Back home

Fudge. 

Can't believe its been just over 2 months since I graced this continent with my presence. 

It's so amazing to be back home, surrounded by familiarity and such great friends, but there is this constant nagging in the back of my mind, telling me its just not the same. 

Don't mean to sound all mopey, but its been the most difficult transition in my life. Going to Europe was easy- the excitement, self-reliance, new journeys at every turn. Coming home is different. It's everything it was before I left, but so much different at the same time.

I live with 8 of my best friends, but somehow I still feel outside of the group.

I live in a city with so much to offer, but thoughts of hoping on a train to Odense or catching a flight to Dublin consume my brain.

Seeing signs in Japanese isn't the same as attempting to read signs in Danish.

I picked up a Danish couple from the airport last week. Louise is my "buddy" through SFSU, and she brought her bf Eddie with her to study for the semester. I was so happy to be able to help them, but so incredibly jealous that they were about to embark on the greatest time of their lives, and I am stuck in the same place for now. 

My biggest fear is that despite photos and journal entries, it will all start slipping away. I don't want to forget how it felt to be across the world, on my own. So alive. I wonder what's next for me, what will make me feel the same...

America?

Is it just me, or is it a tid bit frightening that bin Laden issued another tape threatening the US, saying Obama's efforts to reach out to the Muslim and Arab worlds are only cause for more hatred of our country?

If you know me, you know I have never been the most "pro-American" citizen (hence why I moved so far away?) until this year. I truly believe Obama WILL do something different for our nation, and based on the views of all the Europeans I've met, they seem to feel the same way. 

I admit we have our bad history, and the 8 year Bush legacy did nothing to help our image. But, there will be a change. There has to be. 

But as long as there are protests in Iran with citizens yelling "death to America," our security is not safe, even when we refuse to fight a war on our own soil. 

I remain confident that peace CAN be achieved, if given the chance. Obama's speech in Cairo today was a step in the right direction, although many (including me) were a little disheartened that he didn't speak too much about human rights. Though his mentioning of women's rights, especially  of those in the Arab world, further shows his good intentions, and gets him a thumbs up from me. 

Irish Music

Yes, it's in P.S. I Love You. Yes, I'm obsessed. Yes, the version by Steve Earle is better:

Irish Adventures...

So after all my gabbing, now come the photos! Your welcome, in advance.

Trinity College, and typical Irish weather.

Cork!

No no no, for once I'm not talking about a wine bottle! 

Just hanging out in the South of Ireland, enjoying it to it's fullest extent...

We arrived around 1030 last night on the bus from Dublin, were supposed to stay with a guy from CS that didn't answer my texts, so we headed to a hostel with alll our stuff (like a 20lb bag each, plus backpacks with laptops. Uphill. Nighttime. FUN!) thinking they would have rooms available, but homeboy wanted to charge us 22 euro each!

"F that!" we said, and trotted off down the road to Sheila's (possibly Aussie? It's on Melbourne road..Kiwi? Whateva.) and booked 2 sweet beds in a dorm for 10 euro. Score!

Met a cool Aussie, walked around the city center laughing at drunk people and getting free hugs, then to bed for a bit of rest before my really super convenient phone interview at 9am! There was lots of coffee involved.

We wandered around the city today (verrrryyyy tiny, but I really love it!) and by city, I sorta mean Primark. Well, Penney's. Seriously, they need to bring this goodness overseas! 

Had some spicy Indian chicken madras, and now off to hang at our couchsurfer's house- he's a pretty cool guy and is in a band! Woo!

Photo of said Madras:

Luck of the Irish

Means that it looks nice outside, but by the time you put your shoes and jacket on and walk out that door, its completely pouring. Grr Ireland, grr!

The last couple of days have been really good, just exploring Dublin and spending WAY too much time researching and begging people to give me interviews. One of my most important sources is only giving me 20 minutes! I better be prepared..

I went on a tour of the city yesterday and met some cool people, then encouraged them to stay at my hostel so I would have someone to hang out with! Smooth.. one of the guys just graduated from school in Arkansas, and is getting ready for med school in Texas, and after he wants to go abroad to offer medical help to underdeveloped nations. Heart of gold, I tell you!

The guide was really cool too, though I felt bad for him putting so much effort into a free tour where he is completely dependent on tips, and the crowd was just boring. I talked to him for awhile though, but I noticed that since most of the audience was American, I think there was a reason no one understood his jokes.

If I had come on the tour straight from the US, prior to learning as much as I have this year, I think I would have been clueless to about 50% of what he was saying. (Thank you, US public school system..) so even though the tour is free, they may want to rethink just how MUCH information they are regurgitating, as it may not be the best crowd pleaser. 

Anyway, things are good and I have interviews the rest of the week!

The smallest of worlds..

So, despite the other shit I went through and awkward feelings aside, something really fantastic did happen to me!

On Saturday we spend the day on a tour that gave us an hour at the Cliffs of Moher (pics to come!) walking about, possibly considering suicide, the usual. And despite the weather, there were still hundreds of people there. 

Ok hold up, lemme back track. I met a guy in Prague named Gus, the awesome Aussie who is spending a year traveling the world. For some reason, we really clicked, got along great, and he just has a heart of gold; one of the sweetest guys I've EVER met!

He was supposed to contact me when he was in Denmark, but never did. I tried getting ahold of him on facebook, but no luck. Then I saw that he was in Ireland, and still no response. I thought, whatever, he's a busy guy and will contact me someday. 

So back to Saturday, I had ditched creeper man to walk around on my own, and was wishing I was back in Prague with the cool kids I met there, Gus being one of them. Eventually we had to get back to the bus, and I was walking by a group of people, I looked up, and there he was! The Aussie, in the flesh!

After the way I was feeling, it was the perfect thing for me! We just looked at each other in shock, and hugged for about 5 minutes. I was soo happy to see him! We caught up a bit, then I really had to get back, but the day had improved, and my faith in humanity was restored.

He could be anywhere in the world, let alone the same country as me, the same island, the same tourist attraction, and the same side of mountain... I don't know why or how things like this work out, but I think I will be smiling about it for the next week.

On another note, I'm pretty sure my hostel is haunted. Still better than Creepervile, Brazil