The last post

Some of you have only had time to pop in here occasionally.  And some of you have been walking with me since August.  Still others among you fall somewhere in-between.  But no matter where you land on this spectrum, I'm grateful to you.  Thank you.

When I began this blog, I did so with modest expectations and an admittedly chirpy intro.  (For goodness' sake, I used footnotes.)

As the months passed, I was continually surprised by how many of you were following me.  As I had expected, this space became a helpful place for me to process all that I was experiencing, especially after the end of October.  (Also, I scrapped the footnotes.)

Today, I write in an attempt to close this chapter with some grace.  A few friends in Galway have actually asked if I plan to continue the blog, because - imagine this - they like my writing.  I have toyed with the idea.  It might be a good way, after all, to keep them in the loop.  And writing is one of the best ways that I process.

Because my family's the bestest family

A few hours ago, I said goodbye to two friends who have become family.  Wow.  I thought I'd never have a reason to want to return to Galway...and then I met these two.  I'm going to miss them more than they know.

And then there's the whole community-family to which they introduced me.  Check this out: upon hearing that I needed a ride to the bus station, two (other) friends offered to drive me...all the way to Shannon.  Now, my flight leaves at 7 am...which means that they've offered to leave here at 2:30 am to get there by 4 am.  And then they're going to drive all the way back.  This, friends, is friendship, service, love...and it's crazy, but it's also true.

Showing up

A tea shop.  A real live tea shop.  Teresa and I stumbled upon this gem yesterday...and it has nothing to do with anything I've written below, but is worth posting just for the name of the place.  Cupán Tae...get it?  (Hint: say it out loud.)

"Sometimes, community is just about showing up.  Showing up when we don’t know what to say.  Showing up when we don’t know what to do.  Showing up when all we’ve got to offer is Starbucks and a smile.  We try to make community more complicated than it needs to be.  But really all it means is being there.  Not hiding.  Not believing the lie that someone else could do it better.  Not even waiting for someone to reach out to us.  It’s just making ourselves available." - author Holley Gerth

Clinging

 The last few days have been relatively nondescript.  I’ve had a few Neurophysiology lectures (Endocrinology doesn’t begin until mid-October), and they’ve all been manageable.  I’ve spent some time keeping house - sweeping floors, taking out the trash, organizing cabinets and drawers, and the like.  Last night, I met Y and a few other people from the Salthill trip at a pub in town, just to scope out the nightlife around here.  (I found it to be moderately lively...but then, New York does set a pretty high standard in this arena.)  It was discouraging that I couldn’t spend my time developing my relationship with Y, because she had been drinking long before she arrived in town and so was in no state to talk about anything meaningful.  (I’ve long been aware, friends, that the bar scene is not for me.  If I’m going to have a drink, I’d prefer to do it with good friends, ideally in a setting that’s conducive to solid conversation and growth.)

Finally on the outside looking in

Yesterday, I attended the international students’ orientation.  This was just the kind of official, structured welcome that I’ve been waiting for over the past few days.  After the expected exhortations to live each day of this short experience to the fullest, to interact with the Irish students, and to get involved in campus events, I heard a series of presenters speak all morning on topics like registration, “societies” (clubs), and volunteering.  At this point, I was vividly reminded of how it felt to be a first-year at Union (especially during that first month).

I'll always be partial to Union, of course...but this place isn't too shabby-looking, either.

Despite the crazy amount of introductory information being thrown at me, though, I was relieved to finally hear a sort of overview of what life here is supposed to look like.

Down to the wire...

Hello, friends!

Here’s my story in a nutshell: my name’s Sonika, and I’m a senior at Union College (Schenectady, NY) studying Biology and Music in the Leadership in Medicine (LIM) program.  This fall, I’m going to be studying abroad at the National University of Ireland, Galway.  This joint-degree “straight med” program is the main reason I’m going abroad at all…but more on that later.  First, a few tidbits about me: