The Life of [Kerin] Riley continues her musings on life abroad, turning 21, traveling the Irish countryside and a possible quarter-life crisis impending:

A Hard Question
“I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion.”
–Jack Kerouac

What do you want to be when you grow up? Easy. When I was 8, I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I was 10, I was going to be the next Emril Lagasse. When I was 12, I wanted to be an archaeologist. When I was 13, I had a brief loss of consciousness and wanted to be a jockey. My Dad convinced me if I stopped growing (and learned to ride a horse) I’d be perfect. When I was 14, I wanted to be a historian. All through high school I was going to be a lawyer or maybe a politician.

What about now, at 21? I kind of just realized that my next “big” birthday is 25 and I graduate from college around this time next year! So umm, how about a real job?…see for yourself

Kerin spent President’s Day weekend in Northern Ireland and got a chance to view the Peace Walls and political murals in Belfast.  She experienced firsthand the contentious culture of the region when the bouncers at a bar declined to allow their friend from Dublin in because he spoke with a “southern Ireland” accent, was from “The Republic,” was “nationalist” and was, as they said, most likely Catholic.  See for yourself.