Picture from Northern Ireland You Never Thought You'd See

Thanks to Robin Kirk for emailing this out:

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/lindy-mcdowell/picture-from-northern-ireland-you-thought-yoursquod-never-see-14900831.html

Our group met and knew William "Plum" Smith and Jackie McDonald. Also, I walked by that mural on the Falls at least every day, going to the gym!

Closer to Home

I cannot believe I've been home for nearly two weeks. The landscape of Belfast's city centre had become more familiar than the Los Angeles skyline, but I sighed contentfully at the sight of the palm tree-lined grid of streets and the jam-packed freeway lanes. I had already indulged in a McDonald's cone at the Newark airport (they must use a different formula in the UK!) and now all that was left to be desired was my bed. Of course I was excited to see my mom and let her kiss me alot, but after that all you really want after a 24-hour travel day is a warm shower and BED. Wish granted at approximately 9pm PT!

And then I woke up at 2pm...Belfast time. It took a few days to adjust, but you'll be relieved to know I am not waking up with the sun anymore.

Over the past several days, I've tried to explain many things to family and friends, including DukeEngage, Northern Ireland, the Troubles, my role at Lisburn PSP. All of these have come to mean so much to me that sometimes I can't find the right words to represent them wholely. However, one of the most challenging questions came from my incredibly perceptive and intelligent grandfather, who asked, "In what way were you, as American students, able to contribute where you were working?" This is certainly a question with which I wrestled throughout the program. Sometimes I was concerned that I was gaining more from the experience than I was giving in return. What I learned is that for many people, it is natural to identify needs that can be filled, but it is more challenging to step back, soak up the environment, listen to people, and learn by following. Following?! Yes, a long-lost art among overachieving, motivated college students, but it seems to me a skill for true service that is equally important to leading.

Leadership + followership = service.

After you recover from being awestruck by my profound equation for service, I will tell you something else I learned. From working with the people at Lisburn PSP and the community centre, I saw firsthand that people sustain energy for a project or cause in which they are truly invested. Today, the "trend" seems to be international service, which I am not trying to discourage by any means. But we also need to remember that our greatest value often lies in what we know. We have the most significant working knowledge about the communities where we've spent the most time and the people with whom we have formed relationships. It's interesting that my international DukeEngage experience taught me the importance of looking closer to home for ways to transform my skills and knowledge into action.

My sincere endeavor now is to keep my eyes and ears open. There's a lot of world outside of Duke University and it not's separate from us. We are part of the world. Just tonight, NBC aired a Dateline special with Ann Curry, entitled "America Now - Friends & Neighbors," which focused on a town in southeastern Ohio and the severe poverty that has been intensified by the recession of the past few years. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38382773/ns/dateline_nbc-america_now) There are few adults who are lucky enough to obtain a mininum-wage job because company after company has gone under. Fourteen people living in 4 rooms, children sleeping on the floor, parents going hungry for days to feed their kids, local food banks nearly closing due to funding withdrawal -- all of this within a few miles of people who singlehandedly could afford to support several of these families with money they wouldn't feel missing from their bank accounts. This is America. And the uppercrust which has no personal experience with this kind of poverty is the smallest minority in the world.

So, whoever you are and wherever you are, keep thinking, listening, and (when appropriate) acting.

Week 8: The Final Days

Before you say it, I know it's been longer than a week since my last post! My absence is due to our busy schedule during our last couple of weeks in Belfast lest you think I was running out of things to say / write about. Now the difficulty will be pouring out everything out of this full noggin...

I am finally at the point where I knew the bus schedules and ice cream selection at various corner stores by heart and even count out 76 pence in change (the exact amount of a Twister) without getting flustered by all the coins. And now we're leaving. I would be lying if I said (typed?) that I didn't miss home - because I do. But Belfast has become yet another pseudo-home, complete with favorite places and new friends. My list of pseudo-homes is growing slowly: Boston/Somerville, Durham, and Belfast. And now we're just supposed to pick up and leave?? Yes, I guess that's the deal I signed up for with this DukeEngage program. In fact, I think I had to sign something saying that if I don't leave the country at the end of 8 weeks, they will use force to get me home.

