As you can see in the photo above, I’m beginning to embrace the rain that has shown itself multiple times this journey (and I’m sure will continue to). And while this photo is a bit silly, I think it develops our answer to the question a bunch of us asked on the first day of class: when does a place become yours? While Dublin is not by any means my place, my becoming familiar with it (slowly buts surely) and not being surprised by its habits, I think, is bringing me closer to becoming one with this place.

Growing up in a tourist area, living near New York City and along the busy Jersey Shore, I became used to the presence of tourists in my places. Their influence is critical to these places, whether their effects are negative or positive. Tourism dictates the economy and infrastructure of a place. From what we’ve seen of Dublin, I’ve noticed the influence we–as tourists–have had on this place. Take the literary pub tour: the effort to preserve an authentic Ireland and memorialize Ireland’s most impressive names is, in part, for its people, but appears to mostly be constructed and maintained for tourists.

However, tourism may perpetuate the Dubliner’s idleness that was described in the texts we read this morning, begging the question: what is the effect of Dubliners having a major part of its economy dependent on its history being encapsulated? I’m hopeful to see examples of history being written for Dublin. What will tour guides be saying about Dublin 50 years from now about 2017 Dublin?