After almost exactly ten years, I’ve finally come back. While many things feel so familiar to me, there is a vast feeling of alienation from the country I am supposed to call my ancestral home. It felt only fitting to start my time here with the same people I had been with the last time: my parents. Landing around ten days before the start of my program, we traveled to Trim, Hodson Bay, Galway, Westport, and Ashford Castle before finally settling down in Dublin. We spent the first several days plagued with jet lag, only craving the sweet comfort of bed. The weather followed a similarly lethargic suit, with wind and rain scattering across the emerald landscapes. Thus, the Trim castle was a windy and cold excursion, contradicting my preconceptions about the Ireland summers mirroring those in the Mediterranean. As my dad was refamiliarizing himself with the left side of the road, we made our way over to Hodson Bay for the night, where we were grazed with our first rays of sunlight. After dinner, my mom and I took advantage of the evening light and walked along the shore, caressing the grass with our fingertips. It was refreshing to feel the sun hug my face as if we were finally reuniting as old friends. The passing days were some of my favorites. I had never been to Galway before the four days we resided there. The perfect mix of traditional and new created an atmosphere that was strikingly different from anything I had yet to experience. Each day, we paraded around the town, stopping at shops and soaking in the richness of the city. I even had some once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such as dining at the renowned Lignum restaurant and meeting Will Ferrell on the streets of the Latin District. The following days, we stayed in Westport, where we roamed the town, hiked Croagh Patrick, and went horseback riding (being a Western rider my entire life, learning how to ride English was certainly NOT an easy feat). As expected, the weather was unpredictable, but it did not stop us from spending as much time as we could outside and exploring this new town. The final stop before residing in Dublin was the ever-famous Ashford Castle. While we did not stay in the castle itself, we could enjoy all of the benefits through the Ashford Lodge. The first day of strolling around the vast property was relatively mild compared to the next. My attention was immediately drawn to the “hawk walks” from Ireland’s oldest falconry school on the estate. My parents, who often watch various types of hawks and birds from our kitchen window at home, shared my eagerness to see what it entailed. Needless to say, it was probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. We walked around Ashford Castle for an hour while a falconry expert shared some knowledge while I carried one of the hawks on my arm. It was an extraordinarily unique experience that captivated us every second of the hour. Before heading out, we ended our time there with a boat ride around the castle and learning all about its history.
It was rewarding and fulfilling to start my journey with my parents, the same people I had previously traveled this country with. However, I can’t wait to see what the next eight weeks have in store!!
Amazing, Cassidy! So excited for this journey together 🙂