My second blog and my name was still available! Very exciting.
My journey continues with a third year of coursework
in the four-year Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at the University of
North Carolina at Wilmington. This fall,
I have the opportunity to explore higher education in Ireland by interning in
the Chaplaincy Department of Maynooth University for two weeks.
I am expecting the biggest differences between
Maynooth and Wilmington to be in the language (both British English and Gaelic),
antiquity of the buildings (a brief Google search of Friends Schools brought up
one that was founded in 1669, for example), reverse driving patterns, and drizzly
climate.
I imagine the Irish will be welcoming, relaxed yet
polite, at home in both urban and rural settings, connected with their history
of place, and shaped by the Catholic faith.
I have already exchanged money through AAA and see
that the € 5 is physically smaller than the € 10, which is physically smaller
than the € 20. The banknotes are
colorful—or should I write colourful—which is something U.S. bills lack. They are unified in that each depicts an historical
architectural style of Europe’s past—€ 5 is Classical; € 10 is Romanesque; € 20
is Gothic—an arch window or entrance on the front and a multiple arched bridge
on the back—providing the symbolism of overarching cultural unity and bridging of
the European nations.
I imagine that living arrangements will be more
collegiate than my suburban townhouse, as I will be residing in a dorm with
another intern. I imagine that things
will be just different enough as to make a lasting impression on my mind and
seem like life is slowing down. I
imagine commercialism will be lessened and there will be more independent and
private enterprises compared to the U.S.
I am excited about meeting and collaborating with
colleagues at Maynooth University and assisting in whatever pastoral care projects
the Chaplaincy Department has planned. I
am also excited about discussing issues we each face at our institutions as
well as best practices in addressing them.
