“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” Dr. Seuss
How can it be that over 10 weeks ago, I stepped foot onto a plane that was about to take me on an adventure, and through a growing journey, of a lifetime? How am I supposed to step back into normalness of life here, and let this incredible experience just fade into a memory? The people I met, the places I visited, the life lessons I encountered—just like that, it’s all over. And here I now sit, in my room at 326 Marsh Street in De Pere, Wisconsin, with only pictures and memories to make those distant people and places seem like a reality. As cliché as this sounds, it honestly does feel like it was all a dream—it started and ended so quickly, and the busy-ness of life swooped in so quickly upon my return that I honestly can’t believe that a week ago I was in Rome and Ireland, and a month ago I was in London. I may have had some growing pains throughout this “dream” experience, but without a doubt, “waking up is the hardest part…” (in my head I’m hearing that as a song lyric, but I can’t place the song!)
I don’t want to leave this last blog entirely as a sappy sob story, so let me see if I can catch you up to date on all the wonderful things that have filled my time since I last blogged! The last time I checked in, I had just returned from our trip to Bantry, if I remember correctly. Well our last week of school was actually anything but a normal week! We were in the middle of extensive preparations for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, so teachers were having impromptu meetings, students were more antsy as they started looking for costumes, participating in practices for the parade (and the weather sunny and 60; who wouldn’t have more energy?!), and there were lots of signs and costumes to be made, so between managing the classrooms while the teachers met, helping out with miscellaneous tasks, and teaching our last lessons, it was a full, but wonderful week.
The last day we were at school was a “Green Day,” in preparation for St. Patrick’s Day! All the girls got to wear their green, orange, and best St. Patrick’s Day ensembles! From facepaint, to tutus, and green eye shadow, everyone embraced their Irish spirit! Even Han and I made sure to wear the little green we brought along, and we even bought a headband with clover spring-things on the top! The students loved it, the teachers thought it was hilarious, but it kept us smiling all day regardless!
There was a small assembly in the morning of Green Day where each class sang or recited poems in Irish/Gaelic. One class sang Wagon Wheel in Irish, and for those of you who know the Lenz family, that’s engrained into our DNA! I laughed and smiled until I cried—and that was only the start of the water works during the day.
After the morning assembly, the teachers hosted a small little goodbye brunch for us. It was completely with scones, and buns, and brownies, and fresh fruit, and cake and even gifts for Han and myself. I know I’ve said this before, but this staff was truly incredible, and this was just the cherry on top of the entire experience. The gift they gave us was a beautiful pendant necklace with the Claddagh hands and a diamond-like stone encapsulated in a glistening silver hoop. I feel truly honored to have been part of their staff, and saying those goodbyes was undeniably hard. I returned to first class where we finished creating their Leprechaun figures, and then I handed out a small gift of an American Penny, a Reece’s Pieces candy, and a sucker to each of them. They were excited about the penny and sucker, but very cautious about the Reece’s. They don’t really have those in Ireland, so this foreign candy kind of freaked most of them out! Haha…about half took one bite and threw it away, but I know I heard at least one girl say, “I like this!” so that was fun to hear. Each of my first class girls hand made me a card, and even gave me other gifts of homemade bracelets made out of pipe cleaners, small animal figurines, and boxes of chocolates.
Second class followed suit by giving me a small clover plant, banners in addition to their cards, flowers, and candles! If I wasn’t already pushing the 50lb weight limit for my suitcase, I definitely was after getting all of these gifts at school! I was so humbled and honored that they thought so highly of me, though, to share these gifts with me on the last day. Second class also got a mechanical pencil from me, which is another trinket they don’t really have in Ireland, as well as a small candy bar from the local Aldi store. Their teacher also allowed us to spend some time watching the Suite Life of Zac and Cody during that last day as a treat. That reminded me of home, especially when Zac Efron made an appearance on the show!
