Lights

One thing I’ve learned during travelling: nighttime sights and lights can be just as fascinating as in the daytime. Not that I’d recommend going dark alleys at night; but the view from a bridge or wall or hill of a city can be fascinating. Derry at night is one of my favourites (although London was pretty spectacular as well); it’s small enough that if you’re in the right place, such as balancing on top of one of my favourite walls that encloses our university, you can see over the entire thing, and see the Irish hills silhouetted against the sky. This particular photo was taken on the Peace Bridge, my first week in Derry. The first few days were hard and relatively unexciting, but it all changed that first Friday. For the end of orientation, we were taken to the Giant’s Causeway on the north coast of NI. I’d never seen anything like it in my life, and never had a chance to stand somewhere that I would have gaped over in a book. In person it was jaw dropping and for a while me and my friend just walked around to different vantage points, such as spots of clover and sat in silence as we turned in circles to take everything in.

On the bus back, we gushed over how amazing Giant’s Causeway was and that we were set on going back, but also lamented the fact that that was one of the single most amazing things we’ve ever seen and that now everything else would feel downhill and unimpressive in comparison (we were wrong. Unless you have been COMPLETELY all over the world, there are always new things, I think. Even on the tiny isle of Ireland, there will be things that shock us as much as the causeway that I have yet to explore). The day, however, just kept getting better. Since we were back in the evening, we decided to have a walk down to the city (why? I don’t know. Maybe we were shopping. I think we just wanted to talk and see sights and take photos for a while). And we not only stumbled on the impressive view of the lit city from the Peace Bridge, but also an outdoor play about people leaving Ireland for America, which I found ironic. That’s a photo and story for another day…

Departures

The next time I post on this blog, it may be from an airplane–assuming that their wifi will be free, otherwise I’ll be typing from Ireland! Getting everything ready to go is a hassle, and I’m trying to make room for hundreds of pictures on my SD cards.

I’m so excited, and yes a little nervous of course. Without my family this trip wouldn’t have been possible, and there are so many other people who helped me from the study abroad office at Campbell to the international office at Ulster and importantly as well, my awesome friends who encouraged me. I’m excited to keep you all updated! Please pray for safe, smooth travels and that all the airport stuff would go really well, and that I’d easily get connected with the people from Ulster there at the airport… thanks 🙂