Is this Real Life?!

Wowww! Time here in Dublin is passing faster than I had hoped... I guess the saying that time flies when you are having fun is true. I have not written a blog in well over a month! Since then I have traveled all over Europe and have been living the life that I thought only existed in the movies.  Rome, Paris and London are definitely places I have always dreamed of visiting but never in my wildest imaginations would I believe that I could go to all 3 of these cities in just 3 three weeks.

Rome was everything I have ever dreamed it to be. As I walked the streets with my dress on, gelato in hand and no cares in the world I couldn’t help but feel like Julia Roberts in my favorite film, Eat Pray and Love.  As I returned to the adorable place I was staying at I was overwhelmed with excitement and messaged my mom that I might have just had the greatest day of my life.  I was wrong – it got much better. My boyfriend Nils joined me in exploring Rome for the next two days and those two days were by far the most magnificent of my life. The mixture of sunshine, pizza and strolling the streets of Rome while holding the hand of the greatest guy in the world topped all feelings of joy I have ever felt.  I highly recommend Rome to anyone who wants to travel. Its history was amazing to see and at times didn’t even seem real because it was hard to believe that something could be that old.  To say that I am a fan of Roma is an understatement!

The following week I was off with 3 girlfriends to Paris, France. I have always heard lots of bad things about Paris. I often hear that the people aren’t nice and that it isn’t that great of a place to see but I beg to differ.  As I stood underneath the Eiffel Tower I nearly went into shock. The thought that I could be underneath one of the most monumental structures in the world was hard to fathom.  I just kept asking myself, “is this real life?”  That question pretty much sums up my whole Paris trip. From watching a ballet in the Paris Opera House to walking around in the Louvre and seeing Mona Lisa and going to mass in Notre Dame I felt like life really could not get any better or more unreal. Everyone was so friendly to us and willing to help when we needed it. However, I did get my phone stolen and was very bitter when leaving. If I was ever asked to go back, I wouldn’t. Paris is a great place to go once but after you see all the things worth seeing I don’t think you would want to put in the effort to go a second time. Being in Paris requires you to constantly be on your guard and that can make a vacation quite exhausting.   My time in Paris is still one that I will never forget and cherish.

After Rome and Paris it was then time to switch from Euros to Pounds and head to London, England. The easiest way to describe London is by saying that the entire time I was there I felt like I was in a fairytale.  As a little girl you always try to imagine what the life of a queen or a princess might be like and as I hung around London I felt I had an idea. By visiting the palace of Queen Elizabeth, going to the churches Princess Diana and Kate Middleton got married in and by seeing the palace that Queen Victoria herself grew up in I was seriously in awe.  I went to London with Nils and it was just great. The green grass was covered by a beautiful layer of fall leaves, the wind gave you a chill that made you wear hats, scarves and gloves and the streets were filled with Christmas lights and decorations. Being from Texas I have never had the satisfaction of having a Christmas that the movies show but in London I felt like I could get that. Not only did I get to feel like a princess but I also got to feel like a wizard! I went to the Kings Cross train station and went to the 9 and ¾ platform that takes you to Hogwarts. It is sad to admit but this might have been my favorite part about London.  I also got to go to Abbey Street and take the same picture the Beatles have on their famous album cover. It is quite remarkable that so many people still appear at this site to take a picture that was done so many years ago! All in all London was amazing to say the least and I am so glad to have gone.

Last but not least this weekend I went on a spur of the moment type trip with 3 great friends to Killarney, Ireland. I have got to say that it was awesome to be back in Ireland and be reminded of the beauty that led me to choose to study in Ireland in the first place. In Killarney my three friends and I stayed in a hostel room together that had no heat at all. The weather remained at a constant 32- 37 degrees Fahrenheit and this Texas gal was miserable! However, the next day was well worth it. We all rented bikes for the day and explored the beauty of Killarney. It was hands down one of the most picturesque places I have seen. It was still, quiet and absolutely breathtaking. This was a nice change from all the cities I had visited in the previous 3 weeks.  Enjoying the fresh air while being active was awesome and I couldn’t have had a better time.

Although I am having an absolute blast here on my time abroad, homesickness is just starting to settle in. The bone chilling coldness and absence from the sun has me missing Texas more and more. I am also dying to see my family and friends. Thank God for Facebook and Skype though. However, in the weeks to come I have some things that should keep me occupied. For Thanksgiving I will be in Germany celebrating with my cousin, Jordan Jungman and his wife Jessika Jungman along with my boyfriend, Nils. My thinking is that maybe if Jordan and I are together on this holiday I will miss our family back home in Texas a little less. God knows I will miss my Granny Samples cooking though!

After Thanksgiving week my lectures come to an end and the dreaded finals begin. I don’t really like thinking about this because it also reminds me that my amazing time abroad must also come to an end but for now, during this time of thanks I will continue to be thankful for the opportunity to participate in this exchange program and the ability to meet all my friends here in Ireland. I know it will be hard to say goodbye to them all but their friendships are ones that I know will last a lifetime and I am VERY THANKFUL for this. I hope all my friends and family back at home have an incredible Thanksgiving and know that I am missing you but will see you soon.  I love you all and thanks for reading.  

Cheers,

Bobbi