Thus, our goodbyes began. First, Mike and I had to say goodbye to Sharon and Adie-- our wonderful supervisors for the summer and managers of Lisburn Prisoners Support Project. We all worked together in the cozy Credit Union office and the close quarters fostered close working relationships. Thankfully, we got to see Sharon and Adie one last time over the weekend because Adie invited us to join his family for their community's bonfire in celebration of the Twelfth. The "Twelfth" is the Protestant celebration on the 12th of July that originally was designed to celebrate King William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Three hundred and twenty years later, I highly doubt that people (especially younger generations) are still celebrating this triumph. Now it is a deeply-rooted tradition that starts with the burning of massive bonfires on the Eleventh night and ends with a day-long parade of Orangemen and bands through Belfast (and other cities in Northern Ireland). The "marching season" is fairly tense because TONS of flags are flown, including some paramilitary emblems (although the number has decreased signifcantly in recent years) and because the marches pass through many neighborhoods, including some Catholic ones. The route of a lawful march has to be approved the Parades Commission, who try to accomodate the Orangemen's (Protestant) desired route while respecting the Catholic communities opposition to the parades going through their neighbourhoods. Sounds like civilized compromise, but both sides become embittered through this push-and-shove process. A recurring theme in Northern Ireland's history is one group feeling (rightly or wrongly) as though giving something to the others lessens what they have -- i.e. if you get more rights, ours will be limited. An interesting position to consider...

Yes, it's tradition -- but sometimes that's not a good enough reason to keep doing something. I'm sure you can think of some examples without any prompts from me. All I know is that while I was appreciative of the warmth coming from the huge backyard fire, it was eerie to see the tricolor flag (of Ireland; representative of the nationalist community) burning on top. No matter what way you spin it, that's not friendly or peaceful. This is a very complicated (and dare I say heated) issue, so feel free to respond and/or ask questions.

Another goodbye we had to say was to Farset and the wonderful staff, including the manager Ruth -- who cooked me my first (and only) heart-clogging Ulster Fry. Trying the combo of fried egg, sausage, bacon, soda bread, potato bread, and beans was on my to-do list. Phew! So glad I've got that checked off now.

Finally, we are going to have to say goodbye to each other and our shared summer in Belfast. Hold up! Let's not get ahead of ourselves -- our flight doesn't leave for another 30 hours. There's still time...

Come What May: One Cancelled Bus, 3-hr Layover, and Flash Flood Later

The blisters on my feet, caused by a fair amount of walking around Belfast last Friday in a pair of brilliant blue suede shoes, have healed. Thus marks the passage of another weekend. Sadly, only two remain before we all head to our respective American homes.

But for the next couple weeks, our lives are still very much here, in Belfast. We wake up each morning, some of us sit down for breakfast in the café (while others grab an apple, if they’re lucky), and we catch different buses to our places of work. At work, we complete tasks, but we also converse with our employers and coworkers, laugh together, and eat Twisters or hummus & pita. At the end of the day, we return home -- to Farset. Never has a hotel or hostel felt more like home. Drawn to the lobby by the force-field of (potential) Internet connection, we sit for hours sometimes – watching episodes of Californication, the Bachelorette, Glee, or Entourage. Maybe even deciding on and committing to a full-length feature film. We unwind together and talk with those who pass through Farset’s doors. We aren’t just doing DukeEngage program – we are living life.

Eight weeks never seemed an exceptionally long period of time and now only 16 days remain. However, as our wise coordinator Ama pointed out, we still have 30% of our time left and we ought to make the most of it without overscheduling ourselves -- great advice, especially when we all have so many things that we would still love to do. Obviously, we won’t be able to do it all, but that’s no reason to fret! The depth of our experience is not necessarily measured in how many miles we travel from city centre…

This past weekend, there was a moment when our plans to go up the Antrim coast to Giant’s Causeway were all falling apart. We stood in the Great Victoria Street station being told that the 10am bus trip had been cancelled. Poo. Well, let’s take a train! So, we made it to Coleraine and took the Causeway Rambler bus along the beautiful, cliffy coast to the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. After walking and then dancing across the less-than-terrifying bridge, we wound our way back to the rest stop. Little did we know that the bus only comes every 3 hours, so we had a good 1.5 left to wait – at first enjoying each other’s company and then becoming slightly irked.

