June 2006 Reflection

Posted on June 1, 2006 by rwaters06

May. Reflection on an almost complete year.

My classes have ended, exams all taken, undergraduates gone to their homes, and the Mitchell reunion – the ‘end-of-year’ festivities for the Mitchell group – has just passed. The classes were valuable, a range of medicine-meets-microbiology areas that I enjoyed and of which I’m sure I will benefit in my future studies. In the research lab, the positive, meaningful, eureka-like results are slow in their coming. A certain point in the investigative process will be reached, only to bring to light a tiny mistake made a few steps back. But it’s progress, and I’m learning a lot. So that said, it’s been successful so far and hopefully will be even better this summer.

And that’s the status of the academics. Enjoyable, intriguing, continuing, but only part of the year’s experience. During the past few months, I had been busily running circles around the only grass/dirt trail in Cork (asphalt is tough for me to run on) and somewhat awkwardly asking random people around UCC to donate to the charity called Concern, for which I was raising money with the marathon as a platform to do so. The fundraising went brilliantly. I was pleasantly surprised by the generosity of the Irish. I’ve heard and read this fact in several places – the Irish, by amount donated per head, are the most generous in Europe. Some attribute it to the fact that many people still remember what it was like to be a poor nation and are more than ready to help others. That remembrance must have been passed on to the younger generous as well. Whatever the reason, people gave, and gave generously – Americans as well! (If you want to learn more about Concern, go to www.concern.net. They have a write-up about the marathon as well). The marathon itself went well, despite a start that was too fast. Crossing that finish line was fantastic!

My family, except one of us three brothers – who had college classes – came to Ireland to visit in April. I meet them in Dublin, and then we took a speed-tour of south/central Ireland… Clonmacnoise (excellent!), Galway, the burren, the Cliffs of Moher (on a rainy day), Limerick briefly, Killarney and the Ring of Kerry (on a sunny day), Cork. It was a great tour, as I hadn’t explored some of the places. The family was thrilled to be in Ireland – they had been talking about the trip for some time, and left wanting to return. Maybe this summer. With my winter break spent in eastern Europe rather than home, it was very very nice to seem them.

The likely common thread amongst all the Mitchell journal entries this time around will be the Mitchell reunion. Most of the Mitchell alumni from all past years were able to unite in Dublin for a weekend in May. Faces and bios from the Mitchell website were finally paired with personalities. Young Irish leaders in their fields also attended the events, which consisted of a celebration of the year’s coming to a close (for the current Mitchell scholars), discussions on ways to enhance US-Ireland relations, and a brainstorming session on how to better the Mitchell Scholarship program. Most valuable of all was simply meeting and talking with the Mitchell alumni and the Irish leaders. It’s always inspiring to get to know, though only briefly during this weekend event, brilliant and good-hearted people. I’d say US-Irish relations are in very good hands. After the weekend, also very memorable was the trip to Limerick made by the current year’s Mitchell scholars – a remarkably interesting tour of Glenstal Abbey and musically wondrous evening with Professor Micheal O Suilleahbhain. The others continued on to Dingle while I went back to Cork for my last exam.

The year is just about over. Amazingly quickly this year has gone by. Of course, that’s what I said about each previous school year for the past decade or so. But I won’t be in Ireland next year, so that makes the remaining months all the more important to me. There are still so many things that I’d like to do…none really related to travel or sight-seeing, but about getting more involved with Cork life and the community here. There are more and more different aspects of the community that I keep discovering and want to get involved much more with service organizations, churches, the arts, etc. That’s this summer’s goal. I have until 18 September. For now, I’m packing for a trip with Liza to Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Should be an experience!

Peace,
Richard

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June 2006 Reflection

Posted on June 1, 2006 by arabinowitz06

I am writing this final reflection while basking in the afterglow of a terrific celebration with my classmates to commemorate the end of exams. I am also feeling the remorse that one can only feel after making the ill-advised decision to imbibe more than a swallow of Buckfast. But most of all I am experiencing the familiar feeling that accompanies the culmination of an academic year as friends scatter around the country. The main difference, though, is that my friends are now scattering to Dublin, Tralee, Ballinasloe, and Roscommon instead of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. This year has been surpassingly rewarding in many ways but I hadn’t anticipated that my Irish friends would be such an integral part of that experience. I am currently making plans to return to Ireland next year for a visit when my academic schedule permits.

My friends and classmates in Galway frequently quipped that I saw more of Ireland and Europe in my one year here than they had in their entire lives. Thanks to the support of the Alliance, its friends and sponsors, and my flexible academic schedule, I was able to make individual trips to ten separate countries, and a standard week might include chatting with a famous musician in a Czech pub one day and having dinner with the Irish Minister of Health the next. Discussing healthcare reform in Ireland and the U.S. over dinner with Mary Harney (the aforementioned Minister) is representative of the unique opportunities that have made this year so valuable.

