I am approximately 4,500 miles from Texas, where I have lived for the past 20 years. I love Ireland, but I’ve been feeling homesick for the past few weeks. Of course I miss my friends, family, and pets, but I also miss living in Texas. If Ireland and Texas were to have a cultural exchange, I think these things should come to Ireland.
- Breakfast tacos. Breakfast tacos are some of the best you can have in Texas. It has everything you need wrapped up in a tortilla, is the best breakfast, and is generally inexpensive. I’ve been making it a lot since I moved here, and it’s a great way to remember home. I was also able to introduce them to my housemates (I don’t think they were too impressed). Easy to carry on the go. Take me to Ireland!
- Sun. It’s always cold here. I miss the shining sun. I hate getting a slight tan when I’m outside for a long time. I want to bask in 80 degree sunlight. The sun shines down on Ireland, but the sun peeks through the gaps between the rain and clouds. I’m grateful for that free time, but it’s not the same. I am pale, cold and ready to return to sunny conditions. I want to feel like a lizard under a heat lamp, but Ireland won’t give me that.
- tequila cocktail. As a Margarita and Paloma lover, a trip to Ireland requires a tequila cocktail. In Ireland, you can’t just wander into an old bar and order a margarita on the rocks. Tequila is terrible and most bars don’t even have proper salt. My first week in Ireland, I ordered a margarita at a random pub and they threw table salt on the rim. I’ve only found one bar that has a tagine on the rim, an acceptable amount of tequila, and is on the right track. The Margarita is a very classic cocktail and I think it should be introduced in every bar around the world.
- baseball. This is the first time Major League Baseball has left the United States on the opening day of the season. I love baseball. It reminds me of my friends, family, and my home. I’m so sad that I can’t keep up with the beginning of the season. I cried when I watched the TikTok video of the Houston Astros winning the 2022 World Series. Because I knew I wouldn’t be able to go to a game until mid-June. To combat FOMO, I dressed up in Astro merchandise on opening day, so it felt a little closer to home.
- concert. When I’m in the US, I switch between living in Austin and Houston. Living in these cities, I’m used to going to concerts at least nine times a year. I always look forward to live music events. I consider myself very lucky to live between these two places. One is the live music capital of the world and the other is a major city that hosts many music events. Most artists tour in Austin or Houston. In Ireland, this is a little different. The tour will either hop across the country or only have shows in Dublin or Belfast. This concert has plenty of local live music to quench your thirst, but not on the scale I’m used to. Everything is big in Texas, including live music events.
I really miss Texas, and I know I’ll start to feel the same way about Ireland. I have been living with her for three months now, making this new country my home. I may be homesick now, but come August I’ll be missing the Emerald Isle just as much.