In an attempt to watch the entire US v. Ghana World Cup game (a valiant effort which unfortunately was not rewarded with a favorable outcome), most of the group decided to forgo the Bushmills Distillery and Giant’s Causeway. Though we’ve managed to avoid overly touristy locations, Courtney W. and I really wanted to see the famed hexagonal rock formations at Giant’s Causeway, so we hopped off the bus in good faith that another would return to collect us. Courtney and I came to the came conclusion that Giant’s Causeway can unquestionably be appreciated in less than 30 minutes. We power-walked to a smaller bus, which conveyed us to the site of the rock formations. While we were efficiently staging a photo shoot on the really awesome rocks, buckets of rain were released from the sky flash-flood-style, which made the rocks slippery and the visit quite memorable. As Courtney eloquently stated, it’s not every day that you get to see rocks! Fifteen minutes later we were on our way back to the train station.
You just can’t do everything, no matter where you are - in Northern Ireland, North Carolina, Michigan, Massachussetts, or California. If all you think about while you’re doing one thing is that you have a hundred more to do, are you really gaining much from the experience? During these next couple of weeks, I hope to have the energy to do as much as possible, but also to have the wisdom to discern what is most valuable.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood...

As Mike and I waited for the 8:57 bus (which never came) this morning, we were amused by the observation that it was another uncharacteristically sunny day in Belfast. During the 2-day DukeEngage Academy prior to our departure, our director Robin had asked us what we were most curious/worried about – I believe two-thirds of the group had voiced concerns about the rain. This fear was not unfounded – Robin had warned us that it could be quite cold and/or wet even during the summer in Northern Ireland and since we have been here, a countless number of people have commented on what great weather we were enjoying. To this point, my rain boots have remained idly stationed in the closet, except for the day they were donned by Sean when he ventured into a stinging-nettle-filled marshland to retrieve the lost soccer ball. Recap: today was a beautiful day, but the bus was late.

The next bus finally arrived, allowing us to catch our connecting train and make it to our Conflicts of Interest course. Mike and I have been attending this weekly course, which is run for a women’s group in a Protestant/Loyalist estate of Lisburn. For the first hour, the tutor focuses on specific conflicts in different time periods and regions (e.g. Northern Ireland, the Balkans, etc.) and engages the women (+ Mike) in a discussion about the topic and especially how it relates to our own situations/lives. The second hour is led by a guest speaker – not necessarily an “expert,” but usually someone who has a unique experience with the conflict/violence in N. Ireland. This set-up might not seem too revolutionary, but it has yielded some thought-provoking questions for all and these women have a forum in which they can talk openly about issues of their community and country. Many of the women in the group have young children and would not be able to engage in courses like this without the childcare that is provided by Colin SureStart at the Centre.

With the rest of the afternoon off, I moseyed over to South Belfast, passing Queen’s University and joining Ama (our coordinator, a Duke History PhD student) for lunch at The Barking Dog. Truthfully, this restaurant is simply BRILLIANT. Last Sunday, I tried their Fisherman’s Pie, which was slightly different (and yes, I think better) than the one I had at Robinson’s. Sean, who also indulged in the Pie, described it as “more like a collage, where each ingredient spoke for itself,” referring to the distinct chunks of fish (scallops, salmon, shrimp, etc.) and vegetables underneath the fluffy potato covering. Today, I tried the chicken & avocado wrap, which came highly recommended, and absolutely had to finish with dessert: passionfruit cheesecake & chocolate ice cream. Mmmmhmmm! (Mommy, this was almost better than mango cheesecake in Hawaii…)

After lunch, I wandered through the Botanic Gardens, including one of the greenhouses called the Palm House. It was a beautiful, humid oasis of all sorts of foliage! I proceeded to film a mini- guided tour on my camera, which I will upload to Facebook soon. The rest of the afternoon was filled with reading on a park bench, browsing in a small bookstore, and walking back to city centre. I invested in a copy of Brave New World – not sure why I didn’t own it before, but now I can reread it in Belfast!