The course in Economic Policy Evaluation and Planning was also unexpectedly rewarding and will have a lasting effect on my academic and professional aspirations. Before arriving in Ireland I had hoped that a graduate degree in economics, a core academic discipline, would serve as a useful compliment to my future interdisciplinary graduate work in health policy. Instead of merely serving as a compliment for my future studies, however, my coursework and research here have motivated me to integrate a larger economic component into my evolving research agenda. In addition, I have developed a strong affinity for the collegial confines of the economics department here. I cannot think of a better way to attest to how positive this experience has been other than to say that the possibility of one day teaching at Galway will certainly remain in the back of my mind.

Since I realize that I haven’t included any block quotes in my reflections this year, I think that I will include a nice passage here that a friend back home sent to me. In a memoir titled “Harp”, John Gregory Dunne takes a trip to the “Auld Sod” and eloquently captures the experience:

“West on the N4, Dublin’s sprawl soon ending, and then, in Meath, the Irish countryside, and green, green as far as the eye could see: sage, olive and beryl; jade, emerald and alachite; celadon, reseda and Nile; grass, moss and turf; pea green, sea green, bottle green: green.”

I know that I’ll be forever grateful that I had the opportunity to call Ireland home for a year.

To conclude this entry I want to thank Trina, Dell, and Mary Lou for providing a tremendous level of personal attention and facilitating such a tremendous experience. Above all, though, I want to thank the other ten scholars. It has been a real privilege to call this group friends and colleagues. Although I will remember the brainy discussions, when I reflect on the year I will sooner recall Marcus causing our tour guide’s knees to buckle at Queen’s, Brittany being scolded by a Benedictine monk for picking a flower, or Geoff questioning his university’s administration about the ‘neo-Stalinist’ architecture on campus. I can say for certain that the experience wouldn’t have meant as much without them.

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June 2006 Reflection

Posted on June 1, 2006 by cwindham06

In the months before I left for Northern Ireland, I tried my best to deflect any questions about my post-Ireland life.

What’s next in store for you, Carie?

Any ideas where you’ll be next September?

I shrugged the questions off, deciding, instead, to be mysterious. “Oh, we’ll just have to see,” I’d say. Or I’d just toss up my hands and exclaim, ‘Who knows?!?’

Truth is, I had no clue.

I imagined, however, that the answer was not far away. That if I could just get away from my college life, from the expectations of my family, my advisors, or my friends, that it would all become clear. That the pieces would magically fall into place in my mind. “Eureka!” I would shout one evening in the pub as I slapped the fella next to me on the back. “That’s it!” And so, I would return with The Plan.

As the final weeks of my time in Northern Ireland wind down, however, I have started to accept the fact that The Plan may be just as elusive as ever.

I shared my plight with Michelle, a past Mitchell Scholar, at the reunion in Dublin last week when she made the mistake of asking about my Mitchell year and plans for the future. Finally, I could talk about the year with someone who had both an intimate understanding of the experience and a few years of hindsight. As she patiently listened, I rambled on about the highlights of the year and my plan(s) for the future. “I really have no clue,” I said as I’m sure her eyes started to glaze over. I shared that living in Northern Ireland has rekindled my love for journalism and made me ready to start pushing my foot in the door wherever there’s an opening. I also told her that a year studying Irish history has made me ready to do a Ph.D. Not in American history as I’ve always planned, but in Irish history. Then I explained that my imagination has been running wild with ideas for fiction writing and that I’d like to spend some time committing those to paper before jumping into a career that will leave little time for thinking. And finally, I said with a shrug, sometimes I genuinely couldn’t wait to jump into the non-profit sector, to take over grant writing and volunteer development at my family’s children’s zoo.

As those final words hung in the air, I tried to gauge her reaction. I prepared myself for the eventual polite nod and exhale of breath. “Whew,” I was sure she would say. “Sounds like you have a lot of thinking to do.”

But instead, she nodded, thoughtfully, and said, “Sounds like this year has been quite invigorating for you.”

Invigorating. I hadn’t thought about it like that yet. Instead, while wading through the various plans that came across my mind in a day’s time, I couldn’t help but worry that a year in Ireland had done more to muddle my future than to disentangle it. After a few days consideration, however, I realized just how right Michelle was. Invigorating really is the only word to describe the past nine months.

For the first time in many years, I’ve had the chance to simply breathe this year. To step away from the jumble of activities, offices, and commitments that dominated my undergraduate career. Thanks to the more relaxed nature of my class schedule and Northern Ireland, in general, and my decision to focus my extra time on one specific project (Habitat for Humanity), I’ve found myself with more free time than ever before. To fill those hours, I’ve read the paper, I’ve explored Derry and Northern Ireland, I’ve traveled across Europe, and I’ve taken time to just relax with a pint, a handful of friends, and my own racing mind. In those extra hours, I’ve found inspiration in conversations with strangers, in observing people on the street, or in experiencing a new culture. It’s no wonder, perhaps, that the future seems so limitless.

