Mitchell Scholar Blogs

Wells of Oil, Pots of Gold

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Kathryn Van Winkle - NUI Galway

A chara,

My winter holidays are kicking off earlier than those of the other Scholars. I’m currently enjoying an overnight layover in London (complete with shortbread shaped like Scottie dogs and an enchanting night at the circus). This time tomorrow I’ll be home in Austin, and I will travel straight from the airport to a rehearsal of Dionysus in ’69.

I’ve spent a lot of time here talking about Texas, actually. It’s a place with mythic stature for many people—and for nobody more than Texans ourselves! When I first arrived in beautiful Galway, I found common ground with many of my new acquaintances when we realized that Texas and Ireland share this quality: outsiders are often so, so disappointed to learn that one doesn’t have an oil well in the backyard or a horse in the garage—or a leprechaun in the garden pointing the way to the pot of gold.

Luckily, our commiseration over Hollywood stereotypes had the power to heal the rift created by — well, let’s call it International Weather Competition 2011. (It’s a version of a dreadful game called Misery Poker at my college). After disappointing new friends or potential landlords by admitting that I don’t wear cowboy boots every day, I further dismayed them by my response to their sallies about how awful Irish weather is. It’s chilly! It rains a lot! Last year it even snowed! Unfortunately, I had just arrived from a scorching desert: in August, Austin temperatures topped 110 degrees Fahrenheit, the entire state was in the grip of a dangerous drought, and wildfires had begun spreading across neighborhoods and forests. I kept explaining this, with a brave smile, and saying that I’d take the rain over wildfires any day. But everyone looked so sad, and it slowly dawned upon me that I was being obnoxious and that soon I would have no friends.

Thus I learned an important lesson in cultural diplomacy: when someone complains about their own weather, don’t try to top them. Even if you’re from Siberia, or Death Valley. The appropriate response of the newcomer is to agree, to worry about your own greenhorn capacity to cope, and to ask for advice.

Final words on the weather: sometimes I wear waterproof over-trousers to school (a trash bag for legs). And a few weeks ago the wind tried to push me over the bridge into the River Corrib. Comeuppance.

Why the mention of potential landlords? Unlike the other campuses in Ireland, NUIG provides a housing stipend for Mitchells, rather than space in a student residence. I spent my first week in Galway scouting apartments for Mohit and myself. I was quite anxious about finding one, but there’s no better way to learn your way around a new city. It all worked out for the best: we signed our lease on a place overlooking the river, and only then learned that it is the very same apartment that Lauren Parnell Marino and Michael Solis (Class of ’10) lived in happily two years ago! The very same ducks and swans are our river-pets too.

Ireland possesses surpassing natural beauty. I focused on exploring the “Wild West” this term—the lonely lovely Burren, the majestic Cliffs of Moher, windswept Connemara, the ancient ring fort on the isle of Inishmore.

Since I’ve been out of college for four years, I signed up for approximately 836 clubs and societies, eager to try out everything I missed the first time around. In addition to my theatre classes, I’m taking an introductory Irish language class, and sitting in on lectures in medieval history. I’ve learned the rudiments of tae kwon do, object puppetry for kids, and how to shoot a bow and arrow. I participated in my first debate at the Lit & Deb Society (arguing, passionately, that fish pedicures are a form of forced animal prostitution), and attended the society’s inspiring audiences with novelist Colm Tóibín and then-presidential candidate and everybody’s favorite Galway grandpa Michael D. Higgins. (He won!)

Above all I will cherish my collection of theatre memories. I’ve attended more than 30 productions so far, most of them featured in the Dublin Theatre Festival, the Fringe Festival, or the Galway Theatre Festival. It’s been a treat to witness contemporary Irish artists interpreting the classic texts of Sean O’Casey, John B. Keane, and Brian Friel, as well as mapping new territory for themselves. My excellent classes — particularly Patrick Lonergan’s “Theatre & Globalization” course — are helping me to place what I’m seeing in historical context and to analyze the cultural and economic significance of art in Ireland. My favorite shows have been the two I attended with other Mitchell Scholars: Anise, Derick, and Ivan joined me for Kneehigh’s darkly comic fairy tale The Wild Bride; and Jess and I saw Corn Exchange’s Man of Valour, a one-man tour-de-force about the superhero lurking inside an ordinary office worker. I was so glad to see these shows in the company of friends — and so glad that my recommendations stood up to the test. You never know with theatre. You really never know.

I’m so lucky to be studying here in the company of my fellow Mitchell Scholars of 2012. We’ve been privileged to meet and learn from politicians, journalists, and businesspeople through the good auspices of the US-Ireland Alliance. Our interests and experiences are so varied that every gathering — even when we’re just eating pie in a farm cottage in Derry or hiking in the Wicklow Mountains — feels like a seminar. In a good way. A great “Can we have a class outside?” seminar where everyone brings grapes and cheese and laughs a lot.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the US-Ireland Alliance for this incredible gift. I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity to study, to travel, to surprise and reassure and challenge myself. The U.S. Embassy in Dublin, too, has been truly gracious: in addition to the lovely reception the staff hosted to welcome us to the island in October, it was moving and comforting to be among American and Irish friends and citizens at the Embassy’s memorial ceremony for the tenth anniversary of September 11th. Thanks as well to the staff of NUIG’s International Office, who were invaluably helpful throughout the intimidating vicious cycle of you-need-an-Irish-bank-account-to-sign-a-lease-on-an-apartment-but-until-you-have-an-Irish-address-you-can’t-get-a-bank-account!

