As many of you may know, I have spent the last five months studying abroad in Ireland. Obviously there are differences between the United States of America and Ireland, probably too many to count, but there are some differences that I noticed immediately between where I was in Ireland and where I am now in Florida. Some of them made me chuckle a bit, but others I wish were not true.

1. Sales Tax

I thought about this the day before I came home to Florida and was immediately livid. The sales tax of an item is not already included in the price of an object. Why? Why is this the way that our society works? Do you realize how much nicer life is when the price of a product is actually what it says on the tag? If a drink says it’s 2 euro, it’s so convenient when it is actually only 2 euro. Not a drink that says its $1.99 and ends up costing $2.09. Just... why.

2. The Vehicles Are So Much Larger

In the same way that basically everything is bigger in America (the portions, the people, the country) all of the vehicles are so much larger. I especially notice this in a semi-rural area of Florida where big trucks are all the rage. I don’t really get why-- maybe if you have to use it for moving things, like livestock or other farm equipment-- but just to take to the grocery store? It seems a bit excessive.

Bonus points to all the vehicles with stickers supporting Trump!

3. The (Obvious) Difference In Weather

Of course there is a difference in climate between Ireland and Florida, but my word, the definition of what makes a good day is vastly different. In Ireland, a nice day consisted of weather around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. That is considered cold in Florida. Since getting off of the plane I have been in a constant state of melting. Or freezing when I go inside to the air conditioning. It’s ridiculous. I miss the 65 degree weather.

4. The Guns

In Ireland, I didn’t have any fear of being threatened with a gun. Here, it’s something that I have to keep in the back of my mind. I went to a flea market and there multiple stands selling ammunition and even weapons. This ease of access is a terrifying truth of the states.

5. The Wildlife

On my way home from the airport I saw multiple deer. At my mom’s house I have seen turtles, tortoises, snakes, multiple types of birds, and too many bugs to count. There are also raccoons and alligators that live near us. I think the only wild critters I regularly saw in Ireland were pigeons, ducks, and other types of birds. The bugs are also a lot different. I often needed to pick ticks off myself after being outside for a few minutes. Mosquitoes attack as soon as you step outside. The ants also bite. It’s slightly terrifying.

6. Commercial Breaks

When watching television in the states, there are numerous commercial breaks throughout one episode. Not so much back on the Emerald Isle. One show may have a single commercial break, and then commercials before the next show begins. It is so much less annoying to have it set up this way, but alas, America doesn't have its TV together.

Some of these things are insignificant, while others I feel are quite important to my everyday life. Though there is nothing I can necessarily do about these differences, it is interesting to me to compare the two places and their customs. All I can do is remember the good things about Ireland and work to get back someday. In the meantime, I have to get used to things back here in the states.