Final Post

Well, I'm eager to start the Republic of Ireland portion of my trip (really wishing I could fast forward 24 hours) as most everyone else took off for the airport to head back to the US early this morning, and I'm not going to lie -- I'm feeling a bit lonely and sad today.  Left for a run this morning (shorter one than usual) as my fellow trip participants got in their cabs, and I've just been doing laundry, getting directions for the next leg of my journey, and thinking about packing ever since.  I've always liked the way that camaraderie grows so swiftly when a group of people, many strangers, are involved in something so immersing, spending all day every day with one another even for a relatively short amount of time (two weeks for us), and today it didn't take long for me to learn that I don't really like still being here without them.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Northern Ireland and my time with my "fellow travellers," all of whom brought perspective to our experiences and conversations, and I'm glad to have had the chance to learn with and from them.  I've had more stimulating discourse with my new and old friends on this trip and the people we've met than I've had all year and I'm grateful I've had the chance to have the level of conversations we've had about a topic and a history we all care about.  I thought I knew a lot about Irish history and the Northern Irish conflict before I came on this trip, but we've all agreed we now know more than we ever thought we could or would.  As Dr. John Spencer said last night at our farewell dinner, if you leave a trip like this feeling more confused and more challenged than before than it has been a successful experience.  It has been tremendously successful.  By the end of the trip we felt a little like we would only be able to talk about everything we've learned and experienced with each other because any one else would look at us like we were speaking a different language.  Those boys (and one girl) who signed up for my Irish Lit class in the Fall have no idea what's about to hit them. 
This trip has been challenging, enlightening, rewarding, and so much more than I expected, and I am very, very thankful for the many people who made this experience possible and made it possible for me to be a part of it.  It was one of the best and most intense things I've ever done, and I know I am better for it.  I am also convinced more than ever that travel is the deepest education one can get.
And with that, I better start packing for the Republic.
Thanks so much for reading!
Slainte,
Jeannie