Meeting the Mitchell Scholars, as well, has been invigorating. I’m so thankful that we’re such a diverse bunch and that everyone has been so genuinely open and friendly. By becoming friends with the scholars, I’ve learned to respect and admire each of them for their unique interests and drive. I’d love to take away a little bit of their personalities for myself – even if its just learning to speak up for myself and to be firm in my views in a group of people that don’t share them or to appreciate a bit more of the musical side of life. Some of my favorite memories from the past year are from pubs in Belfast, Christmas markets in Germany, the Wednesday night quiz team, hill walks, or Thanksgiving football matches, thanks to the scholars. I genuinely hope we’ll all remain friends after this year has ended. I’ve also been fortunate to have had an amazing group of friends and people in Derry, from the students in my class to my flatmates. They’ve all made Derry feel like home and I’m certain that the things I’ll miss most will be those ordinary nights when we all sat around the kitchen table playing Risk or just chatting about life in general.

Just living in Northern Ireland has been invigorating. I can hardly remember what I expected Derry to be like but I’m constantly perplexed by its complexities. I feel fortunate to have lived in Northern Ireland now when a final peace agreement seems attainable yet society is still so divided. I’m not sure I ever would have understood what ‘peace’ is like in Northern Ireland (not that I necessarily do now) without actually seeing the peace walls, touching the murals, or sitting down with people from the most divided communities. It’s an invaluable perspective that I feel fortunate to have. I’ll be starting my master’s thesis over the summer, a look at political ballads in 19th century Belfast. It’s a far cry from my original research intent (civil rights) but I hope it sheds light on Belfast during a time of political change. If there’s anything I’ve learned from studying in Northern Ireland, it’s that life, politics, and history are inextricably entwined. You certainly can’t expect to understand the Troubles without some basic understanding of the last 400 years or some acknowledgement of things like shared remembrance and public memory.

My Habitat work is drawing to a close and it remains one of the highlights of my time in Northern Ireland. Working on the booklet has provided access to the very people who live life in a ‘post-conflict’ society. It’s also given me the chance to watch Habitat’s work in action and to be invigorated by their vision for peace and their dedication to realizing it.

This last reflection could only close with sincere thanks to the US-Ireland Alliance, Dell, Trina, and Mary Lou, and the numerous sponsors who make the Mitchell Scholarship possible. I’ve been touched by the way that both the staff and the board members go out of their way to make sure that we make the most of our experiences. I’ll always be thankful for the numerous phone calls and e-mails exchanged to help me line up a radio internship and the great advice given about future career plans. Not to mention the many laughs exchanged when Trina and Mary Lou came to visit. I feel lucky that we had the chance to inaugurate Mary Lou to the program and fortunate that the program has such dedicated, passionate, and fun leaders. It really does make the difference.

I’m also thankful to USIT, for their generosity has given me the chance to see more of Europe than I ever thought possible. Before coming to Derry, I’d only ventured ‘across the pond’ once, to spend a week in London. I’ll go home having set foot in more than 12 different countries. With USIT’s help, I had the chance to kayak a fjord in Norway, sled the Alps in Switzerland, watch Shakespeare live at the Globe, grimace as a monkey tried to steal my car antennae in Gibralter, and laugh as my boyfriend rolled, head first, down Cooper’s Hill in Gloustershire while chasing a wheel of English cheese. The staff has always been incredibly patient and helpful and I can’t thank them enough.

In my remaining time in Ireland, I hope to simply slow down and enjoy my last few weeks in Derry. (Minus a holiday over to Croatia – I had to get sun at some point!) I imagined that I’d be traveling my last month, trying to fit it all in. On the contrary, I’ll be holing up in Derry with my friends, trying to savor the last bits of this year before coming up with The Plan for next year.

What is it? I guess the only answer is to watch this space…

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June 2006 Reflection

Posted on June 1, 2006 by bschick06

It started 9 months ago with an overnight flight,
Now it is summer and the end is in sight.
I cannot believe how the time has flown,
And all the ways in which I have grown.

Poetry is not my forte,
But I have so much that I want to say,
That at least if I frustrate myself with this rhyming,
I’ll give up my writing and save you some timing 😉

This year as a Mitchell has been so great,
If the Air Force didn’t own me I might stay late.
But return to the military is what I will do,
To use my degree and newfound skills too.

Studying security and conflict resolution,
Helped me gain awareness of the world’s institutions.
I learned the perspective of our European allies,
And hopefully built some useful future ties.

But traveling experiences were the best teacher of all,
Collecting lots of stories while heeding the travel bug’s call.
Backpacking from Moscow to the ruins of Pompeii,
Do you really think Cambodia’s too far out of the way?

Living abroad has taught me so much,
Learning new customs, a culture, and such.
Ireland was great with people warm and nice,
I love the pubs, the rugged West, and pizza by the slice.

The other Mitchell Scholars deserve some mention too,
Building awesome friendships is why the year flew.
Thanks to the Alliance staff for making the program great,
And to all our supporters who have helped it share this fate.

