Well, the day has arrived. My final day at Corrymeela! It's quite strange as I feel like the time absolutely flew by and that I arrived last week, but at the same time it feels like home at the moment. Naturally once I've gotten used to community living and daily meal times once again (thank you, AOII), it's time to return home and become independent again. I feel like I can't remember what I like to cook for myself at home and what time I like to eat at...sad.
My last couple days were quite an amusing way to end. I worked with a teenage boys group from County Mayo (btw: they have exactly the stereotypical Irish accents that Americans think of-precious!!) for two days and had quite a shocking experience. I was somewhat excited to work with boys as it's not typical we get all boy groups up here. Also, in my opinion activities are easier to plan for males (just make a football appear and you're set for 2 hours). HOWEVER. These boys were slightly rambunctious. Slightly nightmarish. Slightly racist and maschovanist. The other volunteers and I had to bite our tounges so many times over the course of their stay and ended up just trying to make it through until the end with no one snapping rather than excecuting the great programme we had set up for them. It was a little tragic. Nice note to end on!
I have a rough idea of what I'll be doing in the next week before my mother arrives, but have a lot open for spontaneity. I'll be in Maghera tonight, Magharafelt tomorrow night, exploring the Sperrins on Sunday, then hopping around between Newry and Belfast until Thursday when I catch a train to Dublin. Great craic!
I'm departing Corrymeela in the next hour or so. Packing wasn't too hard as I don't have any luggage with me (my mother is bringing it), so I'm storing most of my stuff here and picking it up on the 7th of May. It's strange to see my bed bare and all the paintings, drawings, and notes off my wall. On the flip side, quite amusing bringing all the arts & crafts supplies I stole from the store room back up to the main house in a big bag this morning. Mwa ha ha. I'll definitely miss having a fully stocked arts and crafts building 30 feet from my bedroom.
I'm planning on saying more of a "see you later" to everyone rather than a goodbye. I know I'm returning to Corrymeela on the night of the 7th with my mom to pick up my things and I'll see most again, but my time as a volunteer is over and the relationships I know with the other volunteers here is coming to an end. I didn't realize it until the last day or so, but I'm quite heartbroken to think about the possibility of not seeing some of my friends ever again. That's the beautiful but tragic thing about this place...When else am I going to live in the same hallway as my friends from Germany, Myanmar, N. Ireland, Florida, England, Rhode Island, and Scotland? It's a wonderful thing, but it's rare and over too fast. Throughout the next few months, we'll all be back where we came from. Hopefully more enriched and satisfied with life.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Corrymeela begins when you leave...and that is rapidly approaching
Sorry for the lack of updates!
I spent the midweek relaxing in Newry with Conor, made brilliant stir-fry, visited the seaside town of Newcastle, and overall had a bit of craic. 'Twas lovely :)
On the drive back up to Ballycastle Thursday afternoon, we decided to stop at No.8, which is the office I worked at in Belfast for two months last year. I wasn't sure if the lovely women there would remember me, but alas :) they did, and it was great to catch up and see familiar faces.
We arrived back at Corrymeela Thursday night and began preparing for "Community Weekend". As a peace and reconciliation centre, the "Corrymeela Community" is a network of folks who support the work of the organisation by donating, volunteering, working, or just have a genuine interest in the visions of the organisation. Twice a year the Centre hosts a community weekend where members come to spend two nights socializing, learning about recent events at the Centre, and planning. It was a bit crazy with about 200 people at the Centre, but it was fun talking to so many new people.
I can't believe it's my last week here!! Three other volunteers had their last day on Monday, and it got me thinking more about mine. It's crazy how new people and friends come in and out of your life so fast... I hate to think about how many I've met here I'll most likely never cross paths with again.
I get to work on a High School boys group this Wednesday and Thursday, which should be interesting for several reasons. 1)High School aged Irish boys=hilarious. 2)Conor is the facilitator, meaning he's running all of their sessions and planning their program. 3)There are two schools coming together for the programme, one from the South of Ireland and one from a particularly posh district of Belfast...
I'm attempting to plan out where I'll be this Friday-the following Friday when my mother arrives :) After brainstorming last night and weighing out options and possible couches to crash on, I have a rough idea that I'll be bopping around from Kilrea to Newry to Belfast and eventually Dublin. Should be two great final weeks on the wee island! My mom and I are planning on visiting Donegal, Clare, Limerick, Kilkenny, Dublin, and wherever the road takes us. As long as I can navigate on the left side of it, that is.
