I know I continue to write about this, but it continues to amaze me. So, until I get over the relatively small size of this world we inhabit, deal with it!

The owner of Nimmos and Ard Bia also owns an art gallery in Galway, the Ard Bia Gallery. After work on Friday evening, I found myself in a local hotel lounge with coworkers from Nimmos. We were at the hotel as there was a party with local artists and artists who were in town for an exhibition. Stereotypes can be terrible, but they are often times so true. If you picture thirty or so artists partying in a very modern, very chic type lounge, you can hopefully get a feel for the atmosphere I walked in to.

Let’s just say I was a little out of my element. Nonetheless, as the evening progressed, I began to become more comfortable with the crowd I was spending my Friday night with. Of course, the pints of Guinness helped with the transition. The one thing the Guinness couldn’t do was begin to make me understand the conversations about the pieces of art at the exhibition. I’m not entirely sure where I night went, but before I knew it it was no longer Friday night but early Saturday morning. We had moved from the lounge to the reception and sitting area. Someone must have known someone, because the pints of Guinness and Bulmers cider kept coming – despite the fact that it was hours after last call.

I decided it was time for me to make my way home to my hostel. It was late (or early), I was tired, and still fighting an ear infection. Not surprisingly, it was difficult for me to tear myself away from the party. Because, let’s face it, I’m the life of the party – wherever I’m at.

As I was standing to leave, one of the girls said, “Remind me again, what part of the states do you come from?”

“I’m from the Midwest, from Iowa – I graduated from The University of Iowa in Iowa City in May,” I let her know (perhaps for the second or third time).

All of a sudden, from across the room, I heard, “Wait, did someone just say Iowa City?”

It turns out one of the girls at the party had studied art the the UI’s College of Art and Art History for four years. She graduated in 2006 and moved back to Galway. So, instead of leaving, I ended up having an hour long conversation about her time in Iowa City.

Thousands of miles from home, yet I’m still talking about the Ped Mall, Panchero’s, and Quintons. Go figure.