A year of learning and memories is coming to a close,
But being a Mitchell continues, goodness knows.
With Trina’s projects we’ll all stay involved,
And work to get the world’s problems resolved =D

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March 2006 Reflection

Posted on March 1, 2006 by gswenson06

I have a hard time believing that I’ve already been in Ireland for six months. Life continues to be pleasant and remarkably consistent for the last two months. Thus, as new developments are few, my journal entry will be brief. Most of my time is dedicated to classwork, working on my thesis (which I will write more about in my journal once I figure out what exactly it is), and attempting to figure out what I am going to do after I depart Ireland with varying degree of success. My course on globalization is particularly interesting as it offers a chance to contrast the macro-level forces of globalization with the intricacies of local politics in Northern Ireland, about which I am consistently learning more. I’ve continued to travel both in Ireland and throughout continental Europe as I had a chance to make it to Barcelona to visit a friend from Washington. Locally, I am continuing my systematic effort to explore the entirety of Belfast before I leave. Most pressing, I continue to search in vain for an establishment with a working darts board and to figure out a way to watch some of the NCAA tournament. Many of my most enjoyable experiences continue to be spending time with the Mitchell crew. Ben Cote and I celebrated a joint birthday in Derry in February that featured most of the Mitchells that were in the country. Without questions, it ranks among the most enjoyable of my ever-expanding birthday career. All and all, I’m having a wonderful time.

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March 2006 Reflection

Posted on March 1, 2006 by ljeng06

A few days ago, I was talking to my research advisor about my project, and I said “dodgy” without really thinking about it. Yes, the Chinese-American has definitely added some Irish into her identity. That was the point at which I realized just how much Ireland has influenced me. There haven’t been lots of big things that have stood out as being overtly Irish; in fact, when I first arrived in September, it almost felt like I was still in the States – I watched American television shows, heard English (and some Chinese!) all around me, and ate a lot of foods I can find in the States. The longer I live here, though, the more I continue to learn about the country and its people and its culture, and the more I’ve started to pick up on the subtle things that are very much Irish. People here are much more direct and much less concerned about being politically correct, and they’ll slag (or pick on) you for ages. But deep down, it’s all just good craic and they really love hanging out with you.

One of my friends counted how long I’ve been gone from the States, and as of March 7, I’d been in Ireland for 172 days and had another 172 days left to go. I’m officially halfway through my time here in Ireland. Time has absolutely flown by, and there’s still so much left to do! I finished my last week of class for the year earlier this month, which was a pretty nice feeling. Something that can be checked off my list of “to do’s.” Not to worry though, I’ll still have plenty of academic work for the next few months: several assignments, four exams, and my research project.

I’ve also managed to check a few more places off my list of places to see: the Netherlands and Budapest. Both places were quite cold compared to the weather in Ireland – it snowed half the time I was in Budapest and hailed/sleeted/snowed most of the time I was in the Netherlands. At one point, my friend and I were on an hour-long bus ride to Kinderdijk, a big field with 19 windmills. When we finally arrived and got off the bus, a mini blizzard was in full force. Visibility was nil, and the thought that crossed my mind was, “Oh, no, we’re walking through that?” Amazingly, the weather cleared up 10 minutes later, and we got gorgeous blue skies that rivaled the fabulous weather from the Mitchell trip to the Aran Islands. Sadly, I missed the unofficial Mitchell Super Bowl get-together, but I’m looking forward to seeing everybody again in Belfast next week. I’m also looking forward to my first St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Ireland and to visiting Cork and the Cliffs of Moher later this month.

During my free time, I’ve picked up a new hobby – teaching myself how to knit. I decided that since I’m in a country famed for its wool, I wanted to take advantage of my access to said wool. I’ve also added my own little touch. Instead of going out and buying knitting needles, I’m using plastic chopsticks that I already had around the apartment, and they’ve actually worked out relatively well. The first few tries were less than great and involved a lot of attempting to knit and even more unraveling of the yarn that was supposedly knitted. With time and practice, I’ve gotten better, and I’ve actually managed to knit a scarf and a matching hat, both of which came in handy in the cold weather in Budapest and the Netherlands.

Even though I still have another 50% of my time here to go, I already know that I’m going to miss Ireland when I leave. Good thing I’ll be moving to Boston next year. It’ll be a nice gradual transition between being here and being back in the States, and I’ll still be able to get my Irish experience when I miss it.

