Every Time You Go Somewhere, You Leave Somewhere Behind

 Reader, 

    I've fallen in love with every place I've ever been and everyone I've ever met. Sometimes certain places and people take up a larger part of me than others, and sometimes they stay for a short time only to be replaced by somewhere new. It creates a divide in me, like I'll never be able to be in one place ever again without longing for somewhere else. Maybe this is human, maybe I'm just so easily attached. 

   Last week, Jules and I embarked on a week of country hopping. This is something that isn't readily available to do at home because of the sheer size of the U.S. so we spent time carefully planning which countries and areas would be convenient to spend time in. We took a bus from Galway to Dublin, a plane from Dublin to Nice, France; a bus from Nice to Milan, Italy; a bus from Milan to Geneva, Switzerland; a plane from Geneva to Dublin, and a bus back to Galway. To begin to try to explain the experiences I had while traveling would be insurmountable. That's what photo albums are for, but I can try.

    Nice was the closest thing to stepping into a green screen that I've ever experienced. The beauty of the French Riviera is incomparable and any photo I've taken doesn't do it justice. I would describe it as slow, natural, beautiful, and breathtaking. Waking up to get a croissant and taking a walk along the Mediterranean sea felt spiritual. Out of all the places I've been (besides Galway), Nice is my favorite.

    Milan was filled with high fashion mixed with old architecture in a way I'd never seen done before. We ate our way around the city and While in Italy, we also visited several towns along Lake Como which is an upscale vacation destination at the base of the Italian Alps.  Here, I felt as if I had stepped back in time and was able to appreciate the slow life, something I don't often get at home in America.  

    Geneva was somewhere we decided to go on a whim. I thought, "When am I ever going to be able to go to Switzerland ever again?" and we went. On the way there, we drove straight through the Alps and I was in awe of being in one of the most famous mountain ranges in the world. The color of the lake is crystal clear, bright blue, filled with swans, and sits with the Alps in the distance. I could never describe its beauty enough to you, you'll have to go and see it yourself. While here, we ate fondue, did chocolate tastings, and explored some more. 

    Every time you go somewhere, you leave somewhere behind. It feels so natural to believe that people change places, but I've become very aware that more often, places change people. In under a month, I'll leave and Galway will remain the same while I never will be again. It feels like I'm expected to go back to America and just press 'play' but how am I supposed to do that if I've lost the remote back in Ireland? I'm sure in a few months time after I come home, I'll be able to reflect on my time here and be happy, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm leaving a part of myself behind, not just in Galway but in everywhere I go. How does one understand themselves and their identity without basing it off of their surroundings? I'll let you know when I figure that out. 

Ever yours, 

Gracie, from Ringtown, in Galway, back from the rest of the world