Aaaand that’s a wrap! The 2019 Dublin: Culture and Disability summer program has come to its end. I’m currently sitting on a plane at the Dublin Airport, thinking about when I will be in Ireland again. The time went so quickly, as it always does when looking back.
I couldn’t be happier with the group that I was with, and I can’t wait to see them when we all get back to school in fall. It felt so weird these past two days not waking up and going to meet them. It didn’t feel real when we all said goodbye at NUI. I’m sure I’ll realize in a week or two that it really is over.
Things I’ll miss (in no particular order) : Trinity, Thai Orchid, KC Peaches, green everywhere (nature), the Irish accent, Caitlin being my roommate, daily adventures, site visits, leap card, the girls, the teachers, Kelly’s blogs, no humidity
Things I’m excited for at home:
Cats, family, friends, reliable WiFi, air conditioning, less money spending, bed, car, no school work until August
To all of the organizations and sites that allowed us to visit, a huge thank you! I can’t begin to imagine how I would summarize all of what we did and learned… there was a lot of useful information given to us throughout the program that I’ll take with me as I think about how I want to structure my own classroom and what I’ll do to make steps towards total inclusion. The UN conference was a new learning experience for me, and I hope to remember the meaningful conversations that occurred daily.
Dr. Smal, Dr. Luse, & Dr. Coduti, thank you for everything! This trip was everything I could have hoped for and more, and it would not have been the same without the three of you.
Well, my flight just took off and the tears came in full force. Leaving a place makes it that much more real. Ugh. I hate endings. Very happy to have had the opportunity to do a program with amazing people who I hope to keep in touch with. I’ll never forget this trip, and every time I come back to Ireland (which I hope is often!) I’ll think about the people I met and the places we went.
Signing off one last time- Jackie Durst
