SUVs, McDonalds, and Conservatism - Back in America

The first few days back have been nothing short of surreal. Everything is readily at my fingertips! Going to the grocery store is a common occurence. Hot showers are the norm. Clothing options are unlimited. Texting friends is easier than ever. Luckily I can appreciate all of these things much more after living out of a backpack for the past four months. I'm surrounded by wonderful people who have openly welcomed me back to Obamaland! And I've never been more excited to be in America!

Back to Ireland!

With a night in the airport and a quick flight back to Dublin, I stepped off the plane and felt home returning to the starting point of my trip. I rushed through the airport, navigated the streets of Dublin like a pro, and hopped on the bus back to Newtownmountkennedy and Sli Na Bande. Returning to a place with which I was familiar and people with which I felt comfortable was exactly what I needed. Within 10 minutes I felt completely at home and had forgotten that I ever left. My first night back, Manon and I reminisced about our Wicklow Way adventure and after checking the weather forecast, decided to finish the last 30 km! Hiking in the Wicklow Mountains again was an unexpected but welcome experience. One last night of camping, amazing views of Dublin, and back on the trail with Manon was a great ending to my trip. The last few nights of my adventure were filled with pints, homemade pizza, and good company. Saying goodbye and leaving wasn't easy but as I waited at the bus stop for the thousandth time in 4 months I dreamt of a time next week when I'd be able drive and never again rely on public transportation.

Four flights later I arrived in good ol' Charleston, West Virginia. Home sweet home.

"Not all who wander are lost." - Tolkien

Sunscreen is Expensive

After arriving in Portugal, the travel bug started to wear me out a little. The freedom of visiting a new place and meeting new people had started to lose it's appeal as I began to wish for consistency (and a car). Nevertheless, I'm trudging forward and making the most of my time!

After leaving southern Portugal, I headed to the central region to visit Coimbra, a beautiful university town. I was then lucky enough to have a place to stay in Madrid where I toured beautiful gardens and parks, and tried not to melt away in the afternoon heat. But per usual, I once again said goodbye and hopped on an aircraft with the least amount of leg space possible to Basel, Switzerland. Basel happens to be the birthplace of the greatest athlete ever, Roger Federer, and as soon as I walked off of the plane I was immediately struck by his presence and calm energy. With high Swiss prices and a friend waiting in Germany, I happily left the country for the depths of the Black Forest and a small town called Stulinghen. As I walked down the only street in town, I was happily greeted by an old friend, Erica! We did all things American, including eating fluffy pancakes for breakfast, contemplating the uselessness of duvets, and watching movies all day. Couldn't have asked for a better weekend!

With just a few days left on this extended journey, I'm returning to Ireland for a few days then back home!!!!

WWOOFing Round 3

Despite warnings to the contrary, I decided to try my hand wwoofing in Portugal. I lucked out. In the southern region, I found a wonderful English woman who generously took me to the beach and a typical Portuguese music dance during my ten day stay. A typical day consisted of the following:

8:00-9:30 work outside (weeding and raking)
9:30 breakfast (where I was introduced to a British favorite, Marmite)
10:30-11:30 a little more work if it was possible without melting outside
11:30-5 lunch, nap, relax, swim/kayak in the lake...Siesta!
5:00-7:00 work
7:00- dinner and a few British comedy shows before bed

All in all a great time!

Lisbon: Where I Gave up Tourism for Drinking

After a long ride into Spain I spent a few days in Barcelona. I visited the typical sights including a few Gaudi sights and had quite a nice time. But my trip planning caught up with me and I realized I didnt have time to go to southern Spain and actually enjoy it! So being the frugal traveller that I am, instead I opted for an 18 hour bus ride to Lisbon. Fun times. Wish you could have been there. I arrived in Portugal not sure if I was really in a capital city because everything seemed to be lifeless. However, later in the morning all the tourists popped out with their Canons and pressed khakis. I was glad to have a whole day to spend in the city before catching a train to my next WWOOFing place. So I threw my Osprey on and started hiking around to the big tourist sites pointed out on my map. As soon as I went to the cathedral I instantly regretted my decision. It looked like a million churches Id seen before. I watched American after American stand outside and take a picture while giving me strange looks, as if a girl walking around a European city by herself with a backpack was strange. The sun, backpack, and stares started to get to me and I decided all I really wanted was beer. I walked to the nearest bar and thought of Terry and Martha as I ordered a cool refreshing beverage that happen to only cost one Euro!! What a deal. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my day in Lisbon and safely arrived in the middle-of-nowhere Portugal!

