A Love Story

I'm back. 

Back to the United States, back to California, back to San Francisco, back to reality. Until I can make it back to Europe, I plan on living vicariously through the memories I made this summer. 

"How was Ireland?" I've heard this over 100 times since July, when I landed in Oregon. People are curious, or maybe just doing the sociable thing to do, and asking about my trip. There's just no way I can accurately put into words how Ireland was. There are the obvious phenotype characteristics: green, beautiful, rainy, etc. Or there is the more in-depth answer; it was amazing, the best experience I've ever had, yata yata yata. But really, it was so much more. 

Ireland... it was better than a dream. I was lost, but I found so much. Time didn't matter. Calories didn't matter. School didn't matter. Appearance didn't matter. Nothing mattered. I wasn't worried about fitting in, I wasn't worried about standing out. I was me. I lived day by day on what I needed. I ate when I was hungry. I went to bed when I was tired. I lived out of the things on my back. I left what I couldn't carry, and I realized how little I actually needed. I could only use my phone once a day- if that. Life was as simple as it could have been. And I was happy. I was so happy. 

Now don't go getting the wrong idea. I'm still happy. I love San Francisco. I love who I am here, too. The difference is that San Francisco is hustle and bustle. Everything matters in San Francisco, and the goal is to get on top. The goal is to do better than everyone else. To get that interview, job, promotion. To make money. The goal in Ireland was to be a better me. To understand the world. Money didn't matter. Being better than someone else didn't matter. Me, I mattered. And that, for once, felt nice. I could take the time to take care of me. I read 4 books. I wrote everyday. I met new people everyday. I explored. I walked. I rode bikes. I got to know my brother. I simplified my way of living, and by doing that, everything made more sense. I didn't stress. I lived. I truly and fully experienced life. And that, that is why I loved Ireland. It gave to me what I couldn't find elsewhere. 

In all honesty, it probably would have grown old after awhile. Hostels are hard. But it's exactly what I needed. The people are what I needed- friendly, hilarious, non-assuming. The land was amazing- green, fresh, pristine. It felt like a home away from home. 

I'll be back for you, Ireland. Not because I believe 6 weeks with you gives me the right to say I want to spend forever with you. But because I need more time with you. I need more time to find myself, and maybe by finding myself with you, I'll be able to commit to spending an eternity with you. For now, San Francisco has my heart, because San Francisco keeps me going. It doesn't give me much of a rest, and I do get warn down, stressed out, over-worked, and fed-up. But it's here that puts me on top, and like most American's in the world, on top is where I strive to be. Not out of spite of others, but to better myself. So, one day, Ireland, I'll be back for you. If not for ever, then for always you'll be in my heart. Because you, unlike America, gave me more than I could give myself- a breath of fresh air. 

Here are some exerts from my experiences I wrote about in Ireland:

Sunday 5/22/2016
"I'm currently aboard American Airlines flight 722, it's about 2pm and I'm bored out of my mind. I've napped, I've read, I've snacked, what else is there to do??" 

Wednesday 5/25/2016
"I LOVE IRELAND! I've had such an amazing experience so far. I don't think I can put into words how much fun I'm having."  "The first place I ate at was Glen Tavern. We looked like confused American's when we entered, and the first thing our waiter said was 'ya needy bitches,' because we seated ourselves and then asked for menus!" 

Friday 5/27/2016
"These last two days have been amazing! 

Sunday 5/29/2016
"I'm having an extraordinary time and cant believe I've already been here for nearly a week!" 

Monday 5/30/2016
"We were offered a ride into Limerick by a very kind man who was training his lab puppy. He put us in his van, 2 in front, 1 in back, and drove us to the bus station." "We walked through a beautiful park and looked at woolen goods in the fun little cottage shops. We then went into a gorgeous Roman Catholic Cathedral and then walked a stone wall across the river while traffic was coming, over to an abbey."

"We visited with a cow and then continued to a castle that looked to be in some kind of ruins. It was blocked off, so we jumped a fence and squeezed through a second row of bushes." 

"We did what we wanted, when we wanted, and it was absolutely perfect." 

Tuesday 5/31/2016 
"After trivia we went to the second abandoned castle slightly buzzed." 

Wednesday 6/1/2016
"(we) went up to some guys who were walking on a rope. They let us try walking- and let me tell you, it's harder than it looks!" 

