Last day of the JMU Ireland Program… First day of the Grand Keane Gentleman Adventure in Ireland: 25 July 2008

A day of farewells and hellos. I really hate saying goodbye. Fortunately and unfortunately I will be seeing many of these faces only too soon. In exactly one month we will be back at JMU. A month that I hope stretches on for an eternity or two. Senior year, enough said.

Lunch at The Atlantic was good only because I knew it was going to be the last time I would be in Ireland with these people who had become such good friends. Stuart was the first to leave. Everyone joked that I was going to cry. I thought that was funny but I held in my tears so as not to give them the satisfaction. Just kidding, Sam and I walked him to the bus stop and exchanged our last volleys of insults while saying goodbye. He was the first leaf to fall from the tree. Colleen came next, then Jackie, then myself.

I had emailed Marc of where I planned to meet him after he had picked up Tim and Andre. He was there at 2.30, I was not. I, being the gifted navigator, had given Marc a different gate to meet me at than the one that I had intended. I was sitting there for 15 minutes or so before Marc came looking for me. He was as shocked as I was at my silly mistake. It could have been quite a costly mistake though. His cell phone, which I had attempted to call several times, was dead. Marc had no way of contacting me and I had none of contacting him, Tim or Andre. That would have been quite the predicament. Apparently Tim had made a similar mistake earlier in the day and told Marc the wrong flight that they were taking to Dublin. Marc arrived at Dublin international and saw that Tim and Andre were not where they were supposed to be, so he walked to the information center to figure out how to find them. And there they were, without a care in the world, hanging out waiting for Marc. These are signs that the trip was meant to happen and will be a complete success.

Meeting Siobhan Smythe (pronounced SH-uh-vahn) was the next challenge. She is a Keane that Marc had been corresponding with because he was friends with her aunt who recommended we all meet. They had never actually met in person.

First I dialed the number she had given us, then Marc did and to no avail. A random woman continued to pick up the phone and tell us we had the wrong number. Of course we were using the payphone while Tim was standing and watching, checking the time on his cell phone because we were taking so long. After so many attempts I looked over and realized Tim had a phone we could use. It was pretty funny. Siobhan was finally reached courtesy of the operator. Seven pm was the meeting time, we took the Dart to a station near her house and her husband Brendon would pick us up.

DINNER.

Dinner was a great time. Siobhan and Brendan were grand hosts, serving us steak, potatoes, several appetizers, wine, and of course, Guiness. Considering we had never met these people before we took to each other very well. The night was filled with lots of laughs and good food. Siobhan certainly put to bed the idea that the Irish can not cook. This was my first homemade meal since home and I could not have asked for a better family dinner.