A beautiful adventure coming to an end!

12 - 6 - 2019

These last two weeks I have slowly been working towards my departure from Limerick/Ireland. I've been living alone in my apartment in Cratloe ever since my roommates Estela and Emma have moved out and it has been quite lonely at times, but I've been lucky to have made such amazing friends during my stay here, so for every lonely moment there's an opportunity to grab lunch with them.

But even though my time in Limerick is almost coming to an end, I'm excited for the next two days since my parents are finally coming over to visit me and to see how I've been living my life for the last few months!

They arrive early in the afternoon at Cratloe Wood Student village and I show them around first. It's a great feeling finally being able to physically giving them a hug again after all this time instead of talking over the phone or skype. I bring them back to my apartment, show them around and then we catch up over a well deserved cup of coffee. They tell me what they've been up to so far in Ireland since they have been driving around from town to town for a solid week now. It's funny to hear them tell their stories about the places I've been myself these last few weeks.

About 2 hours later we agree that it's time to get on our feet and that I should show them around town.
The first stop is LIT. As we're walking across campus, I show them the sportshub where I have been spending most of my free time with my buddies playing ball in the gym, the lecture halls and all the other facilities at LIT. We feel a little awkward walking around LIT because at the same time there is a symposium being held about all kinds of technological innovations of which none of us know anything about. So soon enough we head back to the car and head into town for lunch.

I give them a quick tour around town, including showing them the pubs me and my mates have been having many pints and probably been spending a tad too much money. We head into a cute small diner where we order a lovely sandwich, and after that we head over to The Locke for some pints and for me to show them where I have worked for a sloid month and a half.

My parents are staying in a small bed and breakfast in the countryside just outside of Ennis, so after our pints we get back in the car and drive over to the bed and breakfast so my parents can check in and drop their luggage. The best thing about having your parents over is that they are so lovely to pay for most of the food and drinks (Please notice I said most). 
Around 6 we drive towards Ennis and walk around town for a bit before grabbing our seat at the restaurant, sadly enough Ennis turns out to be quite dead after 5 or 6 o'clock. After dinner my parents drive me back to Limerick and drop me off at Cratloe Wood Student Village.

Being quite tired I head to bed a tad earlier than normal, making sure to have set my alarm for early in the morning.

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13 - 6 - 2019 

Having seen the Cliffs of Moher twice, one could imagine it could be hard for someone to get excited to see it for the third time. However this time is going to become different for two reasons. The first being that instead of only walking along the dangerous cliffs we are going to see the cliffs from down below on a boat this time. And the second is that the last two times I've visited the Cliffs it was too early in the birdseason to see the famous Puffins.

We arrive in the small harbor of Doolin around 12 and only have to wait a mere 30 minutes for the boat to arrive. After a short and mildly rough boatride to the Cliffs, the captain makes sure to lay dead still in the water. In my opinion the Cliffs are even more impressive from down below. It's mindblowing and almost surreal to see that nature has created such an impressive phenomenon. My dad, being as resourceful as always, luckily brought his binoculars alongside his two cameras. So as he and my mom make sure to capture the beautiful sightings, I am eyes deep in the binoculars trying my absolute best to spot some puffins alongside all the different, high speed flying birds that are nestling on the narrow ledges on the Cliffs. It's a bit of challenge, especially because the boat is mildly rocking in the sea waves, but soon enough I spot the characteristic black and white birds with the orange beak. After a while the captain gets us back to the harbor and we are on our way to see the Cliffs from above, not for my sake obviously but for theirs.

Since it's still quite early in the day, we get back in the car and drive a little bit more north so I can show my parents the Burren as well. And quite honestly, even though this is pretty much the 6th time I'm driving around here, it's as impressive and beautiful as always. We get out of the car and waddle around for a bit and get back to the car just in time for a bus full of tourists to arrive.

We notice it's almost dinner time so we slowly make our way back to Limerick. We park the car in the city centre and walk into Cobblestone Joe's, notably the best pizza place in Limerick. After a lovely meal we head over to The Locke again for some final pints and in order to see the live music + set dancing. 

And then it's time to say goobye again! My parents are going to continue their journey through Ireland for the next week and I'm going to stay in Limerick in order to focus on my departure again.

It's been absolutely lovely having seen my parents again and spending time with them for these last two days, and in a way it feels weird saying goodbye to them now, knowing full well I'm going to see them again in about a week and half! But I'm happy and gratefull nonetheless that they've been coming over to see me!

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15 - 6 - 2019

Today is a day I've been looking forward to almost since the day I arrived in Limerick. When I came here in January I became friends with a lot of people from the men's basketball team, but also with the girls' team and one of those friends was Ellie. And from day one Ellie and I shared a mutual interest in a lot of things, one of which was music. It so happened to be that the both of us have been wanting to see Mumford and Sons for years and years, but are also MAJOR fans of Irish singer/songwriter Dermot Kennedy. 

