Category Archives: Queen’s University Belfast

Reflections on Northern Ireland

I arrived in Belfast sleep deprived and dazed. Frantic packing and an overnight flight had me in need of a home-cooked meal, coffee, and a warm smile or two.  Luckily, the Irish island is filled with all three. I spent … Continue reading

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Spring Fever in Belfast and Abroad

“Yeah, you guessed it. I fell. Cut up my right arm, bruised my left, and was once again left limping away (this time physically and not emotionally) from another attempt at a sort of spiritual moment we were sharing. And that was before I even got to the river rocks…” Continue reading

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Yo, Belfast! How YOU doin’?

Ecoutez et Ecrivez Let me start by stating the obvious: I’m one lucky son of a gun, as my grandfather would say. Returning from a weekend in Barcelona where I attended my first ever football match (FC Barcelona 2 – … Continue reading

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June 2010 Reflection

These last few weeks when I bike or jog through the Botanic Garden I am overwhelmed by the sweet smell of the rose patch. I slow down a bit to appreciate the well-cultivated aisles bursting with tulips, foxglove and foliage. … Continue reading

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June 2010 Reflection

Adam, you are transforming into a full-blooded Irishman. To me this Facebook message from my friend, Barry, meant one thing: success. My goal for this year was to really absorb as much of Ireland & its culture as possible. With … Continue reading

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March 2010 Reflection

The fourth week I was in Galway I did not know what to do with myself. The second I had been livid. The eighth I was impressed. And now, I am pondering a crusade. In college philosophy class Shelly Kagan … Continue reading

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March 2010 Reflection

When I first got to Belfast I took a wander through the city. I find it’s always the best way to get to know a place, take a walk or a jog, get a little lost, find your way home. … Continue reading

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March 2010 Reflection

One of the main reasons that I wanted to study rural development in Ireland was its similarity to my home state of Alabama. Ireland and Alabama are roughly the same size in area and population, and both possess a strong … Continue reading

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January 2010 Reflection

So the second most often question I am asked, after the quality of the pubs in Belfast, is about the food in Ireland. Usually my questioner has already assumed that the food is terrible, I’m barely subsisting on scaly potatoes … Continue reading

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January 2010 Reflection

After a nice Christmas break at home with my family and friends (and a trip to witness Alabama win its 13th National Championship at the Rose Bowl), I came back to Belfast for a grueling week of exams. Three 4-hour … Continue reading

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January 2010 Reflection

We crested the hill and suddenly, below us, was the valley. I twirled. It felt like we were lord and lady of a hidden holding, a place where we could take the hounds out hunting of a weekend afternoon, the … Continue reading

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November 2009 Reflection

You know you are acclimating to Belfast culture when you find yourself in Primark trying to decide which shade of “denim” leggings go best with your new plaid shirt. This is the beginning of a love affair. I often tell … Continue reading

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