Grenoble might be the best city ever if...

1. you stay with Madjouline and Francois (and finally don't feel like a guest somewhere)
2. you meet Madjouline and Francois' friends
3. you are impressed with the beautiful landscape of Grenoble, set in the valley and surrounded by mountains
4. your first night in town you are introduced to a French association. Basically, you tell the government you want to start a non-profit business and they give you money for rent. My first "French association" visit was an awesome bar called "Just Beer."
5. you enjoy hiking to the top of the Bastille for an enjoyable panoramic view
6. you enjoy running along the river and taking in the sights of Grenoble
7. you go shopping for the first time in 3 months for new clothes
8. you learn to enjoy local French food specialities

If I Carry a Baguette under My Arm, Can I be French?

My last few days in Belgium were spent weeding in the garden and going out for one last Belgian beer. As a joke, another volunteer and I randomly planted broccoli among rows of onions, potatoes, and fennel. You know life is slow when you get kicks out of broccoli plants. Then the time came to once again pack my bag and say goodbye. I left just in time as I was lucky enough to catch a ride to the outskirts of Paris where I excitedly took a train and attempted to manage public transportation in a foreign country. My fellow Wicklow Way hiker was nice enough to help arrange a few places for me to stay while I visit France!

I arrived in Paris, immediately dropped off my bag and headed out to start seeing the sights. As soon as I hit the streets I almost felt right at home with all the Americans roaming the city. I managed to see all the big sights: Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysee, Tuileries, and the Pompidore Museum. But after two days, I'd had enough more than enough of the city life and headed west to Normandy.

My second stop in France was Caen, where I visited my first European castle!! Finally! I spent my time meandering the streets, visiting museums, and drinking espresso at outdoor cafes - aka living the dream. Then I headed to the small village of Bayeux, home of the Bayeux tapestry and the Battle of Normandy War Museum. I vaguely knew of the tapestry but it's quite impressive at 230 feet and consists of 58 panels showing the events leading up to the Norman invasion in 1066. Following my historical education day, I was lucky enough to be welcomed into the home of Manon's parents where fresh food and hot showers are the norm.

Another few days in France then further south to Barcelona!

Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship,
My senses have been stripped, my hands can't feel to grip,
My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels
To be wanderin'.
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way,
I promise to go under it. - R. Zimmerman

1st Annual American Role Reversal Day in Belgium

Due to creative thinking on the part of a fellow WWOOFer and also the lack of strong English vocabulary and customs by the Flemish owners, the long standing American tradition of "Role Reversal Day" was celebrated just a few days before I left La Ferme. Basically the other WWOOFer and I decided that we'd like to cook for a day. And when you leave two girls weeding a farm for a week together, you'd be surprised with the they invent; hence "The First Annual American Role Reversal Day in Belgium."

The menu will make your mouth water when learning of the savoury dishes and surely you will be jealous you were not in Belgium for the feast!

Breakfast - apple and banana pancakes

Lunch - a regular American barbecue with burgers and fries - lentil, onion and carrot miniburger, baked polenta, tomato, and arugula miniburger, tofu, celery, and tomato miniburger, homemade baked beans, coleslaw, homemade ketchup, and vegannaise

Dinner - vegan pizza with a thin whole wheat crust and topped with mushrooms, onions, roasted red peppers, and arugula, salad with balsamic vinagerette, and roasted courgettes

Dessert - banana tofu cheesecake

"Om nom nom nom nom nom nom." - Jennifer Turner

Life at Le Ferme

Ireland is known for rolling, green hills dotted with sheep and Belgium for flat farmlands covered with cows and surrounded by the bluest skies youve ever seen. It took quite a few days to settle into life at the farm. For one thing, I was concerned about the safety of all the workers and guests. With all these skinny vegans, every time the wind blew I kept checking around to make sure no one broke in half!

The daily routine consists of:
830 - breakfast of miso soup and porridge
10-12 work in the garden
1230 - lunch break
2-4 workout, bike ride, or head to the village bar to watch tennis matches!
4 - dinner preparation
630 - dinner followed by dishes
830 - sunset walks, ping pong, badminton, studying macrobiotics, etc.

