Belfast trip

This week is our last week in Portrush before we all go our different ways for our internships. On Monday we spent time with Derick talking about the importance of relationships, and diversity, equity and interdependence. Tuesday we had a speaker Neil Aldred come in to talk to us about his experiences in Africa and transferring these to the issue in Northern Ireland. He spent 15 years in Africa in different countries but never really experienced democracy, mostly dictatorships, and it was interesting to hear him speak about change, fair trade, freedom of religion, and other topics. Than we had Clare Magill come and speak to us about her work on a qualitative research project involving the perceptions of the conflict that young people had. They compared the responses of those youth in Northern Ireland to those who faced conflict in Bosnia in the early 90's. It was interesting to hear audio of youth who would like to be a part of integrated schools, and to hear them respond to what they do and do not know about the conflict. A lot of youth may not have been exposed to both sides of history of the conflict.

On Wednesday we traveled to Belfast for a day trip. I met with my supervisor James Knox with AWARE-defeat depression. The 8 of us from HECUA who will have internships in Belfast will be moving in on Sunday and then we begin our internships on Monday. Afterwards we got a tour of the nationalists side of Belfast from an ex IRA prisoner. We saw the Bobby Sands mural who was the first hungerstriker to die. We saw many more murals that were related to international conflicts such as the palestinian/israeli, and civil rights movement in the U.S. We then had lunch at a place for nationalists and republican families more specifically those prisoners who had served time. There was a museum with IRA artifacts and memorabilia from the troubles. We than got to speak with an ex IRA officer who had served 16 or so years in prison, but because of the Good Friday agreement was released in 2000. Some of our questions were answered with the republicans but a lot of them were not.

After lunch we got to meet with the first loyalist person. We met him on the otherside of the peace wall. He told us his personal story about growing up admiring Ian Paisley, and became a member of the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force). He openly admitted to killing 4 people and after 16 years in prison, and integrating back into the community, he openly admits that what he did was wrong and that he is sorry. He was the first person that answered most if all of our questions. He didn't dillydally around the questions and told us the truth from the beginning. It was good to see such a contrast between the ex republican prisoners and loyalist prisoners.

On Thursday we spent time talking with Derick again about preparing for our internships, and being a critical friend! Then later we met Nigel's wife and kids and had some soup and bread! They are so cute, and I think all of us felt a little homesick! We than went down Benone and dipped our feet in the ocean!

Last night we all got together one last time before the Derry and Ballycastle folk depart today for internships. We went to the Springhill pub which has international student night! It was good craic (fun/enjoyment)! I will hopefully have a better internet schedule in Belfast to skype and email more consistently! More to come soon I'm sure!

A Day in Derry/Londonderry

On Wednesday we journeyed to Derry/Londonderry. Those who have their internships in Derry met with their supervisors while the rest of us explored the city a little bit. We went to a couple shops, and then met up with the rest of the group and our tour guide for the rest of the afternoon. We walked around Derry and saw the peace wall that divides the protestant and catholic communities. They close the doors that connect the communities each night at 9 and have cameras placed everywhere. The political and religious murals are a sign of each community and there is a huge contrast between the two. We heard personal stories from our tour guide, and were in the heart of where Bloody Sunday occurred. We also got to speak with a brother of one of the victims who died that day. He has now dedicated his life to educating people of those events that happened that day. He owns the Museum of Free Derry where there are loads of artifacts from that day. We than had the opportunity to hear his story about the process that has been going on the past years as far as the trial of those who killed people that day. None of the PARAS have admitted to killing anyone that day except for one. It was a very emotional, fact driven day, and it has taken and will take some time to process the reality of events that have occurred in Derry and the continuing struggle for peace that is occurring in Northern Ireland.

Yesterday we had the chance to hear Sean Farren speak about his involvement with the Good Friday agreement, and then today we just heard Ken Harland talk about the role of masculinity within this culture and the programs that he is involved in to help educate and work with marginalized groups. This weekend we all went out to the Anchor bar in Portstewart just about 10 minutes from portrush. We all had a lot of fun dancing and talking with locals. Then yesterday Erin, Abby and I went to Coleraine and tried to do some shopping but Erin and I were unsuccessful. Though we did find a semi-mexican restaurant on our way back to the train station called Cactus Jacks or something? It was the best we could do for our mexican cravings! They didn't have margaritas but we had chimichangas and nachos which were just as good! :D That night the gang went out to Kelly's night club which was jammed pack with people and about 7 different bars and music areas. It was a fun night filled with dancing! :D


This next week is our last week in Portrush. We have a day trip to Belfast on Wednesday, and those who have internships in Derry and Ballycastle leave on Friday, and the 8 of us who are in Belfast leave on Saturday morning. Should be another fun week in Northern Ireland!

Social Work, Murals, and Gender in N.I.

Monday we had the chance to listen to a Social Work professor about his experience working in the midst of the Northern Ireland conflict. It was very interesting to here his personal stories about growing up in a certain area and the predetermined ideas that people would have on him based on his name, accent, and where he grew up. I found it particularly interesting to hear the struggle he had, just like any other helping professionals have, about the balance between personal and professional identities that each of us have. It is even more so of a challenge for individuals going into this field because you have to put your ideals and beliefs about what the state of Northern Ireland should even if the views of the person you are helping are different. When he talked about some of the personal stories it was hard not to feel empathy for the people of this country especially Social Workers who are not always respected.