"We then saw some travelers with a horse. Madison waved and we got flipped off." 

Monday 6/6/2016
"I got straight up beaten by a savage woman. But I had a lot of fun and am still sore." 

"Our Irish friends were on this trip, which made it all the more fun"

"We walked to the club at 11pm. We all got in, even though I later realized the age was 21+." 

"He bought 7 drinks in one round! I would sip and then give them away." 

Thursday 6/9/2016
"We ate a traditional Irish breakfast- I obviously liked it. Others... not so much." 

Wednesday 6/15/2016
"Wow. How in the world is my summer class already over. I'm so bummed" 

"We walked in the door and got a free drink in a pineapple." 

"My horses name was Panther and we scaled mountain sides and he sprinted, and just ugh, it was awesome." 

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM ENDED AND ADAM JOINED ME FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS

Friday 6/17/2016
"Adam is here! He arrived yesterday from the Shannon airport and I made him walk to Cratloe from there. We accidentally took the longest route possible and walked 14 miles."

"I'm curled up on a chair by the window overlooking a castle. No wifi, no texting, no calling- bliss." 

Saturday 6/18/2016
"I'm nestled on the top bunk in a small stone room with a single window overlooking the rest of the building." 

"When we decided to head back, we got stopped by a devilish group of cows. They were beyond terrifying with their blank stares. They basically barricaded our only entrance/exit and made Adam and I retreat up the castle walls." 

Wednesday 6/22/2016
"Adam and I are on a train headed to the Stansted Airport, right outside of London." 

"On our way back to the hotel, after being completely worn out, we got lost. We took an extra hour finding the hotel, but eventually we made it. Thank god." 

Thursday 6/23/2016
"I'm sitting on the wood floor of my hostel in Sligo- waiting for my turn in the bathroom." 

"It was gorgeous. Absolutely amazingly breath-taking." 

Friday 6/24/2016
"I'm hoping to see Madison in Galway- I miss her and all the super seven!" 

Saturday 6/25/2016
"We just showered, breaking our 3 day no shower streak." 

"We walked 16 miles today a long the Cliffs of Moher." 

Monday 6/27/2016
"(we) watched both the game and the raging pub-goers. They lost 2-1, and that's when we took our next bus to Cork." 

"I'm getting weary of the bus rides, the hostels, being dirty, unshaven, wearing the same clothes, squat peeing, etc. But at the same time, i'm not ready to go back to reality- back home." 

"I'm in a room with 14 bunk beds. The rock-hard mattresses, enough to make my limbs fall asleep, and stained sheets. Mixed with the stale air and constant ear-piercing snoring, all making for a nonexistent nights sleep." 

Tuesday 6/28/2016
"I don't want to leave." 

So to answer the question- "How was Ireland?"

Ireland was all that I needed. 

EXCITING NEWS

Hello family and friends! 

I've decided to write a whole blog on one very exciting piece of news; I will be going to Ireland for a month and a half this summer. I repeat, I'm going to IRELAND!!!!

If you know anything about me, you probably know that I LOVE to travel. And I mean, really, really, love to travel. I have some of the best memories from traveling, and it has always been one of my biggest passions. I love any kind of travel. From anything as grand as backpacking around Europe to building  houses in Africa, if I get to go somewhere and experience something different, I'm in awe. 

I've been thinking about studying abroad since before high school, but have never really invested as much into it until now. My freshmen year of college, I began looking into the process of studying abroad for a semester, but soon realized due to my enormous course load and desire to graduate a year early, a semester program just wasn't practical. So, me being me, I decided to further investigate because I wasn't willing to give up my hopes and dreams of studying abroad quite yet. I talked to numerous advisers, reviewed the courses I still needed to complete, and (most importantly) started working my butt off to raise money for a trip that would cost more than I worth. And tada! We've finally made it. 

Unfortunately getting to this point hasn't been a walk in the park, and that walk in the park isn't quite over yet. I've still got EXACTLY two months (I leave on May 22nd) before I board a plane and can actually say I'm off to Ireland. Regardless, I just sent my final deposit in, which has made this whole experience feel real enough for me. It was hard enough picking the program. First I had to decide where I wanted to go. I spent more time than I'd like to admit deciding where I wanted to go. This is my first overseas excursion and I wanted to pick a destination that would offer something unique, yet not make me feel isolated due to cultural differences. I decided on Ireland because it has always been on my list of dream destinations (this may or may not be due to my obvious heritage connection to the Irish land and people). Among the other countries who I decided to put off until next time are Italy, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Spain, Russia, UK, Scotland, Netherlands, Austria... let's be real, I could go on and on with this list. 

