EIL Intercultural Learning - Travel Awards

Tralee Twins with Hong Kong!

Caitriona — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:31:13 +0000

In the month of March this year my Youthreach co-ordinator Margaret Culloty nominated me for a Travel Award to Hong Kong through the not-for-profit organisation EIL Intercultural Learning. I had never travelled anywhere abroad before apart from Britain so it was a huge opportunity for me. The trip was a youth exchange so we would be hosted by a group of young people from Hong Kong and then they would come to Ireland when we returned. I had to write an essay about why I would be worthy for the trip and after I got short- listed for an interview. There were 10 of us going for interview and everyone was really great so I wasn’t too confident about my chances of winning the award, however about 2 weeks later I got a phone call telling me I had been chosen to go to Hong Kong. I was so excited! A few months later we set off for Hong Kong.

I was one of 8 young people from around Ireland going on the trip. I was really worried about meeting the other people going, in case I didn’t get on with them, but by the time the 13 hour flight was over we were all great friends! Whilst in Hong Kong we did a huge amount of activities such as going to museums, theme parks and visiting the famous Hong Kong landmarks and markets. We stayed in a youth hostel on the outskirts of the city, it was a great hostel and we all loved staying there. We spent one night in a resort called the Noah’s Ark Resort; this was my favourite night in Hong Kong. There was a beach at the resort and all of the Irish group and the Hong Kong group stayed on the beach until about 3am playing games and talking. It was such a beautiful experience sitting on the beach and looking across at the lights of the city, and it was still boiling hot even at that early hour of the morning! Another one of my favourite experiences was going to visit The Peak, which is a famous building in Hong Kong. We took a tram up to the building and from there we saw the entire city, the view was amazing and there were lots of shops up there to buy souvenirs. We had dinner at The Peak that night in a Western style restaurant, which was a nice break from all of the Chinese food! Before I went to Hong Kong I was expecting a lot of differences between the young people there and the young people here but after getting to know them I realised that we are not that different at all! We all got on so well, we shared the same sense of humour and all had ambitions to go to university and start a career. The Hong Kong group were so welcoming and helped us so much when we were finding things hard. I found the food very challenging as it was so different from anything I had ever tried but the Hong Kong group were very patient and told me what everything was and didn’t get offended if I didn’t like something. They were especially patient with us all about the chop sticks, a lot of us found this very difficult to get the hang of in the beginning but they helped us a lot and found it all quite funny!

I loved every minute of being in Hong Kong and it has really made me want to do more travelling and see more of the world! To other young people reading this, I would really recommend them to travel at any opportunity. I can truly say that this has been one of the best experiences of my life and I am so thankful that I was given such a great opportunity. I have made great friends that I will remain in contact with both in Ireland and Hong Kong. It was so sad when we all had to say goodbye but I am hoping that one day I can go back to Hong Kong and see everyone again.
Rowena Mattock, Tralee Youthreach LCA

EIL Network Weekend April 2011

Caitriona — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:49:57 +0000

EIL Network members and staff met for the Network Weekend in Dublin. We facilitated Travel Award interviews, workshop and a street action on MDG7.

Development Education

Travel Awards

About EIL

Description:

EIL staff and Network members met for one of EIL's biannual Network Weekends in Dublin on April 16th and 17th. The weekend was split into two days. The first day staff and Network members interviewed Travel Award finalists to choose the successful 22 Travel Award winners this year. The second day involved members of the Development Education committee delivering a workshop on MDG 7 (Ensuring Environmental Sustainbility) with particular focus on lack of access to water in developing countries and overconsumption in developed countries. This was followed by a street action entitled "BE WATER WISE".

EIL Network Weekend April 2011

street action

Travel Awards

Ensuring Environmental Stability

Development Education Committee

EIL Travel Awards Information Tonight!

Caterina Totaro — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 09:48:19 +0000

Time: 24 January 2011 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm; Location: West Wing 5, UCC, Cork; Event: Tonight!If you are a young person or student who has an active interest in world affairs and think that you would benefit from a challenging adventure in another culture then one of these awards could be for you. This year we are offering 14 fully funded awards where EIL covers all the programme costs and 8 partially funded awards where most of the programme costs are funded by EIL. Information Night hosted by The International Development Society with EIL programme co-ordinator Caterina Totaro and past Award Winners.

