Howdy y’all! My first week in Ireland was awesome mainly because of the people I got to meet and spend time with. Every single Victory Scholar truly is a Victory in their own way and has so much to offer the various communities they will be at. Our first week together was full of training and learning about our positions and responsibilities as Scholars for the year to come. Future scholars beware, it is exciting and not too much handle, but you wont sleep too much. We can sleep when we’re dead anyways. Outside of the events, and a bit during them, we really got to hang out with and learn about each other. We watched movies, played games, went exploring, and simply conversed about life.
That seems like a decent transition point for this first post. Life. Learning about Irish Culture this first week has opened my eye to a new perspective and helped me understand the “bigger picture,” if you will. The funny picture above was posted a while ago on Twitter and alludes to the problem socioracial problem in America. Since being here we have learned about the conflict between Catholics and Protestants. It seems very similar to America’s racism problem. However, it is almost like we went back in time to the 70’s or 80’s in American and changed the racial issue to a religious issue. Every time I someone mentions racism I used to think of this post. We’re all just some eggs really. Maybe our shell is a different color, or a little thicker than others. Maybe we like to be cooked differently, you know, scrambled, over easy, hard boiled. But at the end of the day, we all have that gross yellow yoke on the inside that is a great source of protein and filling for breakfast burritos.
What I’m trying to say is, we are all humans, were build similarly and go through different experiences giving us different perspectives, beliefs, and feelings about the world. Sympathy and patience can go a long way in the correct context, so give it a try without being over bearing. Walk in someone’s shoes before thinking they’re faking a limp. Read the book before judging the cover. Crack the egg before you deem it unworthy. You might make the best breakfast burrito you’ve ever had. Everyone has their own struggle and strength, and by learning about someone for who they are before looking at the titles they’re given, they become more relatable.
(Time, for one more smooth transition…) So, the first week and half of my time in Ireland really has been eye opening. On other topics, I’m going to start hunting for my favorite Irish dish while over here and have not had too many traditional meals yet. I have realized however, that sausages are served often. On one more topic, we got to see the Giants Causeway, which was very scenic. Being there made me want to know more about Irish Mythology. I miss home and my family and friends there, but I am ecstatic to get to explore the Sligo area and change lives through sport. Until next time y’all, peace.
