“Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”—Oliver Wendell Holmes

 

I came to Ireland for an adventure in my last semester of student teaching.  Family and friends teased me about how I would go, fall in love with the man of my dreams and never want to come home.  Studying abroad and falling in love happened to my cousin, Sarah, so it could happen to me, too.  While I am not that girl who dreams of fairy tales, prince charming, and happy endings, I secretly was open to the possibility of finding The One.  The one who doesn’t change me, but brings out the best of me.  The one who loves me for being myself.  Little did I expect that I actually would find The One.  I found the one that loves me for me, the one who makes me happy beyond belief, and the one who I will think about and love for eternity.  The One, if you have not guessed already, is Ireland.  Every aspect of my life in Ireland was perfect.  I lived with the most amazing Erasmus group in the history of Moville and possibly the history of any university (Erasmus is the name for European international students and Moville is the name of the international dormitory on campus). I student taught at Saint Ultan’s Primary School where the vibrant staff, enthusiastic students, and beautiful building made my days fly by.  Four months seemed more like four minutes.  I leave Ireland in less than 36 hours and I don’t know how long it will be before I can come back to my love.

“Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”  I may be leaving, however, part of my heart will always belong to Ireland.  It will belong to the children and staff of St. Ultan’s Primary School.  It will belong to St. Patrick’s 2011 Erasmus group.  It will belong to Dingle Bay and the Cliffs of Moher.  It will belong to the CIE tour and FUN BOBBY.  It will belong to Whelan’s pub, the music of Henrietta Game, and the craic that was had with true friends.