Colin Sheridan is a writer and columnist. A former officer in the Irish Defence Forces he has extensive deployment experience as a peacekeeper with the United Nations, having lived and worked in the former Yugoslavia, West Africa, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Palestine.
When I was about 13 I went to Germany on a school exchange. It was an exciting time. My first time on a plane, away from my parents, I even had new clothes bought for me so I wouldn’t embarrass my family, my school and my country.
It was summer, so everything seemed possible. Would I have a drink? Kiss a girl? Smoke?
This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in
