An Irish Paddy's Day

In the time leading up to St. Patrick ’s Day, my Irish housemates kept telling me that Paddy’s Day was a bigger celebration in the states than in Ireland. “We’re Irish all year,” I heard more than once. There was even a commercial playing for months before advertising a contest to win the St. Patrick’s Day of a lifetime….in New York City. I then had to explain why I found it so funny…that everyone in the states wants to be here for Paddy’s Day.

So I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when March 17 rolled around. It was a Tuesday, and the university had no classes. I got up and went into Limerick city to see the parade with my friend Jaimee, another American. The parade was an interesting experience. It was 2 hours long, and there were a couple long breaks in the parade when we thought it was over. I could imagine the organizers of the precisely implemented Philadelphia Parade flipping out if any gaps that big cropped up. There weren’t as many floats as I’m used to seeing in parades. There was, however, a marching band from California. I also saw several rugby teams marching, which was very exciting for me!

After the parade Jaimee and I got green ice cream cones from a street vendor. We walked around the city for a while. A lot of shops and cafes were closed for the holiday, so we ironically ate Chinese food for lunch. I got texts from my housemates telling me to come back to Plassey (our student village). It was a beautiful day out, possibly for the first time all semester. It was sunny, without a cloud in the sky, and warm. Everyone in Plassey was outside, sitting on benches, duvets, and the ground. The boys were all excited to be wearing their shorts and were playing sports in the parking lot. It was arguably one of the best days that I’ve had this semester.

So all in all it was an interesting day. Not quite what it’s like at home, but still a great day. As it was pointed out to me, there aren’t as many decorations in pubs or public places, no one dyes any rivers green, and the parade in New York was probably bigger. Here they didn’t have to prove their “Irish-ness.” We just celebrated and had a good time.

Unrelated to Paddy’s Day, I’m leaving today for my spring break. I’m going with my friend Ali, who I’ve known since we were in kindergarten. She’s studying in London this semester. We’re meeting in Paris and spending the weekend there, then going through Italy (Venice, Rome, and Florence) and ending up in Barcelona for a few days on the beach. I’m really excited to get to spend time with a friend who I’ve known longer than a few months and for the experience! Ireland is the only place I’ve ever been outside of the states, so I’m really looking forward to our adventures. It’s also really great to be traveling with someone I know really well and who I’m comfortable with.

Well that’s it for now…and I promise I’ll post about my spring break adventures when I get back!