Vive la friendship

When I left Ireland two months ago, I was on top of the world — filled with the experiences of a lifetime and high on new relationships I'd formed with some amazing people. Of course, when separated by an ocean and a busy schedule, it's hard to keep those relationships alive and well. People who you talked to everyday, shared some of your deepest thoughts and craziest experiences with are no longer accessible every day. Sure there's Facebook and Skype, but it doesn't seem the same.
So it was reassuring and refreshing to see some of my favorite people from Ireland last weekend, a boost in confidence that these new friendships really are the kind that will last for a while. My French friend Clem, his good friend Miles and Jess all visited my hometown Erie for some good ol' American fun! Clem and Miles are about half way through their North American get away, stopping in Erie after seeing Washington, D.C., Philly, Boston, Montreal, Toronto and Niagara Falls. Jess got the weekend off from work, so we decided to meet up for an Ireland reunion — one that will not soon be forgotten.
It started with a majestic lightning storm like none of us had seen before. Pair that with a night of cheap drinking at Sullivan's, a once Irish pub turned urban dance bar, and stop at the tikki bar with a shooter girl running around, and you have an unforgettable night of laughter and new memories to go along with the old ones. We dance and sang our asses off, compared cultures and heard about Clem and Mile's amazing journey through America thus far. My boyfriend and friends from home also came out with us and meshed SO well with everyone, it was like we'd all known each other forever. It was nice to know that I'd picked a good group of people that my old friends approved of and loved.
The next morning, I woke up determined to show my friends all the great things my city had to offer, so we headed out the best place in Erie, Presque Isle. We lounged on the beach as Clem and Miles splashed in the warm, fresh water like young boys. We tossed the frisbee and sat on the beach and watched a storm roll in over the lake, soaking us to the bone, but showcasing our adventurous side. We didn't run for the car or pack up our stuff when the rain fell, just smiled up and the sky and watched the clouds swirl. After the beach we stopped for diner food complete with hot dogs, milk shakes, fries and ice cream. The boys laughed at how "American" Sara's Diner was, red checked tile and all. Our next stop was the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, which was a more educational take on the history of the region. We checked out the view from the top of the TREC tower, an amazing panoramic of the water.
We had a cookout dinner, courtesy of my amazing parents, who welcomed everyone with open arms, smiles and fantastic conversation. The seven of us sat out on my back deck and visited for hours, chatting about travel, life and culture. My parents hit it off with everyone right away, and it was good to see everyone from two different parts of my life coming together. After dinner, my friends and I went up to Family First, a sports recreation center, where we rode the go-karts, squirted each other on bumper boats, watch the French boys struggle in vain to hit a fast-pitch baseball, and play a pathetic round of putt-putt golf. We had such an amazing time, goofing around and laughing like there was no tomorrow.
I was sad to see the weekend end as the Frenchmen boarded the Greyhound to their next stop, Chicago, but I was so grateful to reunite with some of my Irish comrades. It was nice to know that even outside the little bubble of utopia that was Ireland, we still had lost in common, lots to talk about and lots to do. It just proves that everything that I felt abroad was real, and that it can continue in my life back in America...and for that I'm so happy!

Two days in heaven

I've decided to keep the blog going. I might not be in Ireland or traveling Europe anymore, but I am doing a bunch of small trips around home this summer, places elegant and stunning in their own way, so I thought I'd keep sharing my adventures.
I've been going to Allegany State Park in New York since I was a baby. My parents met there, and before them both sides of my family made yearly vacations to the forested wonderland — you can probably say love of the place was built into my DNA. Childhood memories and radiant thoughts flood my mind every time the place comes up in conversation. Every other year I look forward to a week of camping in the woods with no cell phone reception, smelling like campfire smoke and cooking meals on a old-school stove.