Go raibh maith agat!

Fair warning, though: when I return to Ireland in January, I’m bringing my cowboy boots.

Slán go fóill,

Katie Van Winkle

Posted in Class of 2012, National University of Ireland Galway | Tagged Irish language, Katie Van Winkle, Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), Theatre | Leave a comment

Belfast: Part 1

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Derick Stace-Naughton - University of Ulster, Jordanstown

My time in Northern Ireland has been a series of pleasant surprises. It began when I boarded my flight to Belfast, a bit nervous, having not traveled abroad for the better part of a decade. I was excited not only to see Ivanley Noisette, a fellow Mitchell Scholar, sitting across the aisle on my flight, but to find that he’d been assigned to the same university-owned apartment as me at the University of Ulster.

Once Ivanley and I had hauled our luggage to the flat where we’d be spending the year, we decided to catch an afternoon train into Belfast’s city centre to find dinner. Our brief trip would set the tone for my subsequent encounters with the local population. The problem, of course, was that we had no idea where the train stop was located (I was thrilled just to have found the housing office). After wandering through the university, we asked a passing middle-aged administrator for directions. This woman, a stranger, not only told us where to go, which train to take, and what restaurant to try–she insisted upon giving us a lift to the train station. This eager generosity, I would discover, is the rule rather than the exception here in Belfast. In a region notorious for its history of violence, I’ve found the locals always adamantly kind. One taxi driver explained the people of Northern Ireland this way, for better or worse: “We hate each other, but we love everybody else.”

Since those first days in Belfast, several US-Ireland Alliance events, trips to the city’s beloved open markets, dinners with other Mitchell Scholars, and sometimes aimless wandering around the city center (I mean…centre) have helped me make the transition from tourist to resident. I’ve talked politics with MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) in the Parliament Building, a TD (member of Parliament) from Ireland, the former mayor of Dublin, and community organizers in West Belfast. I’ve learned about Irish culture from barristers, journalists, and civil servants. I’ve attended a play with fellow Mitchells, taken in concerts, and even attended a Belfast wedding.

The Troubles, however, seem to linger just beneath the surface here. I quickly learned, to my surprise, that taxi drivers tend to offer some of the most candid descriptions of Troubles-era Belfast. In part, taxi drivers simply seem accustomed to catering to post-conflict, Troubles-inspired tourism. But this line of work also attracts a disproportionate number of former paramilitaries. One heavily tattooed taxi driver explained that, because so many former paramilitaries were incarcerated as a result of Troubles-era crimes, they have few employment options besides driving a taxi. For the eager young American, this means that the right taxi driver, in the right mood, can provide an account of the Troubles as rich and personal as many books and historians.

While at the University of Ulster I’m studying health communication. It’s exciting to be studying health-care systems at a time when both America and the UK are facing an urgent need to reform their health delivery and health financing mechanisms. I’ve also been grateful to learn in many of my classes from mid-career professionals currently working in the health sector. I routinely exchange real-world anecdotes with classmates working as nurses, health promotion officials, and lobbyists.

The greatest thrill, though, is to learn from my fellow Mitchell Scholars. During formal US-Ireland Alliance events and through informal gatherings (such as a weekend in the Northern Ireland town of Derry/Londonderry), I’ve quickly gotten to know my fellow Mitchells. In one sitting with them, I can learn something new about computer programming, Iranian politics, contemporary Irish theatre, or race relations in the Mississippi Delta. Conversations with this bunch are never dull!

Posted in Class of 2012, University of Ulster | Tagged Belfast, Derick Stace-Naughton, ireland, Irish Culture, Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, northern ireland, post-graduate study in northern ireland, the Troubles health communication, University of Ulster (UU) | Leave a comment

Life in Belfast

Posted on December 19, 2011 by David Gobaud - Queen's University Belfast

Living and studying in Belfast is proving to be an amazing educational and formative experience. Prior to this year, I had only been outside the United States once for a few days so I am very thankful for the opportunity the Mitchell Scholarship is providing me.

When I arrived at Queen’s University and got settled into my room I realized I forgot to bring electrical adapters and that my computer and phone would soon be dead. As these devices via the Internet felt like my only connection to home, I immediately went out to find adapters. After searching a few stores and failing to find any adapters, I began to get a bit worried. Luckily I stopped and asked a student on the welcoming committee in front of the student union for help, and he escorted me to a store that had the adapters. He was incredibly nice and helpful and then even walked me back to my room. This was an early glimpse into the extremely kind and helpful nature of the people of Northern Ireland.

The Irish also love Americans. Several people have told me how they like my accent, David Hasselhoff was the guest star at the freshman (or freshers as they are called here) party, and one of the societies had an American-themed “night out.” Observing the new-student welcome events here was also very fascinating and different from those at Stanford, where I was an undergraduate. Here in Belfast there were several club/bar promoters in costume outside the student union promoting their establishments to freshers, and there was an organized freshers pub crawl.

Picking up a bit on my activity in student government at Stanford, I met with the Queen’s student body president to learn about student government here. The student president works full-time as president and is expected to either take the year off from school or serve in the year following graduation. This is very different from the typical set-up in the U.S., where students must take classes during their term. The student government here is also given a very nice building for the student union and collects profits from renting space to businesses and from the bar it runs in the union.

