Yeah.
There is much to share.
So, a couple weeks back three friends and I took a trip to County Kerry (my Irish motherland) and we stayed in a small town called Cloghane on the Dingle Peninsula. I drove for the first time since being Ireland: wrong side of the car, wrong side of the street. It was good fun, albeit a bit intimidating to start.
Cast of characters: Myself, Oaksey (Andrew), Mary, and Craig.
We spent two nights in Cloghane in a hostel on the bay in the middle of nowhere. We were able to have our own private apartment with two bedrooms, a kitchenette, living room, and private balcony overlooking the bay.
Here is a photo of the full moon from our apartment:
It was an incredible trip, and it was made extra special by the addition of Mary, a postgrad student in the program I just finished. We were having a chat at one point and she said "yeah, my ancestors are from County Kerry." To which I replied "Mine are as well. Kerry and West Cork. What's your family's surname?" And she says "O'Sullivan." And I say "Dude, mine too." How awesome is that?
So, on our second day there we take a trip to Dingle town and to get there we have to take Connor Pass.
Windiest. Experience. Ever.
We had to go through it twice; on the way to Dingle and on the way back. The first time was super windy! Really really powerful stuff. Oaksey and Mary would jump into the wind and then land 4 feet behind where they left the ground. Craig was our documentarian for the entire trip. He took lots and lots of video and he's currently in the process of compiling all of the footage into a proper documented short movie. He also made a music video of our first stop on Connor Pass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awi2Rtk5whY
We went to Dingle, had a lovely time and a hot whiskey and some food and we stopped back at Connor Pass on our way back. We underestimated the time of day and certainly we didn't expect to be in the storm that blew in on the mountains. Gale force winds knocked us off of our feet on more than one occasion, and I half expected the car to blow off the side of the cliff. Everyone survived and no one got hurt, but the power of Mother Nature came into sharp relief with this experience. Moral of the story: you don't know shit about what Mother Nature has in store for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwoT0V8y8iw&feature=related
It was a spirit-filled trip. We had family-style meals both nights and breakfast in the mornings in our cozy apartment. We drank tea on the balcony, and we walked and talked with the spirits in ancient Ireland.
Then, last week, I got confirmation that I passed my course and that I am officially a Master of Philosophy in Theatre and Performance. Graduation will be some time in April and I can't wait to wear a cap and gown and accept my diploma from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. It's a dream come true to have studied here and completed a Masters program. The fact that I am surrounded by some of the finest people that Ireland, and the world, has to offer is a miracle in itself as well.
Now, let me tell you about a little story that can illustrate the quality of people that I spend my days with here...
On Wednesday, November 23rd, I was feeling particularly down. Thanksgiving was the following day and I found myself missing my friends and family back in the states and the family members that have passed away in the past couple years. It's the second holiday season away from home, and, while I don't subscribe fully to what the 'holidays' entail, it's hard to feel removed from some of the traditions and cultures that people have with their families.
Wednesday night I was pretty weepy and awfully tired. We rehearsed for Midsummer that day for about 4 hours or so and I went home feeling wrecked. I had a good cry with my flatmate and woke up feeling tired and drained. I was falling into a habitual holiday sadness. It was a familiar feeling, and I really wanted to keep myself isolated. Then I got a phone call from Mary inviting me to go to a carvery with a couple of other folks for a Thanksgiving lunch. I politely declined the invite because I was much more keen on being sad and sulking. I invited them to stop by afterward if they were interested. They did. They had gone to the carvery and Mary wrapped up half of her lunch to bring to me so that I would have Thanksgiving food. She brought me turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and cranberry sauce. I was amazed by the kindness of these new friends of mine. We had an hour of hanging out and then I went to rehearsal.
Rehearsal went pretty well Thursday (Thanksgiving) evening. Melaine, my flatmate, is in the show as well and we all had a really good run. Melaine and the rest of the cast were released after a couple hours and the four of us 'lover' characters stayed for an extra hour. I still hadn't shaken my blue emotional nature as we ended so when Melaine texted me to invite people back to our place, I was less than enthused. I just wanted to go home and get in my pajamas and cry about the fact that I wasn't going to have Thanksgiving dinner with my family, but I invited my fellow Chicagoan friend Anne back home anyway. When we walked through the door, my apartment smelled fantastic. I walked into the living room where Craig and Sarah were. Melaine was in the kitchen. Making Thanksgiving dinner.
I was overwhelmed with emotion, and I realised in that moment that there was nothing wrong. I didn't need to be sad. I was surrounded by amazing people who love me and who I love back so ferociously. I couldn't be with my family in the states, but I could enjoy my time with the people who have become family in Dublin. We ended up having a really great evening. We toasted the things we were thankful for and drank a bit of wine and then we parted ways and went to bed.
I really do feel that my life has morphed into this amazing journey. It's a strange place I'm in right now where I feel like I have the freedom to create and move. Travelling has proven to be a necessity for me. How else am I to understand the world in which I live if I don't explore it?
Now it's time to start thinking about the next step again. What to do, where to aim, what's the target... all of these things run through my brain in different ways and they certainly mean something new now. My brain is churning in a couple different ways, but I believe that as long as I do the best that I can, the Universe will look out for me just as she has always done.
Even while typing this I got a call to my door for a "Special Delivery for Jessica Keith." It was my friend and former flatmate Kelly surprising me from Switzerland. She's back in Dublin now.
See? My life is full of amazing people. I love them so much, and sometimes it amazes me how much they love me back. And you, Reader, are a part of the love as well, no matter where in the world you may be.
