A Soft Place To Fall

I hate the fact that I'm looking forward, trying to begin wrapping up these relationships and this experience, while I'm still very much trying to experience it and continue to live it and be present to it. It's such an odd existence. While three months most certainly is not enough time to experience and understand what it means to live in Ireland or to be Irish (let alone Polish in Ireland or any other facet of the Irish experience), I have certainly lived here long enough to establish a bond with this place and to develop deep and meaningful relationships with these people. I know there have been plenty of stories about going to the pubs and "going out on the piss" and getting locked and I certainly will look back on those times with fondness, but I will remember more the moments where our house sat down to watch TV and talk over a cup of tea. I'll always remember the length my housemates went to surprise me on my birthday. I'll always remember sitting up and talking with Amy about education and about coming to the States. Emer and her passion for the GAA and Galway in general will always make me smile, especially when and if I hear the Sawdoctors. Maria, Cathy, Helena, Ellen, Edelle and all my other pseudo-housemates have all become close friends. Mark, for good or otherwise, has taken me under his wing to make sure I fully experience Ireland, which means he keeps me out in the pubs when I should be studying. It's just been an amazing experience, which in no way diminishes any of my friendships back home; no one here has replaced anyone back home and no one back home will replace those I've met here.

It's hard to explain. I love everyone back home and look forward to being with you again; it is coming so quickly, though, that I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye to those here. That doesn't mean I'm not ready or not desirous of seeing all y'all (or all ye, as my housemates would say) back home; I'm just not ready to say goodbye to everyone here.

Hope that somehow makes sense.