Fourth class had been begging Han and I to share our contact information with them, so as their goodbye gift, we gave them each 2 suckers taped to a sheet of paper with our Skype addresses, snapchat names, instagram information, and e-mail addresses. They absolutely LOVED that, and I had 2 email in my inbox, and multiples instagram and Skype request before I even got home from school that day. And they have continued to keep in touch with us since we got home, which just warms my heart! And finally, for senior infants, I gave them little monster lollypops as well. I wish that I could have given more to each class, since they did so much in making me feel welcome, and helping me grow as a teacher, but time/budgets/space in suitcases didn’t quite allow for that. Hopefully they could tell how full my heart was as tears filled my eyes during each and every goodbye, and as I exchanged a wholehearted thank you for every gift and card I was given. Saying goodbye to the teachers was equally, or even more challenging than saying goodbye to the students. My main two teachers gave me a gorgeous diamond pendant necklace, as well as a traditional Irish music CD. I have been so blessed to have worked with them these past 2.5 months, and those last hugs meant more than I could express. Han and I walked out of that building for the last time with our gifts in hand—it was a surreal experience, that once again, didn’t quite hit me until a little later—but sitting here now, I would give anything to be able to walk back through those doors.
The strangest part of our last week in Ireland was realizing all our “lasts”: our last time doing laundry, our last Monday morning, our last day walking home, our last time stopping for ice cream at Jumbos, the last time getting a lift home from a teacher, the last time going on a run, the last cup of tea, the last time sleeping in our beds…the lasts came flying fast and furiously! Coming home from school and packing instead of lesson planning was really weird, but I honestly don’t think it fully hit me that I was leaving until we had our last meal together on Friday night. Our host family was kind enough to make us some of our favorite meals during our last week here, which included the traditional Irish meal of Bacon (ham) and Cabbage, and Fidelma’s amazing quiche. That’s what we concluded with on Friday. Dinner was earlier than usual since we had a 3-hour drive to Dublin that night yet, but we still made the most of every moment. We had a short time for our last cup of tea, did dishes one last time, packed our stuff in the car, and attempted to say thank you and goodbye with words that couldn’t capture our deepest gratitude or appreciation for all they had done for us. The tears couldn’t be held back at this point, and my eyes are welling up even as I write this now, but I think that is just the strongest, truest sign that this entire experience, that school, my host family, and every moment I had there was blessed by God, and one that I will never forget.
After heading to Dublin, and spending a very short evening at our host dad’s daughter’s house, we took off for the Eternal city of Rome!!
That was another completely surreal experience, much like London. I was excited to have Han with me this time, but the challenges and mini adventures that we encountered were nearly consistent! We met Alex in the airport to get a map, his apartment key, an adaptor, bus passes, and directions to his place, and we thought that we had everything under control, but everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. The bus that was taking us from the airport to the main bus station broke down on the route there, so we literally had to get out of the bus and just WALK. The bus driver didn’t speak English either, so we had only our map to help us figure out where we were, and how to get where we had to go. By the grace of God, we made it to the bus station, but somehow we got on the wrong bus that took us to the entirely wrong side of the city. So once again, it was just Han, myself, and our map. But taking casual hour stroll through the city of Rome isn’t the worst situation to be placed in! We walked past gorgeous bridges along the Tiber River in gorgeous 70 degree, sunny weather. It was pretty perfect! We found our way to the tram stop while taking hundreds of pictures along the way, but once again, our tram experience wasn’t quite perfect. We got off at the wrong stop, and had to wander again until we found Alex’ apartment. Once we FINALLY found it, we ended up going up the wrong elevator that took us into the wrong apartment building. Confusion and difficulties characterized our journey to our first stop, but we made it, and got to see a lot of the city along the way.
The rest of that day consisted of just wandering some more. We walked through some street shops, bought some souvenirs, and enjoyed the sunset. We ended our evening with pizza and gelato next to the Trevi fountain—just a casual day 😉
The next day, we saw as many sights as possible! We started with a trip to the Pantheon—an architectural wonder as it is perfectly round!
We followed that by heading to the Piazza Novona, where a street market was set up complete with artists, and three gorgeous fountains.From there, we took a nice long stroll to the Vatican! What an incredible experience we had there—the courtyard was packed with people, all waiting to see and experience a blessing from the Pope—and that’s exactly what we got to do! He appeared at a window above the courtyard, and gave a small sermon/blessing all in Italian, but we were in the presence of the Pope and the Lord—language was the least of our concern.