The most surprising thing in Belfast has been the very restricted internet. Several ports, both incoming and outgoing, are blocked. For example, I can’t use Outlook to access my Gmail because the outgoing IMAP port is blocked, I can’t directly connect to my computer at home in California using Remote Desktop because that port is blocked, and I can’t connect to my computer in Belfast remotely because that incoming port is blocked! The Jabber ports are also blocked, so I can’t connect to Google Chat in OS X using a Jabber client and there is no wi-fi in my dorm either. I also can’t forward my Queen’s email, there is only 50 MB email storage (I get 50MB+ of email every day on my regular account!), there is no POP server, and the IMAP server can’t be accessed from my dorm because of course the port is blocked! This is quite a difference from Stanford!!

For Halloween I had a wonderful experience in Derry – the European Halloween destination. About half the Mitchell Scholars this year rented the Drumcorn Farm Cottage for a few days and had a wonderful time. When we got there, we learned that Mitchell Scholars in a previous year had rented the very same cottage for Halloween! On Halloween there was a great parade in the center of the city. The whole town seems to take part with several groups of kids in the parade and some interesting vehicle-based floats. Later we went to a club called Sugar that had a nice rooftop patio section. Everyone was in costume and it was a great night.

As for academics I am greatly enjoying my program. I am currently studying corporate governance with a focus on e-government and e-democracy. It has been great to take a break from directly studying computer science and to think more about how to apply my computer science knowledge to other disciplines and problems. One of the topics I am researching for a class is how to regulate high-frequency trading. As a result of the Flash Crash, this is a very active topic right now and just a month ago, the European Commission released proposed reforms that will have a great impact on this activity. It is exciting to be researching such a timely topic of great importance.

Last week I visited the Belfast Christmas Market with two of my flatmates. Set up in front of City Hall and about the size of a city block, the market is a magnificent thing. I had some delicious caramel hot chocolate and currywurst – a chopped up bratwurst covered in curry sauce. I spent Thanksgiving in Oxford visiting friends including former Mitchell Scholar Fagan Harris, who is currently a Rhodes Scholar. It is great to finally visit Oxford, a place I have heard so much about. After that, it was back to Belfast to spend the next month writing my two research papers for this semester.

Posted in Class of 2012, Queen's University Belfast | Tagged Belfast, computer science, David Gobaud, e-democracy, e-governance, Halloween in Derry, ireland, Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, northern ireland, post-graduate study in ireland, post-graduate study in northern ireland, stanford | Leave a comment

Luck

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Elizabeth Katz - Dublin City University

I’ve only been in Ireland now for about two and a half months, but I’m starting to appreciate the laid-back modus operandi here. When asked by a lecturer to give a typical Irish saying that describes the culture, my fellow Irish classmates all agreed on “It’ll be grand,” which I think does a great job summarizing their carefree outlook on life. Now contrast that happy-go-lucky sentiment with my own ultra-prepared and extra-careful attitude, and you’ve got a basic idea of my time here so far. Let me just give you a few examples.

When I found out last year that I had received the Mitchell Scholarship, I also discovered that “they” had placed me in my last choice program: Intercultural Studies at Dublin City University. After a moment of sadness, I decided that “they” must know more about the individual programs I had picked. But since I worry too much, I spent a great deal of time hemming and hawing over whether that was the right choice. When I arrived though, I met my course coordinator Ciarán Dunne and immediately felt at home. The course is not at all what I expected (an interdisciplinary program analyzing issues of inequality in cultural contexts), but it is broad enough to include my interest in inequality as well as my interest in language’s contribution to situations where cultures interact. This semester I’m taking a class called “Language, Power, and Identity,” and next semester I will have the opportunity to start learning Arabic: great opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten elsewhere. And there you have it – my first experience with appreciating what life throws at me.

The second came when trying to find an internship. Months before leaving the States, I started searching the Internet for possible immigration-focused NGOs or research centers to work with in Dublin. I emailed former Mitchells to ask for suggestions, which led me to the Irish Refugee Council. After corresponding via email a couple of times, both the contact there and I got busy, so all correspondence stopped before anything got set up. While this lack of knowledge of where I was going to work made me anxious, I’d only ever worked with undocumented immigrants, so I knew the organization wasn’t a perfect fit. I decided to give myself a day or two to settle into Dublin, and then I would start a serious search. Before I got the chance to do this, my partner, Rachel, and I got lost in City Centre (downtown) looking for dinner. As I’m rushing to find the correct way, Rach stops me. Frustrated I turn around and look where she’s pointing.

It’s the sign of the Immigrant Council of Ireland. The flyers in the window told me it was a perfect fit. The organization has a broad approach to tackling the myriad issues that documented and undocumented immigrants face, and it was exactly what I was looking for – exposure to a resource centre, an integration team, communications office, and the registered law centre. Two months in, I’m loving my new internship, of course only because I let myself see what was around me.

I feel lucky in so many ways. Of course that feeling comes from letting go of the anxiety of making everything perfect. It comes from appreciating all that life throws at you. Probably many Americans have treated this laid-back attitude as the “luck of the Irish” without knowing where the cliched phrase comes from. All I can say is that I’m glad Ireland is teaching me to slow down because I’m finding a lot more luck than I’ve ever had before.