A Bedroom Unlike Others

JamieKeating — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 08:37:16 +0000

P.J O'Donoghue Travel award Winner 2010

sarahoshea — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:51:45 +0000

P.J O Donoghue Travel Award Winner 2010

Tags:

EIL Travel Award Winner 2010

Travel Award Certificate 2010

Brendan Kelleher — Thu, 27 May 2010 10:37:19 +0000

Travel Award Certificate 2010

2010 Mexico Travel Award Winner

Brendan Kelleher — Thu, 27 May 2010 09:34:09 +0000

Hola everyone. My name is Marie-Claire Walsh and I’m from Kildare. I was lucky enough to be chosen as this year’s EIL Ireland Travel Award winner to Mexico. I’m in third year in Trinity College, Dublin studying Business and Politics and I have just returned from spending an Erasmus year in Strasbroug, France. I decided to apply for the Travel Awards this year for many reasons, the main one being to build on the multi-cultures experiences I have had while on Erasmus. Living away from Ireland for a year in the heart of Europe, with classmates from all over the world really opened my eyes to many different cultures, traditions and experiences. Erasmus had been a gateway to so many different opportunities for me and I knew that I could expand on this through the EIL Travel Awards.

Before submitting my application and essay I thought about why I wanted to go to Mexico, what I felt I could bring to the programme there and most importantly how I could positively use the experience on my return. The award to Mexico involves a day in Mexico city, 2 weeks in Oaxaca city with Spanish and cultural lessons and then 6 weeks in La Ventanilla , an eco-tourism co-operative village on the Pacific coast. This award appealed to me because I have always had an interested in volunteering, the environment and business. I feel that I can add positively to the eco-tourism project run in the village and use what I have learned when I come back to Ireland to educate others about the awards, sustainable business and my Mexican cultural experience.

I was in shock after Anton from EIL rang me up in Strasbourg to tell me the good news. I was very grateful to be chosen from among the other great candidates and I will work hard to get the most out the opportunity. At the beginning while still in France I had to send some forms to Anton and I got the Mexicans and Columbians to teach me some Spanish. Now I’m back in Ireland I have been able to be more proactive about preparing for my adventure! I sourced Spanish books from friends and downloaded podcasts in order to start teaching myself. Luckily it is somewhat similar to French but I have to remember to pronounce every letter! Hopefully I will pick it up quick enough when I’m thrown in at the deep end on arrival in Mexico, the best way to learn a language. I’m going to meet up with last year’s winner Brian Denvir before I go, so he can fill me in on the details of the programme and the best type of mosquito spray! I started my vaccines last week, I have never travelled outside Europe so never had any need for them before. I had a chat with the Doctor who went through everything that I should be aware of when travelling. Finally it came to the vaccines, needles I can handle but the pain in my arm lasted for about 2 days afterwards and I couldn’t raise it above my head! On the food front, chilli con carne was my speciality dish in Strasbourg so I’m preparing well but I have to increase my chilli tolerance otherwise I won’t be able to eat much in Mexico!

I could go on all day but that’s it for the moment folks. Hopefully I’ll be able to blog during my Mexican adventure and keep you up to date. I’m off at the end of June so I still have vaccines to finish, my uno, dos, tres to brush up on and to being packing! Also looking forward to the pre-departure workshop for this year’s Travel Awards winners in Cork in a few weeks as well.

Hasta luego amigos!

EIL Travel Awards 2010: deadline this Friday and new awards!

Piers Meynell — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:46:15 +0000

The deadline for applications to the main group of EIL Travel Awards is this Friday (5pm 26th March). There's still time to get your application to us and there's a further group of Awards with deadlines in late April which you can apply to too. This later group includes two late additions to this years Awards: the opportunity to go to school and live with a family in Germany and the chance to be nominated for a scholarship to spend three months volunteering in Argentina.

Who are EIL looking for?

If you are a young person or student who has an active interest in world affairs and think that you would benefit from a challenging adventure in another culture then one of these awards could be for you. This year we are offering 18 fully funded awards where EIL covers all the programme costs and 12 partially funded awards where most of the programme costs are funded by EIL.

