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Our friendly neighbourhood police station...ahum!

Weekend....

Shared Future Policy Conference!

Went to Cookstown today, a city south of Northern Ireland. Had to change two buses to get there very early in the morning...yawn! I got to see some of the countryside though which was nice. It was thus a conference setup by the Community Relations Council and one i thought would be worth signing up for...considering my research. I felt a bit out of place when i entered...i was the only 'student' there. I sat way at the bak at a table, it was full of round tables. They had some speakers takling about the shared future policy and how much it has been implemented up till now. Afterwards there were dicussions

Derry & Donegall with Jero!

INTERFACE
Thursday i went to a lunch organized by Interface: Centre for Research in Art, Technology and Design. It was a great opportunity for me because representatives from many art and conflict related orgainzations were invited to have a discussion on (very concidently...or not) my research question!!! So it was really good information and feedback for me (and yummy salmon bites;)!

St. Partick' s Day

Replay

Replay is theatre organization i met up with last week.They produce theatre and plays for schools and provide educational packages with it. They are also involved in 'confidence building' and promoting good and positive behavior in schools using arts-based activities. I was thus invited to come along to one of these sessions...it wasn't cross-community but did give me a chance to go to another school and talk to the students and the teachers! It was pretty fun too! The boys (It was a boys school...many schools are segragated) got to learn some DJ-ing. Two professional Dj's came along with all their gear and 3 sets of turn tables and taught the boys to listen to the beat and to scratch! I learned a thing or two myself;). The facilitators of the project were very interesting to talk to as they had been involved in theatre for long and provided me with some good info and contacts!

Irish Music festival & the Mourne Mountains!

The Century Celebration!

Today was 'The Day!' The day that everybody at New Belfast (org) had been working on! I unfortunately felt horrible when i woke up that day....I had a horrible sore throat and had no energy and motivation...:s

...Updates explanation!

First of all you must have been wondering about the unfinished updates and those with none!...Oops! Well...my only explanation is that i haven't gotten around to filling them in yet!:s I haven't had a chance yet to sit and do so...believe it or not! I've just had quite a busy and intense time, running in an out etc. meeting people, appointments etc.etc. And my only chance of internet access is at the New Belfast office (God bless them). I was using the internet cafe in the begining but it was not very realistic...or comfortable!
Anyhow i shall try my best to recall and update and...this time with pictures...yeh!:)
So if you scroll down then you should find the pictures in the appropriate logs... though it may take a while but i will slowly but surely put them all up...asap!

By the way tomorrow is a big event...'The Century Celebrations', The City Hall is 100years old so New Belfast Community Arts are having a day full of activities in the Ulster Hall! It's a very important research day for me as all the community groups they have worked with will be having performances and workshops etc. So it's going to be a big mix of people and very cross-community...wink...wink;) It is also open to the public and is free enterance....so should be busy. I actually went 'flyering' around the city last week to promote the event (so i made sure people will come...important for my research hihi).
So i will be carrying alot of interviews etc. And i shall also be putting up a small stand where people can make some drawings...and will hand out some camera's for photo elicitation interviews.
*And guess what?...i'm gettin visitors again!:) Talita & Judith are coming tomorrow! Its really Great timing actually cause they are both art teachers and i'm sure they will enjoy the day too and plus they can help me out and might do some volunteering;) There will be more than 500 people coming so i can't be everywhere!
Unfortunaltey it started raining again since yesterday and i've caught a sore throat....and i have to talk all day tommorrow so wish me luck! I will let u know how it went.....i really don't know what to expect....!

EMU and the Interface Project

EMU stands for Education for Mutual Understanding

Sisters & Sightseeing!

Saturday: My sissies arrived Saturday afternoon! It was really good to see them! Took them immediately on a grand tour of the city. We basically did the Sandy Row (Protestant neighbourhood) and Falls (Catholic)! It was interesting to hear their reactions and see how they percieved the murals etc.
The New Mooon show case was on at the Crescent again that evening so it was a good opportunity for them to meet everyone and have a good time!

Sunday:We woke up really early the next day to catch up the bus to Giants Causeway! I had been waiting for this since i came to N.Ireland! I had been in the city for a month and was itching to see some countryside and nature! Having my sisters here gave me a good opportuniy and excuse to get out atlast!;) Elena's friend also was over so we all went as a big group! It was a lovely drive and we met all four seasons on the way there...(hail, snow,sun...) but luckily always dry and sunny when we stepped out!
'Me and Naseema in front of a castle ruin'

Womens Day...Ash Wednesday...and more *snow!

I know it's not officially Women's day today but i did celebrate it!;) I had made some contacts at the multicultural resource centre and they invited me to this 'afternoon of pampering'! The reason we celebrated it on this day was because the organizor was from Romania...and their Women's day falls on the 1st! Anyway no complaints there cause i got pampered!Yohooo!:) I did however feel slightly strange to be there cause all almost all the women there were with little children...making me feel....well 'young' i guess.
The women were from all parts of the world and are here for different reasons (marraige/work/study etc.). It was good to talk to them and hear some of their views of Northern Ireland. Ethnic minorities is quite a big issue here at the moment becuse of increased racism and discrimination...! It's actually not very surprising...i mean these guys can't tolerate eachother (even looking the same etc.) how can they others?! Very unfortunate!
I recieved a 'Metamorphosis'...a sort of pressure therapy on my feet and hands...didn't feel a thing to be honest but apparently it could work anytime. Also got a manicure too for the first time in my life...though it was a bit tough for the lady as i have almost no nails...ahum!
As for Ash Wednesday...well it was more of a discovery whilst walking into town. The first person i saw i thought they had a bruise or something but then more and more people walked by and yes it was ash indeed! It's funny...i hadn't seen that since Karachi (I went to a convent school)! Anyway...its interesting for an anthropologist i guess the indicator...one of the only days you can really differentiate between the Protestants and Catholics hihi...ofcourse not all do it...but still!