We were able to actually go into St. Peter’s Basilica after that, and what a stunning experience that was. Stunning doesn’t’ even capture it, and neither do pictures, but I have never known what it felt like to see something so beautiful you couldn’t help but cry, until that moment. It was an awe-filled, overwhelming moment, and you could feel the presence, greatness, wonderful, splendor, and beauty of God in that building. We got to see the catacombs underneath the Vatican as well as Michangelo’s Pieta before heading to our next stop: the Piazza Popolo.
At the Piazza, we got to see a breathtaking view of the city, rest our feet by a fountain, and walk through the surrounding gardens. It was a lovely and peaceful afternoon in the sunshine. After that, we went to the Spanish Steps (where the fountain was sadly under construction so it wasn’t quite as picturesque as most photos depict), and then to dinner right next to the Steps at a restaurant called Numbs. I had delicious, authentic bruschetta—which is one of my FAVORITE foods!—and then a mozzarella, basil, and tomato Panini.
Our second evening in Rome ended with gelato back at the Pantheon, and a wonderful life talk with Han at the Trevi Fountain! It was our last night together since January—I absolutely loved seeing the world with her throughout these past few months, and growing as both teachers and adults. She was a true blessing in my life, and I thank God for our friendship!
The next day, we met up with Katie Danielson and her family, and we headed to the Roman Forum and the Colosseum—another surreal experience! What an honor to be in the presence of all that history. It was another gorgeous day, we had our farmer’s tans showing bright and boldly, and we were seeing with our own eyes the places that you only hear about or see on TV. That has been an incredible feeling.
Following that, we went to the Victor Emmanuel Building, which symbolizes the unification of Italy, but they have an elevator that will take you to the roof, and the view of the city from up there is just…breathtaking. Thanks to Katie’ family for taking the time and providing the funds for us to see that view! We grabbed lunch at a small café right in the center of the Piazza Venenzia where I had the most delicious bowl of Pasta Carbonara I have ever had in my entire life! They say that Italian food is amazing, and they are right!
After lunch came the moment where I finally had to say goodbye to Han. Her bus came a little bit more quickly than we were anticipating, so our goodbye was incredibly rushed, but I think it was nearly better that way. Trying to find more words and strength to say goodbye may have been more than my heart could handle. But we exchanged a quick hug, and she was gone. Another unfortunate “last.”
Following her goodbye, Katie’s family went to the Vatican to see St. Peter’s Basilica but since we already saw that, I headed to the Sistine Chapel! I wasn’t allowed to actually take pictures in the chapel, but it was incredible to see the murals that Michelangelo’s painting, especially the one with Adam and God’s fingers nearly touching. But the entire Vatican museum that is attached to the Sistine Chapel was filled with stunning pieces of artwork. I wish I had more knowledge of every unique piece that was contained in that space, but guess that just means I’ll have to learn more before the next time I go back!
(my illegal picture of the Sistine Chapel is somewhat dark, but you get the idea!)
From the Sistine chapel, Katie showed me her school, we stopped in a few shops as well as other beautiful churches, and the Piazza Santa Maria. The evening ended at Gino’s Restaurant where I had an ENTIRE Margarita pizza (unexpectedly…I was thinking more personal pizza…haha), delicious focaccia bread, and a scrumptious glass of white wine! What could be more Italian than that meal?!
The next day was my last day in Rome…how sad! I spent time with Katie’s family revisiting the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps, but I also had the chance to barter for some gift to bring home, as well as wander on my own! We got lunch at the 06 Café, where I got my last bowl of authentic Italian food (Fettuccini with mushrooms! Seriously…so good!), and said my goodbyes. From that point on, it was just me and my map—which I actually really enjoyed! It was a liberating and independent feeling just wandering around one of the biggest, most beautiful historic cities in the world all by myself. I wandered to another market at Campo del Fiori, stopped in a DISNEY STORE on Via Del Corso, walked across the Ponte Fabricio Bridge, and saw the Teatro Marcello. It was a fun day of exploring, but the day was ending, so I had to start making my long trek back to the bus station. It took nearly an hour to get there, and I got stopped by a large protest on the way (which was the third one we saw during our time there!), but I made it in time, got to the airport, and flew home back to Ireland.