What is EIL looking for?

In assessing the applications we receive, volunteer or other community involvement as well as leadership potential will take priority over academic capacity. Awards are open to a range of different age categories starting from 16 years old and successful applicants need to be available to travel during the summer months.

What Travel Awards are available?

Individual awards: Fully funded

(Age 16-18): 6 weeks in Japan or 4 weeks in Ecuador
(Age 18+): 6 weeks in Mexico or 10 weeks in Argentina

Group Awards

(Age 16-18): 12 nights in Vermont USA (Full Funding for 5 participants)
(Age 17-22): 9 days in Hong Kong (Partial Funding for 8 participants)
(Age 18-25): 3 weeks in Eurocamp Germany (All costs in Germany covered plus €120 towards flights for 2 participants)

Other Awards

DEIS or Youthreach students: 4 fully funded places to join Hong Kong group
ACCESS students: 3 fully funded places for 2 months on a Volunteer Abroad programme of choice
Jack Wallace Scholarship (new): an opportunity to be short listed for the Jack Wallace Scholarship, a three month partially funded volunteering project in Argentina.
Secondary School in Germany Scholarship (new): live with a host family and go to school in Germany from a semester to a full academic year.
Global Awareness 8 weeks in South Africa or Nigeria: 4 partially funded places available

How do I apply?

Visit the Travel Award's web page and follow the instructions: typically you just need to download and complete a short applicaiton form and write a short essay before posting both to EIL. You can apply for as many Awards as you wish: though you do need to make a seperate application for each one e.g. you could apply for two travel awards by completing two application forms and writing an essay for each.

When are the application deadlines?

The deadline for the bulk of the Travel Awards is 5pm on 26th March 2010, this Friday! However there are three Travel Awards with deadlines in late April:

Jack Wallace Scholarship (5pm on 23 April 2010)
Hong Kong (5pm on 30 April 2010)
Secondary School in Germany Scholarship (5pm on 30 April 2010)

Who is EIL?

EIL is the oldest educational exchange organisation in the world and the Irish office is based in Cork city. EIL coordinates a range of programmes including study abroad, volunteer abroad, development education, group educational travel opportunities and other cultural immersion activities for about 2,000 people every year. This year The Trust for Education in International Living is pleased to be able to offer almost fifty thousand euros to help 30 people take part in EIL's programmes.

For full details of the Travel Awards and to download an application form log on to www.eilireland.org/travel-awards

EIL Travel Awards 2010

Piers Meynell — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:00:26 +0000

EIL Intercultural Learning are pleased to announce the launch of the 2010 Travel Awards.

Are you someone, or do you do you know somebody who would benefit from a challenging adventure in another culture. If the the answer is yes then you are invited to apply or to encourage somebody to apply for one of the 31 full or partially funded awards available this year including exciting locations such as Japan, Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, Hong Kong or Nigeria amongst others.

What are we looking for?

We want to open EIL travel programmes to students and young people who have an active interest in learning about other cultures and in educating and involving themselves in global issues. In assessing the applications we receive, volunteer or other community involvement as well as leadership potential will take priority over academic capacity. Awards are open to a range of different age categories starting from 16 years old and successful applicants need to be available to travel during the summer months.

Individual Travel Awards: Argentina, Ecuador, Japan, Mexico
Group Travel Awards: Hong Kong, Eurocamp Germany, Vermont USA
Special Awards: DEIS / Youthreach & ACCESS students
Global Awareness Programme: South Africa / Nigeria

Fully funded awards will cover all programme costs including flights, food, accommodation and travel insurance.

Who is EIL?

For full details of the Travel Awards and to download an application form log on to www.eilireland.org/travel-awards

Review of Euro Camp 2009

Joe — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:30:56 +0000

Put simply, Eurocamp is a the name of an initiative funded by the German state of Sachsen-Anhalt that brings young people from around Europe together for three weeks of volunteer work, performance workshops, daily excursions, and friendship.

But putting it simply doesn’t do it justice. The easiest way to imagine it is to think of a summer language-camp - a couple of weeks in the Gaeltacht for instance. Now move this to a rural castle in Germany, change the nationalities of participants to Albanian, Portuguese, Lithuanian, and Italian, replace the pen with a shovel, throw in some performance workshops, canoe trips, city visits, and lots of socialising with a splash of alcohol, and you have a better picture of these 3 memorable weeks.