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March 2006 Reflections

Posted on March 1, 2006 by eanderson06

When my classes ended yesterday for the year (yes, March 13th!), it was definitely a realization that my year in Ireland is moving rapidly along. Spring has finally arrived here, to my delight, even though in a move of possibly dubious wisdom I am leaving today for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, where it is still snowing…(I AM looking forward to the trip. But when I checked the weather forecast this morning, I couldn’t help thinking that it would have been a better plan to go to Malta…)

This past term has been largely occupied with classes. Having class for several hours a day every day of the week means that I haven’t had as much time as I might have liked for everything else (although it’s entirely my own fault for taking so many classes…), but now that classes have ended for the year I will have the opportunity both to work on my research and to explore Ireland even more. This term I have particularly enjoyed my class on ecumenical ecclesiology, and a course on Muslim-Christian relations which was team taught by a Muslim woman and an Anglican priest.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend an Anglican Faith and Order consultation for three days as an observer, where representatives of the Anglican provinces of Ireland, Scotland and England discussed some of the theological issues that are affecting their churches. At the risk of revealing just how very much of a theology geek I am, I have to confess that I can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun! It was a small group, with just the official delegates and two of us observers, and everyone was extremely nice and welcoming to the random graduate student who had somehow managed to get invited to the proceedings.

Over the three days we had sessions on confirmation, the diaconate, the authority of scripture, and the new agreed statement on Mary produced by the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission. Outside of the official sessions, however, conversations continued over dinner and coffee until late at night, with passionate debates on everything from universal salvation to the 39 Articles. (The latter is a document that the Anglican church in Ireland still takes seriously, although I have always been glad that the Episcopal Church in the United States has consigned it to the back of the Book of Common Prayer in the “historical documents” section, where we can continue to happily pretend that it doesn’t exist!)

In late February my best friend came to visit me from New York, and I enjoyed showing her around Dublin before the two of us headed off to Glenstal Abbey on retreat. Glenstal was wonderful, and although I am looking forward to returning there with all of the Mitchell Scholars in May, it is entirely possible that I won’t be able to wait until then to make another trip. Back in Dublin, the two of us did manage to get caught right in the middle of the riots on February 25th, which was somewhat scary at the time. I felt terrible about having a guest with me, and kept wanting to exclaim, “It’s not normally like this here! Really it isn’t! I promise!”

Closer to home, my Lenten effort to fit daily mass into my rather irregular schedule means that I will soon have visited every Catholic church in Dublin. (Well, at least the city center and the nearest suburbs.) The diocesan website has a very handy tool with which you fill in what time you would like to go to mass, and it will give you a complete listing of the parishes that fit into your schedule. Then all you have to do is locate them on a map, and suddenly, thanks to Lent, you have the perfect excuse to explore Dublin! I continue to be involved in my own church here, Saint Bartholomew’s, including serving as an acolyte, and the people there are very much the focus of my social life.

I have all sort of plans for the coming months. After my trip to the Baltic states, we have a Mitchell gathering in Belfast. In April and May I am hoping to visit several other Irish monasteries and convents, and I’m planning to go on a young adult pilgrimage to the shrine at Knock. In June, Richard and I are going to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Add a thesis and a few more essays into the mix, and I expect that I will be more than busy over the weeks to come, even if I don’t have to go to class anymore! I continue to be greatful to all of the sponsors of the Mitchell Scholarship for making all of these things possible.

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March 2006 Reflection

Posted on March 1, 2006 by mweisner06

Just got back from the Trinity gym, and think I figured something out. The mirrors by the free weight section seem to make you look bigger, while the ones by the cardio equipment are a bit more slimming. I wonder if this is done on purpose to help students keep a healthy self-image. Not sure why I started my journal entry off with this. Might be important. Trinity is building a brand-new gym that will open next year.

Going to see Capote in about an hour. Was not planning on seeing the movie, but changed my mind when that actor whose name I can never remember won an Oscar for this role. Not sure what the movie is about.

I started working for the Dublin Fire Brigade. They put me into a cargo container fire for a fire behavior course. It was probably the hottest I have ever been. At one point, I lay down to get under the heat and it felt like my ears were blistering. It turns out I did not burn my ears, which was good. I work two days a week and do something different each week. This week I am working on researching ambulance response times and patient care report forms. Not quite as exciting as hanging out inside a burning container, but still fun.

Dublin is gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day. Kegs are everywhere. I watched them being dropped into basements today. Orange flags fly from poles lining the Liffey. From O’Connell Bridge you can see a sign that reads, “ROYAL LIVER INSURANCE.” Is this insurance for drinkers? Pints here cost 5 euros. I drink less to save money. Might make an exception for the holiday because I made a new friend.

Going SCUBA diving for a week starting Saturday. After that I am off to Belfast and then Antarctica. Hmmm, not really going to Antarctica. Touring around Ireland on an antique bike instead. County Mayo and Sligo are up first. Don’t really want to go home. Can I apply for this scholarship again?

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March 2006 Reflection

Posted on March 1, 2006 by cwindham06

Sitting down to write this reflection, it’s hard to believe that more than six months have passed since my plane touched down in Derry. Somewhere in my luggage, now safely tucked under my bed, I’m sure there must be a list of hastily scrawled out goals for my time in Northern Ireland, written somewhere over Washington, D.C., airspace. Looking at it now would probably inspire more embarrassment than good but I have the inkling that I’d discover how very different my time in Derry has been than what I expected. And how few of those goals I’ve come close to achieving.