In the afternoon we traveled to the UNESCO centre where we did a joint session with 10 postgraduate students from the University of Ulster, who are all going to high school history teachers. The lecturer started out with an exercise to see how much each of us knew about our own history, American and Northern Ireland. It was difficult for both parties, but we managed through. :D We continued on with a slideshow of all the different political and religious murals and paintings that have been expressed through many different towns and communities throughout Northern Ireland and the times of the troubles and the peace process. There were many interesting pieces of art and connections to American history, like certain presidents, slavery, the confederate flag...

Today we had a woman come in to talk to us about gender in Northern Ireland and how just like in any other country the role of women in politics and religious affiliations has been a difficult one. If you want to know more about what our lectures have been about the past few days let me know and I will be glad to send you a message! We ended today with two dramatic films one a documentary about the Battle of the Bogside, which was a violent battle against the RUC (the police at the time, powered by the protestant unionist state) and the catholic, nationalist community in Derry or in the Bogside aread. Than we finished with a movie called SUNDAY, and it was about bloody sunday. It was a very emotional telling of the 17 people who died in 1969 at the start of the civil rights movement in N.I. We will be heading to Londonderry/Derry (Most catholics/nationalists refer to the city as Derry due to the British affiliations Londonderry has with it.) tomorrow where hopefully we will begin to make some more connections about the events of Battle of the Bogside, Bloody Sunday, as well as take a look for the first time at the murals, paintings and peace walls.

"The ways we were and the ways we may yet choose to be."

Last weekend was relaxing as we all tried to get as much rest as possible before the busy-ness began. Which it did right away on Monday. The HECUA group traveled to Corrymeela Knocklayd near Ballycastle, where we spent 2 days at the housing arrangements there. Corrymeela is an organization that works on peace reconciliation with in certain community groups around Northern Ireland and the world. Knocklayd is the smaller of the locations and they also have a location in Belfast and Ballycastle. We went to the Ballycastle location on Monday night, got a tour, and talked with the volunteers and workers there. On Tuesday, we spent pretty much the whole day talking about the details of each internship organization that we all will be working with. In the afternoon than we spent the time deciding on who gets to go to which internship. With that, I will be working at a place called AWARE-defeat depression. Here is the website to check it out: http://www.aware-ni.org/ It is located in Belfast and I will begin this new journey on March 1st.

On Wednesday we had a very touristy day. It began by going to the Giants Causeway, then continued on to the Buschmills Distillery, and than lastly the Dunluce Castle. All beautiful places!

Yesterday(Thursday) we were working on our Curriculum Vitae's and cover letters. After that Erin and Abby and I participated in the social scene here at the University of Ulster by doing their 3 legged pub crawl which was apart of their RAG week where the money went to Haiti. Except since there was 3 of us, it was a 4 legged pub crawl! :D I was stuck in the middle since I'm the tallest, and only lasted till 930 because our wallets would not allow anymore!
Today we had a brief overview about Irish history, and than an exercise about whether or not the conflict was religious or not. It was all very interesting and really the first time we've had time to talk as a group about some of the issues surrounding the conflict.

Tomorrow there is a rugby game against France which we will enjoy, and we may make a stop out to Kelly's which is a bar/nightclub in Portrush. More to come...

First couple days in Portrush/Coleraine

What a journey it has been these past couple of days. I decided not to write so much in this blog during the month of January because I wasn't in Northern Ireland yet and it just would be boring. So, now that I'm here the interesting stuff can begin!

We arrived safely in Belfast on Thursday morning around 845am. Nigel Glenny our program director for HECUA met us at the airport and took us on a bus heading towards Coleraine. We stopped at an ASDA for groceries for our flats and than continued our journey to where we would be staying for the next 3 ish weeks in Portrush. Portrush is on the Antrim coast and is about a 15 minute train ride from the University of Ulster where we will be taking out classes and seminar lectures with Nigel. Then from the University it's about a 5-10 minute walk to downtown Coleraine.

My flat mates are Abby who goes to the U, Lily who goes to Macalaster, and Erin who goes to Denison which is in Ohio...I think! The other group members are in flats near by. The first day was very low key since we were all jet leg and exhausted so Nigel went easy on us and pretty much gave us the day to relax and catch up on sleep. Some of us though went walking around the town and found some cute little shops and walked along some of the beaches and rocks. Those festivities along with lots of sleeping and getting situated is what Thursday looked like.

Friday we all took our first train ride to the University to meet up with Nigel and Barbara his assistant I guess you could say. Our first train ride actually ended up being a free train ride because no one came around to ask us to pay! :D We got a wee tour of the University and than had scones and tea with some of the professors that Nigel works with in the UNESCO centre which I think is kinda like the education building. They all introduced themselves and we than had logistics to figure out. After a while Nigel left us and we walked to downtown Coleraine where we got our stipend checks and figured out our UK mobile phone numbers!

Later that night after running around Coleraine getting situated, we all got together in our flat and hung out before we preceded to go to a bar down the street called Tapas bar. There was a live cover band doing songs from like Kings of Leon, Coldplay, jet, etc... they were kind of bad and we all thought the lead singer looked like Alec Baldwin. haha. It was a fun first Friday night in Northern Ireland, and I'm sure there will be many more to come!