I arrived just in time for the Scholars Reception on Friday evening, where I met two of the other Scholars in attendance and we compared notes on our experiences so far. Kate is also at Trinity, studying Race, Ethnicity, and Conflict, a program quite similar to mine and we figured out we have at least one class together. Woody is up in Belfast at Queen’s College studying Urban Planning in post-conflict societies. He actually spent the past year as a Fulbright Research Scholar in Cyprus, studying the architecture of the city – once coherent but now divided between the ethnic Turks and ethnic Greeks. Fascinating people! I met Elaine the next day, who is doing the Masters in Peace and Conflict Studies at Magee College in Ulster (Northern Ireland), a program I’d also looked at applying for. Her summer might have been even crazier than mine – getting married on September 1 before moving to Londonderry with her husband to start the program. Shannon also arrived later that night (International Management at Trinity), so only one of the Scholars was missing (see the five of us below). Ironically, we’re all from the USA this year.
Friday night was probably my highlight of the weekend – and probably my best night in Ireland so far. In addition to my host club in Dublin, I’ve been paired with the Rotary Club of Wicklow as my satellite host club, and they invited me out to dinner with them that night.
I met up with the club – about 6 couples ranging in age from 30s to 60s – at their hotel for a drink before we went next door to the restaurant for a fancy 3 course meal, complete with kir royale starters and Bailey’s coffee to accompany dessert. Very Irish. We had great conversations throughout the night about all things Rotary and Irish culture and anything in between, and they wrote out a long list of movies I need to see to better understand Irish culture and humor while I’m here. Luckily I pass a DVD rental shop on my way to class most days, so I should be able to at least make a dent in the list over the coming year.
As the dinner wound down, they began doing their "party tricks" as they called them and singing old Irish songs around the table that everyone seemed to know and I need to learn! I was in heaven. Until they invited (insisted) that their American guest join in. You may be thinking to yourself, I didn’t know Nora could sing. And you would be correct. I tried to warn my fellow diners that this was actually not at all in their best interests, but they insisted, requesting the national anthem in particular since Duncan, the club president, didn’t know the words to it. At that point, I wasn’t convinced I did either, but I gave it the old college try and didn’t miss a word (or hit a note for that matter, but that’s beside the point). The table even joined in for the “land of the free and the home of the brave!” Thank goodness the previously packed restaurant was empty by that time, and on the that note of goodwill, we all retired to the hotel bar for some more jokes and laughs before turning in for the night.
The conference continued for the weekend with fascinating speakers from the District who had accomplished various feats from carrying the Rotary International flag to the top of Mt. Kilamanjaro to raising over $1 million for Light of Maasai, a charity in Kenya supported by the District and spearheaded by Matt Porter from the Dublin Central Rotary Club. We had a lovely black-tie ball on Saturday night, complete with candelabras and ice sculptures on the tables, dancing to a really great live band, and finally winding down with discussions of the beauty of the Dingle Peninsula (which I must visit!) and the politics of religion in modern day Ireland and Northern Ireland with various Rotarians. Have I mentioned that I’m thrilled to be a part of Rotary? I felt so welcomed that weekend and it was the perfect opportunity to connect personally with Rotarians across the island – I’m really hoping to visit their clubs and present. Unfortunately my Monday class schedule prevents me from making it to many meetings this term (the majority of clubs meet for lunch on Mondays), but I’ll stay in contact for next semester.
Also, I may have found an Irish mum – Ursula, wife of the District Governor, Barney – has offered to take on the role, having hosted Rotary Scholars from the States (and most recently Iowa) in the past and I intend to take her up on that and return to Limerick at my next opportunity!
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