Studying Sociology, particularly systems of oppression (patriarchy, colonialism, capitalism), was essential to my understanding of the conflict. Sociology and philosophy inform my understanding of people and their different narratives or “truths” regarding the conflict. As I said in my first blog post, I love exercising this skill of understanding people and their beliefs. Before the trip, I was excited to learn about potential career paths in NGOs, non-profits, other community work, politics, and legal work. This trip informed my career goals more than I could have hoped for. I was surprised by how inspired I was by the politicians. Spending time at the Northern Ireland Assembly was exciting on a day full of emergency meetings, watching local politics unfold in real-time. We got to witness a different political system, hearing from the Alliance Party and Social Democratic Labour Party to demonstrate some of the politics represented in the multi-party system. Other politicians we got to speak with, like Declan Murphy, represent left politics that US parties do not represent. I am intrigued by the idea of representing all ideologies under one political system and what progress could come from that in the US. This positive effect is evident in politicians’ role in maintaining nonviolence post-conflict. This trip sparked my interest in being a civil servant via policy work or in politics to represent people who are underrepresented now, particularly working-class needs. 

My trip highlights are the beautiful green hills and animals in the countryside, connecting with local people, and laughing with my classmates. I also loved my time in Derry because it had a small-town charm and a substantial social justice and political presence. Academically, I am very satisfied with how much I learned because each experience was so immersive. We got an extremely comprehensive and personal understanding of the conflict that I never would have gotten otherwise. One of my favorite experiences was learning from the panel of ex-combatants. One of them (Lee) gave us a tour of the border region later in the trip, which was also fantastic. It is fascinating to learn from people like him who fought in the conflict and have committed their lives to peace-building or politics. That ideological shift is admirable and to be learned from. 

I anticipated my biggest challenge to be witnessing the aftermath of violence and hearing from people personally traumatized by the conflict. This wasn’t easy, as there were many emotionally heavy talks. However, many of those harmed by the conflict have made a collective effort to connect their struggle with international struggles. The conflict in Northern Ireland follows a similar pattern to other occupied nations. Many have already used their experiences in the conflict and occupation to bring awareness to this injustice elsewhere. I was surprised to leave with so much inspiration that forming coalitions and connections combats the heaviness of conflict. It was also a challenge to hear from different perspectives that clashed with my pre-existing beliefs. However, I this was an essential part of learning in the trip to challenge the foundation of my beliefs and engage with ideas I don’t usually get to.