Greetings from Galway, Ireland! Iโve been here about two months now, but Iโm just finally getting the hang of it. This week is the first week I havenโt needed to look at the location of my classes to find themโthe campus is big and confusing, but beautiful. I finally know the bus schedule, Iโm following my budget, and Iโm being somewhat productive in the meantime.
Iโve been trying to take advantage of my location as much as I can (and cheap Ryanair flights). Iโve made it to Liverpool, Paris, and Prague so far. In November, I will travel to a couple of cities in Italy, and a week later, Iโm visiting my friends in Cyprus, who are studying at the University of Nicosia this semester. Here in Ireland, Iโve visited the Aran Islands, the Cliffs of Moher, and some little towns down south.ย
Iโve met people from far and wideโI have friends from Italy, Estonia, Sweden, India, and of course, Ireland. Iโm most involved in orchestra society, but I try to attend as many random society and school events as I can. Itโs a little harder to find my place than Iโm used to. The student body is about seven times bigger than that of my school at home, and at times, it can be overwhelming.
Iโll admit, the thing I miss most from home is the seminar-like classes. The small clubs. The relationships with my professors. I didnโt know how much I thrived in the interactive, small-class size setting until I lived a month in a place where Iโm relatively nameless. Still, the classes are all very interesting, and Iโm enjoying myself more than Iโm not.
Thereโs a consistent ache of homesickness. It randomly gets worse, and then better. A couple weeks back, my parents visited me, and when they left I had an especially melancholy week. But, I expected this, and Iโve decided that itโs a privilege to miss home and still be having a wonderful time.
I get to go back to the places and people I love so much at the end of all this. And, if the main source of sadness is the missingโand not the actual quality of life I have over hereโthen, Iโll take it. In the meantime, Iโll spend my time painting and writing on the Corrib river, or listening to Trad at the local bars.
Love, Ella