Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite times of the year. The family gatherings, the copious amounts of food, and the privilege of being home with the ones you love. These all contribute to the feeling that I have when this special holiday comes around. This year I felt different. I was 3600 miles away from my family and wouldn't see them again until the following spring. I had plans to go to Ireland for a week but I couldn't help but think of home and how special it is to be there at this time of year. There was no possible way for this thanksgiving to even compare to the feeling of being home with family, or so I thought. Little did I know that Ireland would have such a profound impact on my life and would give me the piece of home I was missing. Ireland welcomed me with open arms. From the generous and kind individuals I met to the untamed beauty of the west coast and everything in between; I felt completely at home.
The first couple of days I had the pleasure of experiencing Dublin with my dear friend Caroline. We had no itinerary except to explore the city. The architecture, the weather, and the food and coffee all brought back memories of my hometown and the experiences I have had with my loved ones during the holiday season. Each day in Dublin I fell more and more in love with Ireland and everything it had to offer. On Thanksgiving day, we had the privilege of spending dinner with our Notre Dame family in what turned out to be such a special evening. I didn't think Ireland could get any better but the following few days I found out it had much more to offer.
This leg of the journey I decided to go out on my own to the western coast of Ireland and up to the beautiful region of Connemara. I started out my trip with an experience like none. I took a bus to the small coastal town of Liscannor where the coastal trail along the cliffs of Moher started. It started out as a cold and snowy morning and as the day progressed the weather started to change drastically. I went through snow, rain, and hail along the cliffs to finally see the sun burst from behind the clouds. The strong gusts of wind combined with all of the elements left me completely in awe. There were no tourist on the muddy trail, just the sound of waves crashing against the rocks and the howl of the wind blowing through the grass. I was alone but I felt completely at peace. I closed my eyes and let myself feel the warmth of the sun illuminating my face. It was as if God had opened up the heavens to comfort me in my solidarity away from home. It might be a cliche when people say they find themselves in nature, but on the side of the cliffs with the sun and wind against my face, I felt at home.
Ireland turned out to be a bit of a surprise gem in my list of experiences while abroad but it has without a doubt taken the top spot. Dublin and the cliffs of Moher were just the beginning. Connemara with its untamed landscape and beautiful architectural surprises blew me away. Everything from the quiet village of Cong to the wonderful people of Galway and Dublin, Ireland took a time that would have been filled with loneliness and filled it with memories I will be reliving for years to come.
