Beginning the Countdown

Three weeks from today, I will be on a plane, flying back to Spokane. It’s a weird thought. On one hand, I will be glad to go “home,” to see friends and family again, to eat Mexican food and drink local wine and do other things I have missed. On the other hand, I will be very sad to leave this place that has also become home, to say goodbye to friends. I know I will miss Irish beer and potatoes and other things that I won’t be able to get in the States.

I’m only just starting to think about going back to the States. This past week, I’ve been working with a group of 40 teenagers on a mission trip to Belfast from Chicago. I helped them with gardening at a church and a community centre and discussions about Belfast and conflict reconciliation. One evening we learned how to play rugby and Gaelic football, and for their “going-away party” we invited a Celtic music group and a Scottish piper to give a taste of the music of both communities in Northern Ireland. It’s been a busy but fun week overall. The team from Chicago spent a lot of time with teenagers from Belfast, forming quick friendships and hopefully beginning to ask important questions.

Word of the Week: whinge. It means “whine.” Though they were good workers and it was great craic (remember that word?), the Chicago team did whinge a lot about the work they had to do.