One day last week a group leader invited the kitchen staff to join his group for ginger compresses! Having just learned about this relaxing pasttime I eagerly accepted. Towels are soaked in boiling ginger water and then placed on the lower back/kidney region to promote circulation and blood filtration. Initially it was slightly painful but easily the most relaxing evening I've had here!! Also I my off day I headed to the next village and spent the day kayaking and basking in the sun! It was completely relaxing and beautiful!

I'm leaving Belgium in a few days to continue the nomadic life in France! Let's see if my high school French classes were worth it.

(pics of my day off kayaking!, and my favorite places at La Ferme: the courtyard, the kitchen, and the gym)

"We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip...a trip takes us." - Steinbeck

The Osprey Kestrel 38

If I have neglected to mention my wonderful backpack and sole material possession, it is only because it has performed wonderfully and fully exceeded my expectations. When I purchased my bag, I had closely studied many types and specifically chosen the perfect bag to suit my needs. However I have recently discovered that every strap and extra pocket provides a useful and neccessary purpose. And best of all, just when I think I have run out of clean clothes, I reach into the Osprey and tucked away in a corner is another shirt. I give it a whiff and excitedly throw it on, in disbelief that I ever considered it dirty!

Running with a European

I arrived in the beautiful country of Belgium over two weeks ago and after a no-question border checkpoint headed straight to Gent where I was warmly greeted by a fellow Sli Na Bande wwoofer, Griet. We spent the day wandering the streets and catching up on life from the past few weeks. Gent was a very nice city and happened to be celebrating Vegetarian Day when I was there (I think they knew I was coming). We spent a couple of days by the North Sea and loaded with train and bus schedules we parted ways and I set off for the next wwoofing adventure.

Two trains, a bus, a miscommunication with the bus driver, and lots of walking later I successfully arrived at my next destination. La ferme du bois-le-comte is a macrobiotic vegan retreat center. I was introduced to everyone and immediately started helping in the kitchen getting ready for dinner. One fine Sunday afternoon I heard heavy boots walk in the door and someone say "Hey Egg Salad". I was instantly relieved because I knew another Sli Na Bande wwoofer was now in my presence. Maria had been hitchhiking her way across Europe and stopped back in Belgium before heading home. With another American around, we instantly started talking as fast as possible and telling funny stories with "thats what she said" jokes included.

The past few weeks have been filled with delicious vegan food and I'm trying to learn as much as possible from all the wonderful chefs here. The work days are sometimes quite long filled with dishes, dishes, and always more dishes. However, I always find time to go for a hike in the unexplored woods of southern Belgium, or to bike to France, or relax on the porch. I am also trying to learn more about the macrobiotic lifestyle which involves eating biological animal product free food, and much more. One evening I mentioned to one of the other workers that I was going for a run. Kris instantly volunteered to go with me. I was incredibly skeptical because I outweigh most people here by 40-50 lbs and running isnt really my strong point. Nevertheless, we set out and he gracefully sped through the mud, dodged trees, tramped through tall grass, and I lagged behind learning my lesson - never go running with a European.

(picture of Griet and I enjoying Belgian beer!)

Sli Na Bande

I've left Ireland and flew into Belgium this morning. My first WWOOFing experience was better than I could have imagined. I was sad to leave but happy to have had the chance to live at Sli Na Bande with such great people. The owners of the house are incredibly generous and willing to share their land and house with everyone. WWOOFing provides a unique work experience also. There are no hassles that come with a regular job. No worries about how long you are working, how much you are getting paid, when you get to take a break, etc. I've found that through WWOOFing nothing feels like work, but the dedication and commitment to projects is probably greater than at a paying job. I'll always remember the generosity and openness that Sli Na Bande offered and for now I'm off to find my own "Way of Goodness." After spending a night on the west coast of Ireland in Galway I'm happy to meet up with a friend here in Belgium. Fries, chocolate, and beer here we come! I'll save the workout for next week :)


"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Kerouac

My Walk in the Woods

One day last week, a fellow WWOOFer from France and I decided to go for a hike. After looking through a few guidebooks we found maps of "The Wicklow Way" which is Ireland's version of the Appalachian Trail. Obviously it's much shorter so we planned to walk and camp the 127 km through Wicklow County and into Dublin over the course of a week. Neither of us are still quite sure why we decided to do this. I left my iPod behind and we packed a few belongings, bought a cheap tent, and hit the trail not quite sure what to expect!

