This blog quickly fell into disrepair after two posts almost a year ago, but I feel like I am at the perfect point to resume it.
I have been home from my 5-month study abroad in Belfast for about a week. During my time there I helped the boyfriend settle in to his first house. After months of scrubbing, painting, and sanitizing, the house finally feels like home to both of us, but unfortunately I had to leave quickly after getting it to that point.
The most positive thing to come out of my trip was definitely becoming engaged. He proposed on my last Saturday in the country (I left on Monday) with a lovely ring. It came at a perfect time because I had spent a few weeks prior to that freaking out about how I was going to get back to Ireland long-term after I went home. I would love to do post-graduate work over there, but I'm not prepared to take on even more student loans. I found some scholarships, but they are all very competitive and can't be relied on. His response to this whenever I brought the subject up was, "something will come up." Something certainly did.
So now here I sit in my bedroom in Pennsylvania. Suddenly home doesn't feel so much like home, which is good and bad. I'm having a really hard time fitting in where I grew up now, but at the same time I feel like this is just another necessary step of the moving abroad process. My fiance will be here in two weeks for a short 3-week stay. After that, we will resume the absolutely miserable long distance situation until I finish up with university in May. And then, I can relocate for good.
I've decided to bring this blog back to life to chronicle my last year in America, last year of college, and the daunting immigration process that I am about to tackle. I know it's going to be such a challenging year for me, but I honestly cannot wait to begin the rest of my life in Belfast.