Posted in Class of 2012, Dublin City University | Tagged Betsy Katz, dublin, Dublin City University (DCU), Elizabeth Katz, Immigrant Council, immigrants in Ireland, intercultural studies, internship, Irish Culture, Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, refugees in Ireland | Leave a comment

The Excitement of Learning Something New

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Chelsea Caveny - NUI Maynooth

I’ll never forget the first time I learned about the American civil rights movement. I was in the 5th grade and we were allowed to choose our own topic for a history presentation from an exhaustive list of events. I’m not sure I had any idea what the Montgomery bus boycott was, but a few weeks later, with tri-fold board in hand (fully decorated, I might add), I stood in front of my classmates and told of Montgomery in 1954. From then on, I became obsessed with civil rights history, particularly the years of 1960-1968 in the American South, and I devoured anything I could to learn more.

By the time I had graduated from college, I still had a deep love for American civil rights history, but the excitement of a new subject had long since worn off.

And I’m sure by now you are wondering what this has to do with Ireland. It’s simply that being here in Ireland makes me feel once again like the 5th grader who fell in love with learning. There is the everyday sort of excitement that comes with discovering about a new place: How does this train work? What does that word mean when used in that way? Is this candy bar as good as Hershey’s? The list goes on.

And thanks to my courses at NUI-Maynooth and some dedicated professors, my passion for learning in an academic setting has returned as well. Now, instead of the Montgomery bus boycott, it is the Battle of the Bogside. Instead of leaders like Ella Baker, it is Bernadette Devlin. At times I feel overwhelmed by the vast history of the various social movements in Ireland, but that feeling quickly fades as I dive into a new book or documentary. So now all I need to do is get together my perfect tri-fold board!

Posted in Class of 2012, National University of Ireland Maynooth | Tagged Battle of the Bogside, Bernadette Devlin, Chelsea Caveny, Ella Baker, Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Program, Mitchell Scholars Program Class of 2012, mitchell scholarship, Montgomery bus boycott, National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), US civil rights movement | Leave a comment

Theorizing Ireland

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Katie Marcum - University College Dublin

Unfortunately, I must admit that I am not, by my very nature, an optimist. I am instead the cliché “realist.” I worry too much, plan too much, stress too much and think too much for optimism to settle deep within my bones and bring the sunshine it does for some people. Waking up every morning in Dublin, though, just might make me rethink my general perspective on life. I’m learning to see that good things don’t always come with sunshine — literally.

While pausing for the clever joke about Irish rain, I must insert a qualifier that my friends in West Virginia will no doubt appreciate. To answer the big question, “Does it rain a lot in Ireland?,” my answer is “Yes. Sort of.” While my experience is of eastern Ireland and Dublin, I invite anyone to visit the north-central highlands of West Virginia at just about any time of the year and compare. Students at my undergraduate institution would no doubt gladly swap the torrential and frigid autumn storms they’ve had this year for the friendlier Irish rain I’ve experienced. A wise professor once told me that in Ireland, “it’s either raining, has rained, or is going to,” and that’s pretty much the truth. Here it rains almost every day, but the showers are usually not so bad: it generally doesn’t rain all day, for instance. When it does pour down, however, it can be quite intense. And the wind! My trip to Galway last week, reminded me that my counterparts at NUIG are generally much wetter and colder.

For those of you not interested in my comparative rain analysis, welcome to my greater interests of Appalachian and Irish culture and literature. I’ve been obsessively analyzing everything that I see or read in search of information. Sometimes my ideas work out, sometimes they don’t, but what I’ve come to understand more than anything is the role that Ireland and its culture is expected to play. As a West Virginian, I’m highly conscious of the stereotypes that accompany my home state, and I’ve heard all the jokes; I’ve been culturally conditioned to listen for them. But as an outsider to the Irish perspective, the most interesting part of my experience has been to learn about the preconceptions about this place, to struggle to identify them, and then to make sure that I’m not also making assumptions. I really became aware of this after researching Patrick Kavanagh for a presentation for my “Theorizing Ireland” course. I came across a small book of criticism that has changed my perspective on my Anglo-Irish Literature program and this new country. In the book, the author urged readers of Irish literature not to force it into a mold, not to make it be something that it may not be. This is a good summary, I think , of the attitude I’ve tried to adopt during these first few months in Dublin—I’m honestly trying to let this experience come as it will, to be open and willing to accept things as they are, and to see Ireland for the place it really is.

Today, like every day that I’ve been in Ireland, has been many things — some good and some not so good. This morning I saw a visiting friend from home off to the airport at a completely ridiculous early hour after her week-long visit. I’m grateful to have friends who are interested in Ireland and in my experience, and I’m happy to show other friends a good time in the Dublin I’m coming to know. Then, this afternoon, my family called to tell me about a tragic accident at home, and I am struggling with the special kind of sorrow that is accompanied by distance. My heart aches for the kind young woman and friend who lost her husband yesterday, and for the family he left behind. And this evening, I began revising (or “studying”) for my first semester exams at University College Dublin and enjoyed a traditional Polish meal with my brilliant roommate.

Living abroad for the first time is a process that I’m coming to understand, one that mixes two very different versions of home. The fact that I’m a Mitchell Scholar is still a bit surreal — I’m pinching myself every day, much like the day that I got off the plane in Dublin, terribly cranky, extremely nervous, and unsure of what the next few months would bring. So far, this experience has been one of academic and personal challenges, and it’s astonishing to think that the huge marker of first semester finals is here already. In a little more than two weeks I will be packing up and heading home for the holidays, where I will no doubt eat too much food, shovel a lot of snow, read Ulysses, and enjoy some quality time with my family and friends. As I approach this break, I’m trying to take stock — what’s happened, what’s hopefully going to happen, and where I’m going from here.

