From Dublin to Belfast

We have now made our way to Belfast after leaving Dublin on Wednesday. I really really enjoyed Dublin. It had a great big city feel but it looks very old and historic. It reminds me a lot of london but more centralized and smaller. We have done tons so far on our trip. We had a historic walking tour of the city (which was sooo boring and way too long at 3 hours), I went to a church service at St. Patrick's cathedral (which was soo different from anything i have every experienced), we went to the Guinness factory-it was really cool to learn how it was made and at the end of the tour you get a free pint at a bar on the top floor that has 360 views of the city. it was so cool! we also went to the national gallery which had tons of famous paintings. it was so wonderful and refreshing to walk through a museum. overall Dublin was a great place to start our trip out at. it is not all to different from the states so the culture shook wasn't too much either.

We arrived in Belfast by bus on wednesday. Belfast is completely different from Dublin and and a total culture shock. Coming on this trip i did not know the history of the troubles and the reasons for the violence of the past. i have been learning soo much since being here. it is so crazy to thing that people are still being killed here simply because there belong to a different religious group. it is even more unsettling to know the tension does not even seem to be religious anymore...it is more like the people here have gotten into a bad habit and are not willing to break it. on our first night here in one of the protestant neighborhoods a bomb was set in a house killing a family. The killings were done by catholics and because of retaliation. (don't worry mom...we are not staying near that area). It is just a completely different way of life here. i'm usually very independent and not frightened easily but i definitely feel slightly unsettled in this city and i'm not comfortable at all going out alone, especially at night. the guys on our trip have been really good and making sure to go out with the girls at night so they are not alone. last night we went to a place called mornington community project which is a place designed for protestants and catholics to come together and they provide social services for people. it is a wonderful organization and a sign of hope and the changing times here in belfast. there are people here who are willing to change their prejudices toward others and are making great strides towards a better future. it leaves me with a sense of hope in the furture of belfast as i have been learning all about the troubles and the violent past history in this city. i don't think that belfast will be my favorite place on the trip but it may be the place that i will learn the most about and take away the most from. my eyes are being open to the hardships of the world around me and to the daily struggles that people experience on this side of the world. Tomorrow we are going to the west side of north ireland to Derry where "the trouble" began in 1969. i'm sure it will be another eye opening day as we hear first hand accounts of people who have lived through it. Well there is still so much i could say about my time here in belfast so far and just how much i've been learning but my time at the internet cafe is up so until later...i love you all so much and i'm starting to become slightly homesick and realizing that i'm going to be away for the next 3 months. until recently it has felt like a little vacation but now i'm realizing that i will be away for a whole semester. so send me emails and updates...i'd love to hear from you!