Homesickness....Its all relative!

Lets just say that I have been a little homesick....I've mentioned this in posts on Facebook and have had lots of keep your chin up comments...Please don't take me missing home as being unappreciative of my opportunity.  I ask you to all, walk in my shoes for a minute and get the thought out of your head that this experience is a "incredible vacation with nothing but excitement around every turn"...because that is just not the case.  In all seriousness, 85% of the time Kori and I are in our rooms, perusing Facebook, twitter, pinterest and YouTube...to simply occupy our brains from utter boredom.  We go for walks to see our Irish horses...and when we go out to the city we have a blast, and when we go on adventures we also really enjoy ourselves.....Getting away from the dorms is key....Otherwise this leaves lots of time to be inside your own head.  Thinking about all the things that are going on at home, that you feel like you are missing out on...I know there is always next fall, but it just seems so far away...
In all honesty, the homesickness is in regards to my husband.  I knew this was going to be hard being away from him..but I didn't realize how much.  I have thought about our relationship so much over this initial time that I have been here.  Its given me time to reflect.  Its interesting now to me,  to think of the fact that somehow I have always wanted him, ...from the very beginning of our relationship years ago when I first went to the farm.  Now we are together, but separated and it is very difficult, because I feel like he is a part of me physically.  So it causes me pain to miss him, to be away from him.  Counting down the days on my desk calendar seems to help.  Talking to him on Skype helps even more...but its all relative in comparison to others out there who might be experiencing homesickness, or missing loved ones or what have you.  I say this because my friend Holly Witt has just recently lost her husband.  Tragically lost him...in such a way,  knowing how I love Frank, I'm not sure I could be as strong as she has been.  She is blogging through the pain and letting us all in to see her raw emotions.  Every time I read it, though its inspirational, I cry...as if it was my husband that has died...because the pain is so real and honest.  I feel like I really should pull up my big girl panties and move forward, because soon this trip will be over and I will get to run and hug my husband at the airport...Holly only has photos and memories of the man of her dreams.  Because she is so strong, because she is amazing in letting us into her life, I feel stronger and feel as if I owe it to her to be that way.  This is only temporary pain for me....not for her however...and everyday she moves on and says something wonderfully inspiring via Facebook.  So I miss home, I miss my husband! But because of HOlly's blog I feel stronger and can't possibly thank her enough for letting us see what she is going through with the blog.  She is an inspiration....truly....and I love her for it......So Thank you Holly Witt!  Love and Hugs from Ireland...
the friendly female farmer!

Obviously American.......

So far in our adventure here in Ireland, we have met two other "American's"  Granted they are from Canada, but for most of the folks here in Ireland that is close enough, kinda like Maine...I get a lot of the "oh yeah, that's Boston right".......I cringe a bit and say...close enough...hahahhahaaha...There is a large group of Brazilians and some French students......the French students we are slowly getting to know..the Brazilians are a harder group to break into...
But our american accents...and at that our very Mainer accents stands out heavily....I can't begin to count the times we have been asked..."Where are you from", like its not blatantly obvious...  we are then asked where we have gone sight seeing and then told places we should go..This has mostly been from our lively and entertaining cab drivers... More often than not that advice includes a bar or two....We have been to a few and they are all wonderful......I am not sure 3.5 months here is going to be enough to see all the incredible scenery that Ireland has to offer, or get to all the pubs for a pint.... but we are going to give it our best shot.
Camera toting, and umbrella wielding could also be good signs that we are not from around these parts....Most if not all that I have seen go around bare headed, or with a slicker with a hood....I have seen a few little old ladies with there very nice umbrellas out, but the youngins brave the mizzle.  Lets just say its a dang good thing my hair is naturally curly...Not going to get much sexy straight hair here in Ireland. Every time we attempt it, the mistiness of the day curls the little hairs around my ears and then its all over....
Though we are very very far from home, and homesickness has been prevalent, at least for me.  We are slowly beginning to develop bonds with our Irish friends.  Mark our bartender and the bouncer Dave at our little Pub in our building are wonderful.  Both will be receiving
 invites to our Thanksgiving celebrations.  For there friendship and wonderful advice....
The incredible staff at CIT, we have had nothing but the run around since we got here and through it all Carmel has been there, to reassure us that it would all get straightened out.
 Because of my success at school back in the US, I have been offered a student teaching position, or student assistant position, however you would like to put it in two classes...A very big deal for me.
So one little success after another keeps happening.....all due to the belief that positive comes from positive...Yes I miss my husband and family, sometimes I just want to go home and say hell with it all....but I know in my heart that would be giving up on something so incredible, I would feel regret the rest of my days.  