Posted in Class of 2012, University College Dublin | Tagged Appalachia, dublin, Irish literature, Katie Marcum, literature, Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, post-graduate study in ireland, university college dublin (UCD), West Virginia | Leave a comment

Mitchell Experience: Reflection 1

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Ivanley Noisette - University of Ulster, Jordanstown

When I first arrived in Belfast the climate and the landscape met my expectations—it was cold and drizzling rain with beautiful hills and valleys as far as the eye could see. I thought I would be alone for the first few days, but I ran into Derick, a fellow Mitchell Scholar also studying at the University of Ulster (UU), at London Heathrow airport. Neither of us knew that we would be on the same flight to Belfast, so we were pleasantly surprised. We spent the first few days exploring the city together and preparing for UU’s orientation.

During international student orientation I met people from a diverse group of countries, including Austria, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey and the United States. We toured various areas of Belfast with together and learned about the history of the city, particularly during the Troubles and the years since.

I’m studying Human Rights Law and Transitional Justice this year, working toward an LLM. It’s fascinating to be focused on human rights during a time when people all over the world are rising up to demand their rights. The Arab Spring’s democratic awakening, the Occupy movement’s demands for economic justice, and India’s grassroots efforts to end corruption have all captured the imagination of the world. Although many have been working diligently for years on behalf of these and other important causes, the groundswell of support has forced these issues to the forefront of the global agenda in a manner that makes them difficult to ignore.

During the month of October, we (the current Mitchell Scholars) met in Dublin twice—once for a weekend with Ken Feinberg (alternative dispute attorney for the 9/11 compensation fund, the BP oil spill fund, and the US Treasury executive compensation bailout) and then again for our Mitchell Orientation weekend. It was a pleasure getting to know everyone in the Mitchell program a bit better. Some of the highlights included:

A Dublin performance of the play The Wild Bride (see the Guardian review of the original London production)

A concert featuring James Vincent McMorrow and the Staves (highly recommended)

A tour of the W.B. Yeats exhibition at the National Library of Ireland

A human rights conference on Ireland’s Universal Periodic Review process

Breakfast/lunch with Stephen Donnelly, T.D.; Deaglan de Braedun, journalist at the Irish Times; and Marion McKeone, barrister.

I recently started an internship at the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM). This will give me an opportunity to learn what life is like for ethnic minorities who plan to reside on the island of Ireland permanently, and offers the possibility of a meaningful contribution to the excellent work of NICEM. Although academic work takes up most of my time, I hope to continue learning about the island through its people and, wherever appropriate, offer my assistance with some of the many struggles facing the country during these uncertain times.

Posted in Class of 2012, University of Ulster | Tagged Belfast, Class of 2012, ethnic minorities, Human Rights, human rights law and transitional justice, ireland, Ivanley Noisette, mitchell scholar, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, NICEM, northern ireland, post-graduate study in ireland, study in Northern Ireland, university of ulster, University of Ulster (UU) | Leave a comment

Gora Mila Maith Agat

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Sam Yates - Trinity College Dublin

“When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty, my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup.” — Sam Lefkowitz

Today is Thanksgiving! Now, for somewhat obvious reasons, Thanksgiving is not a holiday that is celebrated here in Ireland. Even so, its unceremonious arrival still has me thinking about gratitude, and what an unforgettable experience living in Dublin has been thus far.

Since I’ve moved to Ireland, the ubiquitous question leading conversation always seems to be, “How are you getting on – liking things all right?” Admittedly, I find it to be a difficult (and somewhat silly) question to answer. I haven’t found myself processing this experience into categories of “like” or “dislike,” as these reductive value assessments are not helpful in communicating what it’s like to live in a different country, navigate a foreign social environment, and interrogate a field of study on a deeper level – all while maintaining your life in the States. The cup can never be “half-full” or “half-empty,” because, as Lefkowitz says, it’s remarkable to even have a cup.

Learning to live in a different culture has proved to be an incredible gift. It’s true that the Irish are generally friendly — but also difficult to get to know well. You can have dozens of pleasant conversations with someone before they actually begin to look at you as a “friend.” In a way, social life here seems more guarded — particularly in the university setting. Many come to university with a huge number of friends from primary and secondary school, so the friendship circle, while inevitably varying some, stays more-or-less intact. That’s not to say that one isn’t invited in, however! Like most aspects of life in Ireland, things just move along a slower pace. Here, after three months, I am finally beginning to feel “settled” in some genuine sense of the adjective: drinks with coworkers, movie nights at a friend’s flat, trips with classmates to the theatre (or to see Michael Buble turn on Grafton Street’s Christmas lights).

I used to never think about being an American. Not to say that I thought nothing of being an American, but that I, perhaps carelessly, was unaware of the constant shaping presence it has had on the formation of both thought and character. Here, however, it is something that I find people commenting on all the time: pointing out ways that I am breaking (or falling into) the American “stereotype” (people are shocked to hear me say that I can’t name the last time I was in a McDonald’s; I think it was for a cup of oatmeal about six months ago, maybe?) or somehow assimilating a more European vocabulary.

