Before going to Northern Ireland, I expected to learn about conflict resolution in a general way. I did not realize how deeply the history of the troubles would affect me both personally and academically. Being there, walking through the divided neighborhoods, and hearing directly from people who experienced the conflict opened my eyes to how complicated peace and healing truly are.

One of the biggest academic highlights was learning about the conflict not just from a political angle, but from a human perspective. We met with individuals who were directly impacted by the violence and who are now working toward reconciliation. Visiting the peace walls and listening to former prisoners and community leaders helped me understand how public health, trauma, and history are all connected. These experiences gave me a deeper appreciation for the importance of mental health and community healing in places that have gone through long term conflict.

On a personal level, one of the most powerful moments was hearing from people who had lost loved ones but still chose to promote peace. It made me reflect on my own values and what it really means to help others. This has shifted how I see my future in the health science field. I now feel more drawn to working in areas where health care and social justice come together, especially in communities that have been impacted by violence or division.

The biggest challenge was processing everything emotionally. There were moments when the stories we heard were difficult to take in. I was surprised by how strongly I reacted, but that reaction showed me how invested I have become in this field. I learned that being uncomfortable is sometimes a necessary part of growth, and I am grateful for that.

This trip changed my perspective. It made me more aware of the real world impact of conflict and how important it is to approach health care with empathy and cultural understanding. Northern Ireland taught me lessons I will carry with me into my career and beyond.

Today, our group visited two key locations that reflect the ongoing journey of peacebuilding in Northern Ireland: the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) headquarters and an integrated school. These visits helped us understand how institutions and communities have had to communicate and reconnect within their own cultural context. The experience provided a powerful lens through which we could examine the importance of intracultural communication in post-conflict reconciliation.

At the PSNI headquarters, we learned about the historical and emotional significance of policing in Northern Ireland. Over 400 police officers lost their lives during the Troubles, and that legacy still shapes public memory. The PSNI was created following the Good Friday Agreement, and much of its structure was influenced by the Patten Report, which laid out many recommendations for police reform. These recommendations aimed to create a police force that would be accepted by both Protestant and Catholic communities. What stood out most was how policing was often a family tradition, deeply rooted in identity. Officers were not just serving a professional role but also embodying a cultural narrative passed down through generations.

This highlighted how the police force had to engage in a form of internal cultural negotiation. Officers and community members alike had to rethink what policing meant and how it could evolve to serve everyone fairly. That required conversations that were deeply personal and often difficult. Intracultural communication became essential for this transformation. It involved individuals from different parts of the same society confronting their histories, values, and assumptions. The shift away from a militarized model of policing to one focused on human rights and community trust was not only structural but also emotional. The PSNI had to reach out to communities that had long viewed them with suspicion and fear, and this effort depended on honest, patient dialogue within the society itself.

In the afternoon, we visited an integrated school where Catholic and Protestant children are educated together. The school began with only a few students and mobile classrooms, created by parents who wanted a different future for their children. Today, it stands as a symbol of hope and unity. The goal of the school is not to ignore cultural and religious differences but to provide a space where those differences can be acknowledged without conflict. This was another clear example of intracultural communication in action. The school facilitates an environment where children can grow up learning how to live alongside others from different backgrounds within their own society.

The success of the integrated school model reflects the power of everyday interactions in shaping broader societal change. Children who attend these schools are more likely to see each other as equals, to form friendships across religious lines, and to challenge inherited prejudices. In both the PSNI and the school, we saw how deep, sustained intracultural communication helps a society heal from division. Reconciliation in Northern Ireland is not just about political agreements; it is about how people within the same cultural group learn to trust, understand, and move forward together.

Hey everyone, my name is Seif El-Askary.

I’m currently majoring in Communication and have been thinking more seriously about getting into Health Sciences. I’m still figuring things out, but I’ve always been interested in how people connect with each other, especially in tough situations. That’s part of what drew me to this course.

I signed up for this trip because I wanted something more than just lectures or textbooks. I wanted to actually go somewhere with a real history of conflict and learn directly from the people who lived through it. Northern Ireland stood out to me because of the way it’s been through so much division, yet there are still people working every day to build peace. I want to see how they do that and what role communication plays in it.

On a personal level, I’m looking forward to learning through experience. I think it’s different when you’re standing in the places where things happened and talking to people face-to-face. I’m hoping this trip helps me grow and opens my mind in ways that a regular class can’t.

I think the hardest part for me might be taking in some of the emotional weight of what we’ll be learning about. It’s one thing to read about conflict, but being there and hearing people’s stories in person is probably going to be challenging. Still, I think those are the moments that will stick with me the most.

Thanks for reading. I’m really looking forward to the journey and everything that comes with it.