Megan in Ireland - v. 2.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2007-08-03: Peace Boat Right now: Coldplay, and the Glencree... Memories? Hmmm - perhaps crazy kitchen time! Actually, I just had my first Glencree meal prepared entirely without vols hands. Yup, you heard it first here... the volunteers are out on food prep, and sometimes don't even have to be in the kitch! They tried hiring someone for cleaning too. She lasted like three days. So, we'll get the vols to do the work that they can't pay someone to do! Ha! Or the academic in residence (me). I'll be helping out on Sat with the big cleaning day. Was it red gloves for the toilet? This morning I got up early, made my own breakfast (I've given up on eating in the dining room at breakfast - 48 excited youth will do that to you), and then walked up to the lake (Lough Bray) and hung out on a rock debriefing with nature. (I made a little movie, which I hope to have up soon.) I felt so much better, that I literally danced home. Ever done that? Danced wildely through the Irish countryside?! Great thing to do. Thesis is coming along. I finalized my proposal which is now sitting with my co-supervisors who have given provisional approval (obviously, or I wouldn't be here), but need to give final formal approval. I also heard from ethics, and they are just about to get back to me with revisions. In the meantime, I will have my lit review finished in a couple of weeks before I go back to Edmonton for Patrick's brother's wedding for a week or so. Methodology/methods chpt and my context/intro chapter will be done by the end of Aug. I'm definitely cooking with gas now as dad would say. Other than that, everything's cool - much of the same Glencree drama, but as Courtney (intern from the USA) says, I've already been through it all, so I can sit out this time. Cool with me. I'm hoping to start up an Ad Hoc bellydance night - some of the vols have expressed interest (Mira from Palestine and Alex from Austria are definitely in!), and I'm setting up a collection of ex-vols experiences and some networking tools in collaboration with Glencree and the present group. Oh right! And the Peace Boat! http://www.peaceboat.org/english/index.html Some of you DR folk will have heard of it. 1 cruise ship, a thousand Japanese, and 3 months. Together it makes for a giant international peace education experience! The boat docked in Dublin the other day, and a group came up to Glencree. Then we all got to go to the boat for dinner and a mini education session. It was fun, and it would be a great place to work - they go to major conflict zones all over the world and have amazing contributors on board prior to each country. On the way home, a couple of us allegedly took a dip in the Irish Sea at Bray. I say allegedly because the spotlight that was turned on us from some little fishing boat may not have been enough to confirm identities. Ha ha! Darn full moon... although it did make the experience extra beautiful! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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