Nowhere does this seem more apparent than in discussing the weather. A favorite pastime here, I have found myself in more conversations about weather patterns — even starting some myself — than I would have ever suspected. It used to be that I was called out on referencing temperature in Fahrenheit, as people didn’t know what that translated to in Celsius. Fair enough. Now I receive comments on how cute/surprising/affected it is to use the metric system. And it’s not just from the Irish! I’ve found myself dropping vocabulary that is expected/required/just how things are said here, to friends back home, only to receive raised eyebrows. It sort of feels like a “damned if I do/damned if I don’t” situation. I suppose I simply need to get better at mentally transitioning who I’m speaking to, and what sort of English the conversation entails.

Though I obviously knew it was coming, the lack of a Thanksgiving (because why would the Irish celebrate an exclusively American holiday?) has thrown Ireland into a pre-Christmas season setup. Already stores have transitioned, lights are strung, and Christmas markets begin this upcoming weekend. I admit it, I’ve already gotten into the holiday spirit, and even done a bit of crafting myself. (Really — I made Christmas crackers to send in the post to my family. Successful results still pending!) Still, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would be loathe to not acknowledge some of the things I am feeling especially grateful for this November:

The Mitchell Scholarship. Obviously, without the help of this scholarship, and the US-IA, I wouldn’t be here at all. It’s been such a privilege to study at Trinity College, work at the Abbey Theatre, meet an array of kind and intelligent people, and live here in Dublin. Words aren’t adequate for the gratitude I feel.
Jess, my housemate/fellow Mitchell/partner-in-crime. Whether it’s sitting debating who’s going to make a decision on dinner, motivating each other to do work, or just enjoying each other’s company, it’s been awesome having such a good friend right next door.
My family. I’m not someone who really gets “homesick,” and indeed, I don’t feel that way, even now. But living in a different country has certainly underscored the importance of keeping in touch with my family. Now that I have to work a bit harder to schedule time to talk, figure out technology to do so, etc., I definitely appreciate the random, wonderful conversations that I have with them all the more.
Friends, both new and old. When you move away, your social sphere necessarily changes. It’s a part of living, of “growing up,” and moving on. Since moving to Dublin I have found friends in the unlikeliest of people and places. The best support structure, always good for a laugh, and ready to tackle the world … or just Saturday night.
My health. I recently found out that a friend of mine, around my age, is quite ill. It is so incredibly easy to take your good health as a given — but it’s not. Certain things are unavoidable, I know, but we’re also charged with taking care of ourselves: eating right, exercising, and making smart choices.

Well, I should probably be wrapping things up – I’ve got class in a short while, and afterwards I am doing a late lunch/early dinner with some of my classmates, so there’s still baking to do!

Thanks for reading some of my thoughts. If you’d like to follow my experience in Ireland, my search for a dissertation topic, and the continued quest to convince people that my surname is YATES, not YEATS, hop on over to my blog at http://tomecide.tumblr.com.

Posted in Class of 2012, Trinity College Dublin | Tagged Abbey, DublinMitchell Scholars, ireland, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, post-graduate study in ireland, Sam Yates, Theatre, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) | Leave a comment

New Adventures

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Mohit Agrawal - NUI Galway

I knew that I could look forward to my time in Ireland when, upon landing at Dublin’s shiny new airport, I was greeted by free luggage carts. That’s right: when moving to a new country, a free luggage cart (are you reading this, O’Hare?) is exactly what a jet-lagged passenger desires. Famed Irish friendliness at its best.

After the nearly seamless trip to Galway–made all the more comfortable by the waterproof jacket and backpack I had been advised to procure–I finally met my fellow Mitchell Scholar and flatmate, Katie Van Winkle. Katie had done an extraordinary job in finding an apartment during the preceding week (all I could do to contribute was look at classified ads online and scope out places with Google Street View), overcoming quite a bit of bureaucracy along the way. Katie wrote on Facebook earlier that week: “I cannot rent an apartment without putting down a large deposit. I have a housing stipend in check form, but I cannot deposit it until I have a bank account. I cannot open a bank account until I have an Irish address–which I won’t have until I rent an apartment.” In graph theory, we call that a cycle. How Katie solved this particular riddle is still a mystery to me.

My experiences so far in Galway have exceeded expectations. My program is interesting, with great classes and great students. The small class size means that students can really get to know each other well, whether working on class projects or over a pint in the bar. Further, I was allowed to sit in on an course titled “Irish Economic Policy” and taught by Alan Ahearne. Prof. Ahearne had just returned to Galway from Dublin, where he was a top adviser to the previous Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan. Prof. Ahearne was in the room when momentous decisions were being made about the Irish economy; his commentary really helped me make sense of the current euro zone crisis. Indeed, my coursework in Galway has made me feel like an economist for the first time.

I’ve also used my time in Galway to get involved with several clubs, including the school paper and Labour Youth. For the school paper, I wrote extensively about the October presidential election and was even able to secure an exclusive interview with Martin McGuinness, the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Sinn Fein candidate for president. McGuinness supported the Mitchell Scholarship at its inception while he was Minister for Education in Northern Ireland.

But I’ve hardly been stuck in Galway. Whether traveling with a friend through Northern Ireland (thanks for letting us room with you at QUB, David), meeting and hanging out with the Mitchell Scholars over two great weekends in Dublin, meeting up with friends in London, going to an economics conference in Kilkenny, or attending the Labour Youth conference in Cork, I’ve ventured out across most of Ireland (Limerick, you’re next). A big “thank you” to Irish Rail for making travel this easy by providing rail passes. Though the accents may vary (noticeably so, for such a small country) and the crewcuts may differ, the Irish I’ve met have been kind, open, and engaging.

