The Semester Full of "Opportunities"

As I began my trek to Minneapolis for my flights to JFK and Dublin, Ireland, respectively, my mom gave me an interesting lecture about the amazing properties of "opportunities". I appreciate any advice she gives me; however, I did not expect that this little nugget of wisdom would impact my outlook on my entire upcoming semester abroad.

We were driving along in the car and she started talking about how anytime there is a mishap or something doesn't work out, I should look at it as a new "opportunity". I thought this was such a cool way to look at situations that had gone awry, and honestly I'm a little jealous I didn't make it up myself. What I love about this new way of thinking is that it opens my mind to accepting that no matter what happens, God is and will continue to take care of and provide for me. I am so thankful that I have such loving and godly parents who encourage me daily to grow deeper into my faith.

After the insightful lecture on "opportunities", I realized that my first opportunity had come. I forgot to pack my hat and gloves, so now I have the opportunity to buy a new pair! Instead of panicking, I used this new mindset to overcome my fear of not being prepared.

After this slight hiccup, I met up with my good friend, Ellen, who is also studying abroad at UCD this semester. Once we said our good bye's to our parents, we headed towards security. I was honestly a little nervous because this was Ellen's first flight EVER, and I didn't know how she would handle the craziness of security. Luckily for me, she was as calm as a cucumber! The rest of the traveling was pretty boring as everything went smoothly. Our flight from Minneapolis to JFK was quick and easy... although Ellen might say otherwise ... let's just say she has a strong grip. The four hour layover in New York City was a breeze. Our gate was only two down from the gate we exited from our Minneapolis flight, and Ellen and I had time to stage the perfect photo using our favorite travel guide writer, Rick Steves. The six hour flight was also very chill; although, sleeping on a plane is not ideal, but Ellen and I did our best to sleep the whole time to help alleviate the jet lag we were bound to experience. Again, customs went quickly, both of our bags came off the carousel, and we got to sit outside in the fresh sea air while waiting for our Coach bus to take us to the hotel.

Driving through Dublin was so beautiful. As many of you know, cold, rainy, gray days are some of my absolute favorite days . This day did not disappoint. The starkness of the gray sky accentuated the vibrant green color of the grass, and the beautifully shaped cottages looked spectacular against the natural colors of the land. It was truly spectacular. Being outdoors is one of my favorite pastimes because of the natural beauty that was created by my God.

After showering up and getting refreshed, I realized that my second official "opportunity" had come. My mom and I both assumed that the European adapters worked in Ireland, but Ireland actually uses the same plugs as the UK! So Ellen and I spent a good chunk of the day hunting for an adapter that would work for my electronics. Thankfully we were able to find an adapter, and we got SIM cards for our phones so we can use them while in Ireland.

On a side note, if you would like to contact me, please shoot me an email, a message on Facebook Messenger, or a DM on any of my social media platforms. Unfortunately, I cannot text US numbers unless it's absolutely necessary!

As Ellen and I began to navigate the city centre, we decided to stop at an Irish pub for our first meal in Ireland. We ate at The Old Storehouse, a lovely pub and restaurant a few blocks away from Temple Bar. (We discussed going into Temple Bar, but we were intimidated by our lack of experience in ordering drinks!) The Old Storehouse had such a warm and inviting atmosphere, and Ellen and I were immediately taken by it's rustic charm and constant tunes of live music. Since this was our first night in Dublin, I thought it would be fun to order a drink... man that was a tough decision. Due to my lack of experience in ordering drinks, I had absolutely no idea what to order or what size I should order. I somehow managed to order a whole pint of a sweet cider. While the taste was interesting, I could only drink a little under half of the pint! After our delicious dinner, Ellen and I began to hit a wall, so we made the journey back to our hotel to rest up for our big week... Orientation starts tomorrow!!

Thanks for reading my novel, I am hoping to post about once a week... possibly on Thursday nights! I am truly in awe of the vividness of the city and the beauty of the country. I cannot wait to experience and share more! Also, I'm adding pictures tonight, so look out for those! I'll add more as I continue to write more blog posts!

* Weekly Tea Trivia: The Irish drink more tea than the English.

Good thing I decided to study in Ireland!

Cheers,

Anna