The location could be summed up as ‘the middle-of-nowhere’, a remote village called Peseckendorf with no shop and a constant odour of cows. But it was beautiful in its own right, as was the well-equipped castle accommodation afforded to us. In our free-time we were able to play table-tennis, billiards, fuβball, volleyball, frisbee, and soccer. Accommodation was in 2, 3 and 4 person dorms and could not be complained about. Food was, in my opinion, very good, especially considering it had to cater for nearly 90 people. Though for some people it was the source of constant complaining. I lived.

The mission of Eurocamp is to promote cultural awareness. This was central to the organised programme of events - I think back to the performance on the second week, based on various inter-cultural themes, and also to the mock European Union conference that was so interesting and informative. Everything was made to be as stimulating and enjoyable as possible, with weekly reviews ensuring that the priorities of the camp remained centred around us, the participants. The organisational skill of the leaders was integral to the contented, satisfied and relaxed atmosphere of the camp.

Volunteer work was done on weekday mornings, and was a major part of the three weeks. Early rise at 7 meant we finished in time for lunch at 1:30. My group, of 20 people, worked building a playground in a nearby village. Though digging foundations is the part my hands remember most, there was also lots of painting to be done. I personally took charge of the design and painting of a colourful wall mural opposite the playground for the last week. On the last day we had the official opening where the children from the local school and kindergarten ran riot... It was a rewarding moment to see their happy faces.

While the volunteer work perhaps made up half of the organised programme, the other half was wonderfully varied. During the second week for instance, we were split into groups to work on a performance under a given heading. Our group ended up making masks that represented different nationalities and personalities. We managed to choreograph a simple story of how all the different masks came together in harmony, thus representing the image of a unified Europe. Maybe it sounds a bit lame, but it certainly was a lot of fun, and when every group came together for the grand performance it really was a special occasion. Other memorable experiences are being one degree short of capsizing on a 10km canoe trip (and having a BBQ waiting for us at the end of the voyage), the day trip to Magdeburg city, having my photo taken with the Burgermeister (town mayor), the Sportfest, where we sumo-wrestled and played a match against the local soccer team (5-5; we lost on penalties - cheaters), and the international buffet, where every country served their own traditional dish.

I met young people, mostly students, from all over Europe. It genuinely was very easy to talk to everybody, whether through German or English. Nobody came to the camp knowing any more than one person, and with everybody in the same position it was incredibly easy to make friends. Even though some indistinct groups tended to form the sense of community and universal camaraderie was without question. Even at the end of the three weeks I was still making new friends, discovering personalities with whom I wish I could have spent more time with. The potential for friendship was undeniably huge. As such during the three weeks I came to regard sleep as a waste of time, with conversation and craic running late into the night, every night.

It was a sign of our friendships that the goodbyes were so sad and tearful. It is not easy to arrange to meet your best friend from the camp when he lives in Romania. It is both wonderful and cruel how well you can get to know somebody in just three weeks. The diversity of countries is both the best and worst part of the camp. No doubt we will all move on with our own lives, but it would be too big a loss not to remain in contact. It affords opportunity for travel as well as for some truly lifelong friendships. Eurocamp was not just a helpful platform for this. It was the sole reason for it.

Lloyd Helen

¿Que Onda Folks?

Brian Denvir — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:18:50 +0000

¿Que Onda Folks? I´ve really settled into life here in Ventanilla on the South West Coast of Mexico. This week I started giving guitar lessons to some of the local boys, and have discovered first hand why this part of the world gets a reputation for being laid back...! Here, 4pm means anywhere between ten past 4 and 6pm, which makes scheduling lessons tricky! Still, they´re getting better, and I have a couple of Carlos Santanas here in the making! I have also learned a thing or two myself, learning a few songs from the region and jamming with a few of the guides which was really enjoyable.

Things are a little quieter now here with regards to tourists, as school vacations are over, and August is the rainy month down here (although comparably dry with Ireland!). I have still managed to take a couple tours in English, although my rowing leaves much to be desired. Still, I´m getting plenty of pratice in the mornings as we have been planting Mangroves in much deeper parts of the lagoon over the last week. I have also mastered enough Spanish to take orders at the restaurant, even though I get curious looks from niños who have never seen such pale skin before!

