Arrived, Adjusting, and Alone (but it’s OK).

Alright, guys. I made it to Galway. There have been ups, and though Ireland is awesome and this experience is once in a life time and all that, there have been downs.

On my first night, some girls from my program and I hit Eyre Square and had dinner at McDonagh’s. The beautiful lights and cobblestone streets simply melt the stress away. Complicated and disorganized class registration? Cold rooms and crappy showers? Rain all the time? Carrying heavy groceries for a thirty minute walk in said rain twice a week? But look at those lights, guys.

Just kidding. All the stuff I listed is still pretty stressful and inconvenient, and it’s taking some getting used to. Happily, I’ve scoped the city for churches and chapels and that has grounded me. I’m going to keep an eye on the weather and make a pilgrimage to Knock (which is about an hour away) on a sunny day once I finish reading “33 Days to Morning Glory.”

It’s been interesting getting used to dorm life again. At first, the lengthy walks were starting to aggravate me and my feet. But as the days have gone on, and the weight of annoyance has worn me down, I resigned (or, rather, rose) to blessing: these long walks everyday are perfect to keep me accountable to the daily prayer routine I committed to before leaving! Today, for example, after having a much needed holy hour, I took advantage of my walk home in the rare Galway sunlight to sing praises in my heart with my headphones and Spotify worship playlist.

I started classes this week, as well. I’m taking five as of now, soon to be six once we find out which seminars we’re placed in. My “timetable” (as they call it here) is: Medieval Literature, Modern Irish Literature, Bioethics, Writing Ireland: The Migrant Writing Experience, and Imagining Modern Ireland. Although the big lecture hall style is different than what I experience at PC, so far, the classes have been interesting and promising.

During the in between, two friends and I discovered a pub called “Fibber Magee’s” where I drank a Guinness, danced to live traditional Irish music, and heard an old man’s life story. Then, walked back a half an hour in the pouring rain and raging winds. Worth it.

10 days in, and life is starting to settle here. No matter how much fun I have, little Rhody is always on my heart – and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I connect to home in my own ways. For example, tonight I popped my headphones in and had a solo (much needed) dance party, primarily to Jonas Brothers and Juan Luis Guerra. I am praying for all my people back home and am looking forward to our reunion.