Capturing the Trip, Keeping the Memories
By: Karl Wiggers
This Week In Louisiana Agriculture
It’s 7:32 a.m. in Dublin, Ireland. I’m sitting outside gate 417, waiting to board my flight to Newark, New Jersey—by myself. As adventures would have it, Josh ended up on a different flight through Washington, D.C., which is now super delayed, and I feel terrible for him.
This morning, I rode to the airport on the bus with the group. There were sleepy eyes—some even fully closed for a few extra minutes of rest—as we met in the lobby at 5:10 (though I wandered in at 5:14). On the way, I chatted with a couple of the leaders about how excited we were to get back to our kids, our spouses, and our own beds. Some of the students echoed that same yearning for home, while others were sad to be leaving.
Once we arrived at the airport and made it into the terminal to check our bags, the goodbyes began. The students I had only met a little over a week ago were shaking my hand and thanking me for coming on their trip. The adults expressed appreciation for the pictures and videos that would help them remember the experience. That never surprises me—adults tend to do that.
But it’s always the kids who blow me away.
Since I started working at Louisiana Farm Bureau in 2016, I’ve continued to be impressed by how well Louisiana 4-H students carry themselves and interact with adults. The number of kids who shook my hand or gave me a high five throughout the airport speaks volumes about their maturity, respect, and confidence.
While the group was thanking me for coming along and taking photos at the Cliffs of Moher or Kilkenny Castle, I want to say that the privilege was all mine. I’m incredibly lucky to get to travel the world telling stories of farmers, ranchers—and Louisiana 4-H members—and call it work. The truth is, while they were touring, I was too—even if it was through a camera lens.
Nearly all of these students and leaders were complete strangers to me when I showed up in the Temple Bar district of Dublin at the beginning of the trip. To feel a twinge of sadness leaving them just a few days later is pretty remarkable.
I’ve heard many of the students talk about how many new friends they’ve made and the strong bonds formed—bonds that will outlast the jet lag. The same is true for me. I’ve built friendships with these students and leaders that can only come from sharing such an immersive, intense experience.
To the students: Thank you for letting me peek into your exciting, exhausting, sometimes overwhelming, but unforgettable journey. I hoped to stay out of the way enough that you could enjoy the trip without worrying about the guy with the camera. I think I succeeded—for the most part.
To the parents and leaders: Thank you for sending your kids to experience another country, culture, and the magic of international travel. Watching these students grow in confidence over the course of just a few days was incredible. You should be immensely proud of them—not just for going, but for how they carried themselves every step of the way.
To the Louisiana 4-H team: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Mrs. Hannah and Mr. Jeremy, you were outstanding leaders who kept things running smoothly. Jamie and EF Tours deserve a tip of the cap as well. This was an incredibly well-organized trip. I hope the content we bring home makes you proud and shows the lasting value these experiences offer your students.
There’s a term known as an “Irish goodbye”—slipping away quietly from a group without saying farewell. I’ll admit, I tried that this morning after making it through security and U.S. Customs. Not because I was tired of the group—far from it—but because saying goodbye makes it feel final. It means the trip is over, and we may never be together like this again.
Lucky for me, the students weren’t having it. They made sure to say goodbye—some more than once—and the smile that put on my face made the ending a little easier.
The trip has to end eventually—but not until I board my now-delayed flight to Newark, then on to New Orleans. After that, I’ll locate my truck, escape the parking garage, and drive to Baton Rouge to see my family—all in the same day, thanks to the time-warp magic of international travel.
While the journey is over, the experience will stick with me for a long time. I’m tired, thankful, and starting to get a little hungry.
See you soon, America.
