Life in Northern Ireland

I’ve now been here for about four and a half months. I’ve had time to get pretty well settled in, adjust to the culture (for the most part), and establish a sense of actually living here. I’ve had some great experiences already, and I look forward to more in the months to come. So I think that now is an appropriate time to share a few lists I’ve been thinking of over the past four months. Without any further ado, I give you: things I love about Northern Ireland, things I miss about home, and things I don’t miss about living in the U.S.

 

Things I miss:

Having friends nearby that I’ve known for years

Being around horses

Inclusive God-language and looking for new ways to think about God

The sun

A clothes dryer

Mexican food

Hiking

 

Things I don’t miss:

A McDonald’s on every corner

Oversized cars clogging the road

Huge houses

Four feet of snow

Restaurant chains

 

Things I love:

Rolling hills and hedgerows

Living a five-minute walk from the country

Taking the bus everywhere

Pubs and small eateries

Street musicians

A sense of history

Tea

Sunday afternoon walks

A 2-year-old child learning my name

Getting to know people here

 

Word of the Week: “Donkeys.” It’s used as part of the phrase “in/for donkey’s years” (or “donkey’s ages”), which means “in/for a long time.” Often the phrase is just shortened to “in/for donkeys.” “Yonks” is used in the same way, and I suspect that’s a further abbreviation. For example: “Until this week, when I explored a path along the Lagan River, I hadn’t been cycling in donkeys.”