Anyway, my departure date is set tentatively as May 22nd. My last final for classes is May 18th, so that date somehow worked out perfectly. I plan on returning around July 1st, but if the Irish people fall in-love with this unique redheaded American, I'm not sure I can let my people down and just leave. We'll see. In other exciting news, my brother is planning on joining me for the last two weeks of my adventure! My program actually ends on June 16th, so I'm planning on running wild in Ireland for at least two weeks after my class ends. I'm hoping to make it over to London for a few days as well. 

I guess that's it for now. If you didn't get the hint that I'M REALLY FREAKING EXCITED, I'm sure you'll probably hear it from me sooner or later. I'm excited for this summer, and for finally being able to experience a different country (Canada doesn't count). I'm thankful I was able to work and earn enough money for this trip. I'm thankful my boss still wants me to come back to work after my summer excursion.  I'm thankful my parents are so supportive. I'm thankful my brother wants to spend two weeks with me in Ireland. I'm thankful I got accepted into this study abroad program. I'm just very thankful that this is finally becoming a reality. This is too good to be true! 

Looking forward to the summer! (not looking forward to the midterm I have tomorrow). 

Thanks for reading!

PLEASE send me any information you have about Ireland. (Know anybody there? Any cool places I should see? Any good beers I should try?)


Don't be shy to shoot me an email- anything is helpful! :) 
My email is asdutton@dons.usfca.edu

Little Aarin and Adam (brother) enjoying traveling as young-lings.

One of my favorite U.S travel destinations for camping/hiking  (I've been to Arches National Park 3 times!)

Summer in February

Hi Family! Hi Friends! Hi All! 

I've been feeling conflicted about posting so many beach in February pictures on FB and Instagram lately, so to compromise with my FB/Insta followers and my inner abundance of joy, I've decided to dedicate this blog to my love for summer. That way I can share with you my excitement for the San Francisco sun, and not annoy my FB friends with the overabundance of happy beach pictures. Win-win right??

The past few days have been GORGEOUS. Mid 70's with a slight but not overbearing breeze. Plus, this weather just happened to have come over a three day weekend. To celebrate Presidents day (and the nice weather) my roomie, Hannah, my big, Hannah, and my sib, Dani, all went to the beach! Also, yes, my roommate and my sorority big's names are both Hannah. It confuses me too. Anyway, it was super nice going to the beach. This was my first trip there this year, and my roommates first trip there EVER (well to the SF beaches). We went to Ocean beach because that's the most accessible from where we are. Hannah (roomie) and I also had to stop to get boba along the way (obviously-necessity). I'm not sure if it's a San Franciscan addiction or a college student addiction, but boba is everywhere and is often the go-to for many late-night or mid-day cravings. 

Anyway, we ended up taking an overkill amount of photos. Thanks to my big Hannah and her rockin' photography skills. 

                                                                                                                                                                 

 Sorry you had to endure all these pictures. It could have been A LOT worse. I just had a really fun time and was able to enjoy summer in February. It was fantastic and I loved spending time with some of my favorite people. Also, side-note, I got my belly button pierced! Two Friday's ago my big (Hannah) told me her and a friend (Christy) were going to get their belly buttons pierced. She asked if I wanted to go too, and I said sure. Next thing I know, I have my belly button pierced! Anyway, I think it turned out all right- considering I'd never thought about piercing it before.
One more update: even though I'm single, I had one fabulous Valentine's (or should I say Galentines) Day weekend. I had dinner with Hannah (roomie) and her parents on Saturday. As well as volunteered with FDR (Family Dog Rescue). On the actual Valentine's Day I spent 3 hours (originally planned on 1) doing math homework with a math tutor. After that, Hannah (roomie) and I literally sprinted for the ferry that was scheduled to leave at 3:45. We made it there at 3:43 on the dot. We were headed for Marin to meet up with my aunt and uncle and cousin who was here for work from Chicago. It was bunches of fun catching up with them and enjoying some Chinese food and entertainment (for Chinese New Year). And we all know what I did on Monday. The BEACH!!
Ok. That's enough of the beach for now (literally). It is currently pouring down rain, and my hopes and dreams for more beach days have been flushed down the flooding drain pipes. I can't wait for summer.

