This Way to Enchantment

Welp,

It's my final blog post whilst on the isle.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for reading and for the endless love and support I have gotten while I've been here. I am so grateful for everything and this experience has been the biggest blessing and life changer I could have ever asked for. I need to thank my family for loving me unconditionally and for understanding why I've been away for two years. I need to thank my friends who are stateside for encouraging me to go on this journey. I cannot wait to hug them all again. I need to thank my friends that I met on my travels. Without them, I would not have gained the global scope that I feel I have (and I still have a long ways to go!) I will hopefully see them all again in the not-so-distant future.

I have to thank the Irish. They have taught me what it means to be unapologetically social. I hope I never lose the wit, the craic, and the ability to befriend a stranger.

And finally, I have to thank the hostess, Eire. The auld sod. The Emerald Isle, the island, good Mother Ireland. She has shown me beauty beyond comprehension. The greenest green that has e'er been seen. My second home. She's been good to me, and I will return someday.

I was able to make one last trip to the country this week. I went back to my favourite spot: Glendalough.

I went with Jasmin and Adam, and we had a beautiful time. We went to St. Saviour's Church (the secret garden chapel), basked in the sun, got caught in the rain, skipped stones, went swimming in the lake, lit off some paper lanterns, looked for stars, climbed a mountain, threw stones at a post on top of said mountain (it was actually a lot of fun), and returned to Dub.

While I was walking down the streets of Dublin for the last time tonight, I started to ponder what my life would be like back in the states. The way it would smell and feel compared to Ireland.  I had a pang of fear that perhaps I wasn't doing the right thing. I began to wonder if going back to live in the states was the right choice. Then I saw this, and I knew that going back to the states was the PERFECT choice. The Universe is always giving us affirmation if we look for it.

So back to the States I go. The next enchanting adventure awaits. 

I love you all. Thank you for literally EVERYTHING.

The Next Chapter

Well.

I cannot believe it's been nearly two years since I first arrived in Ireland. A lot has happened, and my global and self perceptions have changed dramatically. But this chapter will end very soon and I will start a new one once again.

On the 27th of August, 2012 I will be on a flight back to Chicago. I don't have too much of a plan but it does consist of classes in sketch comedy and work in an Irish pub. It's going to be a great adventure to be back in the states, and I cannot WAIT to see my family and friends. We'll see what happens from there. At this stage, I will keep all doors open to possibility.

Small things in Ireland that I love:
Eggs are not refrigerated
I walk everywhere or take public transport
All of the light switches for the bathrooms are on the outside of the door
There are no screens on windows
Snails are everywhere when it's damp
It's often damp
Pay-as-you-go phone plans are a standard
The smell of turf is unsurpassed awesomeness
A few coins in your pocket can equal 20 euros
There are no guns - not even the cops carry them


Anyway, I am in love with this country. No matter how you slice it, this has been the most amazing experience of my life. There is a small part of me that has a bit of trepidation about returning to the states because I am not returning the same person that left. I philosophise more. I spell things with S's instead of Z's. I've put the U back in colour and humour. A lot of the time I sound sort of American, sort of Irish, and sort of Canadian. I love myself differently. I care about things differently. And if you can believe it, I am more liberal than when I left. I rediscovered my creativity out here, and I've become creative in ways that I never even imagined.

To end this post, I will leave you with the link to the short film I worked on. I hope you enjoy:

http://youtu.be/0qazryy0DFQ

Much love to you all, and I will see some of you soon.

Graduation Shenanigans

I am not the same person I was a year and seven months ago.

My body has gotten a year and seven months older, my brain has gone through a barrage of changes and transitions, my spirit has grown, all of me has traveled.

This blog was started a year and seven months ago just before I arrived in Ireland.

The day that I flew into Dublin was a pretty mild and overcast day. I had to go to campus right away for registration which took place in the "Public Theatre" building. It's over 200 years old and I remember being in awe when I saw the place. I thought the pictures on the walls were going to start moving like they do in Hogwarts. There is an organ loft above the entrance with a beautifully pristine gold-trimmed organ. At the time I wondered if it still worked. This building was one of the first things I took pictures of when I arrived.