Stay tuned for my next post. There’s still so much to do–join a student protest in Dublin, camp out at Occupy Galway (though there are ominous signs that the Galway City Council will be kicking the occupiers out soon), write up more hard-hitting news stories for the school paper, and visit Limerick, the Aran Islands, the Burren, and the Cliffs of Moher. Oh, and pass finals, spend winter break with family at home, and finally visit the Continent. Onward ho to new adventures!

Posted in Class of 2012, National University of Ireland Galway | Tagged economics, Galway, Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, Mohit Agrawal, National University of Ireland, National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), Occupy Galway, us-ireland alliance | Leave a comment

Reflections on Northern Ireland

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Anise Vanse - Queen's University Belfast

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 that first day with the professor I am doing research with. Generous and gregarious, he gave me a tour of Belfast and introduced me to his family. I spent the day eating ribs, downing gallons of caffeinated beverages, and discussing Northern Ireland politics and culture.

The spirit with which my professor received me has marked most of my interactions here. From the Starbucks cashiers who shoot me winks and free cups of coffee to the academics who have shared their time and expertise with me, the people of Northern Ireland have proven welcoming and kind-hearted.

Unlike my personal experience here, Northern Ireland’s recent history is neither heartwarming nor peaceful. Less than 15 years ago, Belfast was, to many observers, a war zone. Paramilitary groups divided along ethno-national and religious lines fought in the decades-long Troubles. The economic activity, social advancement, and geographic mobility of Northern Ireland’s citizens — Protestant and Catholic, Unionist and Nationalist, Loyalist and Republican — was stunted. Now, after 13 years of peace, a new generation and a new mindset have emerged.

My research at Queen’s University Belfast aims to understand that new generation. People in Northern Ireland in their early to mid-20s are too young to remember much of the Troubles. Many have grown up with only stories of that period and relatively few direct experiences of extreme ethno-national animosity. As society becomes more mixed and the Troubles’ violence has less of an impact on day-to-day activities, the attitudes of young folk begin to diverge from those of older generations. The point is this: the generation now taking ownership of Belfast and Northern Ireland has an opportunity to drastically shift the state’s long-held political boundaries. And they just might do it.

Posted in Class of 2012, Queen's University Belfast | Tagged Anise Vance, Belfast, Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2012, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, northern ireland, Queen's University Belfast (QUB), the troubles | Leave a comment

Until Next Time

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Yongjun Heo - University College Dublin

It is over now: a year of developing close relationships, meeting new people, humanizing a country and culture to best of my abilities, and living-learning at a different academic institution. Towards the conclusion of any program, I tend to mentally relive the experiences and ask myself if I would have done anything differently.

There is probably only one thing. I wish I would have reached out even a month earlier to all the Mitchells for early-year meet-ups. At the very beginning of the year, we were all busy acclimating to our respective, immediate surroundings. Towards the year’s end, I found myself wanting to spend even more time with them. Joey has an out-of-this-world personality. Behind Deirdre’s sweet smile exists a serious attitude for social justice. I always appreciated Steven’s truly kind yet stern demeanor mixed in with his playful jabs and accompanying smirks. Kyle’s insatiable curiosity was something that kept me constantly learning throughout our months in Dublin together. As a Midwesterner, I truly valued Ryan’s New York attitude and his ability to explicate even the most complicated ideas. Ibrahim’s global perspective was never taken for granted—while changes were taking place in Northern Africa and the Middle East, I recognized how essential this vantage point was for moving conversation and ideas forward. Stephen’s Southern magnetism and passion for social change reenergized me whenever we walked around Dublin together. And Fagan is one of the most empathetic individuals I have ever known in my lifetime—it has been a privilege to get to know him and learn about his life experiences.

As excited as I am about my own future experiences, I am equally thrilled to learn about the life directions of each of the Mitchells. Throughout the year, the Mitchells shared their gratitude for the people in their lifetimes who have given time and energy to help them. Regardless of political affiliations and philosophical differences, we all seem to share a hope that our generation can effect changes to make the American Dream more accessible to all Americans.

Policy decisions that were made in the 1960s affected my early life in the 1980s. As a Head Start student, I was able to adjust to grade school more easily. Many of my grade school teachers took the time and effort to help improve my writing when my English wasn’t as clear. A number of my high school teachers provided the support that was necessary for me to be admitted to Swarthmore College. Swarthmore Alumni blindly provided financial aid for me to learn, question, and question again in academia. I received guidance from Professors and classmates to start a public health organization in Latin America. Advisors from both local and national foundations believed in what only began as a simple idea. I feel blessed and lucky to have lived and learned in Vietnam on a Henry Luce Scholarship. And the Mitchell Scholarship offered an incredible opportunity for me to frame my practical experiences in an academic setting in Ireland.

Without a doubt, I worked diligently throughout my life, but I also recognize that none of these accomplishments would have happened without the seemingly inconsonant yet consistent support I’ve received throughout my lifetime. And for that I am truly grateful. I am saddened by the fact that my experiences might be considered rare by many—I hope for a future where any hardworking individual’s dreams will be within reach. Although I am unclear about my future trajectory, I hope to always do whatever I can to offer similar opportunities for other Americans and global citizens.