Karen
I spent the midweek relaxing in Newry with Conor, made brilliant stir-fry, visited the seaside town of Newcastle, and overall had a bit of craic. 'Twas lovely :)
On the drive back up to Ballycastle Thursday afternoon, we decided to stop at No.8, which is the office I worked at in Belfast for two months last year. I wasn't sure if the lovely women there would remember me, but alas :) they did, and it was great to catch up and see familiar faces.
We arrived back at Corrymeela Thursday night and began preparing for "Community Weekend". As a peace and reconciliation centre, the "Corrymeela Community" is a network of folks who support the work of the organisation by donating, volunteering, working, or just have a genuine interest in the visions of the organisation. Twice a year the Centre hosts a community weekend where members come to spend two nights socializing, learning about recent events at the Centre, and planning. It was a bit crazy with about 200 people at the Centre, but it was fun talking to so many new people.
I can't believe it's my last week here!! Three other volunteers had their last day on Monday, and it got me thinking more about mine. It's crazy how new people and friends come in and out of your life so fast... I hate to think about how many I've met here I'll most likely never cross paths with again.
I get to work on a High School boys group this Wednesday and Thursday, which should be interesting for several reasons. 1)High School aged Irish boys=hilarious. 2)Conor is the facilitator, meaning he's running all of their sessions and planning their program. 3)There are two schools coming together for the programme, one from the South of Ireland and one from a particularly posh district of Belfast...
I'm attempting to plan out where I'll be this Friday-the following Friday when my mother arrives :) After brainstorming last night and weighing out options and possible couches to crash on, I have a rough idea that I'll be bopping around from Kilrea to Newry to Belfast and eventually Dublin. Should be two great final weeks on the wee island! My mom and I are planning on visiting Donegal, Clare, Limerick, Kilkenny, Dublin, and wherever the road takes us. As long as I can navigate on the left side of it, that is.
Karen
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Dear Iceland,
It's been quite an interesting couple of days due to an unnamed volcano deciding to start spewing over in Iceland. Actually it does have a name, but I wouldn't dare try to pronounce it: Eyjafjallajokull. Honestly... Apparently part of the problem is that Eyjafjallajokull is sitting on a glacier, so aside from shooting scorching lava into the air there's also deadly ice chunks the size of houses being shot into the sky. The past few days have been quite hazy, and we're told to be on the lookout for ash clouds....is this real?
One of the Corrymeela volunteers is stuck alone in France, one is stuck at home in England, one has had her trip to Sweden cancelled for Monday, and two more are waiting to hear if their flights are cancelled for Thursday. We're told it isn't safe to go outside if it begins to rain, and some parts of the UK people are being told to wear masks to protect their lungs.
It would help if certain news reports stopped overexaggerating and saying things like "Volcanoes can erupt for up to periods of six months" and "There's a larger volcano next to this one, and volcanoes are known to affect each other's eruption patterns", blah blah blah. I'm banking on things being sorted in four weeks time. I'd like to see my mother and although I'm loving it here, I'm not quite ready to prepare for a Northern Irish summer. Things to do at home!
Anyway, the group that was coming to stay at Corrymeela for a week had to cancel their trip due to the natural disaster issues, so all of a sudden all the volunteers (who are here anyway) get the weekend off. At least there's one instance of a positive situation in the whole horrible volcano plague!
Ta,
Karen
One of the Corrymeela volunteers is stuck alone in France, one is stuck at home in England, one has had her trip to Sweden cancelled for Monday, and two more are waiting to hear if their flights are cancelled for Thursday. We're told it isn't safe to go outside if it begins to rain, and some parts of the UK people are being told to wear masks to protect their lungs.
It would help if certain news reports stopped overexaggerating and saying things like "Volcanoes can erupt for up to periods of six months" and "There's a larger volcano next to this one, and volcanoes are known to affect each other's eruption patterns", blah blah blah. I'm banking on things being sorted in four weeks time. I'd like to see my mother and although I'm loving it here, I'm not quite ready to prepare for a Northern Irish summer. Things to do at home!
Anyway, the group that was coming to stay at Corrymeela for a week had to cancel their trip due to the natural disaster issues, so all of a sudden all the volunteers (who are here anyway) get the weekend off. At least there's one instance of a positive situation in the whole horrible volcano plague!
Ta,
Karen
Friday, April 16, 2010
internet
FINALLY internet is back on!!!
It's only natural it would go out across a 3-day window in which I need to register for my college courses...
It's only natural it would go out across a 3-day window in which I need to register for my college courses...
Monday, April 12, 2010
Camping
Despite being extremely ill last week, I naturally decided this weekend would be the most appropriate time to explore the outdoors of Northern Ireland and take advantage of the glorious (by Ireland standards, of course) weather.
