Running for the Hills

by Jennifer Latchford (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown USA

I’ve been told that I tend to run away — from things, situations, relationships, the list goes on. But I disagree. I can see why it seems like I’m running away, but in reality, I’m running toward something. Getting away and seeing how big the world is seems to always put things in perspective for me. A perspective I lose sight of on the usual hamster wheel of my day-to-day life. I crave experiences, specifically new experiences that fall far beyond my comfort zone, and that’s what gives me the impetus to run. In 2016, I studied abroad in Ireland for four months and it was my first time leaving the United States. I remember sitting at my departure gate, realizing I had no idea what I was doing. Up until that point, there had been a lot of hype around my trip and planning that went into it, but I couldn’t have felt any more unprepared than I did at that moment. Sometimes I still feel a twinge of panic as I think back to that time of uncertainty. But I now know how important those nerves were. No matter how scared I was, I had to learn to trust myself. I landed in Dublin on September 12, 2016. The jet lag was weighing on me, but I pushed through the day. I quickly connected with a few girls who were studying at the same school and kept them close. When you go abroad, people at home only see the photos and great times. No one really talks about the culture shock and homesickness, which was an extremely important part of my experience. My time in Ireland was a huge period of growth for me. I went to Ireland because I desperately needed a change and wanted to get out of my bubble, but that doesn’t mean it was easy for me to adjust. I spent many nights in my room, tears streaming down my face, with flights back to New Jersey displayed on my laptop screen. I was uncomfortable and I didn’t like it. Then one day it hit me. It was good that I was uncomfortable — the whole reason I decided to go abroad that semester was because I was too comfortable. My first few weeks in Ireland were filled with forced conversation and a lot of walking. I explored my surroundings and played tourist in my new home, finding comfort in familiarizing myself with the city. I was lucky to meet a group of people that loved to adventure as much as I did and with time, I became a pro at navigating Dublin and its environs. I owe a lot of credit to my advisor who took me under her wing and led me on countless tours, answered all of my questions and gave me recommendations. Because of her, I was able to take off on my own, or with some of my new friends, and confidently explore the area. In the four months I was abroad I climbed the hill in Howth, swam in the Irish Sea, took a bus through the Wicklow Mountains, walked through a 6th century settlement in Glendalough, enjoyed a Guinness, admired the beauty of the Cliffs of Moher, petted a sheep on the Dingle Peninsula and fell in my first cow pie. Not to mention the weekends I was able to spend in Italy, France, Switzerland, England and Spain. When it was time to return to the United States, I couldn’t accept the fact that I was leaving. What was once foreign to me had quickly become home and that was a great feeling. My trip abroad gave me some of the best friends I’ve ever had and allowed me to connect with people from all different cultures. Most importantly, traveling gave me a new level of confidence that I didn’t have four months before. Ireland taught me that it’s okay to be nervous and uncertain, and coming to terms with that has created who I am as a traveler. After all, the best stories don’t usually start with being comfortable.