Posted in Class of 2011, Uncategorized, University College Dublin | Tagged Mitchell Scholars, Mitchell Scholars Class of 2011, Mitchell Scholars Program, mitchell scholarship, university college dublin (UCD) | Leave a comment

An Irish Experience

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Steven Sifuentes - NUI Maynooth

A couple of weeks ago, I was observing the firefighters of the Dublin Fire Brigade on one of their ambulances. We had received a call to respond to a young man who had been assaulted. When we arrived at the incident, the Gardai were already in attendance and had the man sitting down trying to piece together what had happened. The medics dressed his wounds and then put him in the back of the ambulance. At this stage, the Gardai continued in their attempts to get some details about his attackers and what had happened. They were not getting very far as this young man was a visiting student from Venezuela who spoke broken English. Once I knew he spoke Spanish, I was able to immediately help translate for the Gardai and then help the ambulance crew get some critical information from him. This was an amazing experience! I learned Spanish after living with my father’s family in Mexico for seven months as a teenager; I had been asked to translate, though I am not fully fluent, for a group of us that went down to Peru on a culture immersion trip while at the Naval Academy; and I had the experience of observing on the ambulance with the Dublin Fire Brigade which aided me in knowing what information was needed. Much of my international experiences blended at this moment, enabling me to help on the ambulance.

What does international travel bring you? For me, it helps me to be comfortable in a range a different situations, amongst many different cultures. Having the opportunity to spend a year in Ireland has added greatly to my comfort with different cultures. This comfort, I think, is fundamental to me personally, especially as my time to return to operational forces of the Marine Corps next summer draws closer.

In the more immediate future, Heather’s and my time here in the Ireland is rapidly drawing to a close. We are sad to be leaving the Emerald Isle as it has become our home. To finish off our year as Mitchell Scholars, we spent a final extended weekend with each other. We had the opportunity to visit Limerick where a few of us went out and toured the milk market. I love these little open air markets and will miss them when we leave. One of the highlights of the weekend was walking around the Glenstal Abby where I certainly gained a greater appreciation for what they do, how they live, and, my favorite, how well they can cook! The weekend ended with a final gathering where we received our Mitchell Scholar rings and had the chance to spend our last evening with the other scholars. I am sad that our time together has to come to end, but I take great joy in knowing that the friendships that we have formed will continue for many years!

One of the greatest experiences that I will take away from our time will be how deeply we assimilated and felt connected to to the Irish people. Beginning with the Dublin Fire Brigade, they have become good friends, even brothers, of a similar relationships that I have with many Marines back in the United States. These guys really do provide an excellent service to the community, and it has been a privilege to be welcomed into their ranks. Over the last year, they have taught me a great deal about what the brigade does and, more important for me, provided me with a “home away from home” experience. I went to the Naval Academy to become an officer of Marines, and then I took a break to come to Ireland, but that does not mean I have not had the itching desire to be back amongst Marines. The firefighters of the DFB have helped me to put those desires at bay by letting me into an environment that is, in terms of a brotherhood, similar to the Marine Corps.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Heather and I have found many Irish families that welcomed us from the moment we stepped through the church’s door. We immediately had different families inviting us over for dinner, asking us if we needed any help, and even providing a weekly ride to the building every Sunday. Over the course of the year, Heather and I have had the good fortune to serve in different capacities within the church. While Heather watches over nursery age children, I am a primary teacher for children 8 – 10 years old. I truly felt that I had fully assimilated when one of my primary children asked me to baptize him, as is customary when a child turns 8 years of age. It was an incredible experience! Even when my sister came, we volunteered (yes we volunteered her as well) to help run a couple of stations for a primary activity where children learned how to help their families out with chores around the house and think about what they wanted to do when they grew up. I was able to bring my turn out gear from the Fire Brigade-which was a big hit!

Throughout the course of the year, it was a bit of a challenge to get close to my peers within the program at Maynooth. Through no fault of anybody, much of the course work was simply done independently, outside of the classroom. It was not until the end of the year that I started to really get to know my peers and establish long term friendships. One of the best ways this occurred was through a number of trips that my course director and other professors had put together. With the exception of maybe one or two, I think I took advantage of them all.

The group that toured the beaches of Normandy!

“My program offered a two day long trip down to Cork where, for the first time in many years, we toured the training ground of Fort Davis. “

[Fort Davis Trip]

With these different trips, Heather and I both were able to make wonderful friends right there in our little town of Maynooth. We are even looking forward to the thesis submission date where a number of us are planning on getting together.

I know it just recently happened, but for Heather and I, Ireland was a not only a new experience for both of us individually, but also as a married couple. We experienced so many “firsts” together here, of which the most recent was our first Easter together. We spent the entire Saturday preparing everything from deserts to appetizers. Heather even made her first Honey glazed orange-pineapple Ham which turned out fantastic. Amongst the other things visible below, we had no-bake cheesecake, funeral potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked sweet peppers, salad (provided by Kyle), and carrot cake. It was a fantastic meal and we even were able to have Kyle and Yongjun join us!

“Our tiny dorm-room sized fridge filled full of our Easter spread! ““My uncle in Mexico was slagging me a couple of days ago that I simply put on the apron for the picture, but I assure you I actually participated in some of the cooking!”

In closing, let me simply express how wonderful a time we have had in Ireland! It is going to be incredibly hard to leave, but we are leaving with so many different experiences that are lives are so much the better for having had them.

Posted in Class of 2011, National University of Ireland Maynooth | Tagged graduate fellowships, marines, military history & strategic studies, mitchell scholar, mitchell scholarship, National University of Ireland Maynooth, NUIM, post-grad in Ireland, post-grad study in Ireland, Steven Sifuentes, study in Ireland, US marines, US Naval Academy, usna | Leave a comment