by Lauren Hicks (Gonzaga University)
LET'S TAKE A MOMENT and be perfectly honest. No matter how many introductory e-mails or informative letters a person receives, no one can be properly prepared for... rain.
I had heard the tales of rain drops the size of boulders and never-ending torrents that cover the country like sheets. Pish-posh- it's just a bit of an exaggeration. Oooh, my rain-filled soul is having quite a hearty laugh. When it first started, I got lost in my leprechaun, misty, four-leaf-clover idea of Ireland. So quaint, and so fresh. Three hours later, it was still coming down-- hard. I could feel my excitement begin to wane. I was thanking my lucky stars that I had brought the heavy-duty waterproof jacket. Whoever invented the oversized hood deserves my first million.
At the moment, flip-flops have lost my affection. It had been a tragic separation, but one that is necessary for well-being.
One thing that was pointed out by a fellow American student-- locals never seem to look wet. While I resembled something like a wet dog, they all must have magic bubbles to protect them from the elements. That should be the story told round the world. Pots of gold and rainbows are old news; magic bubbles that battle the rain warriors are far more appealing. Even the ground obeys the bubble-- the hems of pants were still dry, but my lack of defense was apparent in the fact that my jeans were water-soaked up to my knees!
So yes, I may be able to understand an Irish accent better, know which local beers appeal to my thirst, how to dodge cars that zip around corners quicker than a roller coaster and that curse words don't always qualify for a penalty during the local football game.
Oh yes-- these are small tid-bits of knowledge learned during my time here, but there is one question: where does one find the magic, mystical and mysteriously alluring rain bubble?
Rain
