Arriving in Galway

​Reader, 

I made it to Galway! After a grueling 48 hours awake I finally got to sleep for about 10 hours last night. Jet lag is the worst, especially since I couldn’t fall asleep on my overnight flight. 

My friends from SU and I went to a local pub for dinner last night and of course I had my first Guinness. I wouldn’t consider myself a drinker, but it was super good! It felt customary to order one on my first night in Ireland and it did not disappoint. 

I’ve been in Ireland for almost 24 hours now and the most culture shock I experienced was in the grocery store. All the brands I buy at home are not available to me and instead, Ireland has their own brands of things. They keep milk and eggs on the shelf rather than in the fridge. Their $1 bill is actually a €1 coin which I had to use to get a “buggy” in Tesco, similar to how we use quarters to use a cart in Aldi (we have one of those btw!). 

I won’t lie and say traveling hasn’t taken a toll on me. The last two days I was very volatile and went from happy to crying to frustrated very easily. Between the emotional toll, sleep deprivation, and weather change, I have had a rough time getting here. But I’m here now. I’m trying to get my sleep schedule on track, I filled my pantry to make familiar recipes, and I’ve become best friends with Google maps. 

I can’t wait to get to know this city. 

Ever Yours, 

Gracie