Yesterday Kori and I set out on an adventure all by ourselves...We went to Blarney Castle and kissed the infamous stone of elouqence.....The grounds were breathtaking and I was transformed into a medievel maiden, Wishing my heart out on the wishing steps and leaving my sacrafice on the witches stone....For a few hours I don't think I even really touched the ground I was so happy.....Life is a gift and I am happy to receive.....So thank you Universe..and George Mitchell......

Settling IN.............

I apologize for not giving you folks a constant stream of information in regards to this trip....and I am not one to usually make excuses for my actions.  My reasoning seems totally legitimate in my own mind, so we will go with that..Besides If I give you detailed information about my every move you may just get bored with me and move onto something much more entertaining and interesting..
We have been here for 11 days, and I am not going to lie, it has been a struggle.  From the initial loss of our luggage, to sleeping on a bed that I am sure was trying to murder me in my sleep...what little there has been of that...to finding that classes here were so laid back that missing the first week doesn't seem to upset anyone to badly. In the last few years, I have learned that everything has a lesson, somehow intertwined with the experience and again the lesson to learn for me is to calm the hell down...take a breath and let it wash over me.  I have got the greatest partner in crime in this adventure a girl could ask for....A friend and confidant...A lovely person who I am sure will be in my life for years to come...I have said it before and will say again here, that with out Miss Kori Kinney I am not sure I would have made it through the first few days.....We have each other to lean on and bitch to, so again I am thankful for that experience as well.  There are so many more days for our relationship to develop and I really look forward to it.  As we are settling in and making friends, seeing the sights and going to our classes, I am reminded that I am over here for the "experience" of Ireland.  Which in fact so far has been an experience...everyday brings something new to deal with and enjoy and I feel like I am going to come out of this a bit of a different person...and considering my current wonderfulness, just imagin how cool I will be when I get back to the states....I wouldn't even mind if I had a permanent Irish accent, ya know cause its sexy as hell....
I miss everyone back home....especially my husband...and my family very much...but I will be so much more the better for having done this, taking the time for BETH, in a way I have never done before....
So thanks again for checking in....I will be chatting a bit more regularly now that I have taken the moment needed to smell the roses....sneeze and smell again.....
LOVE YA'LL

the friendly female farmer....

Uptight American girl in Ireland!

Ok, so I thought I was laid back...Ya Right! The Irish are the epitome of laidbackness.  So far they don't seem to worried that we haven't really got a contact person to deal with.  The poor dear is having a family emergency and didn't come to work today.  Which is fine, except I keep trying to compare my experience at my wonderful community college in Maine to this experience.  Let me just say folks, that they are super stretched out on the spectrum.  At YCCC if I had an issue, it was resolved right in front of me and we went along on our merry way.  The classes I wanted were available and perfectly scheduled to meet my needs.  So far we haven't even been able to talk to anyone about what it is we are actually able to take for classes, let alone sign up for them...We are unable to get our student ID's because we lack access to printers here at the dorms, which is by the way an 8 minute or so walk to the college...and the ONLY means of transportation.  Unless of course you got a international license and took your life into your own hands and drove on the wrong side of the road.  Which I have no intention of doing, because I want to go home to Maine in one piece and not in a coffin. Its also the land of tiny cars.  Not many full size SUV here in Ireland, and if you saw the size of some of the streets you would not be surprised either...  Jeez Louise they drive aggressively here......I was told in no uncertain terms, by the cabbie that drove us from the bus stop to Edenhall, that "NO" they did not drive aggressively....Ya right dude..ok!
So I don't want to sound incredibly negative, because as they say its all part of the "experience".  The people are wonderful, they have wonderful accents, that at times I am unable to understand, and have on more than one occasion stood in front of someone like a deer in the headlights because I didn't understand a work they said....hehehe...Oh well the feeling has been reciprocal, as its happened the other way around as well...
We are supposed to get our luggage tomorrow, which would be incredible, but I still do not have access to a bank until we get our id cards figured out on Monday.  So far my list of things to tell the next set of Mitchell Scholars is growing at an exponential rate....I hope to not overwhelm them, and as we move forward I am SURE that things will settle down and become routine....We look forward to the societies and the international club...which offer great ways to get around the city and explore and offer great activities like going to the Greyhound Races....
I apologize but I won't have any pictures until the luggage arrives and I get all my electronic cables back.  So here's to developing a better sense of laidbackness while I am here!