After the first day of constant walking we were completely drained tried to keep our spirits up with the thought of going to a pub at the end of the day. Unfortunately, we seemed to have walked to the one village in Ireland that is pub-less. We set up our tent in a church yard and soundly slept for the next 12 hours in our small dome tent.

The next day, we continued walking, ignoring the blisters and sore muscles that were already present. We began to speak only in kilometers and already began to wonder why we were putting ourselves through such an exhausting adventure! Luckily, every steep hill we climbed had a view at the top that made it worth it! With the night approaching, we knocked on the door of a farmer who allowed us to set up a tent in his sheep field.

The third day was by far the most difficult and most unpleasant. The path zig-zagged through a man made forest that was interrupted every so often by a field of tree stumps. Not the best of Ireland but with constant encouragement from eachother, we somehow made it through the day and to a restaurant/pub in the nearest village. The fire was never so warm, the food never so good, and the beer never so refreshing. We were lucky to be able to camp in someone's backyard with the softest grass of our trip!

With the walk over halfway completed, our spirits were high and we decided to only walk in the morning and spend the rest of the day in the national park of Glendalough. It was the most beautiful portion of the way and amazing to wander through the old monastic city and imagine what life would have been like there hundreds and hundreds of years ago. After a night of illegal camping in the park, we once again set off the next day to mark off more kilometers on the map!

By this point we knew we were able to finish the walk and it was just a matter of the last few kilometers. We woke up early this morning, excited to hike to the highest points of the Way which we had been promised provided the best views of Dublin. Unfortunately Mother Nature was not on our side. We did hike to the highest points through the fog, wind, and rain but were unable to see anything but the path in front of us. We were soaked to the bone, miserable, and only thinking about going home. Proud of what we had accomplished and realistic that we couldn't possibly dry all of our clothes and sleeping bags for the night, we walked 4 kilometers down the mountain and another 2 km to the nearest house. Luckily Jesus in a young Irish woman's body lived at the house and opened her door for us to change our clothes, drink hot tea and eat cookies, and then proceeded to drive us right back to our house. We were and still are grateful beyond words!

While this week was physically and mentally draining, walking through Ireland was probably the best way to see the country and meet it's people! So many people went out of their way to be nice to us, whether it was was the person who filled up our water bottles in their kitchen, or fellow hikers who suggested possible campsites for the night, or the man who let us camp in his backyard. This week I also gained greater respect for the abundance of public restrooms available. And every day, I realized there's always one more bite left on the apple.



"When guys in camouflage pants and hunting hats sat around in the Four Aces Diner talking about fearsome things done out-of-doors, I would no longer have to feel like such a cupcake. I wanted a little of that swagger that comes with being able to gaze at a far horizon through eyes of chipped granite and say with a slow, manly sniff, 'Yeah, I’ve shit in the woods.'" - Bill Bryson

Leavings and Pheasant Killing

Three stories:

1.  Last Friday the Belgians packed their bags and flew back home.  As annoying as it was to cook and clean for them all week, it was quite sad to see them go.  The students had clearly had a great time in Ireland and enjoyed meeting all the wwoofers.  One of the highlights was the last night when an Irish band came to play which was followed by group Irish dancing and lots of laughter.

2.  I killed a pheasant.  As a post-Belgian celebratory excursion to the pub on Saturday, we passed a helpless animal half-flapping on the side of the road.  The woman whose house I'm staying at, immediately said "Pull the car over, kill it, and take it home.  We'll have it for dinner this week."  Apparently I had an inner burning desire to kill a pheasant because I immediately volunteered for the job.  I also realized this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Maria (a fellow wwoofer) and I jumped out of the car and walked over to the small bird.  She picked up a rock which I then proceeded to throw onto the pheasant's head.  After a few days of hanging up to dry, it was skinned and cooked for dinner this evening.  I had leeks and potatoes instead.  Roadkill...maybe Ireland is a bit like West Virginia.

3.  This past Sunday two fellow wwoofers, Griet and Maria, left for Belgium.  They were two of the most welcoming people when I first arrived and we'd had many great experiences in just two weeks!  It was great to come to a completely new place and be able to relate to people from different backgrounds.  I guess this means a visit to Belgium is next!

