8 Experiences You'll Have Your First Summer In Ireland

I grew up in the US and first lived in Ireland in the summer of 2015. I loved it so much I kept coming back. Here are some of the reasons why.

1. You take your first steps on Irish ground.

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You've just landed, you made it through customs and you're in Ireland! You hear the Irish accent and it sounds even better than it does on TV. You feel nothing but excitement as you collect your luggage and make your way out of the airport.

2. You face the bus system for the first time.

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You tell em Rachel McAdams. It is not simple at all, and on first encounter positively overwhelming. "I want to get to Rathfarnham but howwwwww?"

3. You order your first Irish Guinness.

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You watch with excitement as your bartender pours your first pint. But wait, she put the drink down and it's not full yet. Now she's making a different drink. "Do I not deserve it? Is it because I'm American? Oh no, she's pouring in more." Fast forward a month and you explain to your friends from home that it's how you can tell a real Guinness and it's the only way I'll drink it now as they decide to not talk to you again.

(Disclaimer: That is not me in the video).

4. You cross the street and look the wrong way.

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People drive on the left here so it's right to look right, or is it wrong to look right and right to look left... Three years later and I still don't know.

Here's looking at you yellow writing on the ground that tells me which way to look.

5. You see the weather and it's 20 degrees.

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"That can't be right," you think, "it's so warm outside." Then you remember that the rest of the world uses Celsius and you desperately try to remember the formula for converting celsius to fahrenheit you learned in chemistry in high school.

6. You visit some of the most beautiful places you've ever been.

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Anywhere in the country you go, you are guaranteed to have some Insta-worthy shots. Not that you'll be thinking about that in places like the Aryn Islands or the Ring of Kerry.

7. You experience Irish slang.

"What does it all mean?????"

"And there's different slang for different places??? But it's an island how is that possible???"

I'm not even going to try to explain the little I do understand because I'll probably get it wrong and offend someone.

8. You realise Irish people are actually the nicest.

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They are open, friendly and helpful. Their sense of humour is different than American humour, but once you get it, they are so so funny. Easy to talk to and generous, it's them who make your time so enjoyable.