A Letter to 304 Bus in Ireland

Dear 304 Bus,

Today, I wish to write you an open letter in gratitude for being such a significant part of my daily life over the last nearly ten months. Trust me- I have never ridden the bus regularly in this manner before. Whenever I boarded a bus, I typically sat upstairs in front of the seat. As I gazed out the window, memories of my past stories flooded my mind, and I found myself lost in my thoughts. It was not uncommon for me to read an article, a research paper, or a book, listening to music on the bus. I frequently wrote multiple emails, notes, or social media posts on the bus since I commuted for more than two hours each day. 

The sun sat early during the winter season in Ireland. Accordingly, at that time, returning home from university was a tearful experience for me since I was homesick for the first few days. To remember my mom's tearful face made me cry every day. Even I would weep in the first seat of the bus when someone hurt me or was rude. In that way, it was my only place to grieve. My ironic twist happened when I was gloomy on the bus and failed to press the bell before getting off. Due to my absent mind, I was unaware of when the bus had to go to the upcoming two stops after reaching my destination. Therefore, I can say that it has witnessed both my happiness and grief, the passing of seasons, over the last nine months. 

There were times when I missed the bus by a minute or less. At that moment, I felt physically and mentally exhausted by 304. After that, I became very uncomfortable with the 15-minute bus frequency. However, I did not consider it a problem since I was familiar with the facts.

In the next three years, I may not travel by bus regularly. For this reason, this 9-month journey will be one of my most memorable experiences. It's hard to believe that it's been almost ten months since I first stepped foot at Dooradoyle in Ireland. It seems that time has flown by so quickly. Leaving after nearly ten months feels surreal, but I will carry the lessons I have learned on my previous adventures to my upcoming endeavors.

Thank you, and see you around!

Mirza Akhi

30 July 2023

Limerick, Ireland 

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