Saturday (Day 1): Getting to Northern Ireland was pretty tough because I wasn’t able to get much sleep… The London airport was huge, but extremely crowded, and my flight to Belfast was a bit delayed. So, when I arrived in Northern Ireland, I was a sweaty, hungry, and very tired mess 😅
I got to my accommodation near Queen’s University only to find out that any place to eat or grab coffee was at least a 10-15 minute walk away; in Buenos Aires, there were so many restaurants and cafes right next to my airbnb, so this was a big change. My room reminded me of summer camp housing, and I am proud to say that I managed to kill a spider while unpacking and settling in!
As I ventured outside again to pick up my dinner, I finally had enough energy to begin taking in my environment.
Here are some of my first impressions of Belfast: The sun rises around 5 AM and sets at 10 PM at night. The weather is quite chilly and changes frequently throughout the day; it will rain one minute and be sunny the next, and sometimes, it’s both rainy and sunny at the same time. The driver’s seat is on the right side of the car, and the roads are in the opposite direction to those in the United States. The population here is MUCH more diverse than in Argentina, and everyone speaks English, albeit with a thick Irish accent.
The sky is absolutely beautiful here and appears physically closer to me than in America. The houses remind me of places I’ve only seen in the movies. There is so much nature! The air smells like fresh plants and trees. Needless to say, I am very excited to finally get some rest and to spend the next 2 weeks in this city and experience a different pace of life!
Monday (Day 3): I spent today fully immersed in my research! Unlike in Buenos Aires, I am working with a specific organization, the Regional Trauma Network, in Belfast. They have been so accommodating of me, and today, the senior research lead drove us an hour and a half away from the city to visit the town of Omagh. Omagh is a small, beautiful town composed of a tight-knit community. It is also a town that has suffered tremendously because of the Troubles.
I was given the opportunity to speak with the team leader in Omagh; he provides clinical therapy for many who have been traumatized as a result of this political conflict. He taught me so much about the history of the town, specifically, the Omagh bomb, Ronan Kerr, and the recent attempted shooting of John Caldwell. Following our insightful conversation, he took me on a tour of the town. I got to see for myself the places that we had discussed: I saw the street where the bomb went off, the alleyway where the bodies were placed, the house where Ronan Kerr was tragically killed, and the sports complex where the shooting of Officer Caldwell occurred.
All of this was a bit emotionally overwhelming, but all the more a very powerful experience. I am so grateful for everything that I learned today and the generosity, kindness, and incredible expertise that the people here have shown me so far.
Tuesday (Day 4): I spent today visiting another part of the Regional Trauma Network located in Whiteabbey, a village North of Belfast. Today’s trip was a shorter visit. I started the morning by sitting in on a team meeting, and everyone in the team was so kind and deeply passionate about their work. The team lead even provided us with fresh fruit, coffee, and delicious snacks! I was able to learn a lot more about how the Regional Trauma Network recruits patients and the different sectors/organizations they work in close partnership with.
Following the meeting, I was able to conduct an interview with a therapist who is a part of the network. She had so much valuable information to share with me, and I am excited to continue on with my research in Belfast!
Thanks for reading ❣️