23:00

 

So the count down has started… BUT this is where the exciting and important part of camp starts! Now is when all the evaluation focus comes into place and where a bigger picture begins to formulate!

 

Today we had a session on “Memoirs!” At first glance I had no idea what this would be about and how it related in any way to our camp… but well, turned out I was in for a challenging exercise! First Christine explained the difference between a memoir and a biography, and that what we wanted to do was look at our life journeys, and determine places, people, or things that have had an important effect in shaping us into who we are today! One of the most interesting things during the introductory session was when Christine asked “what is the question that 3 or 4-year-old ask all the time?” and all of us, unanimously, said “WHY!” Different cultures and backgrounds and characters, yet it seemed that this was a very basic human phenomenon

Anyways, the idea was for each one of us to first think of ten different places, people or events that had a mark on the path of our life… THEN we’d have to pick ONE of those, and team up with a partner, to whom we would tell the story, and explain why it affected us, and then this partner would ask questions – would ask a lot of WHY’s.

It was so difficult for me to reflect on my life and isolate particular people or events and know what role they played in who I am today… and even harder – Do I know who I am today? I mean like, can you follow the development of human character through a clear chain of causal effects. I know that wasn’t the intent of the exercise… but that’s where my mind started wandering!

 

The afternoon was spent in committee group work, and we spent time preparing for this evening’s open house! Guests were expected to arrive before dinner, but surprisingly, it turns out time is also a fluid concept in Northern Ireland, very similar to our part of the world

 

The whole thing we prepared came out so much better than any of us might have expected! It was just so genuine, so heartfelt, so honest, and so insightful! Six people from the evaluation committee gave personal accounts and observations on their camp experience… I particularly liked Bronwin’s, where she shared her reflections from the evaluation trip to Ballycastle. Then as part of the Future Directions committee presentation, Denise read a poem she wrote, which moved everyone close to tears!! To write a poem in a language foreign to you is really something… the main line said “without you I won’t die, but it’s just so hard to say Goodbye”

 

I was so happy when Robert – the treasurer of Public Achievement – got up to say a few words, and the first thing he said was that the moment he stepped in, he could feel the amazing energy! Which I think is so true, one thing I’ve been loving so much about this place is the energy it’s been giving me… the inspiration you get from being around all those amazing people, the ideas, the motivation, the lessons, the insights… and the radiating and contagious energy

 

In the media group, we’ve decided to get pictures from everyone who had a digital camera, and to burn as many as a possible on a CD for everyone to take home… Diana and Lenita have been working on this, selecting and sorting out the pictures, Deano and Roi are also working on this, and the four of them are pulling off an amazing effort, you know, to just go through something like 2,000 pictures and then sort them out and categorize them and all!!

 

…

 

I fell asleep on the couch for like 45 minutes, but that was really refreshing I’m trying to focus and write about all the things I’ve been dying to share!

 

I realized I didn’t tell you about Belfast! Well, I thought it was almost intriguing how when you’re around the young people from Northern Ireland you would never think their lives are affected in any way by such political conflict that’s been dominating their country for years and years!! When you’re in a place like this camp you think that everything is wonderfully normal. As foreigners we could never tell who’s catholic and who’s protestant, but you also come to realize that it isn’t all black and white… some people grow up in Catholic families but don’t think that Northern Ireland should become part of the republic, and some Protestants are not hard core unionists!! There’s a lot of grey area, and there’s also a lot of complexity and problems within communities and not just between different communities… In Belfast, away from city center, you can sense the tension! You go to Falls street and Shankill street, and you feel the tension and hatred and war impact around you! I personally found the use of visual art to be fascinating, on both sides… those murals have so much to say!!

But then it was ironic how you go to the main street next to city hall (I think it was Royal street) and you stroll past all the shops and hang outs, and don’t feel you’re in the same city you were just driving through!! Speaking of shops… we didn’t have enough time for shopping, barely 3 hours!!! Upon everyone’s recommendation we went to Primark (well, not everyone – sane people told us that it’s the kind of stuff that would be ruined after one round in the washing machine), but we went nonetheless… at first I didn’t like it but then I found the pajamas and figured they would make nice gifts for my sisters… try having 5 siblings you want to get presents for and then see what a pain shopping can be I really wished we had more time to check out books, CDs, and most importantly (you should be able to guess it by now) go sit in a nice café I really wanted to check out Common Grounds… but well, what can I do?! It’ll have to be next time (yes I’m already trying to figure out when I’ll be coming back to Northern Ireland). I did get to sneak into Bargain Books for 10 minutes… Deadly!! I got four very interesting books, some of which I’m sure my sisters would love, and a couple of CDs…

 

Going back to Corrymeela, Ivan and Michelle took us through the coastal road instead of the main highway, and we stopped a couple of times on the way to enjoy the incredible scenery! Aaahh how so peaceful everything looks on the surface! Sometimes when you’re talking to people, it’s easy to remain on the periphery… but what’s great in this camp is that most people are daring to scratch the surface, and ask the questions on their minds! I’m always trying not to hold back, and not to be hesitant… because if I have a question, the time to ask is now, and I have the most wonderful opportunity to get “first hand” information and experiences, worth tons more than any written book!

 

 

 

Time to hit the sac

 

We’ll talk later tomorrow, hopefully!

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