I hope this gives you a better sense of the sorts of things we are doing while we are here in Northern Ireland. I feel a bit more acclimated and less like a tourist/visitor every day – somebody even asked me for directions yesterday and was surprised when I started speaking that I was American! Mission accomplished.

Asking Questions ...and Returning the Favor

The best writers always write what they know. How many times has this line been parroted to aspiring journalists and novelists, even high school seniors trying to compose college essays? While this may be true for writing, I don't think it should be extrapolated to our thinking -- especially to the point where we become afraid to form opinions about novel places/ideas. In the past 2 weeks, we've seen/heard a lot and then we have been asked (as we are still processing all the information) to respond -- What do you guys think about this? And more often than not, we do have thoughts -- it's not that our minds are blank, but rather that we don't know how to connect all the thoughts in a logical manner. It's the same way I feel about voting: I shouldn't do it unless I have all the information. Making a well-informed decision is admirable, but you can’t always get ALL the information. When we use generalizations excessively, we kindle a laziness of mind – we stop looking at the world around us critically. Our perspectives can then degenerate until we are ruled by what psychologists call a confirmation bias – where we extract and retain only the information that supports our preexisting schemata (paradigms of people, places, concepts, etc). Essentially, there is a happy medium where we can supplement all the available information with our own relevant past conversations and experiences.

Okay, now I can hear you pleading, “Lindsay, will you stop philosophizing about knowledge, ignorance, and confirmation biases!”
So, here are a few things I think and/or know:

1. People in Northern Ireland (Belfast specifically) are exceptionally kind and good-humored, despite the sarcastic and sometimes brusque nature of their humor. Living in our hostel (Farset) where we connect to the internet in the lobby has supplied many interesting conversations with various people who are passing through. Everyone is genuinely interested in where we are from, what we are doing. Some ask why we came to Belfast of all places, but others understand. Perhaps what I appreciate about Northern Irish people is that they don’t do small talk. Whether I agree completely, am completely shocked, or somewhere in between, people never fail to give their honest stories, thoughts and opinions.

2. Many women are young mothers and don’t (continue to) work full- or even part-time. (I need to briefly qualify this statement by reflecting that I have been immersed in predominantly working-class areas of Belfast and Lisburn and so this sample may not be completely representative of the city and country.) Today I went with a group of about 60 women to visit the site of the Maze Prison (which housed the majority of political prisoners during the Troubles). During lunch, a couple women next to me agreed that the visit had been interesting, adding that if they hadn’t come they would just be sitting in their houses watching TV. About a week ago, I asked my officemate Joanne (the manager of the community centre where I’ve been working) what she thought about the situation for women in N. Ireland. She explained that in order to get benefits (for housing, food, etc), women have to be working less than 16 hours/week. If they work more than that, they receive fewer benefits. Essentially, this system discourages people (women especially) from working. Why would they choose to work x amount of hours if they could just stay at home with the kids and receive the same amount of money? When current Sinn Fein Councillor Tom Hartley (former Lord Mayor of Belfast) came over for dinner, we discussed this issue, which he termed the “benefit trap.” I must confess that I’m a bit baffled by the intricacies of the welfare system in America – there seem to be similar issues and problems, but if anyone would like to comment/respond, I’d really like to understand it better.

