Study Abroad Advisor

Study Abroad in Northern Ireland

A Chance to Live History as It Is Being Made

By Stacia Zukroff

The past year was one of momentous positive events in Northern Ireland: the awarding of the Nobel peace prize to two men with opposing political and religious ideologies and the landslide victory of the Good Friday agreement, a united show of support for the end of almost 80 years of sectarian violence. Yet, when Northern Ireland is mentioned in the U.S., images that usually come to mind are of violence and political and religious turmoil.

"The media does not portray the totality of the situation," says Dr. David Kitchen, Director of International Programmes at the Univ. of Ulster, Northern Ireland's largest university. It leaves a very bleak impression . . . for both students and their parents."

Unfortunately, prospective study abroad students and their parents may not look past the negative images. Mary Stypa, who studied in Northern Ireland in the fall of 1998, is an exception. Although she was a little unsettled by the Omagh bombings the summer before she was supposed to depart, she did not give in to the fears the media created: "I think my family worried most. I was never afraid to go."

Jane Coy, Senior Irish Program Coordinator for Butler University's Institute for Study Abroad, who has visited Northern Ireland twice on Butler's behalf, feels "very lucky to have seen the 'real' Northern Ireland. . . or at least not what they show on CNN." She feels strongly that the media often portrays the situation in such a way that "people get the idea that everyone there is carrying baseball bats and fire bombs, ready to kick anyone's butt who is on 'the other side.'"

This is not to say that Northern Ireland is completely safe and that students should not be careful. However, crime in Northern Ireland is far less prevalent than in the rest of the U.K., particularly England. From an administator's perspective, Coy says, "I worry more about our students in London."

While former study abroad participants agree that seeing barbed wire, armed RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary), guards, political graffiti, and "Do not leave baggage unattended" signs in public areas was disconcerting, they found that violence did not affect them in any way.

"We did hear about violence on the nightly news," says Shannon Lewis. "It is the same situation that Americans experience when they sit down to watch the news here at home. One hears about it constantly, but one is confronted with it rarely."

So, if Northern Ireland isn't the "hotbed of political dissonance" with violence on every street corner that the media portray, what are the benefits for a study abroad student?

The Ideal Destination

Northern Ireland is a small country just pretending to be small. Scattered across the country are storybook castles and an abundance of other attractions, from the awesome landscape of the Giant's Causeway to the birthplace of a man-made giant: the wharf in Belfast where the Titanic was built.

The Ulster people, as they are called, are mainly rural. Their friendliness is world-renowned, as is their gusto for life. Just ask for directions, whether in the busy streets of Belfast or on the narrow, cobbled streets of the quaintest country village, and the reply will be a form of folk art. The stranger is a newfound friend. For students who leave their homes and social support systems thousands of miles away, a friendly welcome can ease the inevitable culture shock.

The lure of being one of very few American students in Northern Ireland is another significant draw. According to Academic Year Abroad, published each year by the Institute for International Education, there are more than 60 organized study abroad programs in the Republic of Ireland and close to 500 in England but only a few in Northern Ireland.

Coy believes that because so few Americans study in Northern Ireland students are apt to be more integrated than at other host institutions. "They are the ones most likely to make lifelong Irish friends."

The two main universities in Northern Ireland, the Univ. of Ulster and the Queen's Univ. of Belfast, welcome American students. In fact, "American students contribute a great deal to the University," remarks Judith Eve, International Liaison Officer for Queen's. "They participate in class and take an open-ended and professional approach," and for that they are received well by both professors and students.

What makes these two universities different from other universities in the U.K., comments Judith Eve, is that they have the "Irish dimension."

More Than a Classroom Experience

Former study abroad participants and program administrators all agree that studying in Northern Ireland is a chance to live history as it's being made. In addition to providing a window into daily life, both the Univ. of Ulster and the Queen's Univ. of Belfast provide opportunities to learn about the histories of the conflict in the classroom and at the same time to get involved with local community groups. For example, Queen's has organized programs for students to work with local women's coalitions and political parties. The Univ. of Ulster's Peace and Conflict Studies program brings lecturers and perspectives from all sides of the Troubles to provide first-hand information and insight on a complex situation. It teaches conflict resolution within an historical and political context.

"I studied political science," Joe Rose comments. "I chose to get pulled into discussion of the role of religion in politics in Northern Ireland and I chose to experience the Troubles in their place." But not everyone has to. Mary Stypa says she felt that she "was not a part of the Troubles" and therefore "not a part of the conflict." But she did choose to educate herself about the situation through being there and observing.

As the new Northern Ireland Assembly (made up of Unionists and Republications, Catholics and Protestants) begins to discuss the autonomy it has been granted by public vote, a return to "normalcy" is the best way to describe the current situation in Northern Ireland. People are eager to put the past behind them and for visitors to come and see how normal life really is.

Since the Good Friday Agreement of April 1998 most of the barbed wire has been removed and the RUC no longer carry machine guns in public. The graffiti remains to record the strife of the Troubles, but it also carries the signs of peace. In West Belfast, known as a neighborhood of Irish Republican Army sympathizers, a mural depicts a white dove carrying an English soldier on the backdrop of a map of Ireland. The inscription reads, "Time for Peace. Time to go home."

For international students, it's time to go to Northern Ireland!

For more information about studying abroad in Northern Ireland, contact: Dr. David Kitchen, Director, International Programs, The Univ. of Ulster; (011) 44-1232-366151; d.kitchen@ulst.ac.uk, www.ulst.ac.uk or Mrs. Judith Eve, International Liaison Officer International Liaison Office, The Queen's Univ. of Belfast; (011) 44-1232-335415; ilo@qub.ac.uk, www.qub.ac.uk.

STACIA ZUKROFF is Director of Study Abroad, Office of International Programs, Babson College, Babson Park, MA.