Last Night in Casco........

Its my last night at the farm for 3+ months...Tomorrow at 230pm I grab the bus to Logan.  Its the first part of my journey to a country I have never been to.  Ireland has always been on my bucket list of travel destination. So being able to check it off the list at this point in my life is incredible.    I feel so many things right now. I feel incredibly lucky, and I feel terrified and excited all at the same time.  I am really not looking forward to leaving my husband.  I wish there was a way for him to come and visit and experience part of my adventure with me.  Leaving him and my family is all part of the journey.  I feel like I have double and triple checked my bags and I am sure I will repack once more in the morning.  I have my passport and all important paperwork....I think, I hope...I believe I have everything....probably more than I need....but hell its 3 months....
So I will post what I can tomorrow via my facebook account...and will be sure to post a blog post on here when I am settled into the dorm....Pictures will be forth coming as I take them...keeping you all up to date on my adventure the very best I can....

Thanks Ya'll
the friendly female farmer.....

Closer and closer...

The last two evenings, I have been unable to sleep straight through the night. 2:30am is a very quiet time of night.  The stars are usually very brilliant and bright as well.  I love star gazing at that time of the evening.  Its as if you can reach up and grab a star they are so clear and sparkly.  I feel closest to the earth and to myself at this time.  Nothing is bothering me or stressing me or asking for my attention.  I can reflect and enjoy the silence of the night.  Though the little animals are making quite a racket.  Although I would much rather be sleeping soundly getting my much needed rest, I am happy that this time of night is so relaxing.  I say a little prayer of thanks and usually go back to bed and rest well.
AS I have been star gazing the last two nights, I just had to wonder if I will be much of the stars over in Ireland....From what I hear the weather over in Ireland is a bit dreary...so wonder about my star gazing?  I hope to have at least 1 good stargazing evening....
4 More days till I leave and will be sure to let you know how the stargazing goes....as one of the neat things we will be putting to a comparison...

the friendly female farmer....

Making an Impact!

In the past few years I have met people, many people who have touched my life and made a big impact on me.  Each day I feel like I want to make an impact on peoples lives as well.  Because of my interaction with people on a regular basis, this happens to me over and over.  Its usually a very simple thing, like a girl who gets to trot for the first time on a horse out on a trail here in Casco.
Today was really special though.  A woman called to confirm her appointment for a trail ride today and one of her questions was if we had an Appaloosa?  This is a breed of horse that is typically spotted.  She used to own a Appaloosa gelding, which she had trained from the ground up and used to show on the circuits.  It was obvious to me there was an incredible bond between this woman and her horse.  Her horse died of a tragic illness, and because of the bond she promised the horse on his death bed that she wouldn't ride.  So fast forward 25 Years, to today.  The look in her eyes as she looked at Rockette was powerful and very emotional.  I was touched in a very deep way when I looked at her.  She mounted with ease and sat tall in the saddle....then she reached down and hugged her around the neck.  This is the first time I almost lost it, as she described her realtionship with her horse I was so touched.  Its incredible to listen to peoples horse stories, to hear what they have been through and discovered about themselves on that journey.  Watching this woman smile as she trotted across the picturesque landscape was a thrilling feeling.  I was so happy to be involved in this moment in her life....to make a tiny impact on someone.  Its easy really, I'm lucky enough to do it with the help of horses....occassionally the coffee purchase of the customer in front of me at Dunkin, or paying for the next person at the toll booth....so many wonderful little things we can do to make an impact on people....Do it, it doesn't hurt a bit!!!