Three weeks down, three to go. At the halfway point of my trip I am finally starting to get the hang of life here. I now walk to the left side of the car to get in, not the right. I no longer hesitate when told to put something in the boot (Here, the boot is the trunk of the car, in addition to the type of shoe you wear on your feet.). Also my ears have finally adapted to calling an eraser a 'rubber' (That's what they're called here.), as well as 'rubbing' things out instead of erasing them. I think that has been the hardest one. I have come a long way in these 21 plus days and wouldn't change anything for the world.
This weekend Katie and I headed up north to Derry and Belfast on another Paddy Wagon tour, and it was the most mind-blowing experience. I never knew what was going on in Northern Ireland until my trip here. To be honest, I didn't know Northern Ireland was any different from Ireland before my trip here.
Come to find out, it is a place so rich in history, and even more so in recent history. From 1966-2002 (yeah, only 6 years ago) Belfast was basically a war zone. We took a black cab tour (which I highly recommend if you are ever there) through the streets of Belfast to see its murals, walls, and learn its history from someone who experienced 'the troubles' as they call them, first hand. Unbelievable.
My mind and eyes were opened to things I could barely grasp: gorilla warfare, walls separating parts of town, gates that close at night, buses turned on their side and set fire to create a blockade. All this not 200 or even 50 years ago, no, 10, 20 years ago this stuff was going on, not in the Middle East or Africa, but here in Northern Ireland, Western Europe.
Aside from my trip, things are going well at the school. I am helping direct the Christmas play and we are going to three rehearsals a week this week. The play is really great. It's about two wise men who have been wondering the desert in search of the Messiah, only to arrive at the Inn where he was born 33 years too late. It's very humorous and the students play their parts so well. I will try and take pictures this week to post. I wish I could send you all some video though.
I am really enjoying my time in the school and getting along well with both the teachers and students. I feel like I'm one of the faculty here. As far as art goes, we did a lot of traditional activities this week like snowflakes in 2nd class, and painted ornaments in Senior Infants, but the students had a lot of fun painting and sprinkling glitter. I feel like a celebrity every time I assist in 2nd class. All the girls give me compliments like, "You're the nicest teacher," "I love your accent," "I like your outfit," and so on. It is always such a confidence boost.
I am so thankful for this opportunity, and not just for the compliments, but the experience of working in a different culture.
According to tradition, this is the place where St. Patrick (Ireland's patron saint) gave the example of the trinity being like the shamrock.
Here I am standing in Northern Ireland, but across the water you can see Dunegal, in the Republic of Ireland. So close, yet two very different places...
They told us it never snows in Ireland. On our way back from the Giant's Causeway they were proven wrong =)
This is one of the many (41 I think) walls in Belfast which separate the Protestant side from the Catholic side.
This is the gate in the wall that opens every morning at 6 and closes every night at 11 to separate the Protestant and Catholic sides and help 'keep the peace.'