Thanks for putting up with my excitement and beach day photographs. (Disclaimer: you willingly read this and have no right to be annoyed by the vast amount of beach day photos).

Okay, have a great rest of your week and remember to enjoy the sun while you can! (We all need some vitamin D!) 

The Long Walk(s)

Hello Friends and Fam and everyone in between. 

Welcome to my lovely life!

I'm dedicating this blog to describing in glorious detail my extraordinary walks around San Fran. There are two beautiful dogs (Siri and Esther) at the preschool I work at, and much like preschoolers, they need attention too. In order to fulfill Siri and Esther's desires (as well as help them get their daily dose of exercise) I've been taking them on longer walks when time permits. This isn't only great for them, but it's an opportunity for me to take a step back (or forward, haha walking) and think without being interrupted by the everyday stress we all endure. That might seem kind of weird, but when you get the opportunity to walk and just think, breath and appreciate what you have, it makes all the difference for the remained of your day. 

Not only that, but I get much needed exercise (like the dogs). I've been trying to "get into shape" (whatever that means), and really work on being more health conscious. That includes self-restraint during those nights where I ransack my kitchen like a starving wildebeest. Those nights always end in self pity and an immense amount of guilt. But that's a story for another time. Back to my point, I like getting the exercise; I like clearing my head; I like spending time with Siri and Esther; I like touring the city (especially on days that offer a pristine sky, sun-kissed warmth, and a slight fresh breeze). 

That's another thing. The fresh breeze isn't really an option in the city. When last walking the dogs, I swear, every time I decided to take a deep breath to further enjoy the great outdoors, I found myself choking on either exhaust, cigarette smoke, or some old man's rancid body odor. City "hiking" (if you will) is a whole hell of a lot different than any kind of hiking I've ever encountered. It's an experience all on it's own. 

To get to my main point, a few days ago, I took the girls on our longest walk yet (8.5 miles) and decided to take pictures to capture the vast amount of view points along the way. It's pretty amazing how diverse San Francisco is, not only in it's population, but in it's scenery as well. Every attached picture was taken in the same day during the same walk! Mind you, I didn't take a picture around every corner, so this is actually just a snip-bit of what I saw. We also saw some typical bustling SF streets, many hole-in the wall restaurant, some horses, lots of dogs, and PEOPLE. I somehow managed to take all of these pictures without catching a glimpse of any signs of human life. Which is pretty freaking talented. San Francisco is VERY populated.  

                                                         

Crissy Fields (Siri was determined to get to the beach) 

The Marina (if you squint hard enough you can see the moon!) 

Some really cool park. That's another thing, all San Francisco parks amaze me because they are so different than the parks I grew up playing at. They're so.... modern. 

Amazing view. 

Drastic change of scenery. We go from seeing the entire city to seeing nothing but trees. Also this trail is called "Lover's Lane." I tried to cope with the fact that I was facing Lover's Lane single with two dogs, which made me all the more bitter about the upcoming Single's Awarness day. (Aka Valentine's day) 

And then we're in the Presidio surrounded by magnificent historic buildings (this is not one of those historic buildings.) 

Catching a glimpse of the bridge as we make our way there from the Presidio. 

YES, this is in the city. 

 That seems to be it for now. I hope to continue with the long walks so I can discover more scenic city treasures. I've also gone different routes to places like Coit Tower or to the Piers. Maybe one day we'll make it to Ocean Beach, but for now we'll take it one step at a time. Such is life.

Speaking of taking it one step at a time, I want to hike the John Muir trail. That was a terrible transition, I'm sorry. Anyway, I read a book called "Almost Somewhere" by Suzanne Roberts, about her journey with two other women on the JMT as a pretty inexperienced hiker in 1993. So, now I'm motivated to hike the 211 miles from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney. Summer of 2017 I'm coming for you. Why not 2016? Well thanks for asking, I'm planing on going to Ireland. Don't quote me on that until I'm actually there, but it's a work in progress that I'm determined to make happen.

That really seems to be it for now. I better get to sleep so I'm well rested for my full day of SUPERBOWL REHEARSAL tomorrow. You read correctly, I'm going to be in the Superbowl halftime show. I'm not sure how or where of what that even means. But I'll be the redhead flailing onto the field (keep your eyes out for me!).