I spent the night at Abigail’s again, where I resorted my stuff, and the next morning, I said my final goodbyes to friends and my Irish family, and headed back to the Dublin airport. I had a little hiccup on the way, however, as usual! The bus I had a ticket to didn’t end up showing up at the stop it was supposed to! So after waiting about a half hour, I just hopped on the next bus I saw that was going to the airport! I had to use my last Euro note (which was a 5), and buses don’t give change, so I have a receipt if I ever go back to Ireland, I can reclaim my 2.40 change—but actually, a girl got on the bus after me and for some reason her bus pass wasn’t working! She was from Australia, and it was her first day of work here, so the gracious bus driver let her stay on without paying, but I like to think my extra bus money went to cover her fare. I actually happened to find 3 euro coins in my bag, which would have made for less lost change, but once again, that turned out to be a blessing/mistake in disguise! I got to the airport, and where I had to wait for my plane had vending machines that only took coins. Good thing I had coins left—thanks for watching out for me, again, Lord! I also had a slight scare when my boarding pass disappeared! Somehow it fell out of my passport after I went through security, and I just happened to spot it underneath the security guard’s seat! I had a minor panic attack, but once again, I was being well taken care of by our heavenly father. Oh! Also, my luggage definitely was over the 50lb limit, and my carry-ons were heavier than 10kg, but Ireland folk are forgiving and flexible, as I learned time and time again, so I made it onto the airplane without having to pay extra fees, and with all my belongings close by!
On the flight home, I ended up sitting next to a woman chaperoning a band/choir trip of students from a high school in Iowa! That was fun to be able to chat with her about life back at home in the Midwest! But besides that, I journaled, listening to music while seeing out the window, and watched three movies on my flight home: Monte Carlo, Letters to Juliet, and Notting Hill—all movies focused on travel in Europe! Go figure! But that made the 8.5 hour flight pass relatively quickly, and with the time lapse, I made it home by 3:30pm (after learning Ireland at 12pm their time). My mom and dad were waiting for me at the airport with hugs and a few tears—it was so good to see familiar faces of people I love!! The next few hours were filled with stories from Ireland, grabbing dinner (Qdoba is a little bit different than authentic Italian or Ireland food, but delicious nonetheless), and arriving back at my wonderful home. It was a strange feeling to walk back into my house—feeling like I never really left, but knowing that even though nothing had changed at home, I had come back changed. I will forever remember and be grateful for the time I had abroad, and I thank God for blessing my entire experience from start to finish. Thank you all for following my blog and supporting me throughout these past months, and I can’t wait to see you all soon!
My last few Irish words and observations:
-deputy: vice (i.e. deputy principal is the vice principal)
-zebra crossing: a cross walk without a traffic light or anything but the white lines on the black road
-pelican crossing: a cross walk that has a flashing light to attract attention
-cheers: another common way of saying goodbye
-second name: last name
-motorway: highway
-pet: name like honey, or dear (sort of–in a nonromantic way)
-random fact: they keep their money in their cash registers upright, instead of laying it down
-they also pass on the right when on the motorway (and they flash their lights at the car in front of them if they are in the fast lane, but are going too slow)
-Sky is their equivalent to Dish for cable
-the prayer we said at the end of everyday was:
God our Father I’ve come to say, thank you for your love today. Thank you for my family, and all the friends you give me. Guard me in the dark of night, and in the morning send your light. Amen. Goodnight dear Jesus, goodnight for now. Must go to sleep, and as I go, I give to you my little soul to keep.
The words I learned in Irish are:
-halla: gym/open hall (ha la)
-doras: door (door ahs)
-lón: lunch (loon)
-suigh síos sit (sick-she-is)
-mála scoile backpack (moe-leh-sco-lah)
-bualadh bos: round of applause (buh-la bus)
-líne: line (leen-uh)
-I also “know”: brustig,” which is hurry, and “lava suis, lava mach, lava chastna”, which is raise your hands up, move them to the side, and stretch down (it’s a classroom management technique) and “dive”, which is something like good morning, but I can’t find the true Irish spellings of these words!
Goodbye Ireland—you won my heart, and I will be missing you forever and always.
"A Whale of a Time" 