Yesterday morning I went back into this building that I had registered for college in, except this time was different. This time, chairs were set-up in rows. A big table stretched across the front, and a wooden podium was off to the stage left side. It was a beautifully sunny spring day and the green of the leaves and grass popped against the deep blue of the sky, and the large windows framed the trees and let in the sunlight. The organ had a person playing Barber's Adagio for Strings on it.

The commencement ceremony was all in Latin, a tradition that has maintained since the school came into being in the 1600's. We were called up to the stage by our names 5 or 6 at a time. We stood in front of the panel of proctors and they spoke to us in Latin before we were then awarded our degrees. As I was handed the parchment, I felt a great deal of pride and excitement. Officially I am a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.). I became the first person in my family to have one, and I couldn't have done it without the love and support of so many people. I thought about my family and how much I missed them, but I also thought how amazing this whole experience has been. As we exited the stage, we signed a book to document that we were officially graduates. We took our seats again and they called up the next 5 or 6 people.

My two incredibly good friends, Melaine and Jasmin, were there supporting me, and my entire class was there as well. Those who had moved back to the states flew in for this occasion and we all were able to celebrate and close this chapter together.

We had a wine reception in a tent by the campanille in Trinity's square, and then we roamed the campus and took lots of pictures.

Jasmin, Myself, Melaine

My classmates Dianne and Eric

Afterward, we had lunch and went out for celebratory drinks last night. It was a really wonderful day. I don't know exactly what comes next. There are a few possibilities out there and I am now reassessing what I want and where I want to go. This experience is the greatest and craziest thing I've ever done, but it's also taught me that I love doing great and crazy things. I am actively thinking about the next adventure...

If you're reading this, Thank You. At some point in time you helped me get to this place in my life, and I couldn't have done it without every experience leading up to this point. I am forever grateful for you, and I love you.

'Paddy vs Patty' and other things

Well, this seems to be the first update of 2012 AND it's St. Paddy's Day!

Now, I know many people in North America call it St. Patty's Day, but I can assure you that it is Paddy. Paddy is a nickname for Padraig which is Irish for the anglicized 'Patrick'. Patty is short for Patricia which happens to be a woman's name. SO! That being said, I wish you all a Happy St. Paddy's Day.

If you could see outside my window right now, you would see that Dublin starts their crazy early. The parade just ended (which I was able to watch from the comfort of my living room window), and the drinking commences. Being in the most pub-heavy and touristy part of Dublin has its benefits and certainly has its low-points. On the one hand, everything is accessible to me. I can watch the debauchery form the safety of my own home without worrying about commuting. On the other hand, I have been witness to some pretty bizarre and disturbing things, and the noise level on days like this is fairly substantial. Top it off with an Ireland vs England rugby match and we have ourselves one hell of a day. Go Ireland! C'mon lads!

So, here is an update on my adventures. I am currently working in Dublin and I start a second (or sort of third) job tomorrow. The first job I got was serving tables at an Indonesian restaurant. http://www.chameleonrestaurant.com/

It's three floors and mostly I'm running food and empty plates up and down. Holy Moly, I sweat buckets. The second job I'm doing is temporary while a friend of mine is in Australia. I'm teaching a few classes in drama and singing. Most of the kids are 7-10 years old, and I have one group of 13-17 year olds. I very much enjoy it and I think we all have a great time. The third (but officially second job since the teaching thing is temporary) is at a crystal shop! Woo Woo! It's just right outside of my house and they've only been around for 3 months but I wanted to work there since they first opened. I've been quite persistent. I start tomorrow at Atlantis Crystals http://www.atlantiscrystals.ie/. Mary would be proud.

I'll be working part time at the restaurant in the evenings and part time at the crystal shop during the daytime. I'm very excited to start there.

I'm working on a music video for a Chicago musician friend of mine. The deadline has been pushed back, but once it's up and going I'll be sending it along. It's fairly provocative, but I think it'll be great. I'm also still working on a sitcom idea with a couple of ladies over here. We're hoping to get it submitted for a screening for an art festival in Dublin at the end of July. Hopefully we're chosen. What else? Oh, I went up to Belfast in February to see Van Morrison, Van the Man, the Belfast Cowboy, play. It was awesome and I had a great trip with some of my best friends.

Today, I will most likely stay at home and watch the madness continue from my floor-to-ceiling window. It's the perfect place to have a pint and stay perched. It'd be useless trying to squeeze into a pub today anyway.

I will raise my glass and say a toast for all ye.

May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.