Thursday 28 June 2007

random bits



* I went into city center with K a few days ago. Photos below are of City Hall and the Albert Clock (named for Prince Albert, also nicknamed the Leaning Tower of Belfast. Look for the double decker bus!!)



*We've had Alternatives to Violence (ATV) training this week. It's a VERY general course on how to react without violence...a bit too general for people who have mostly been trained in social or community work. I've chatted with several really interesting folks, though, some are counselors, running anger management classes, working with prisoners and their families.

*Today was the "unveiling" of a painting done by two artist volunteers from the states. They were commisioned to create a painting that symbolized the experience of the center's womens' group. The group has been meeting for 1.5-2 years, discussing N. Irish history and how they fit into it. I met Chuck and Peg my first day in town (they came to dinner with us), when they had just finished 3 days of listening to the womens' ideas. It was so interesting to follow their process of an initial sketch, and seeing the painting in a few different forms. It looks beautiful hanging in the center, we're crossing our fingers that the yp won't figure out some way to (even unintentionally) destroy it...

*The weather's been terrible this week. K and I walked to Lidl, our small, German market around the corner, this afternoon, in the rain, because of a serious food shortage. It cleared up right as we got there, making for a fantastic photo op.



Wednesday 27 June 2007

Pretty much my theme song now.

God of Justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

To act justly everyday
Loving mercy in everyway
Walking humbly before You God

You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give


Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord

God of Justice, by Tim Hughes. Listen to a bit on itunes. Amazing.

Top 10s

Top 10 things I love about Belfast (so far, and not in any order)
1. Tea, all the time, with milk
2. No flat sheet on the bed...no more just being a slacker and not putting it on my bed, they really don't use them here!
3. The most amazing duvet...talk about a bubble of warmth
4. The post boxes on the streets (little red circular containers)
5. Aye, dead on, brillant, craic
6. Fair trade food is all well marked (as is vegetarian, although that doesn't mean much for me)
7. Brick buildings
8. Stone building
9. Roundabouts
10. Green hills that can be seen from everywhere


Top 10 things I do NOT love about Belfast (so far, and not in any order)
1. meat flavored crisps (chips that are steak, beef and chicken flavored)
2. expensive electricity= heat's only on for bits of time
3. electronic dance music
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.


I guess it's a work in progress, and a good thing that I've only come up with 3 things for the second list...

Tuesday 26 June 2007

You know those movies...

the ones where the kids start out crazy and out of control, and eventually, they become fantastic leaders, learners, singers... I think I am living in one of those movies, or at least the first half of one. This first week has been a bit of wild ride. But to start from the beginning...

Before we get anywhere, it's important that you know that Belfast is in Northern Ireland. It is NOT a part of Ireland (think Virginia vs. West Virginia...although that doesn't help you CA folk who still thought WVA was part of VA....). It is part of the United Kingdom, they use the pound sterling for currency. Obviously, this identity is contentious, and thus, "The Troubles" of the past decades. Teach this to your friends too- I was hanging out with a bunch of early 20s young adults who were mocking the ignorance of Americans regarding Northern Ireland.

Anyhow,
I arrived in Belfast last Wednesday morning. (Some of you may recall I was to stop over in Geneva first, but plans changed and I flew right into Belfast). After a quick stop at my new home, I headed to my volunteer site (FS). FS is a cross community center that sits right along the still existant peace wall. They run a number of programs: Afterschool programs, Youth programs, Pensioner groups, Women's groups, a community cafe that is open to anyone for lunch. I had an abbreviated Ulster Fry for lunch (soda bread, potato bread, bacon, sausage, egg- all fried) and then jumped into helping with the "wee ones" afterschool group. We grabbed a bite to eat (no not at a pub, chinese) in the city center and then headed home to settle in. The next day was uneventful, except for taking a taxi by myself for the first time ever. I worked with the older afterschools and then sat in on a youth program. But Friday is when the real fun began...

We took 19 youth- half protestant, half catholic, all 13-17 y/o to Enneskillan for residential (a 2 hour bus ride). It's basically a trip to culminate their program, get them out of the city, and give them a chance to canoe, kayak, etc. We were on this little island and they all went nuts...you name it they did it. The next morning we were sitting at the Ulster Bus station at "half six" (6:30am) waiting for the first bus back to Belfast. We (youth workers), and the young people (yp) didn't sleep a minute the enitre night before, them running around, us chasing them. If we add up all the times that everyone who reads this blog has been cursed at, it wouldn't come near to the amount we were cursed at in that 10 hours. And yet, there were some really "brilliant" moments...I watched one boy captivated by a moth caught in a spider's web, another girl hollered at me to "come on over" and "just join in" the conversation. One boy was working on giving up smoking (all of the yp smoke non-stop), another has this seriously deviant grin that he gives you and you know you're on okay terms. I got teased for not knowing the N. Irish slang, and the one boy took it on to make sure I got it "dead on." The further away last weekend gets, the more hazy the craziness gets, and the more clear the goodness is.

We have another residential this weekend, with two other groups of young people. We had to change locations, there was so much damage done at the first center that we aren't allowed back...but we'll see if it's any better this time around.

other good things:
*My housemates are super. K has been amazing at helping me settle into the house and Belfast. She's the BVSer who's leaving shortly, so she's shown me the ropes of how to pay bills, get a phone, etc...(Abby, she'd fit perfectly into our psychoanalyzing sessions). L is really active in the church around the corner and let me tag along to about four church events last weekend, introducing me to everyone. Sadly, both of them leave the house this summer (although both are staying in the Belfast area for school). In July, two new (male) German volunteers move in.
*Belfast is beautiful with all of the brick homes and stone churches. It's surrounded by the very green Black Mountain and Cave Hill.

Ok, so enough for this marathon post. If you've made it this far, here's the disclaimer for this entire blog site. I write a lot, I know. I think it's a bit theraputic for me :). But please don't feel compelled to read every word, I promise I won't test you!!

So, cherio for tonight, I'm sure I'll post again soon...I spend lots (way too much!) time on this computer, since I have no other hobbies yet...

(photo 1: my new home. I live in the house with the green gate. photo 2: FS...where I'll be spending LOTS of time)

week 1

I've been here in Belfast for just about a week now. I've met many of my coworkers, many of the young people I'll work with, found the post office, grocery store and library. Six days in and I already have stories of the adventures I've had...I'll post them soon, I promise.

Today it's cold, and I have postcards to post, so I'm going to layer up and go...be back soon.