 

"To the brave and faithful, nothing is impossible." - Munster Rugby Motto

They have Good Chocolate and Kim Clijsters

Typical day as a WWOOFer during the Belgian invasion:

Wake up at 8 and drink coffee. Make and serve breakfast. Take a rest when possible, drink coffee, catch up on reading, go for a walk, etc. Plan and cook dinner (and I've recently been assigned to separate vegetarian dishes for us animal lovers). Clean up dinner dishes, hang out with wwoofers/belgians. Repeat.

The property consists of one main house 4 separate cottages, a yoga chalet, pool/pond, hot tub, 2 pigs, chickens, a donkey, and a windmill. The family has lived here for over 20 years and are completely comfortable opening their door to strangers all the time. I learned that the best person who ever stayed in the house was a Tibetian monk named Stardust who had a great passion for life and enjoyed smiling. I'm trying to keep up and hopefully surpass this great man but it has been very difficult as a simple West Virginian. Please post any suggestions so that I may leave a happy legacy in Ireland!

I have really enjoyed observing Belgians and their customs. First, they do not have Great American Chocolate Chip Cookies so that was easily corrected yesterday with a fresh batch from yours truly. Also, they are completely comfortable to openly give one another foot massages at various times throughout the day. Students are allowed to drink alcohol on school trips but are limited to 2 beers each. The students are fluent in English and completely immersed in American culture (which unfortunately means bad pop music).

That's all for now! More soon!

WWOOFing and the Belgian Invasion

Last weekend I left Dublin and headed blindly into the hills of County Wicklow to meet a group of total strangers whom I was to live with for the next few weeks. Luckily, I was welcomed openly into a great house and the people are not too crazy. There are 4 other people here my age, 2 Canadians (yes!!), an American, and a Belgian. We help out around the house for a few hours each day in exchange for excellent, fresh food and a place to sleep. The land is really beautiful and I couldn't have asked for better weather since I've been in Ireland. The big task for this past week, was preparing the house for a group of 40 Belgian students who will be staying here for the week as part of a school trip. Things have definitely been hectic and it's taken me some time to adjust to living in such a diverse environment with different people. I am hoping to sharpen my cooking and baking skills while here as well as meet new people!

One thing that has amazed me is the amount of crap backpackers bring with them these days! Computers, cell phones, hair dryers, dress clothes, work clothes, swimsuits, etc. I've seen packs 3 times bigger than mine and can not honestly think what else I could have brought that I'd need.

That's all for now! Thanks for all the emails and messages! It's great to be able to keep in touch from across the pond.



"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simply your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." H.D. Thoreau

Greetings from the Emerald Isle! After an eventful week in the countryside, returning to the bustling tourist city of Dublin took some adjusting. Luckily my first night back I was openly welcomed to the home of Chuck and Imelda who provided a delicious vegetarian feast/dinner, warm shower, laundry facilities, comfortable sleeping space, unlimited internet access, and endless nomadic advice and encouragement. I've only been gone for a few weeks but am already overwhelmed with the generosity and support of people. Let's face it, I voluntarily chose to take a backpack across the pond with limited belongings and funding. Yet people have been willing to assist any way they can so I can continue this crazy adventure. Thanks to all!

After a great reunion with two rugby friends, Jaime and Coley (who are completing their 2 month European Backpacking Extravaganza), we've spent the past two days exploring the city and having fun. Our best adventure was a short day trip to a small town just outside of Dublin called Skerries. We found a brochure advertising windmills from the hotel lobby and decided to check it out for the day. We had no clue what to expect but it's always the unexpected things that turn out the best, right? The town contained two windmills and a water mill of which we were personally given a lengthy, informative tour. I would have to compare the initial experience to the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine where you are forced to take a school field trip and spend the whole time laughing behind the teacher's back and fighting with the person behind you in line. However, with my acquisition of that piece of paper and my infinite wisdom, I (and we) very much enjoyed the tour. The mills were impressive in their simplistic methods requiring only water and wind for power and also impressive in their complex designs that efficiently used every ounce of power to refine grains. I'll never look at a piece of bread the same again. I probably learned more in one tour in a little town called Skerries than in a week of power presentations at an accredited university. After our windmill explorations, we walked on the beach along the harbor admitting how glad we were to have the opportunity to visit. Later we celebrated Coley's birthday with a nice Thai meal and......

So this morning I once again said goodbye to friends and will now be on my own for the rest of the trip. I have to admit, there's a certain period of the day between leaving the place you slept the night before and getting to the place you're going to sleep for that night that really reinforce the aim of this excursion and also instill stronger feelings of vagabondry. Then, once again generous people are put in your path and you can warmly reflect on these things at the home of Chuck and Imelda.

