I have had the pleasure of spending time in various primary and secondary schools while here in Ireland (see previous blog posts). During induction week in Belfast I visited a school with the rest of the Scholars to speak to them about the positive impact of sports and run training sessions in both soccer (football) and basketball. A few schools in Sligo have had us come in to promote our club and Sport Changes Life, and one in particular (Carraroe Primary School) has welcomed Connor and I every Wednesday to teach basketball to 14 different classes as their P.E. requirement.
Typically when we arrive at these schools we walk in the front door and are greeted by the principal who takes us to their office or the staff lounge for a warm welcome and a cup of tea. I’m always caught off guard by how willingly these schools accept us despite being complete strangers who clearly speak differently and are from another country. There aren’t sign in sheets, there isn’t a buzzer system on the door to keep people out, no one is checking our bags or asking for our IDs, all things that would happen if a non-student tried to enter my high school back home, let alone someone from a different country.
I’m getting used to the fact that in Ireland people are quick to welcome and give their time to others. As a newcomer and stranger there have been countless situations when someone has trusted me to do the right thing despite just meeting me. Time and time again I’m surprised at how often the people of Sligo see the good in people, which Americans could learn a lot from. Yesterday the hall was locked when I arrived to train my U16 boys team so I had to venture across the street to Mercy College (the adjacent secondary school) and ask one of the teachers who to talk to for access. She brought me to the assistant principal who handed me her keys without hesitation to go unlock the gym and the closet. She had no idea who I was prior to this. I wasn’t wearing Sligo All-Stars gear, and I’d never once set foot in the school. Yet, she handed me her entire set of keys and let me walk out of the building. All she had to trust me was my word, but that was more than enough.
Schools in the United States constantly talk of increasing security. Metal detectors, routine police checks, and even passing a bill that would allow teachers to carry guns. We are always preparing for the worst because that’s what our society has come to expect from people. We can learn a lot from the Irish people and their ability to trust and welcome those different to them.