So when I saw that Mumford and Sons was going to perform at Malahide Castle in Dublin in June with Dermot Kennedy as support act, I didn't hesitate for a moment and texted Ellie about getting tickets. She asked me if it was okay for her to bring her sister Emma and onviously I didn't mind! After all, the more the merrier right!?

A few months later and here we are! Besides Dermot Kennedy as support act there are 2 more support acts, which means the concert starts a lot sooner than any normal concert. I meet up with Ellie and Emma at the Milk Market in Limerick city centre, we grab a taxi that brings us to the edge of town and about 20 minutes later our event bus arrives to bring us to Malahide.

After a solid 3 hour bus ride we arrive at the event and we notice that we are earlier than expected since we can easily find a spot close to the podium. We consider ourselves lucky since the weather is absolutely amazing today! We don't have to wait for too long when the first support act starts, Aurora. Not knowing Aurora's music all too well myself doesn't prevent me from enjoying her beautiful voice. But for Ellie seeing her live is, next to Mumford and Sons, a dream come true. And even some annoying girl in the audience doesn't want to leave Ellie alone she still is blown away by the almost magical performance of Aurora!

When Aurora says her thanks, shows her gratitude to the crowd and walks of the stage we move a little bit forward so we can free Ellie from her little "personal" fan. And just as we think we found a spot where we can enjoy the rest of the concert in peace, there is still young farmers couple standing in front of us who just can't stop making out. Literally during the entire show of the second support act, Wild Youth, they are constantly sharing saliva.

But we are not letting this get us down either, and we pray they will just walk away to get drinks after Wild Youth. AND THANK GOD THEY DO! Next up is Dermot Kennedy, and some people who know me are fully aware of how much of a fan I am of this humble dude with a god-like voice. Only one time prior I have had the honor of seeing Dermot Kennedy live and that was in such a small venue in Groningen that I wouldn't be suprised there weren't more than 100 people watching and listening back then. 
It's amazing to see how much he has grown in only a year time. And the moment he starts singing you can just hear the passion and emotion in every song he sings. Absolutely, without a doubt a world-class performer!

As the sun slowly starts to set the final, main act of the day comes on stage. Mumford and Sons somehow make sure to put on a heavenly show and it doesn't take much effort to blow the crowd away. Old hits and new gems are being playing alternately and there's not one moment where the crowd doesn't know the lyrics to sing a long with. 

After the final song is played we make our way back to the bus that will drive us home. Ellie has offered her couch for me to sleep on so I don't have to walk home to Cratloe so late in the night and around 2.30 am we easily fall asleep feeling satisfied about one of the most beautiful concerts any of us has ever seen!

And personally, there isn't another two people in Ireland with who I wanted to go to this concert more than Ellie and Emma. 

I've experienced in my life that friendships will come and go, and that actually helped me becoming more aware of knowing which kinds of friendship last for a long time and which friendships are just temporary! And I can honestly say that my friendship with Ellie is one that will last! And knowing full well that there is not such a thing of Ellie without Emma, I'm glad that Emma and I are able to call each other friends as well!

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23 - 6 - 2019

Here we are! Exactly 5 months after I've first set foot on Irish soil. My amazing Irish adventure has come to an end.

These last couple of days have been weird... On the one hand I have been looking forward to going home again because I started missing my friends and family more and more each day, but on the other hand I don't want to leave behind the life that I've build here. In a way it feels like there are two worlds pulling on me with the same strength. But every adventure has to come to an end one day, and for me and my Irish adventure that day has come today.

Yesterday, I have packed all my stuff already and said goodbye to my apartment and Cratloe Wood Student Village. Ellie has been so kind to let me sleep on her couch and hang around in her apartment for 2 days so it would be easier for me to catch the bus to Dublin Airport. Last night she held a party where all my good friends came over in order to have food and drink pints/homemade mojitos. It was really nice to see everyone this last time and to be able to say goodbye to everyone at once.

With this post I want to thank all my friends in all of Ireland that have been able to put up with me for 5 months straight! And although I love everyone just as much, I feel obliged to thank a few people in particular!

I want to thank Callum, Zaief, Adnan, Small Rob, Liv and Big Rob for being the first people that were willing to get to know me and help me to befriend the rest of the basketbal squad. Without you guys my adventure probably would have turned out so massively different.

I want to thank Emma and Estela for putting up with me as a roommate! I really couldn't have asked for 2 better people to live with for 5 months! 

And last but definitely not least... I want to thank Ellie! You have been my best friend from the start and I could always confide in you. I've been able to laugh with you till we cried and cry till we started laughing! I'm so lucky that you've crossed my path!

But with this post I want to thank everyone who I've met during these last 5 months! Each person that crossed my path between January and now has contributed to my wonderful time in Ireland!

It's time to go home now. But I know full well that I'm definitely coming back and I'm proud to call Ireland, and Limerick in particular, my home!

Peace!