2 days ago, I wasn't even sure how I should feel about traveling outside of the United States. From what I had heard, traveling sucks and is a big source of anxiety for people who aren't frequent flyers. I was more excited than afraid as we drove to the airport, but I was still expecting some sort of disaster to occur on the way.
As it turned out, traveling went much smoother than I had anticipated. My flights were through Aer Lingus, an Irish airline with reasonable prices. I'm so thankful that I was able to coordinate flights with another student from Susquehanna. Just having someone by my side who was in the same position, and trying to get to the same destination, did wonders to calm my nerves. Our first flight, to Dublin, included a surprisingly tasty complimentary meal, and even arrived ahead of schedule. This gave us plenty of time to find the gate for the connecting flight.
During the layover, I spoke to a woman who was on her way from Chicago to Glasgow to celebrate finishing her doctorate dissertation. Her husband was meeting her there to go on a kayaking vacation. Laura is a professor at Purdue University in Indiana, where she also spends a lot of time with a Sioux tribe, studying their linguistics and building relations. She and I talked about everything from how funny it is that states in the US often have towns named after other states to what its like driving on the lefthand side of the road in the UK. When I heard that she'd been to Scotland before, I asked Laura if she had any recommendations on places to visit. Her must-dos included visiting Haddington, a town outside of Edinburgh. Near there, she said, is a scotch distillery that somehow has mastered to incorporate the floral notes of the local wildflowers into the flavor of their whisky.
Upon arriving at the Dublin airport, we met two student ambassadors from Stirling University who then walked us to our driver at the airport's pick up area. The two girls I sat next to on the van are flatmates, just down the hall from my flat. I was the first of my flatmates to arrive, so I went with the girls who'd arrived in their flat to grab some food and check out the student union.
Flash forward to the next night, I am currently sitting in their flat, eating pasta and planning a trip to Germany for Oktoberfest. They are already introducing me as their "extra flatmate."
This entire weekend, the same thought has been running through my mind - I can't believe how quickly this place has begun to feel like my home, even more so than the United States. Classes haven't began, and I know leaving will be much, much harder than any homesickness I will feel for the US.
My first class doesn't begin until Thursday, so tomorrow I'm going to attempt to hillwalk (hike) up to the mountain, Dumyat, which borders campus. I'm so lucky to have made friends so fast, who have very similar interests, positive attitudes, and are extremely friendly! I think one of the best parts of studying abroad is that most other traveling students have the same priorities. Our group consisting of two French students, 3 American, one Swedish boy, and another from Prague, have been comparing our cultures, exploring campus, and sharing endless laughs. It's crazy how natural it feels. I'm looking forward to a drama free semester with my newfound family!