I finished my shift Friday, and after reflecting upon my well being (fair to quite fair, I determined) I deemed it a good idea to join Eamonn and Chris in their swimming adventure. We grabbed wetsuits from the Recreation Store room and headed towards the sea. The beach was absolutely packed with families due to the warm weather, but probably for good reason there was no one in the ocean. After several minutes of persuasion on Eamonn's part, the three of us were about 30 feet out and body surfing in the freezing water. It really was only horrible for the first five minutes, and then once everything went numb the experience was quite enjoyable. The best part may have been the shocked onlookers on the beach...
Naturally my Raynauds disease took over (LOVE that I have a name for this) and we determined our 15 minute sea jaunt should come to a close. Soaking wet, we headed back up the cliff and opted for hot showers and tea in the living room.
On Saturday, Eamonn and I were feeling quite restless and wanted to get out of Corrymeela for a while. Without much planning, we packed up backpacks, a tent, sleeping bags, some sustenance, and began walking towards Fairhead. I've never been proper camping before, so it was quite an adventure. We walked around and up Fairhead for about three hours, and then began the journey towards Murlough Bay, which is in my opinion one of the most beautiful places in the area. After:
-4 hours hiking
-Many, many stops for "the view!"
-Eamonn yelling at me for eating all the marshmallows on the walk
-Grumpiness
-Return to happiness
-Scaling a cliff and pitching a tent in a forest by the sea
-Making a bonfire
-Realizing we forgot a tin opener and bashing open the tin of baked beans with natural materials
We enjoyed a lovely supper of toast, baked beans, and roasted peppers on the open fire. It was quite glorious, if I do say so myself. Sleeping in a tent wasn't exactly the lap of luxury, but there is something special about waking up uncomfortable and a little cold, but being able to hear the ocean waves, rustling of trees, and "MEEEEHHH"ing of wee sheep across the cliffside.
There are some moments I feel like I never ever want to leave this place, and I think freezing my bum off and being uncomfortable with a sore back in a tent on Murlough Bay at midnight was definitely one of them...
I finished my shift Friday, and after reflecting upon my well being (fair to quite fair, I determined) I deemed it a good idea to join Eamonn and Chris in their swimming adventure. We grabbed wetsuits from the Recreation Store room and headed towards the sea. The beach was absolutely packed with families due to the warm weather, but probably for good reason there was no one in the ocean. After several minutes of persuasion on Eamonn's part, the three of us were about 30 feet out and body surfing in the freezing water. It really was only horrible for the first five minutes, and then once everything went numb the experience was quite enjoyable. The best part may have been the shocked onlookers on the beach...
Naturally my Raynauds disease took over (LOVE that I have a name for this) and we determined our 15 minute sea jaunt should come to a close. Soaking wet, we headed back up the cliff and opted for hot showers and tea in the living room.
On Saturday, Eamonn and I were feeling quite restless and wanted to get out of Corrymeela for a while. Without much planning, we packed up backpacks, a tent, sleeping bags, some sustenance, and began walking towards Fairhead. I've never been proper camping before, so it was quite an adventure. We walked around and up Fairhead for about three hours, and then began the journey towards Murlough Bay, which is in my opinion one of the most beautiful places in the area. After:
-4 hours hiking
-Many, many stops for "the view!"
-Eamonn yelling at me for eating all the marshmallows on the walk
-Grumpiness
-Return to happiness
-Scaling a cliff and pitching a tent in a forest by the sea
-Making a bonfire
-Realizing we forgot a tin opener and bashing open the tin of baked beans with natural materials
We enjoyed a lovely supper of toast, baked beans, and roasted peppers on the open fire. It was quite glorious, if I do say so myself. Sleeping in a tent wasn't exactly the lap of luxury, but there is something special about waking up uncomfortable and a little cold, but being able to hear the ocean waves, rustling of trees, and "MEEEEHHH"ing of wee sheep across the cliffside.
There are some moments I feel like I never ever want to leave this place, and I think freezing my bum off and being uncomfortable with a sore back in a tent on Murlough Bay at midnight was definitely one of them...
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Raynauds
So for the past few years when I get really cold, strange things have happened to my fingers. I used to think nothing of it until my EMT roommate at Corrymeela, Kristin, informed me that I was indeed not normal. So the story goes: Kristin did a little research, and stumbled upon my diagnosis!!! Ta da...Raynauds Disease. Pretty non-serious, but everyone loves a diagnosis.
Naturally since we figured it out, it hasn't been happening. However, last evening when I was relaxing outside on the patio in the semi-cool Northern Irish evening, one of my fingers began to tingle and I whipped out my camera for proof.
Neat, huh? Why do I always get strange medical problems...
Naturally since we figured it out, it hasn't been happening. However, last evening when I was relaxing outside on the patio in the semi-cool Northern Irish evening, one of my fingers began to tingle and I whipped out my camera for proof.