I imagined, pre-departure, that life in Derry would be filled with all the activities I never found time for in undergrad. I would dedicate myself to the outdoor pursuits I loved as a kid in Appalachia. I would audition for a campus production. I would spend more time exploring creative writing and less time watching prime time TV. I would find a way to volunteer with a cross-community initiative.

As for learning about Ireland, I planned to wander into local pubs alone and chat up the locals. There’d be much backslapping and ‘hear, hear’-ing, the occasional clinking of pints. These people, I was sure, would weave yarns about Ireland that I wouldn’t find in textbooks.

Now, with more than half of my Mitchell year over, a cursory assessment of my progress reveals few things on my list checked off.

I’ve hiked in the Glens of Antrim, Donegal, and the Sperrin Mountains but the closest I’ve come to kayaking or canoeing was a hurried text message to a friend asking about the local kayak club. I never followed up. I haven’t seen a live production in Derry – much less performed in one, although I did stop to read an advertisement for summer auditions today. I haven’t picked up the pen to do anything creative lately, unless you count the occasional overly dramatic blog entry, and the only pints I clink on a regular basis are with my pub quiz team on Wednesday nights at the Linen Hall.

So I haven’t exactly been living up to my pre-trip expectations but I doubt I could have expected stumbling into the perfect Habitat for Humanity project or having the chance to see 10 different countries in just six months. Had my list included things like sledding down the Alps, hiking to Scotland’s smallest whiskey distillery, wading out to Northern Ireland’s tallest waterfall, watching a monkey rip off my rental car antennae in Gibralter, or watching the Super Bowl on a 12-inch TV at 1 a.m. with a crowd of American, Scottish and Irish friends, I might be more on target.

And those are the things that have made the months since my last journal entry so special. I’ve continued collecting oral histories for my project with Habitat for Humanity, sitting down the wives of ex-paramilitaries, victims of sectarian violence, and volunteers from both communities. Each time, I can hardly wait to get back to my flat to share the stories. They continue to be my best teachers about the Troubles and Northern Ireland. As my project deadline nears, I’ve also been exploring how to present the information and am delighted that I may get the chance to bring my design experience to the table. Telling this story feels like a huge responsibility, which is both terrifying and invigorating.

Traveling has been an ongoing adventure – I’ve slowly discovered that I’m just going to be cursed no matter where I go. I made the mistake of renting a car in Spain without insurance and turned it back in with a flat tire and a dented bumper. (The nice guy behind the counter – who I’ve promised to name my first child after – was kind enough to keep the damage to my purse low.) I dropped an extra 70 pounds on insurance for a car in Scotland and returned it in mint condition. Feeling myself redeemed, I opted out of extra insurance for a van when my family came to visit last week. Two tires with bulges.

Still, those trips gave me the chance to roam the coast of Spain and the heights of Gibralter, to hike the Highlands in Scotland and search Loch Ness, and to take a van from one end of the north to the other, combing the Inishowen, Donegal, and Antrim coasts and taking in crystal blowing, pottery making, and more church ruins and castle remains that I can even count.

When I haven’t been on the road or working in Belfast, I’ve been growing closer to the Irish students in my class. After weeks of polite hellos and the occasional groan over coursework, we’ve committed ourselves to spending more time together out in Derry, even if it means the next week’s tea break will be filled with embarrassing stories from the weekend that most of us would rather forget. I still can’t always understand them and I’m still the only one who looks puzzled when they start telling Irish jokes but I’ve begun to feel as though I can count them all as my friends.

And finally, I was certain that throwing myself into a master’s degree program in history would finally establish, in my ever-changing mind, that academia was the pathway for me. Instead, being in Northern Ireland has only reignited my passion for journalism and my determination to wedge my foot in the media industry’s door. That’s not to say I’m not enjoying my classes or diving into my research – I am constantly surprised by the new topics that pique my interest in Irish history. But being here, in a community that once highlighted news reels and dominated headlines, I’ve learned that too often stories are incorrectly told or incompletely conveyed. I’m beginning to realize just how little Americans (meaning I) know about Northern Ireland and how many stories remain to be told. Being here and learning those stories has only increased my desire to tell the untold stories from corners of the world that rarely get more than their 30-seconds of airtime.

On that note, it’s off to another quiz night and – fingers crossed – perhaps our first win of the semester…

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March 2006 Reflection

Posted on March 1, 2006 by bcote06

Hello again–It’s hard to believe that it has been almost six months since I first arrived in Derry!

The last two months have been particularly eventful. In mid-February I used part of my USIT stipend to meet three friends from Georgetown for five days in Krakow, Poland. Krakow is a beautiful–and very old–city. It was full of ornate cathedrals, some dating back to the fourteenth century. There is also the beautiful Castle Wawel, overlooking the city.

