The Last Days of an Amazing Journey in Self-Discovery and Poetry

I am so sad to leave this place. Not only have I met creative, gracious, and unique people--some of whom have become true friends, I have had more time to listen to my own writing voice. I've written steadily and in my writing, I have discovered my relationship with the land and the people of Ireland. The music festival brought me to another place with art. On one of my last days, I went to the island of Inishmore--one of the Aran Islands--and saw yet another part of Irish culture.
What is different? The food (okay, I miss big salads and blueberries), the incredible hospitality, the Guinness (yes, it really IS different there), the huge role that music plays in the lives of most people, the pace (much slower), the driving (sheep in the road and very narrow roads AND they drive on the left), the incredible green everywhere, the weather (much colder), the conservation of energy that is commonplace, turf fires even in August, scones, salmon, showers that took me a while to understand, thatched houses, wide open space, and a feeling of safety in the small towns. I felt as if I really experienced Ireland in a different way this time and I could never go back as a tourist again. Living with people, going to events in the town, listening to music in a pub--all of these things made me begin to feel the country as well as see it.
This opportunity was transformative for me. I wrote with passion, interacted with people in a new place, had other writers share and give feedback, and experienced both the stunning beauty and culture of an extraordinary country. It may take many months to fully assimilate all that I have learned.