I'm off to my first WWOOFing adventure tomorrow in County Wicklow just south of Dublin!

Attack of the Wild Animal and More!

I've spent the past week at a retreat center in County Sligo and have been living the dream. After semi-successfully managing public transportation in Ireland I arrived late Wednesday evening. I've had my own little cottage right by a river fully equipped with food but no TV. I worked a few hours a day helping in the garden or cutting wood in exchange for room and board. In spare time (which has been plentiful), I've been out exploring, gone hiking and biking, read, watched movies, etc. Unfortunately "Taken" was one of those movies which was probably the worst decision I've made since being in Ireland The mountains and scenery are beautiful and despite what Skip says, Ireland does not look like WV.

I have not been walking alone in the woods at night yet, but have still managed a near life threatening incident. Whilst innocently and joyously embarking on an afternoon bicycle ride the other day, I slowed to admire the beautiful scenery on either side of the road. Just as I slowed, a large sheep burst out of a poorly constructed stone fence only feet ahead of me. The sheep gazed at me fiercely with sharp, piercing eyes of black but I gazed back with fiercer, even sharper, more piercing eyes of brown. The sheep obviously sensed fear from a person known for their disdain of all animals and began sprinting down the road in the opposite direction. After stopping to munch on a few blades of grass, the sheep entered the fence of a farm across the street and continued on with its business of sheep being. I have since been exercising greater caution when biking.

Wednesday afternoon I'll catch a bus back to Dublin and spend a few more days in the city, meeting up with 4 friends from school. Saturday I'm headed to Cork (home of the famous Blarney Stone) where I'll stay on my own for at least 3 weeks then go to Galway on the west coast for a week.

I've only been gone for two weeks and have to admit that I'm already tired of my clothes. It's also not much fun carrying all of your belongings on your back all day, thinking that it's too heavy and trying to figure out what to toss. It's even less fun when you realize that you've tossed all you can toss and really need everything that's left. Other than that, the trip is fun! Waking up everyday to do whatever and go wherever is a great feeling!

The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. -C. McCandless

The first few days...

Hello! So after three long flights I finally arrived in Dublin early Friday morning. I met up with two friends and after checking into our hotel, slept most of the day. We went to a few bars later that night and met a lot of very nice Irish people. I was a little surprised that everyone knows where West Virginia is, and they’ll then proceed to sing you “Country Roads.” People are also excited that Obama is our new president and so am I :-) Other than that, I’ve just been exploring the city! I took a tour of Dublin Castle, walked through St. Stephen’s Green, and went to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The St. Patrick’s Day parade was huge and people were standing on ladders just to look. We didn’t see any great floats and after a while of pretending that watching the parade was fun, we had lunch and beers. It seemed like there were more tourists (mainly American) than actual Irish celebrating but it was a fun day!
I’m leaving Dublin today and taking a train to Sligo which is in the northwest region of Ireland. Hopefully the weather will still be great (still haven’t had rain!). Miss you and see you soon!

Departure and Trip Itinerary

Well I'm set to begin my vagabonding adventures this week!! Following a few months of working in the real world and weeks of travel to visit friends and family I'm anxious and ready to go. After 18 years of structured schooling, traveling seems ideal to further my education (and have fun) before hopefully attending graduate school in the fall. I'm flying out of Charleston Thursday morning and will land in Dublin early Friday. I'll meet up with two friends and spend some time celebrating St. Patrick's Day. After about a week I'm planning to travel around Ireland on my own and experience as much as possible! I have a backpack and a short list of things to do, no detailed plans and no return ticket. If you've read this far and think that I've still maintained some of my sanity and would like to keep it that way, skip to the next paragraph. While I'm in Ireland, I've set up a few places to work/visit/stay through a program called WWOOF. Google it if you get a chance. I'm drawn to the simplistic ideals of the program and chance to meet diverse people and see the country through a different perspective.

I won't have a phone while abroad but I'm hoping to gain access to a computer every so often. I hope that everyone will keep in touch through e-mail and keep me updated! Also, I'm not opposed to traveling throughout Europe so if you have any suggestions or places I could stay let me know :-)


“What is the feeling when you're driving away from people, and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? -it's the too huge world vaulting us, and it's good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.” - Kerouac