January 6, 2004



It still seems like a dream to me when I realize that I'm about to leave for Ireland for a three-week stay. Up to this point in my life, I've never been out of the country. I'm a bit nervous, but the excitement that I'll get to experience another culture far outweighs the jitters. I've always said that there are three places I want to visit before I die: Scotland, Australia, and Ireland. So, I'm about to get to cross one of those off my list.

The flight from Newark to Dublin was a more pleasant experience than I had expected it to be. The length of the flight (six hours) had initially intimidated me, but once aboard the plane the time seemed to pass more quickly than I thought it would. And my experience was enhanced by fellow passengers who happened to be Irish. They were very
interested in our group's trip to Ireland and wanted to know where we were going and what we would be studying. They were very forthcoming with advice as to what we should see and eat, and what things there were to do. It put me at ease to see how friendly and inviting these people were, and I hoped that I would find this to be typical.