I know it's been a long time since last I wrote of my Irish adventure on this blog but so it is that the more time you spend in a place, the more normal it becomes and the less noteworthy it feels. Since last I wrote, I have celebrated Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, made like 5367 latkes and braved the icy roads of the north coast with my mom as she visited on her way to Israel, participated in the annual Corrymeela Christmas Open Day (including brief stints playing a Christmas elf and Mary, mother of Jesus). I watched as three men delighted in seeing snow for the first time, spent two days on a residential with the LTV team, went to a holiday concert at the beautiful Waterfront Hall, the main space for classical music in Belfast, spent three days dedicated to making Christmas decorations, participated in a residential group called Deeper Into Dialogue which involved people from St. Ethelburga's--a peace center in London--and from the Interreligious Coordinating Committee of Israel. I attempted to break into Belfast's only synagogue in search of a Hanukkah menorah (little did I know that each of my parents had separately sent me a menorah), spent a day with the LTV team shopping in Belfast before heading to Judith and Johnston's farm, where I first stayed when I got to Northern Ireland in September, to go for a "story ride," feed deer by hand and see some spooning sheep. I walked the length of Ballycastle beach in heels when some short termers convinced me it would be a good idea to walk to the bar (it wasn't), decorated the whole of Coventry for the annual staff Christmas party before getting dressed up, putting makeup on Sari for the first time in her life (she's 28), eating Caribbean food and dancing with the other volunteers and staff til 4AM. In the month since last I wrote I feel I've become much more grounded in my role and life here, and finally feel confident that I made the right decision by coming here. The doubts and anxieties about {"The Next Step"} still gnaw at my bones but at least I feel now that I am where I am supposed to be at this moment. Sort of.
In truth, I am sitting in a cafe in East Belfast although by all accounts I should be in Istanbul greeting Hodi for the first time in a year and a half--since we graduated. But the weather had other plans, and as I walked into George Best City Airport at 6:30 this morning to find the flight canceled, I was reminded again about the complete lack of rhyme and reason when it comes to how our plans turn out. It's been snowing off and on today; this is the most sustained cold and snow in Northern Ireland in the past 25 years--maybe more (thanks, global warming!)--and as irked as I am about the delay in getting to Turkey, I must admit how beautiful the city looks in the snow. Everyone here is in complete denial about the regularity of snow, so things like plows, salt and grit are not exactly standard even in Belfast, the largest municipality in Northern Ireland, which is why three inches of snow over three days completely shuts the country down. Pretty frustrating. The sidewalk is covered with a layer of ice at least an inch thick--I feel constantly like I'm about to fall and break a hip let alone someone over the age of 23. In any case, David, my community member host-friend/family person has the flu so I am staying with two other community members, Jonny and Susan, both of whom work for Corrymeela as well as being members. They live literally around the corner from David in East Belfast in a lovely but freezing house, complete with an adorable cat and the mangiest dog I've ever seen. It's a fairly rare breed called Bergamasco, otherwise known as an Italian Sheepdog and it has dreadlocks--actual doggie dreadlocks--all over its body. It's a very sweet, chill dog that looks like the dog version of a homeless person, I'm not even exaggerating. Google it, it's hilarious. Jonny does a lot of work with refugees and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland and he's also an artist so the house has a really cool, funky aesthetic. My favorite part of the house, however, is the electric blanket on the bed I'm sleeping in, obvs.
In truth, I am sitting in a cafe in East Belfast although by all accounts I should be in Istanbul greeting Hodi for the first time in a year and a half--since we graduated. But the weather had other plans, and as I walked into George Best City Airport at 6:30 this morning to find the flight canceled, I was reminded again about the complete lack of rhyme and reason when it comes to how our plans turn out. It's been snowing off and on today; this is the most sustained cold and snow in Northern Ireland in the past 25 years--maybe more (thanks, global warming!)--and as irked as I am about the delay in getting to Turkey, I must admit how beautiful the city looks in the snow. Everyone here is in complete denial about the regularity of snow, so things like plows, salt and grit are not exactly standard even in Belfast, the largest municipality in Northern Ireland, which is why three inches of snow over three days completely shuts the country down. Pretty frustrating. The sidewalk is covered with a layer of ice at least an inch thick--I feel constantly like I'm about to fall and break a hip let alone someone over the age of 23. In any case, David, my community member host-friend/family person has the flu so I am staying with two other community members, Jonny and Susan, both of whom work for Corrymeela as well as being members. They live literally around the corner from David in East Belfast in a lovely but freezing house, complete with an adorable cat and the mangiest dog I've ever seen. It's a fairly rare breed called Bergamasco, otherwise known as an Italian Sheepdog and it has dreadlocks--actual doggie dreadlocks--all over its body. It's a very sweet, chill dog that looks like the dog version of a homeless person, I'm not even exaggerating. Google it, it's hilarious. Jonny does a lot of work with refugees and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland and he's also an artist so the house has a really cool, funky aesthetic. My favorite part of the house, however, is the electric blanket on the bed I'm sleeping in, obvs.
In any case, if you've made it this far in this inane post, feel free to check out the most recent pictures of the past month or so that I finally put up. Enjoy!
As my fellow volunteer Michaela would say, Peace and Geese!
