Obviously, moving to a new country brought with it plenty of expectations beforehand. For the most part, my perception of Ireland was totally based off the stereotypes depicted in the media. Therefore, this past summer, I anticipated the scenic green hills, and red-headed people that love eating potatoes and drinking Guinness. So far, I’d say that most of my assumptions were accurate.
For one, (no pun intended) the grass is actually greener in this part of the world. I am constantly surrounded by spectacular cliffs and valleys with sheep scattered across them., There’s a saying here that there are more sheep than people in Ireland which may be an exaggeration, but there is definitely an absurd number of wild goats and sheep that will casually enjoy the view right beside you. It doesn’t matter if I’m driving to a game or stepping into my backyard there are always views that look like the stuff that people use as screensavers. If you google the label of a nature valley ranch dressing bottle that is what the majority of the country looks like. Even the air taste fresher here and I can genuinely say that the landscape has given me a newfound respect for nature.
The stereotype about Irish people loving alcohol is more accurate than I anticipated. It doesn’t matter if its Sunday afternoon or a Friday night, there is legitimately always a pub open somewhere proximity. No need for a liquor store, all you have to do is stop at any local gas station and it will surely be fully stocked with whatever drink you prefer. In Letterkenny for example there is a probably a bar for every 20 residents that live here. The town itself is only a few square miles total but it may have just as many bars as downtown Cleveland. I knew that drinking was serious business here when at one of my games, the bar attached to the gym was much bigger and much nicer than the gym itself. One of my teammates once said that in Ireland if someone asks, “are you drinking?” and you respond “No.” than the typical response is, “what’s wrong with you?”. Overall, the drinking is a key part of the culture that distinguishes it from other countries and it might explain the outgoing and fun-spirit of the residents.
So, after a month of living here I can definitely check scenic views and drinking Guinness off the list of accurate Irish stereotypes. While the Hollywood portrayal of Ireland seems to be accurate so far, there are still plenty of aspects of Irish culture that I did not expect.
Overall, my first three weeks here have been totally unpredictable, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Other than people pronouncing my name as “Spancer” instead of Spencer I am truly loving the Irish way of life. A member of my Basketball team claims that a common Irish motto is “If it looks stupid but it works… it’s not stupid”. This way of life allows Ireland to be a culture that is still efficient, but they do not make a big deal about things as long as the job gets done. In my short time here, I have learned that important thing is to embrace these differences and just enjoy the ride. By expecting the unexpected I believe that I will continue to learn and grown as a person. The driving in Ireland is somewhat frightening, the people of are amazingly unique and outgoing, and I will never get over how beautiful the place is.
