice about how to get through them, I honestly don't know if I would have any to offer, because there's probably nothing anyone could have said that would have made me feel better during those intense points of homesickness. It's just something you get through, which I did. And the fact that I moved beyond it and thrived in my environment lets me know I can overcome absolutely anything. My time abroad has made me absolutely believe that.

3. Traveling - This is a pretty obvious one, but true nonetheless. Before, I barely knew how to navigate my way around an airport. Now I can get through security flawlessly in one easy swoop every time! Even making the simplest travel plans like looking up bus times and taking a day trip was new to me at the beginning of the year when we went to Kinsale and Waterford. By the end of the year, I had no problem heading to the bus station by myself and going on a solo adventure.

4. Cook - I do use this term loosely because I don't really know if I did a lot of "cooking," but I did provide myself with 3 meals a day all year which is pretty impressive! In August, the simplest task of making pasta was an accomplishment. By May, I was thinking about how I could add in different cooked vegetables and sauces to make it a more complete dish. Even the smallest additions feel like big accomplishments!

5. I am one of the most blessed people ever - Enough said. Honestly. And I am pointing to each and every one of you that is reading this right now. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have played an amazing part in my time abroad. Thank you for sharing in my experience, thank you for supporting me every step of the way, and thank you for commenting so I know I'm not writing into a cyber void!

I can't believe it's over. I don't think I'll ever stop saying that. I have been in Study Abroad mode ever since October 2009 when we attended our first Study Abroad information session. Ever since then it has been this huge decision weighing on me. Do I really want to "give up" a year from Holy Cross and go somewhere completely new? OH MY GOSH. I can't even imagine who I would if I hadn't gone. Cork is amazing, Cork is beautiful, and I simply can't wait to go back.

So, as I already said, thanks for being here! I know I will look back on this blog as far down the road as 10 years, and as close as September, and be eternally grateful for having these incredible memories to appreciate and cherish.

One last time . . . SLAN!!!!!!!!