Buncrana, County Donegal

On our first real trip outside of Derry, we went to Buncrana, the largest city in County Donegal, but that really isn't saying much. It was very quaint and cute, right on the coast. It was extremely picturesque but aside from spending lots of money on gifts and souvenirs, there wasn't much more to do but hike around and take pictures. Which was totally okay, since it was GORGEOUS.

  




We took a hike out to Buncrana Castle, which turned out to not be much of a castle, but it lead us on a two hour hike along the coast of Lough Swilly and then eventually the ocean. It was winding and beautiful and was sufficient enough to make the bus ride out there worth it. Our first venture into the Republic of Ireland was a success, and we should be going back again next weekend with Gavin.

 

While we were in town we bought claddah rings and shirts celebrating Donegal's Gaelic Football All Ireland win from the week before. Since the currency in the Republic is euros so the exchange rate was MUCH better than what we get here in Derry using pounds. I know where I will be shopping from now on!

 


 





I had so much fun, and it makes me so much more excited for the other trips we plan on taking this semester!

Classes Started!

So this ends my first week of school here. Turns out there isn't a lot that needs to be said except that I don't have a lot of it. Here the classes consist of a two hour lecture period and an hour seminar. While one of the classes I'm taking is a politics classes, unfortunately there is mostly international students in my two other classes. I'll have to be more outgoing at all of the pubs during the week! I have class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. No joke.

There isn't a lot of weekly homework, just a lot of reading which is anxious in itself. Instead of giving us a book list and us going out to buy the books, we're supposed to check them out of the library. However, since there are 20 other people trying to check out the same book, at the same time, they're only available on a short term loan- a couple of hours or the night at the most. Some books aren't allowed to leave the library. I'm deciding of it's worth it to just go in together on some of the books my flatmates need as well and just buying them on amazon.

I'm talking three classes, or modules, on top of the BCA signature class Gavin is teaching us. Introduction to Speaking Irish, Irish Folklore and Traditions, and Silent War: institutional violence against civilians. The signature course is about the Northern Irish conflict and the peace process that has happened and exploring how this could impact all of us in our attempts to solve conflict in our own lives. I love all of the these classes. However, Silent War was cancelled the first day due to "staff illness", so hopefully he gets better and I wont have to find another class.

I'm already becoming fluent in Gaelige, or Gaelic, so I'll end this with some:
Dia's Muire duit - God and Mary be with you
Cad e mae ata tu? - How are you?
Slan go foill! - Safe for now! or Goodbye for now!

Walking Tour of Derry

I think I have walked more in the past week than I did ALL SUMMER. Its nice being so close that you're in walking distance to everything until you realize that means you have to walk to everything! Derry is such a beautiful city that I only seem to mind when I get home and my feet and legs hurt so bad from walking all day.

Today Gavin took us on his own tour of Derry, and it was so interesting to hear about the troubles from someone who knows so much. Gavin is originally from Donegal, and taught at Magee for a bunch of years, so his insight is pretty awesome. We walked through Bogside, a very historically Catholic concentrated area where Bloody Sunday occurred and then though a similar neighborhood where Protestants have historically lived. Derry is known for the murals that are found painted on the sides of buildings, and they were so powerful and moving.

 

In Bogside there was a memorial for the victims of Bloody Sunday, right where the violence broke out and where a lot of the people were killed and wounded. The area doesn't look anything like it did back when it happened, but the streets were the same, and it was easy to imagine everything that happened.

                                                

After that we walked to the Peace Bridge, which is the first walking bridge to be build to connect the city's two sides, divided by the river. On the Bogside, population movements have slowly resulted in an overwhelming majority of Catholics. On the Waterside across the bridge, an overwhelming majority of Protestants. Segregation seems to be the theme of the city, manifestations of this in the segregated schools, and imposing fences and walls. The Peace Bridge was built two years ago in an attempt to symbolize reaching across this division and is said to be in the shape of two hands as they come together for a handshake.

 
 

Along the way we stopped at some of the iconic statues and sites in Derry. Ill post some pictures here and the rest on Facebook. On Monday classes start, and maybe it will make me feel less like I'm on extended vacation!

 

I made it!

It's been one week and everything is so much more than what I had expected. After 24 hours of traveling and a 5 hour time difference I am still sleeping the sleep of jetlag, but the accommodations are so nice, its easy to do! Our flat is four stories tall and super skinny, with our own kitchen and washing and drying machines. We all have our own rooms; they're all adorable in their own unique way.

Derry is absolutely beautiful and we are centrally located to pretty much everything you could need. Nothing is more than a 10 minute walk away. However, the weather is very temperamental- it can be sunny when you're leaving the house and raining five minutes later! We are constantly wearing rain jackets, just in case. It feels as if we don't have a five hour time difference, but a 200 year time difference. It's a different way of life here, slower and simpler. It seems as if people have less worries and live less complicated lives. Its refreshing. 

 

Its only been a couple of nights, but we have already been out to a couple of pubs! The first was a traditional Irish pub, and it was exactly the way that you might expect an Irish pub to be- live traditional Irish music, lots of brogues, and people drinking Guinness. The people are so friendly and welcoming, its not hard to make friends. 

Orientation all week this week and then we're taking a walking tour of Derry on Saturday with our BCA director, Gavin. Magee is a great campus, I'll post more pictures soon, and I'll have more pictures of Derry by then too!