the past few days

Prior to leaving for Galway City and the Aran Islands (which were both absolutely brilliant or class, as the Belfast kids like to say), I went on a trip with the students on Friday morning to the Maze Prison, the location where many of the political prisoners from both Loyalist and Nationalist sides were held during the Troubles. It is most well-known for the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike, during which a group of republican prisoners protested for five years to be treated with the entitlements of political prisoners rather than of common criminals. The strike propelled nationalist politics and ultimately provided a foundation for Sinn Féin to become a powerhouse political party in Northern Ireland.

Upon returning from Galway for the weekend, I went with the kids yesterday to Newcastle, a gorgeous and quaint beach town located next to the Irish Sea and the Mourne Mountains. This morning, we hiked up Cavehill Mountain in Belfast with another group of students to raise money for the PIPS program (intervention in the increase of suicide rates in Belfast). The students were able to reflect upon their roles in the improvement of the Belfast community while amidst the peaceful and natural mountain setting; they also found themselves physically working together to assist each other up the somewhat strenuous mountain. It has been truly rewarding to walk through the halls and have students approach or hug me, smiling to say hi and chat; partaking in these various trips and activities have allowed for me to get to know a variety of students on a more personal basis and to hopefully have more of an impact on their individual lives and futures.