This weekend in Belfast was quite an adventure! I saw and learned a lot of Irish history, and got to catch up with a few friends who aren't in Dublin, as well as meet new people!
I took a bus up to Belfast by myself on Friday afternoon, when everyone else had already been in Belfast for a whole day, because I had a tutorial Thursday night and a class Friday morning that I needed to go to. I made it to the bus station without getting lost or asking for directions, though I did manage to get splashed when someone drove through a puddle on the side... I actually got pretty wet, and as Kristen says, I thought that only happened in movies. Worst part was, I was across the street from the bus station- so close! I shook off and went over to buy a ticket, got on the bus, and two and a half hours later I was in Belfast! I met up with the group at our hotel, and we had dinner and went to the pub for a few pints.
We found an awesome place for dinner- a pint and a burger were 5 pounds, and then we went to a pub right across the street from the hotel to hear some great Irish music. I met up with Danielle (of course), and Kevin Brawley, another PC student studying in Ireland this semester. He's at Galway for now, but just found out he'll also be a Fr. Smith Fellow this summer in Kisumu- I am so excited for the four new Smith fellows, but I'm also so jealous! I am obviously having a great time in Dublin, but I do ache for Africa sometimes... I know I'll be back one day, but I'm dying to make that day soon! We went to hear a great live band and had good conversations with three guys from Belfast, and that's where I learned how different the accents are all across Ireland. It's something I knew just based on hearing my family from Mayo and my Dublin-based professors and friends here, but man, the accent from the north was tough! I think it also had something to do with the fact that we were in a loud pub, but I had a really hard time understanding what the guys were saying!
It happens frequently when we go out that Irish people start asking us about the US (where we're from, who they know in Philadelphia, why we wanted to study in Ireland, isn't Trinity hard?, etc), and it was no different in Belfast. This group of three guys had all been to Philadelphia- and not only Philadelphia, but Havertown! One asked me if I knew where Barnaby's was (which is about a mile away from my house), and said he had many friends who go there frequently. The world is pretty small!
Saturday morning after getting up for brunch, we went on Black Taxi tours of Belfast. During the troubles, the IRA brought black taxis into Belfast for Catholics to get to work that cost 1 pound each way, regardless of where you're going. They're still in existence (though I'm pretty sure it costs more than 1 pound), and a lot of them are used to give tours. We went all over the city and saw lots of different murals and places that were significant during the troubles.
There is a "peace wall" throughout all of West Belfast- it separates the Catholic and Protestant communities to this day. It's 45 feet tall, and there are gates throughout it that are closed at 6pm every night. Our tour guide said that people often compare it to the Berlin wall, but it's different because that "was built to keep people in against their will. This was built to keep people out at the will of the people." Many famous people- including the Dalai Lama- have signed the wall, asking for it to peacefully come down. There was a survey of people in Belfast about the wall, and those who don't live near the wall think it's time for it to come down, but those who do absolutely want it to stay up so that they feel safe. Our tour guides seem to honestly think it will come down within the next 20 years, because they say the future is in the children- they go to more integrated schools and see the need for change, and it's up to them to take that wall down. The people who live on the Catholic side of the wall are only about 5 meters away from it, and have built what look like big cages on the back of their houses to protect themselves, because people still throw rocks and bottles over it at the Catholic houses. When we started on the Protestant side, we saw murals dedicated to "heroes," one being a man who had shot and killed 16 Catholics randomly. Another mural depicted a man with a gun that followed you wherever you went- from whichever direction you looked at the mural, the barrel of the gun followed you. It was very unsettling and very eye-opening.
We also had the opportunity to sign the wall. People write song lyrics or inspirational quotes, and as I was trying to figure out just what to say, I looked down at my phone, and saw the picture that is my background- the legacy my Practicum class left on the wall in the Feinstein community room. Our quote is from the director of the Feinstein Institute, Ray Sickinger, and it says "it is amazing how differently we think, but how one in purpose we are." I couldn't think of a better message of peace to leave, so I wrote it next to my name- once I have my photos uploaded, I will post them!
Once we got back to the hotel, we wandered around the slips where the Titanic was built and left from, had some delicious cupcakes, and went to dinner at Pizza Express- a delicious place that Tom and Kate had tried to take us in Oxford but was full, so Danielle and I dragged her roommate Dani and my friend Julia there to have a delicious dinner! We then went back to the hotel and had a relaxing night in, as we had to get up really early this morning to get the bus back home. I'm already back in Dublin and it's only 1:30, which is really nice. I have the afternoon to get myself together and watch the Rugby game between Ireland and France, which is part of the Six Nations Rugby tournament.
It was a very interesting weekend overall- I had no idea how much tension still exists, and I was happy to return to Dublin. Busy week of school ahead, and then off to London next weekend! I hope all is well wherever this Sunday morning finds you, and I hope to hear from you soon!
Love,
Julia
No comments:
Post a Comment