I'm going on an adventure!

At the beginning of February this year, I got a letter from my university confirming my acceptance to the International Exchange program. To me, that letter was exactly like the contract Bilbo signed before leaving the Shire. (You have permission to roll your eyes here.)

I've only ever traveled outside Canada once for more than a couple of weeks, and although it was a wonderful experience, I'm considerably more giddy this time around. Yes, location has something to do with it, but the fact that I'll be alone this time is forcing me to come out of my shell and explore - and learn. My schedule will be entirely my own and I won't have to rely on or consult with anyone before getting up and hopping out the door at the crack of dawn. 

I've heard so much good about Ireland from my friends that I feel like I'm taking a plane to Faery, and although I know that no place on Earth is utterly perfect, I rather like the feeling. I've purposely avoided scouring Pinterest and Google Images for photos or recommendations of places to see - I'm going blind, waiting to see everything for the first time with my own two eyes.  

One of the things that initially drew me to Ireland and the British Isles is my own Celtic heritage. My mother's side is a hearty blend of Scottish and Irish and my father's grandfather was an "off-the-boat" Scot. That, combined with my love of languages, mythology, history and fantasy, made the British Isles a location of choice.

It's difficult to muster the courage to leave your home alone and go a  little ways around the world to live for a while. But it's the thrill of facing that fear that's motivating me to do this. I'm a young debt-free student (I love you, Québec, for your inexpensive tuition!) and this is the time to see the world so that I can grow and learn - because there is just SO MUCH to learn. I already have an open mind, but I haven't seen a thing of this teensy beautiful planet we live on, and my goal for this year is to remedy that. I'll likely be bereft of money when I come back, but the cultural richness I know I'll acquire is worth more to me than a bunch of numbers. I never liked math anyway.

So in a short while, I'll be going on my very own adventure - hopefully without Orcs or necromancers, but I wouldn't say no to a dwarf or Wizard...

Hakuna matata!