Hiraeth.
Welsh for a yearn or homesickness for a home that was never yours, or a place to which you cannot return or that never existed.
I’ve
been here in Carmarthen, Wales for almost three months and I can’t
begin to describe how much this place has become my home away from home.
It has given me so much more than I could have asked for: a home, close
friends (which will easily become life-long friends), adventure, and,
above all else, a space that has allowed me to be the truest version of
myself.
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| Welsh Countryside |
My
constant companion is Kilgharrah, my lil’ dragon who travels with me
everywhere, even if he just remains at the bottom of my bag as a
reminder for just myself.
I named him ‘Kilgharrah’ after the dragon in BBC’s Merlin TV
Series, but little did I know how significant naming him this would be!
According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, who wrote about Merlin in 1134,
Merlin was born in Carmarthen, Wales and was buried in Merlin Hill in
the town’s center. Legend said that wine the oak fell, it was to be the
end of Carmarthen. While the town remains, the year that the oak fell,
the town experienced the worst floods they’d ever had (how eery!). I,
incredibly, did not know any of this when I named him after Merlin’s
dragon and thus, the coincidence couldn’t have been more perfect -
divine intervention even.
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| Kilgharrah and I on the London Eye |
I
am ever so grateful for the friends that studying abroad has brought me.
It is so nice to connect with other people who are experiencing the
same things that I am but, at the same time, bring their own experiences
and lifestyles with them. It is such a unique thing to be able to see
the same things as them but to view it in a different way. With spring
break upon us, and we have all temporarily parted ways as we travel
around and visit family, their temporary absence has shown me how much
they’ve already grown to be an integral part of my life. I’m so grateful
to call them friends, and soon to call them life-long friends!
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| International Pancake Day with Flat 9 |
In
the few months that I’ve been here, I’ve experienced more moments that
took my breath away than I can count. We’ve ventured to London, England
multiple times and taken in all of the history and regality that it has
to offer between the Globe and Buckingham Palace (to name a few), and
see the origins of Harry Potter by eating where J.K. Rowling
wrote the first few book and walk through the graveyard that she drew
names for her characters. We’ve traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland where
the magnificence of the castle nearly swept me off my feet (literally,
though, with gusts exceeding 50 mph). We’ve visited Bath, England and
dressed in regency clothing at Jane Austen’s House and seen the Roman
Baths. We’ve been to Big Pit and traveled down to coal mines that have
been in use for over a century. Easter break has also given me the
opportunity to stay in Paris for 8 days and see Mont St. Michel, a
champagne tasting tour in the Champagne Region of France, go to
Disneyland Paris, and then spend at least 2 whole days seeing the sights
of Paris including the Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Sainte Chapelle,
the Arc du Triomphe, and the Louvre!
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| Edinburgh Castle |
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| Arc du Triomphe |
One
place that quickly grew to be one of my favorite locations in Wales is
Llansteffan Castle (pronounced in Welsh as Klan-steph-anne). Its only
about a 15 minute drive from Carmarthen, but it feels like you are in a
different world. Situated at the top of a hill overlooking a bay with
quite a large beach, Llansteffan Castle is only the mere ruins of a
medieval castle that was built during the 12th century. This was the
first cultural trip that we took on the second day we were in Wales.
I
could easily lose track of time at Llansteffan Castle, lost in
amazement by how gorgeous the castle is when there is truly little
there. While wandering around, I came across a tower towards the middle
of the place and decided to lie on the remaining cobblestone and look up
through the tower ruins at the blue sky and the silky white clouds
running past. It was the most peaceful moment where time stood still and
I was completely in the moment.
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| Lying down at Llansteffan Castle |
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| View from Llansteffan Castle |
If
Wales has fought me nothing else, it has taught me to relish the little
moments. Too much of my life otherwise is spent thinking about what
comes next. What assignment is due next? What am I having for the next
meal? What do I need to account for while budgeting? What am I doing
tomorrow? The list goes on and on. While planning ahead is important, it
takes away from the little moments that are so much more precious and
can easily go unaccounted for. I am ever so thankful to Wales for
showing me the great importance of slowing life down and not taking
anything for granted.
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| Silly faces |
Wales
has lent me the ability to be my truest self - the crazy self who likes
to make funny faces and use a million different crazy voices. The best
part, is that it has also gifted me with amazing friends who enjoy my
silliness and match it with the same craziness, allowing for so many
moments of sheer joy and laughter.
Therefore, the singular thought that I leave you with is this:
Half
of the study abroad experience is the abroad part - the adventure, the
joy, the laughter, stopping to smell the roses. Take crazy selfies in
front of historic buildings. Get humorous group photos in the most
mundane places. Take a comical photo of you jumping for joy any and
every where. Find the beauty in the people, not just the places. These
are the moments you will remember the most. In short time, Wales has
shared with me such: the value of laughter is utterly priceless.
“To laugh often and much… to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
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| Kilgarrah and I at Camelot |
Kilgharrah and I bid you a farewell from Camelot (aka Chateau du Pierrefonds in France), and wish you all the best!
Caroline Stamm
University of Trinity St. David
Wales
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