Heavy rain in the city made travel very difficult today, it was hours before I felt I could comfortably traverse the elements. Despite my time in Dublin already, it’s clear my California roots are still being enforced.
Staying in a hostel tonight. I think it’s a great way to discuss different travel stories, not to mention an opportunity to meet a few people from the States like myself. My hypothesis turned out to be true when I bumped into Jake and a few of his friends from Colorado.
Jake inherited enough money after his grandfather passed to finance his dream of traveling to Europe. He’s only spending a few days in Ireland and I was lucky enough to come across him. We had time to share a few pints this morning at a pub across the street and he told me his life story.
Jake’s parents were foster parents, he never knew his biological ones. His biological mother had apparently tried to reach out to him occasionally but he was too young to remember, and his foster parents kept him well shielded as she had an ongoing issue of drug usage.
Jake was closest with his grandfather, who was also adopted. Last year, his grandfather Pat was diagnosed with a rather dire case of cancer – his fading health made it difficult for doctors to be optimistic about his chances.
Before he passed, Pat helped Jake come up with a list of places he should visit in Europe. He’s more or less retracing a similar trip Pat took around the same age. It’s really incredible.
It was pretty humbling to meet someone like Jake. I know his grandfather would be proud of him.
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