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  • Writer's pictureSusan T. Evans

Not all the days are filled with wine and roses.

Updated: Jul 9, 2019

To date, a read of this blog and a spin through my Google Photo album for Galway would leave you with the impression that all is perfect. Not true. It's not easy-peasy to live outside your home country for five weeks. Here's why.

Outlets have to be on. #Ireland

Early on, you have to transition. Just getting from place to place is stressful. Siri makes it easier; regardless, finding your way requires extra energy. Even when you have the right adapters, the outlets require attention (they have to be "on" in Ireland). There are timers for hot water. Speaking of hot water, the bathrooms are not comfortable. You can't plug anything in inside them and the string pulls on the lights often don't work. Is now a good time to mention I burned my face washing it with the hot water? Full disclosure, I was a bit freaked out at bedtime during our first two nights in Galway. After a good night's sleep, I was fine.


Leading study abroad is a full-time gig.

Everyone underestimates the time it takes to do something you don't have to do. I can't exaggerate the amount of detail and logistics that must be managed. (I also can't imagine doing this with any students other than William & Mary students - they are exceptional and I'm grateful.) There are so many possible points of failure - buses that might not arrive, restaurants that might misplace the meal orders for 25 people, banks that might eat your ATM card when you must have Euros to give to students today. Not to mention, the alone time you don't get. Larry and I enjoy two things - alone time with each other and alone time as individuals. Both have been few and far between.

I suppose greeting 2,000 tourists per day would get old; you have to find a means for amusing yourself.

Our reputations precede us; some don't like Americans or tourists.

After leaving a friendly coffee shop on the Aran Islands, we realized the hilarious description of the owner's trip to Virginia where he shot wild turkeys with guns was a yarn spun for the gullible Americans. I suppose greeting 2,000 tourists per day would get old; you have to find a means for amusing yourself. Speaking of getting tired of tourists, I really wanted a doughnut at the Galway Market yesterday. Wondering about the types of doughnuts he had, I asked the proprietor what my options were. He immediately snarked, "I sell doughnuts, or did you think these were onion rings?" I didn't buy. If I can't resist the temptation next weekend, I'll just walk up and say, "I'd like two cinnamon onion rings please."

Stuff happens (even in Ireland).

Like anywhere, we've had to roll with a few things:

  • Despite managing the logistics noted above, we didn't see the Cliffs of Moher. The clouds didn't lift. (And, no Puffins were spotted.)

  • Someone stole an entire load of our laundry from the launderette. (That's a story for another time.)

  • A 3-year-old boy flipped me off. It went like this: Larry reserved a room here for a student discussion about our trip to Derry. A little boy who was totally unsupervised wandered in and I walked him out. When I turned my back, he flipped me off. I know because Larry's students stopped participating in the discussion and laughed uproariously. It was a highlight for the students.

I started a new photo series. #PhotoUgly

There are ugly sites to see.

Because not everything we see is beautiful, I started adding a few shots of the ugly to the Google Photos that chronicle our time in Galway. (If you can't spot them, look for the #PhotoUgly hashtag.)


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