These green shores

I had grand visions of me becoming a travel blogger and writer last semester… all within one entire semester in Ireland. Since I think I may have written only one post, if that, and didn’t even share it with the world, I don’t think it counts for much. However, I’ve been given a second chance by coming back to Ireland so I figure if I’m going to live here A WHOLE YEAR!!! (well, 2 semesters!) I will share stories now and then. It is unreal being back here–partially because I’m so incredibly used to it. This is home, this is school and my life. It feels like I never left, but it also feels like time is slipping through my fingers like sand. I want to kick myself every morning and be able to remind myself to have the same feeling I felt when I realised I was coming back–can you even believe it? It was so exciting and still is but I’m just used to the everyday life of it again. Oh how I need these adventures…

This is the Donegal coast off the Inishowen peninsula. Our first weekend back, we had to do something because even if your wellies have 6 inches of water in them, the wind is trying to strip all the eyelashes from the surface of your face, and you run the risk of being pelted by hail (because you might see a rainbow!), it’s IRELAND and hey, January or not, it’s good to take advantage of what your family and friends at home are so jealous of you for.

Me, Christina, and our friend Eleanor (who ever so conveniently has a car and has been a doll to drive us around–she even seems as excited to explore as us, pretty much, so it’s a great arrangement!) decided to go to Buncrana and a waterfall (just because it sounded cool because it’s a WATERFALL!) and wherever else we could find.

Aaaand… the beach. This was meant to be a one picture post/reflection, but I’ll talk about this as well. We didn’t stay long because (A) wind and (B) rain which you don’t see here but is about to happen any second now, but it was glorious wading around the big puddles and through the crunchy sand and looking over worn shells. I love the Irish coastline because you can look out to the horizon and usually see the horizon, but you see all sorts of other islands and places and coasts of Ireland (and sometimes you can see Scotland as well! But not from this vantage point in Inishowen, I don’t think).

Somewhere on the Inishowen peninsula… a rare sacred moment of sunshine. And gorgeous beach.