{"id":548,"date":"2025-08-20T20:00:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T00:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/fairplay\/?p=548"},"modified":"2025-08-20T20:00:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T00:00:07","slug":"bray-just-a-hop-skip-and-a-jump-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/fairplay\/2025\/08\/20\/bray-just-a-hop-skip-and-a-jump-away\/","title":{"rendered":"bray: just a hop, skip, and a jump away"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Surprisingly enough, I spent a lot of our time in Ireland on my own. As much as I loved being with everyone, when I’m in a group, I allow myself to follow. The only way I would be able to ensure that I was<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

choosing my own path was to slip away every now and then (not without telling someone, of course). My favorite of these solo journeys was my trip to Bray, although it technically was not solo. I navigated the transit system alone. During my not-so-long, nor treacherous journey, I spoke to a lovely woman who told me about her twenty-year-old daughter who wants to study abroad in Chicago. It’s a rather odd experience to hear someone yearn for the place that I was so excited to get away from for a week. Once I got to Bray, I grabbed a quick coffee and awaited a newfound friend: Joe! Joe, who lives close to Bray, showed me around the area, and explained that it’s Hozier’s hometown! After hours of wandering and eating what is considered Chinese food in Ireland, Joe and I parted ways and I reunited with the rest of the group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This short “solo” trip made me feel a sense of belonging in Ireland. There’s something freeing about having to interact with those who are local to a place that you consider foreign. I felt a very sudden rush of wanting to be everywhere in Ireland all at once, surrounded by locals. Essentially, I learned that I have to make my way back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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me and joe !!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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DON’T mess with us<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>