While it was difficult to wander through Krakow without knowing a word in Polish, I found that by using some combination of basic French, grunts and gestures, I could find where I needed to go. (Though often people would either respond in Polish or in French with a think Polish accent–which didn’t do me much good.) The two most useful phrases I ended up learning were “jenkuya” and “je prasham” (thank you and excuse me).

One of our main purposes for visiting Krakow was to see Auschwitz. (We all entertained a lot of raised eyebrows when we told people what we were doing for vacation–but we each knew it was something that we had to do). The word that came to mind to describe the experience was “numbing.” The very first thing our guide told us when we stepped through the gate, which mockingly read: “Work and be free,” was that we were standing on a graveyard where 1.1 million people died. The guide relayed fact by fact without emotion, probably numbed by over twenty years of leading these tours. I myself was numbed by the particular stories of torture and murder, and more so by the infinite volume of victims. The two hardest things to witness were a giant chamber filled with piles of women’s hair–which was used to make rugs–and long scratch marks on the walls of the inside of a gas chamber, made by panicking victims attempting to flee the gas.

It was moving for me to see the cell of St. Maximillian Kolbe, the same saint of my home parish in Scarborough, Maine. A Catholic priest, he was killed by starvation and lethal injection, after he took the place of a Jewish man (a father and husband, who survived auschwitz to live through his nineties).

Auschwitz was particularly important to me in my studies because it allowed me to bear witness to a case of mass violence–violence that was condemned and challenged by “never again”–violence that has been repeated in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Congo, and Sudan–violence that shows that there is still much that must be done to make “never again” a reality.

I returned to Derry to finish preparations for my SDLP conference on civil rights. Through my internship with Mark Durkan, I had spent five months working on the project–and was rewarded with a successful event. The conference was entitled: “We Shall Overcome, Civil Rights: Past, Present, and Future.” Among the speakers were my friend William Godwin, my course director, Paul Arthur, Inez McCormack, Paddy O’Hanlon, my boss and SDLP leader Mark Durkan, Denis Bradley, Richard Moore, and Nobel Laureate John Hume.

The speakers did a tremendous job at describing and reflecting on the Northern Ireland civil rights movement in the 60’s and current local and international issues to the audience–mainly comprised of secondary and university school students. I think it was particularly effective for students to see civil rights as exemplified by gay rights and disability rights–the former of which we thought might prevent schools from coming. They came, and I would like to think we made a small bit of a difference. At this point I’d like to thank Carie Windham for her hard work, and the rest of the Magee students who helped make this happen. Cheers!

As John Hume was one of the primary reasons I applied to study in Derry, I was particularly proud to introduce him–a Derry man who became a teacher, then a civil rights leader, then SDLP leader, and then a Nobel Peace Prize recipient. He is a hero to me, and I’m sure to many of these Derry kids who hopefully will make their own impact on the causes of peace and civil rights.

John Hume has been very important to the University of Ulster as the Tip O’Neill Chair in Peace Studies. Last week, at his request, John Kerry spoke at Magee about international security. Kerry is the most recent in a line of speakers that have included Garrett Fitzgerald, Hilary Clinton, Kofi Annan, and Bill Clinton. The Tip O’Neill Chair, Magee’s location in history-filled Derry, and its strong Irish History and Peace and Conflict Studies programs, all make Magee a fantastic place to study. I strongly recommend it to future Mitchells and peace scholars.

Of all the things I am grateful for, I am most grateful for the friends that I have made here. Whether it is continuing the weekly quiz night tradition, planning youth conferences over tea in the SDLP office, or laughing over impressions of Derryisms (and yes, I now have a wealth of Derry sayings thanks to the Wile Big Derry Phrasebook Lauren gave me!)–I can honestly say, these muckers are great craic.

Next up, a good deal of studying, and traveling to Scotland, Belgium and England.

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March 2006 Reflection

Posted on March 1, 2006 by msolomon06

This write-up is supposed to be called “Reflections on Ireland,” but in the name of full disclosure, I have spent a significant chunk of the past three months out of Ireland. Thanks to USIT, Eurail, and Red Bull, I saw upwards of ten beautiful European cities in a stretch of six packed weeks. While I will not bore you with the non-Irish details, suffice it to say that as someone who has only experienced European art, music, and food outside of Europe, seeing the real deal fostered my growth as an artist more than any class I have ever taken. Furthermore, the trip helped me lay the groundwork for my grandest reflection of all -a four-movement symphonic ode to Ireland. Work is well on its way, but before I get into the nitty gritty music-speak, I will briefly touch on my last couple months on the Emerald Isle.

On the list of potential careers I made back in Kindergarten, wedding singer fell well below astronaut and firefighter. However, while I have not fought a fire or gone to space to date, I found myself signing a real Irish wedding (second only to a real Irish wake) in February. I am doing another one in April, so before I’m booked solid, push your wedding date slightly forward and call my agent (who, in case you were wondering, doubles as me). Otherwise, I enjoyed Valentine’s spectacles, participating in my various University ensembles, and gearing up for Saint Patrick’s Day.

