My trip to Ireland has been three years in the making. Now I’m at JFK International Airport about to embark on my Irish adventure. I start out at 8 P.M. making the long way down to terminal four. My Delta 406 flight to Shannon, Ireland was scheduled to depart at 11:45 P.M., but it was announced that it would be delayed for 30 minutes. During the waiting time, I and the rest of my Hofstra Study Abroad group had to move twice to different gates…ultimately, ending up at the original gate, Gate 20.
Luckily before boarding, I was able to change my seat on the plane from the last row to the third row. Why is this important anyhow?
I have said before that now I am 21 and as an adult I don’t like to be publicly (and unnecessarily) carried to my seat on my father’s shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Also, I don’t like to be wheeled down to my seat in an aisle chair, because, for safety reasons, I’m tied up with four different belts in a crisscross shape –making me feel like a prisoner. So, I make my way to the third row step by step and I shift myself into the middle seat. Six hours later and after an uncomfortable sleep, a bird’s eye view of green, square plots of land sprayed in rain appears in my side window.
I am finally in Ireland!!!
At Shannon airport, I notice that every public sign is written in both, English and Irish Gaelic. I move on to go to the baggage claim and pick up my luggage. To my surprise, I realize that I traveled light (OMG seven pieces of luggage).
Thanks to the Hofstra in Ireland Study Abroad program, Professor Patricia C. Navarra and Hofstra’s Services for Students with Disabilities Department (SSD) run by Julie A. Yindra I was able to get accommodations for my own accessible taxi, owned by my driver, Richard Casey.
It takes Richard an hour to drive me from Shannon Airport to Doolin and drop me off at Doonmacfelim House B&B where I’m going to spend the weekend. Settled in my room, I saw a wonderful view that I want to share with all of you –cows.
As of right now I am writing this post and waiting for my Irish adventure to continue. Stay tuned for more, but I warn you, nights in Ireland are very different from the ones in “the city that never sleeps,” NYC.
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