It’s 1:30 AM GMT (so it’s practically Saturday)… I should be going to sleep but I have no idea how I still have the energy to be up, given that I’ve been awake since 5:30, and that I’d had very little sleep these past three nights! We arrived Thursday evening (our group – the Jordanians and Palestinians – were the last to arrive) and spent the night in a hostel in Belfast called Farset International. Even though we were tired when we arrived (given that we had been travelling all day and that we had missed our original flight from Heathrow to Belfast and were lucky to catch the last one) we decided to go for a walk in town. Nathan seemed so tired but I guess he couldn’t say no to this over-enthusiastic group of young strangers so he took us walking around City Hall and surrounding streets. The streets were empty but it was all beautifully lit. That was around 11:30 PM or something. And then I didn’t sleep until 2:00 AM. I don’t know why I woke up early today but I got to see the sunrise, which was breath-taking.  Then in the morning after breakfast we all left for Corrymeela, 90-minutes by car north of Belfast.

Let me tell you… this place is awesome! Today was amazing, seems like we’ve done so much for one day… and it’s been great; the people are very interesting. We’ve got young people from 11 different regions, and most of them are actively involved in their communities, so each one comes with a unique experience and culture. The Irish are beyond words, their friendliness and hospitality makes you feel so much at home. Public Achievement’s team have been doing a remarkable job; Nathan, Akram, Paul, Ross, Kevin, Christine… and many others, besides the wonderful volunteers at Corrymeela Peace and Reconciliation Center where we’re staying. I absolutely adore the concept of the place and its spirit and message. You see lots of young volunteers, people in their late teens and early twenties, either from Ireland or other countries; I’ve met two German volunteers and one Swedish… they’re not yet 20 and they’re doing this before college, this idea never seizes to grip me, I guess because I wish young people in Jordan can do that – take a gap year instead of going to university straight out of high school!

Ballycastle is so beautiful, so peaceful… all the greenery, and the sea, and the weather – a nice contrast from our hot rainless summers!

Paul – director of Public Achievement – gave a very interesting opening speech this afternoon, and I really liked what he said about reconciliation (he was quoting someone but I can’t remember who) that it’s not about Forgive and Forget… but rather about Remember and Change!! Isn’t that so eloquently true? Something to ponder…

It’s almost 2:00 AM, I wonder if I’ll be able to wake up at 7:00 tomorrow and go jogging with the Finnish girls. I really want to, running is such a liberating exercise and it’s also a great way to explore the natural beauty of the surrounding area. I’ve had way too much coffee today… something like 5 cups, crazy I know… but that’s probably what’s keeping me up till now! There’s so much to see and do here, so many wonderful people you want to get to know, that you feel it’s such a shame that you need to sleep! But you can’t burn the candle from both ends, right?

I really should go catch some sleep…