Ireland.

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I can feel that westward wind blowing. It’s about time for me to move on again. Next stop: Ireland.

After an incredibly relaxing and much needed two months at home in Kansas, today I’m heading to Ireland to start a master's program at Trinity College Dublin. I'll be studying Comparative European Politics and couldn't be more excited. And while it sounds like quite the unbelievable move, I'm not sure anything has ever felt more right or that there's ever been anything I've felt more ready for (or so I think).

I just finished a year in Washington D.C. My first year out of college. My first real job. My first time to move away from Kansas for an indefinite period of time. And, at first, it horrified me.

For the first time in my life, there was no end date. There was absolutely no way of knowing what would come next. Or when. And for this rambling soul, the moment I realized that was a very scary thought.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved D.C. I loved Shaw/Howard, my “up and coming” neighborhood that was too rough for people to even go into just five years before. I loved my job (most of the time) that I worked 14 hours a day. And most of all I loved my friends in D.C., an eclectic mix of some ambitious social climbers, but mostly altruistic social innovators. But, something didn’t feel quite right.

After my very first day of work at the Alliance for Climate Protection, I knew I would never be happy with a job in D.C. unless I got a master’s degree. I already had been thinking about applying to some schools in Ireland, which would not only get me back to Europe, but also give me the opportunity to live in a country I had dreamed about living in for many years now. So, I applied to two colleges in Ireland and got into both!

While I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent in D.C. - the friends, the nights out dancing, the Saturdays spent at the Smithsonian’s many art galleries, the Sundays strolling around new parts of the city in search of new coffee shops to do work in - I almost feel a little bit guilty that I didn’t live more while I was there. Looking back, I almost feel I spent the entire time I was living in D.C. wishing I were living somewhere else. It’s not that I didn’t like D.C., but there was a part of me that, for whatever reason, was yearning so badly to be in Ireland.

Now, I know what you may be thinking: why would a girl from northwest Kansas want to go all the way to Ireland to study Comparative European Politics? Well, to become a better servant of our own country, of course.

Just before heading abroad, I had the opportunity to speak at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics in Lawrence, Kansas about the importance of civic engagement. While there, someone asked me where I see myself in 10 years. I always hate that question. While many people involved in politics have a specific ambition, a specific position that they hope to attain, I don’t have any idea where I see myself in 10 years.

Public service is something that is very important to me. I believe that being a true public servant means being able to recognize a void in one’s community, and then not being afraid to step up and fill that void when needed. I also believe that in order to make your own community and country better, you must be exposed to the ways other communities and countries work and function. If all you ever do is what you’ve always known, that doesn’t leave much room for creativity and growth. I’m moving to Ireland to study how other democracies work and function, for better or worse, in hopes to prepare myself to be a better public servant of our own country.

It also doesn’t hurt that Ireland is such a fascinating country. The history and struggles of the Irish people date back centuries before Columbus even thought about sailing to the new world. It’s a mystical and magic place where history, religion and modernity mix with charm and grace. It’s the land of saints and scholars. And for a student of European politics, it’s a captivating case study and an even better place from which to actually study from.

The truth is, I’ve been mesmerized by Ireland since I met a few Irish people when I was 16 years old. I’ll never know to what extent meeting them propelled me to begin traveling and become interested in international affairs, but there is no doubt - this was definitely the initial spark.

Since then, I’ve been to Ireland twice, lived in Belgium, helped elect a president, and worked to bring clean energy to our country while fighting against climate change. It’s been interesting to say the least. I’ve been blessed to meet and work for so many incredible people along the way, and I’m only 23 years old.

I know many new adventures await me in Ireland and I’m looking forward to each and every one of them. In the midst of my studies, I will do my best to keep this blog up-to-date so you can share along in my travels. Most of all, I hope you stay in touch while I’m away. Living in D.C. was one thing, but to be an ocean away from many of my family and friends will be a test. But, I truly feel this is one test I’m ready for.

In true Irish fashion, I'll leave you with my favorite traditional blessing from the Emerald Isle:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Truly yours,
Clarissa

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Comments

[Ann Anhalt]

Best Wishes
Your write up was grand and so reflective. The very best to you on your journey and studies. I look forward to reading your blog over the next year..years. Ann from Des Moines

[connie Terry]

Follow your dream
Way to go Clarissa! I'll be looking forward to following your blogs while you are on your journey.