Emma Sutton / Hilltop Views

I’m not sure if time moves slowly in Galway or if I move too fast. I have been in Ireland for over a month now, and I’ve noticed a difference in how Americans and Irish people relate to time. 

Here, I feel like I am always waiting for something: the bus, my takeaway tea, the waiter. There’s no rush or jolt to keep moving from one place to the next, to keep doing and going. 

I got to thinking more about this waiting phenomenon while I was waiting for the bus, funnily enough. Is it just me who gets to class too early, so it’s my fault I’m waiting? Is it me who orders something complicated, which makes it take longer? No, it isn’t.

The Irish perspective, or maybe it’s the European perspective, on time is just different, and I’m starting to think: rightfully so. In the US, I felt like everything was left until the last minute, leaving me running from one place to the next. Everything was a race for time. 

In Galway, I don’t feel like I’m racing. At first, I was frustrated that my chai latte took six minutes to get to me or that the bus wouldn’t arrive for another 30 minutes. But now, it’s just a part of my routine. I get on the bus and have time to sit and catch up on reading or see what TikTok has to offer me that day. Even though you are on a bus full of people, it feels like necessary personal time when you can relax and stare out the window at misty mornings or sunny afternoons. 

The time I wait for my latte is used for chatting with the shop owner (she has a lot of questions about Texas for me). You get to know people. Often, on the bus strangers will chat throughout the entire ride. There is a community in the waiting.

The waiting slows you down and gives you a break from a hectic day, or even a hectic life, and allows for time to reflect. Americans (myself included) want everything automated and as quick as it can be. We want our things immediately, if not sooner. 

Those few minutes that I would normally say were “wasted” waiting for my food at a restaurant now feel like I’ve gained time. I am able to chat with my friends longer before stuffing my mouth full of whatever dish I’ve ordered.

Living in Galway, I’ve learned to slow down and check in with myself daily. I think that’s something that has made the transition easier for me. The “extra” time I have helps me stay grounded in an otherwise hectic world.

I feel that more Americans should try and adopt this slower lifestyle. Or, maybe the US.. should just have better public transport that would allow for some down time. I know in Ireland, it has made my life so much easier and relaxed.