3. Many people in the community are part of an active peace process (in Belfast and beyond), but there is still marked division and resentment runs deep. As Cllr. Hartley pointed out, war is not hard to make, but peace is. The generation who lived through the height of the conflict (‘70s-‘90s) is now helping the country heal and regenerate in so many ways, but they also pass along some of their anger and prejudice to the new generation (people who are my age). Heading to Scotland for a match, Protestants who support the Rangers travel on a different boat than Catholics who support the Celtics (two Glasgow football teams). This rivalry represents much more than a sports team preference – it is culture and identity. (Someone explained it as UNC / Duke, USC / UCLA, or Red Sox / Yankees, but with violent sectarianism. Fans from opposite sides have even killed each other…)
During our trip to Derry/Londonderry (termed “Stroke City” because of its attempt to placate both Catholics and Protestants with the city’s name), a Republican ex-prisoner gave us a tour of the murals in the Bogside. Near the end of the tour, he mentioned a Protestant figure, who is now in her 80s and suffering from a neurodegenerative disease and confessed without guilt or apology that he is disappointed because he wanted to see her die a slow, painful death. While I can’t imagine a more painful way to die than slowly losing memories and eventually the ability to function, I was more shaken by this man's blatant hatred. When is it acceptable (to society, to you?) to hate someone? When they’ve killed your mother or father? Your child? Your wife or husband? All of the above? These are completely relevant and crucial questions if there is any desire to foster reconciliation. Robin (director of the N. Ireland DE program) explained that on an interface, like where we are living on Springfield Rd, somebody might see on a regular basis the person who killed one of their family members. Is it unreasonable that the people in these communities don’t want the 40-foot peace walls removed?

I’ve just given you a taste of some thoughts running through my mind. But now, it’s your turn! Please write back/comment with questions about anything – something you’ve heard, read here or somewhere else, or anything you’re curious about. I will do my best to respond promptly and find the answers, if I can’t answer them myself.

A Smorgasbord of Craic

It's is high time that I posted some photos from the past 2 weeks, especially for those who like visual proof of how I'm spending my days here! (With respect to the entry's title, *NB*: "craic" means fun here, not an illegal addictive substance.)

Most important: FOOD. Within hours of arriving in Belfast, we located a tasty restaurant called Robinson's, which is directly across from the train station. The super-yummy (mmhmm, my vocabulary is expanding daily) option is always the catch of the day, which is probably related to our prime location on the coast of an island. Below is the mouth-watering Fisherman's Pie that seduced half of our group with its cheesy, potatoey deliciousness:

Since potatoes (in all shapes, sizes & textures) have been included in almost every meal, I knew it was necessary to stay in shape. Last week I got my Boost leisure centre membership and have been going to work out regularly. My one experience with lap swimming thus far was a bit like playing dodgeball. A few older men decided that they'd like to swim the short length of the pool, forcing other swimmers to swerve out of the way to avoid collisions. Oh well -- will try again, possibly at a different (less busy?) time of day. However, there are many other opportunities to burn off (some of) the calories ingested from massive amounts of fries, wedges and champ. Our first weekend here, we packed picnic-lunches and hiked up Cavehill. The pictures don't completely capture the immensity of this "hill," considering we all woke up the next day with incredibly sore calves.

After 3 hours of climbing, we made it to the edge of that cliff, which offered an amazing view of Belfast and the surrounding areas. The hike down went by much more quickly, partially because I slid down some rocky slopes -- leaving my hands a bit dirty and scratched.

Our adventure the following weekend was a trip to Londondery/Derry, which I will describe in a later post because I anticipate going back soon.

...Which brings me to this weekend! On Saturday morning, we caught a train for Bangor, which is about 30 minutes east of Belfast. As we stepped out of the station, a breath of Southern California blew over me -- I smelled the salty air, heard the ocean's waves, and felt the cool breeze. We grabbed lunch at a wonderful little sandwich shop, walked along the coast, and then ate on the rocks overlooking the sea. The weekend continued yesterday with a lazy-day marathon of the Bachelorette & SYTYCD viewing. Even when you're somewhere new and exciting, sometimes you still need a relaxing day off...

Oh, and by way of introduction, here are the DukeEngage Northern Ireland ladies (from right): Ashly, Courtney W., Colby, Courtney D., and Lindsay.