Because of work, I only had a few days in paradise this year, but I took advantage of every moment. I gazed at the stars, which seem to shine much brighter without the lights of the city to drown them out, losing myself in the clear sky, interrupted only my the tree canopy. I sat next to the blazing heat of a well-stoked camp fire, making fresh popcorn and mountain pies, snacks one can only find at camp. I soaked my feet in the chilly creek, water that runs down the mountains and keeps the younger cousins hunting for crayfish and splashing in water fights. I smiled in the warm summer rain, which always seems to find us, as it came down in the early afternoon. I talked and caught up with relatives and family friends that I only see at camp, getting to know each other all over again and laughing all the while.
The forest surrounds everything, engulfing us in a quiet, simple atmosphere and shifts me to a relaxed state of being. The creek gurgles and the lake lays out before me like a flat piece of glass that ripples and shimmer in the hazy July heat — the place is simply breathtaking.
I sat in my lawn chair near the crackling fire with a cold beer, of which there is an unending supply at camp, looked at the loving people and gorgeous scenery around me, and thought to myself, "This is the life."

I've got an addiction

Posted this last week for the Collegian, but wanted to put it here too!

For a month I've been going through withdrawal. I'm like an addict with a craving, I've an itch that can't be scratched, a thirst that isn't quenched. No, I'm not strung out on heroin and I'm not jonesing for a cigarette. What I long for is bigger, much more meaningful. It's a place and a feeling I still haven't been able to put into words: Ireland.

For a month, I've been going over everything in my head -- recalling the memories made, lessons learned, friendships fostered and trips traveled, trying to cope with the fact that I'm not in Ireland anymore. For a month I've been struggling to find the words to describe every experience I had while I was abroad, and the only thing I keep repeating to people is, "It was amazing!" Lame, I know, and definitely doesn't do justice to the magnificent culture and people of Ireland. So this is my attempt to encapsulate in words the best experience of my life. Hopefully it will bring me some closure, start weaning me off and easing me back into American life.

I'll start at the beginning. Leaving State College, my family and friends I was a little nervous, yet so excited I couldn't sleep on the six-hour flight across the Atlantic. When my feet stepped onto Irish soil I breathed in the fresh air and boarded a bus to Limerick. Because of the busy orientation schedule and the amount of Guinness I drank, the first week was a blur, a hectic whirlwind of new people, tours and exploration. And although I fell into my routine in Ireland, I never once lost that euphoric feeling of awe and excitement.

I discovered many things about myself:

I can catch a rugby ball and take a tackle with the best.

I can navigate my way through France alone.

I can to make Spanish paella and sangria.

I can make a long-distance relationship work.

I love hot chicken rolls.

I have the same twisted, dark sense of humor that many Irish people posses.

I can shake it like Beyoncé in London clubs with a little liquid confidence in me.

I love my family, but can survive on my own without them holding my hand.

I can forge new and amazing friendships while keeping in touch and cherishing my friends from home.

I can carry two suitcases, a duffel bag and a carry on all at once.

I look sexy in a leather Parisian leather jacket.

I love learning about the world and all the cultures and people that thrive here.

Along with self-discovery came a realization that I had been prioritizing the wrong things in my life. Before my trip abroad, I was stressed about all the wrong things: a future career, making school payments, working three jobs to make the payments. Now, after being introduced to an open-minded, laid back life style where family, friends, having a good time and traveling are at the top of the list, I realize work and money isn't all there is in life. There are people, relationships and experiences that matter much more. Sure, school is important and eventually I'm going to need a big girl job, but right now, without ties and schedules to hold me back, is the perfect time to explore myself and see the world. It's the perfect time to build relationships that are going to last a lifetime and see things that most people can only dream of. People are what make the place. The Irish are the most friendly, laid-back and funny in Europe. If all people were as fun-loving and welcoming as the UL Ladies Rugby team, there would be world peace.

I recently uploaded my final photo album from Europe, my five-month adventure that took me to a whole new place in my life. Seeing those pictures of the Irish countryside seemed to finalize everything, bringing to a close my study abroad experience. Although I hate to see it end, I know what I learned from my time in Ireland, along with the friendships I made and the things I saw, will stick with me forever.

As I finally start my Ireland detox, I hope for a continued smooth transition back to my "real life." But in the back of my mind I know someday soon I will relapse and find myself on a plane to the Emerald Isle, looking once more for the magical feeling of comfort, fun and adventure that only Ireland can give.

- Katie Sullivan