Three weeks after I submitted my last blog post, the love of my life landed in Dublin. This began our incredible, bicontinental adventure. I have found so much peace from living each moment in love –love for myself, love for the beauty of the sea and rocks around me, and love that transcends words for my partner (Zidane). I was soooo excited for him to visit Ireland and see the home I made for myself in Dublin as well as explore even more of the world with my adventure buddy.
While Zidane was here, I tried to take him to as many of my favorite Dublin spots as possible, including Merrion Square, Hanzel&Gretel, and ~Howth~. He found a particular home in one of several Mitchell’s favorite Dublin brunch spots, Beanhive. He would go for brunch while I was in class, and must have gone at least 5 times by the time we left Ireland. Beanhive is known for their latte art, and during one of his final visits, they drew him on the coffee!!! I thought it was nuts and so cute.
We took two trips within Europe, one to Paris and Amsterdam and another to a small town in southern Germany. I loved exploring these places with him. I felt I was able to do all the things I dreamed about when I was in middle school – kiss at the Eiffel Tower, run through the snow in Germany, cry in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam – all with my best friend. It was both loving him and loving me. It was the peace of the Liffey flowing lazily to the sea.
After stressing about travel due to Omicron, we arrived in Accra, Ghana safely before Christmas and spent the last three weeks of our adventure in Ghana. In a completely new place, on a different continent and in a different climate, I still found myself finding peace and love in the sea and the sun and, of course, rocks.
I am back in Ireland now and Zidane is back in Boston. I missed the Dublin Bay a lot while in Ghana, and really miss the sun and the warmth of Ghana. I am really excited to spend the first half of 2022 in Ireland, swimming in the Irish sea and running along the cliffs.