This trip has opened my eyes to the complications of conflict and what it does to the communities and its people decades after the violence ends. At first it was portrayed as a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics, but that is just one layer to the conflict. Throughout the trip I kept asking myself why they were fighting when they both believed in the same God, and both follow sects of Christianity? In other religious based conflicts it is about the fight over different beliefs in God, Israel and Palestine for example. It was not until I got to Northern Ireland that I learned that framing the conflict as a conflict over religion was a media ploy and that the basis of the conflict was the fight against colonization. I am a Religious Studies major and the aspect of religion in this conflict really piqued my interest in this trip, and learning about the religious groups that would be a neutral advocate for both sides of the conflict helping people and making sure they do not get injured. My personal highlight of the trip was visiting Corrymeela, where we talked to people, who during the conflict went into battle zones and got civilians out of the chaos, risking their lives to make sure people were safe. I have been interested in missionary and Christian fellowship work after college and seeing a group doing what I am passionate about overseas makes me want to pursue that career more seriously. An academic highlight about this course was having the chance to hear from all sides of the conflict and being able to understand the motives of all parties and why they are fighting. An essential lesson I learned during this trip is that everyone has their own stories and own side to the conflict. On paper it is easy to come to conclusions on who the good guys are and who is in the wrong. However, once hearing from the Nationalist Catholic side, then the Unionist Protestants, and even the ex-British military, I learned that the conflict is much more complicated than black and white and that each side had reason to fight and defend what they believed in. My personal challenge was definitely the weather. I run hot blooded so I did not pack nor wear a lot of layers on this trip, which resulted in being caught in the rain multiple times and even getting sick for a day due to the weather. However, I adapted to the cold and it was very pleasant and much better than the 90 degree weather I am dealing with now in California. My biggest surprise about this trip is how relevant the material is. With current conflicts going on and the conflict in Northern Ireland still lingering on the island, the lessons about communication and peace resolutions can be applied in the middle east, and in restorative justice in Northern Ireland. Overall, I learned much more in Ireland than I could ever read about the conflict, and it will help me with my future as a lifelong learner.