Neat, huh? Why do I always get strange medical problems...
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Easter
Merr I hope I'm not getting sick. My throats been hurting for the past day and my glands are swollen. Ahh!
Easter Weekend here at the center was quite busy with two youth groups in from Friday to Sunday. Since I'd worked with groups my last two shifts, this weekend I was on kitchen and got the lovely task of making baked goods for all the volunteers and guests at the center for the weekend. Enter: 60 decorated cupcakes, a lamb-shaped cake, chocolate nests, and buttercream cake. My kind of weekend! Amazin' like.
This week I'm working with a group called Cedar Foundation, which is an organisation in Northern Ireland that works with physically disabled teenagers in the sense of creating opportunities for them to meet friends, engage in fun activities, and help them plan for their future. They arrived yesterday afternoon and are such lovely folks. Unfortunately it's pouring today and they won't get to go see the Giant's Causeway as planned, but instead they are going bowling. It's really amazing how much people in wheelchairs are able to participate in and do today...
One of my favorite fellow volunteers, Chris, a High School English teacher from New York, had his last day today. That's one of the hard things about this place is the constant coming and going of people. Other people have said you get to a point where you just don't want to form new relationships with anyone here because you're constantly forced to have sad goodbyes. Thats sort of a sad mindset, but I'm starting to understand it to some level. I think I meet at least 25 new people here per week.
Quick naptime, then off to finish my day with Cedar Haven. Ta for now!
Karen
Easter Weekend here at the center was quite busy with two youth groups in from Friday to Sunday. Since I'd worked with groups my last two shifts, this weekend I was on kitchen and got the lovely task of making baked goods for all the volunteers and guests at the center for the weekend. Enter: 60 decorated cupcakes, a lamb-shaped cake, chocolate nests, and buttercream cake. My kind of weekend! Amazin' like.
This week I'm working with a group called Cedar Foundation, which is an organisation in Northern Ireland that works with physically disabled teenagers in the sense of creating opportunities for them to meet friends, engage in fun activities, and help them plan for their future. They arrived yesterday afternoon and are such lovely folks. Unfortunately it's pouring today and they won't get to go see the Giant's Causeway as planned, but instead they are going bowling. It's really amazing how much people in wheelchairs are able to participate in and do today...
One of my favorite fellow volunteers, Chris, a High School English teacher from New York, had his last day today. That's one of the hard things about this place is the constant coming and going of people. Other people have said you get to a point where you just don't want to form new relationships with anyone here because you're constantly forced to have sad goodbyes. Thats sort of a sad mindset, but I'm starting to understand it to some level. I think I meet at least 25 new people here per week.
Quick naptime, then off to finish my day with Cedar Haven. Ta for now!
Karen
Friday, April 2, 2010
Newry
Ciao! I spent the lovely midweek in the bordertown of Newry at a fellow volunteer's home. Northern Ireland experienced "North Pole-like" (so said the local news) conditions on Tuesday night, which I found somewhat hilarious...
Certainly not the part where a large number of motorists got stranded for the night in town halls because they couldn't drive through the snow, or the part where Corrymeela lost power for about a day. Just the mere fact that in Minnesota the same conditions might be labeled a "dusting". Sigh. The world has no idea what sort of place we hail from, Minnesotans. We deserve more credit.
Besides the "blizzard", during my week in Newry I went out for a nice meal, ate a lovely stirfry dinner with the McGraths, got proposed to by Mr. Conor Mcgrath himself, watched all the power go out in the South of Ireland from across the bay in Newry, had a coffee at "Fulla Beans", took a gorgeous drive through the Mourne Mountains, and all around wished I had a little more time off. Sigh! I arrived back at Corrymeela last evening thankfully to a electronically powered site, and ready to work again this morning. Busy busy!! I can't believe I only have 4 weeks left...
Certainly not the part where a large number of motorists got stranded for the night in town halls because they couldn't drive through the snow, or the part where Corrymeela lost power for about a day. Just the mere fact that in Minnesota the same conditions might be labeled a "dusting". Sigh. The world has no idea what sort of place we hail from, Minnesotans. We deserve more credit.
Besides the "blizzard", during my week in Newry I went out for a nice meal, ate a lovely stirfry dinner with the McGraths, got proposed to by Mr. Conor Mcgrath himself, watched all the power go out in the South of Ireland from across the bay in Newry, had a coffee at "Fulla Beans", took a gorgeous drive through the Mourne Mountains, and all around wished I had a little more time off. Sigh! I arrived back at Corrymeela last evening thankfully to a electronically powered site, and ready to work again this morning. Busy busy!! I can't believe I only have 4 weeks left...
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