And now to the composing. I am currently working on two smaller pieces entitled Norman (age 8) Ascends the Refrigerator to Find the Matzah and Norman (age 11) Visits the Optometrist. These have been great studies in long-form building, which is necessary for my Irish suite. I intend for the movements to be fairly large in scope, which means they will need enough ideas and development to sustain their duration. The other great thing about the Norman pieces is that they pass various concrete ideas through abstract compositional filters. Some parts are strictly narrative, whereas others are completely subjective and responsive, whereas others distort the narrative by breaking it down parametrically to the point where it is simply a material-generating device. This will be essential as I try to translate the visual and cultural world of Ireland into music. Right now, the four movements are looking as follows:

Lester: Colossal and grotesque. Antiphonal and unflaggingly multiphonic. Isolated voices that intersect without changing their doggedly fixed trajectories. Many different ideas evoking different cultural loci a-la-Mozart. Utilizes the full orchestra almost all the time but in two different ways, treating the instruments as individual entities at most times but combining them into unified textures at pivotal moments.

Munster: Jovial, lively, and always a beat ahead of itself. Mercurial and ebullient. Many deceptive and false climaxes, as well as hundreds of discursive interchanges that constantly change the course of the piece. Rarely uses the full orchestra, and when it does, only for fleeting and incidental moments. Despite the high velocity of change, a unified texture resulting from mimesis and thematic repetition.

Connacht: Painfully slow and brooding. Deals entirely in full textures, with no instrument having individual agency with the exception of occasional solos. Dark, damp, mystical, and contemplative. Nostalgic, confusing happiness and sadness. Cavernous. Pathetique. Beautiful.

Ulster: Not surprisingly, organized around two poles of cacophony. These are not thematic or timbral as much as geographical within the orchestra. Different instruments participate in the ‘dialogue’ at different times and to different degrees. Violent, lurching sonorities and alien timbres. Percussive batteries. The conversation remains unresolved at the end of the piece, which concludes subito.

Currently I am trying to secure a premiere of the work. If anyone reading this conducts a large symphony orchestra willing to give it a read, I will reorganize, alphabetize, and chronologize your entire score library. And it is now 7:05, which means that the music department is emptying out and I can secure a piano. This means I will now pretend to be a rock star for at least an hour. Happy trails!

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March 2006 Reflection

Posted on March 1, 2006 by arabinowitz06

Though this fact probably reflects poorly on my research methods, a little over a year ago when Trina and Dell informed me that I would be studying in Galway one of my first sources of “information” on the city was the song “Galway Bay.” Despite the surprising fact that the song does not provide too much insight into life in Galway, it did inspire me to move into my current apartment overlooking Galway Bay. When I look directly down from my third floor window I see the Corrib River rather than concrete and just beyond that I see the bay. Since moving into my current apartment I have watched many a moon rise over Cladagh and everyday I see the sun go down on Galway Bay. Knowing that just outside my window there is a scenic horizon and tourists taking pictures makes it infinitely easer to get out of bed in the morning. I do not look forward to contrasting these mornings with the weather and landscape that await me in Boston next fall.

I have also grown to love other aspects of life in Galway in addition to my idyllic living situation. For starters, I am now a regular at several local establishments. And I am not even using establishments as a euphemism for rowdy pubs. When I walk into several of the local coffee houses I do not even have to place an order anymore. And though I have not performed the requisite statistical inference procedures to verify this (do not fault me for trying to provide evidence of attending my economics classes), I am fairly certain that I receive larger portions at my regular lunch spot.

I have also managed to travel a great deal since my last reflection. I recently visited Holland, Belgium, Germany, and France and will jet off to the Czech Republic and Latvia shortly. In the process of experiencing such a diverse range of cultures I have gained a new appreciation for art and exploring the museums in the various cities I have visited has been one of the highlights of the year. Although I would not characterize my newfound appreciation for art as anything more than simple and unrefined, my visit to the Musee d’Orsay motivated me to begin reading about Impressionism and I even have a few favorite artists now. My undergraduate course in sculpting also paid dividends on a recent trip to the Rodin Museum in Paris.

Although I have broadened my horizons in countless ways this year by experiencing some of what Europe has to offer, I have also managed to have a very rewarding experience studying the Irish health care system, which is what I had hoped to accomplish when I applied for the scholarship. The Irish and British health care systems provide a great opportunity for cross-national learning despite the fact that the difficulties that exists here are very different from the primary issues in the US. The theoretical background I have gained from my electives in health economics as well as my other policy and evaluation classes will be an invaluable tool when I return home at the end of the year to pursue graduate work in health policy. Perhaps more informative, however, has been the anecdotal education that I have received through interaction with my friends and classmates. Hearing firsthand about how the Irish perceive their health care system has framed my academic research and provided a perspective that I could not have received simply by reading about it from a library in the US. As the semester starts winding down here in Galway (classes end at the end of March), I will be looking forward to seeing more of the Emerald Isle, including an upcoming trip to Belfast.

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