Anniversary

One year ago today I arrived in Dublin for my new job. A year later, looking back, I am amazed by all I've seen and done. Over the past couple of weeks I've been so caught up in my knee troubles that I've kind of forgotten how fortunate I've been for the past year. I have been on such great trips full of stories and moments I will always remember. Every once in a while, I still have to pinch myself to know it's real. The wonder of it all does not escape me. It is still an exciting adventure every time I go to the airport. I am still wowed upon arrival in a new city, looking at buildings or bridges or castles or cathedrals that have stood for hundreds of years.
And let's not forget my adoptive "hometown" of Dublin. This place is great. Nearly every time I leave my apartment I see something I've never seen before. I am starting to panic about not seeing the whole town before I move back to the US! The experience of living in an urban environment, where women wear their suits and tights with running shoes to walk to the office, has been so inspiring. Before I moved here, I had no idea how to survive without a car. Somehow, during my year here, I have grown to LOVE not having a car.
The trips around Ireland itself cannot be glossed over by any means. There is something powerful and majestic around the coast of this island. It is positively gorgeous. Some weekends it is hard to stay here in the city when the sea and cliffs are just a bit of a drive away.
So, reflecting on the past 12 months of my time here in Ireland, I smile at the memories and hope that the rest of my time here is as good as the first year.