Northern Ireland # 12 (July 19, 2011)

If you've been following this blog, you know that I returned home from Northern Ireland a bit over three months ago. For more than a month, I have been thinking that I'd like to do a "wrap-up" post on my Northern Ireland experience - now is the time! What follows is a bit random, so bear with me.

Many people have asked me about the three months at Corrymeela. Here are a few of the questions:

• What was it like?
• Did you enjoy it?
• Is there still conflict in Northern Ireland?
• Did it meet your expectations?
• Would you do it again?

Off the top, I must say that I went to Corrymeela and Northern Ireland with few expectations, so I can easily say that my expectations were exceeded. This is among the most positive and memorable experiences of my life and virtually every day I warmly reflect on all that I experienced.

More than anything, what stands out most in my mind are the people. From the moment I was met at the airport in Belfast, I was warmly welcomed by everyone at Corrymeela. This sense of welcome and being part of the community continued right to the time I left and, in fact, is ongoing. I was blessed in being able to spend time with so many great people and have many new friends added to my life.

The welcome extended beyond Corrymeela as I found people every place I traveled to be ready to help, to have a conversation, quick with humour and interested in who I was and where I came from. The random conversations that occurred any place and at any time were a good reminder of the rural community where I grew up.

I truly enjoyed living in a building with a mix of people from diverse background and place. One of the almost daily highlights was sitting at a table in the lobby of Coventry (our house) having breakfast and greeting people as they started the day. This was also a favourite spot to hang out and also a most excellent place for parties!!

What was it like? It was more than very good!

I really enjoyed traveling about Northern Ireland (documented in other posts) by bus, especially during daylight hours when I could see the scenery. Except for the weekends, traveling by bus in NI is a great experience. Weekend bus service leaves something to be desired, but buses generally are a great way to travel. While I saw quite a bit of NI, there is a lot more to explore.

Conflicts and divisions are still very much a part of the Northern Ireland society and many recent events leading up to the annual July 12 (Orange Day) parades are evidence that more time and much work is still required for the country to move past historical social, sectarian, economic and political divisions. These events demonstrate once again the need for the facilitation work of Corrymeela directed toward healing and reconciliation.

During my time in Northern Ireland, I learned a great deal about the history of the country and its people. While I have a better understanding than was the case a year ago, there is so much more to learn and understand. I doubt it is possible to fully understand the conflicts and divisions, but I certainly want to learn more.

It was a privilege to be able to make a contribution to the work of Corrymeela and I hope the circumstances of my life allow me to return. I know it would be different for many reasons, but not knowing quite what to expect is also an important aspect of the journey for me. It will be great to sit down and have a pint (or two) of Smithwick's with Matt, to have dinner and a bit of wine with Alyson, any conversation with Paul, a good laugh with Aileen, sharing life with Courtnae and Erik, mulling over the choices of life with Ada and talking about strategy with Zand. I know there is always a risk in singling out just a few people, but I think the others will understand.

Thanks for following these posts. I hope to be able to blog more about NI in the future - until then, however, I hope I am motivated enough to blog on some other topics and experiences.