Something people have asked me a lot here is why I chose Boston College for my study abroad year, and I’d love to tell them that I’ve always wanted to come here, that I’ve always wanted to see the Sox hit a home run over the Monstah in Fenway, eat a chowder in Quincy or sightsee around Harvard. But the truth is that the idea of coming to Boston was never something that crossed my mind. But now leaving it kills me.
It seems fitting that I write my last blog the airport in Boston, seeing as I wrote my first one in Dublin Airport. I can tell you that the feeling of being at the departures gate this time is quite different to how I felt leaving Dublin. In Dublin I was anxious, worried, and honestly, pretty scared. Now, the only thing I’m anxious about is that I won’t be able to come back here.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to go home, but I’m in a strange state of looking forward to going home, but dreading leaving. Boston is more than just a city on the east coast of the US; it’s become my home. When I say home, I don’t just mean the literal place I lived in for the year, I was part of Boston, part of something more than a year studying in a different place. I didn’t just live here, I experienced here.
The last few weeks have been rough, people have been leaving in drips until the group of internationals has dwindled to only a handful. This group of people are the best you could hope for, hailing from all over the world and each bringing something different to the table; be the Ladsy Aussies, Café Irish, The Doods, The 2000 lock-breakers and of course, the oft bewildered Americans.
I’m also saying goodbye to the BC Ultimate team after we were knocked out of regionals one game away from a shot at going to the National Championships. This team was such an important part of my year and so many people on the team went out of their way to make sure I felt welcome and part of the team from the beginning. We had our end of the year bash right in the middle of finals, which was a welcome release from the stress of studying and assignments to hang out and say goodbye to everyone. Of course the most important part of the night was awards, where I won the award for “Best Minority.” Cheers lads.
On the plus side, I’m going to be home for the Carrick Festival. Usually Festival isn’t something that would excite me, but now that I’m going to be home in time to see everyone at it and have a much needed few scoops with the lads.
That said, I know when I get home I’ll be pining for everything I’ve left behind, for Dunkins, for beef jerky, for the Patriots, for 2000, for the Mods, for Mary Ann’s, for the Celtics, for IA’s and IS’s, for the shuttle bus, for the Ultimate bros, for roommates, for Fenway, for Chipotle, for the green line, for the Sox, for beer pong, but most of all, For Boston. Keep singing that proud refrain.
