The old Irish Murphy’s Law claims, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong,” and it has been my lifelong companion. So when I started my weekend getaway last Friday morning by missing my seven o’clock train, I was concerned that I was in for a Murphy’s Law type of trip. But as I sat in the backseat of the cab on my way home Sunday night, growing misty eyed while chatting with our cab driver who had also served as our tour guide, historian, and surrogate uncle, I could not have been more grateful that my weekend away was indeed a Murphy’s Law kind of trip.
My two roommates and I embarked on our journey to County Mayo (on the Western coast of Ireland) to explore some of the most beautiful land in Ireland. Discovering all that Ireland holds is one of our missions abroad, and our weekend trip was designed as our big adventure out West. The thought of escaping the hustle and bustle of Dublin and spending a fun girls’ weekend in quaint Irish coastal villages complete with a night in a real-life castle enchanted us, but we did not anticipate that almost everything that could go wrong, would go wrong.
After missing our 7:00 a.m. train, Murphy’s Law taunted us again as we sprinted to catch the next Dublin to Ballina train. After leaping on board, we collapsed into the aisle of the packed train and spent an hour hovered by the malodorous bathroom, Candy-crushing on our phones, and kicking ourselves for our untimeliness, as passengers plowed between us in a futile search for seats of their own. And yet, despite this chaotic start to our weekend getaway, our trip out West concluded as an all-time favorite weekend abroad.
Plagued by Murphy’s Law, we encountered obstacles at every stop along the way, but each mishap was accompanied by or replaced with a moment I will forever cherish. After missing the first train to Ballina, we met an elderly Irish couple on the next train who shared their inspirational story of living in Zimbabwe for over forty years before returning to their home in Ireland. When our late arrival in Ballina limited our entertainment to the commercialized department store, we spent a night uncontrollable laughing while trying on tacky Christmas sweaters, gluing on cheap fake nails, and modeling the now famous hot pink wig, dubbed “Phoebe.” When a violent rainstorm met us in Westport, the second stop on our journey, we were forced us to seek shelter for our luggage, and met Paddy, our kindly cab driver, who offered to store our bags back at his “office.” Little did we know, Paddy’s “office” was that of his second business, Westport’s go-to funeral home. This eliminated any concern about leaving our valuables behind, since the majority of traffic going into the funeral home door was one-way. The fierce rainstorm in Westport gave way to an exquisitely beautiful following day on Achill Island, a destination surreal in its splendor, complete with heavenly views from some of the highest cliffs in Ireland. As I stood atop the green cliffs with sheep scaling the sides, gazing down on crashing Atlantic waves, out to perfectly triangular mountains, and across to emerald green pastures, I understood that the weekend getaway had gone exactly according to plan.
Organizing trips, travelling without family, and living in a foreign country is exciting and challenging. Experiencing complete independence can be terrifying, and adapting to complete self-sufficiency can lead to some minor meltdowns. At the same time, the only responsibility that comes with studying abroad is to take full advantage of every moment spent immersed in the country of choice. Spending a semester in a foreign country is a journey of learning to accept life as it unfolds, and trusting that great things happen when plans take that unexpected turn.
Murphy’s Law transformed our relaxing girls’ weekend into an adventure filled with hours of laughter, happenstance meetings with the most interesting Irish people, and reflective time spent climbing the cliffs of Ireland. These are the magical moments of study abroad. No matter where you are in the world, embrace Murphy’s Law and know that at the end of every rainstorm, there is always a magnificent rainbow.