Thanks once again for being somewhat interested in my life. Or at least accidentally clicking on my link. Feel free to leave me comments, questions, or ideas for next time! 

Have a fantastic Saturday night! 

Sorry I'm so Boring

I was lounging on my aunt and uncles plush couch when I was reminded of my blog that I have neglected. I decided in that moment that enough had happened to where it was time to scrounge up a new post. After setting a goal point for when I would stop staring at thousands of mind-boggling words in the CSET test prep book, and later completing that goal, I decided I'd work up the nerve and energy to write some nonsensical blog that may or may not indulge any reader in my life. So here I am... an hour and a half after setting a goal which I had originally intended to take 30 minuets.

Let's see, we last left off with me informing you about the possible consequences of porn. Sorry to take a drastic turn, but this blog is going to be about my boring, dull, uneventful life. 

I will start with the semester that I just completed. I ended up pulling 3 A's and 2 A-'s. I'm actually really pissed about the A-'s. I got them in bio psych and teaching for diversity and social justice. I worked the hardest for my bio psych class, and even though it is said to be the most challenging psychology course offered at USF, I was hoping to rise to the challenge and prove that I was able to conquer anything. Okay, maybe that wasn't my complete motivation, especially during parts of the semester when I would convince myself that I could make a living by dropping out of college, moving back to Oregon, and living with my parents. I'm sure glad I got over that. But, I was hoping that the hard work would pay off to the highest possible achievement level. It really makes me cringe knowing that my GPA is tainted by that little minus sign. Likewise, I went the whole semester not receiving any grades in my teaching class, and am smacked upside the head with the A MINUS on the last possible day that teachers are suppose to have grades in. Look at me, complaining about stupid A-'s. This is why I'm going into education. The system is dumb. I shouldn't be worried about the grades I'm making; I should be worried about the knowledge I'm gaining. 

Speaking about education, I'm taking my first CSET test next week. AH. For those of you who don't know, there are three CSET tests required to get a teaching credential in California. The first (which I am taking), is comprised of social sciences, literature, and history. By that I mean that you have to know EVERY SINGLE THING IN ALL OF HISTORY. It's ridiculous. Again, another reason I'm going into education; to change the system that is slowly killing me by producing an absurd amount of stress and unnecessary test anxiety. 

Okay, enough complaining. On a positive note, my two week winter break in Oregon was amazing. :) I went hiking and ice skating, saw the zoo lights, visited friends, had friends visit, and had an overall relaxing trip home. I love Oregon. That's all there is to it. 

I came back to the city at the beginning of January to work. I love my job. I can honestly say that without recoiling. I love who I work for, and I love who I work with. I'm not sure how I was lucky enough to get this opportunity placed in my lap, but it's exactly what I need in this time of my life. I couldn't be more thankful. It's not an easy job, but it's a job that has given me an insight to the thing I love the most: children. 

So, just to wrap this up because I'm slowly losing motivation. Future plans and goals include...

- Spring semester starts on January 25th. I'm taking child development, math for educators, a teaching art class, research design, bilingual education, and fieldwork. For fieldwork I was placed in a kindergarten class at Rosa Parks Elementary school. I am so excited to have the chance to observe a class once a week. I cant wait! 

- Studying abroad: summer in Ireland. Travel is life. Travel will happen. 

- Staying active! I've been taking a bar method class, which I actually LOVE. I've legitimately seen results in just two weeks and it's pretty awesome. It's a class that incorporates a mixture of Pilates, yoga, ballet, and other exercises. But my trial period ends soon, so I plan on going on more hikes and maybe paying a visit to the gym. 

Side-note: I could have written a whole blog on my incident with a dying mouse in my apartment, but instead I will spare you the detail, and just say this; don't ever put yourself in a situation where you have to deal with a half-dead critter who has stunk up your whole apartment, and has left you with the responsibility of disposing its twitching remains. You WILL be stuck in a limbo between feeling overwhelmingly disgusted and surprisingly heart-broken. So, just avoid that at all costs.

Welp, that's about it. Sorry I'm so boring. I try not to tell too juicy of stories because, ya know, I have to get hired one day and the internet is kind of a resource to investigate future employees. 

PLEASE, please, please, give me ideas for something interesting to talk about. I'm all about sharing my opinion, but give me something to share it about! Or asking me something, that's cool too. 

Okay, thanks for reading. :)