A List of Missing Things

THINGS I'VE MISSED ABOUT AMERICA:

1. Family + Friends: Duh. Sorely missed, however I secretly wish that everyone could just join me in Ireland so I could get the best of both worldz. However then I wouldn't have...

2. My house: Nothing beats waking up in your own bed, rolling out of said bed, stepping over mounds of clothes piled on your floor, skippin' down to the kitchen, pourin' yourself a nice cup of joe (whilst batting the dog away from the cat food) and watching t.v on mam and pap's bed / living room couch with kitties perched on your shoulder and the family dog going ape shit that someone else is awake. Substitute "your" for "my" and "kitties" for Shoo Shoo, Wally and Macy, and "family dog" for Murphy and t.v for "Bravo" or as I fondly remember it, "Channel 44".

3. Pandora: Ireland/ Europe in general should hop on the Pandora bandwagon RUL QUICK. They don't know what they're missing. But I do.

4. Wings Over Burlington: I CAN'T QUIT YOU.

5. Vermont: Next best thing to Ireland in terms of beauty and people that generally rule.

6. SMC: Because you stimulate my mind and offer me free chicken patties on the weekend.

THINGS I'LL MISS ABOUT IRELAND:

1. Irish time: Which differs from real time and by real time I mean whatever your watch or cell phone or whatever other form of technological time table offers. Irish time is slower, real-er (and by real-er I mean what your watch or cell phone or whatever other form of technological time table offers doesn't offer which is just LIVIN' and gettin' there when you get there) and doesn't just pertain to idle minded lazy sleepy heads as you might think be thinking. Grown ups follow Irish time too. Heck, they almost enforce it! I don't think one of my professors was in class before I was. Restaurants and cafes don't rush you out and make you feel weird, they wait for you to ask for the check and pay at your own convenience. They let you REST..aur..ant...

2. Animals : Especially Sheep maybe. Especially lambs. Especially lambs takin' naps with their bb brother or sister or cuddled next to their mam. Or a lamb jumpin' and runnin'. So cute and soft lookin' and makin' cute noises and decorate pretty much every road in Ireland.

3. Ruins: Give me an old stone castle or church with a roof caving in, covered in ivy and flowers at any time of day and you'll have me gushing and gasping at its beauty.

4. Green EVERYWHERE: Just incomparable.

5. Taking walks past any of the above said things, especially with Isabelle, Brenna and Liza (we took many throughout our sojourn here) singing the Sound of Music, or attempting to sing an irish song, or simply Rihanna.

6. Dare I say it, Ryan Air: Only because it brought the lolz (the countless times I somehow messed up checking in and having my boarding pass almost being rejected and me almost being fined but not) and for allowing me to travel easily enough to nearby beautiful countries.

7. Pubs: And how its totally normal for families to hangout there, toddlers and babies included, enjoying the best trad music ever, which also happens to serve delicious soup to boot, and some even have adorable middle aged people irish dancing in the middle of the floor, who at times will dance up to you and ask you to join in. You can also strike up a conversation with virtually ANYONE and most often that not, they rule and make you happy for humanity.

8. The Doughnut man: I wish I could stuff you in my carry on and have you create those doughy balls of heaven on the daily.

9. NUIG: Because you were practically optional and gave me lots of free time to wander around Galway.

10. FRIENDZ; American or Irish, I'll miss everyone so much. Which is weird because we didn't know each other for that long, but we did in a way. And I wish I could see everyone often but I know I can't. Which is actually the saddest thing. And how I miss my family and friends now is how I'll miss you guys. And how I skype my family and friends now is how I'll skype you guys. Which is weird. And Sad.

And I'm not ready to leaveeeee but I am. But I'm not. And I'm sure within the next few days I'll think of more things to add to the Things I'll Miss List.