Last weekend I was granted a bit of a break from my duties, and visited some of the coast´s hotspots, including Puerto Escondido, which is renowned among surfing communites as one of the top pipelines in the world. There was a tournament on when I visited, but unfortunately I arrived on an off-day for waves, so didn´t see any competitive surfing. Still, it was a good excuse to explore the smaller, hidden (esondido) beaches nearby which truly are beautiful.

I also went to the nearby town of Tona Meca for a big fiesta with a family from the village. In Mexico, the Saints are regarded with great revernce, and I have lost track of the number of festivals in honour of Saints I have encountered! This one hosted some of the mosty amazing (and disconcertingly dangerous) fireworks I have ever seen, all constructed by locals from the village. Many of the fireworks are mounted on a wicker ´Toro´ which local men strap to there backs and run around with - being more or less the only ´Guero´at event I was a prime target for these men, and was caught in the line of fire more than once! But it was all a good laugh, and as an awe-inspiring finale, the local church became a fountain of fireworks! After there was a big dance in a neary field and we danced to some of the local Banda and Cumbia music which was a little like a Ceile, but with more rhythm!

Unfortunately, the local chicken tortillas at the event didn´t agree with me, and I was suffering the next day! However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as I was able to learn a lot about archaic Mexican natural remedies! My ´foster mother´ Trinny, who works at the restaurant, gave me half a lime with salt to put on my belly and tea made from Albacar leaves. I politely decline the Mezcal (very strong local liquer!) she offered me, only for her to put some on a cloth with lime juice and chopped Paraiso to wrap around my head. She then took me through a masterclass of old native remedies, including putting clay and tomato on swelling, and using lime juice to clean out your eyes!! Mezcal also seemed to be a solution to many problems - they say Mexicans drink Mezcal when they are sick and when they are healthy too! Anyway, I´m not sure if it was the home remedies and tasty local broths, or just the paracetamol from Boots that did the trick, but I was fine by the next day!

Right now I am in neighbouring Mazunte, about to take a look around the turtle museum. The turtle team check the beach at 4am every morning to look for eggs, and next week I will join them once or twice (depending on whether 4 am actually means 4am...!) to give a hand. In the mean time, Hasta Luego muchachos!

Brian

The Best Exchange the World Has Ever Known

Niamh Hill — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:50:15 +0000

Tuesday, August 11th

After what felt like the longest flight known to man, we finally arrived in Hong Kong airport where we were met by Charmaine and Damon, two of the Hong Kong delegates. The moment we left the airport to get to our coach we were hit by what felt like a wall of heat - the temperature and humidity being nothing like we ever have at home - that said this was Hong Kong, and we do live in Ireland!

Despite everyone being exhausted we all perked up en route to the hotel when we saw Hong Kong itself out the windows of the coach - a city so different from anything here in Ireland - having to crane our necks to attempt to see the tops of the buildings. We arrived in the hotel and, after some much-needed showers, went for dinner with the Hong Kong delegates. Here began our education in the mastery of chopsticks with the help of our hosts, and often to their amusement, as we repeatedly dropped everything, if we even managed to pick it up in the first place. This was our first experience of the local cuisine and was very different to meals at home with all the dishes being placed in the middle of a table and everyone sharing everything - a far more communal way of dining. After dinner we were brought out to walk around the streets and shops - all of the girls instantly disappearing into the first shop which we passed! We were all struck by the neon lights which illuminated all of the bustling streets and how the city was so alive well into the night with most of the shops and markets open until midnight.

Wednesday, August 12th

After a night where most of us found it very difficult to sleep, we started the first day of our programme. We first visited the Hong Kong Musuem of History which chronicled Hong Kong's history from the beginning of the Earth to the present day. Being able to see some of the traditional Chinese festivals, costumes and homes was fascinating. Learning about how Hong Kong was affected by WWII was really interesting too as although we learn about the war in school this is an aspect which we never hear about. Having some of the Hong Kong delegates with us to explain things made the experience even more valuable.

We then returned to the hotel for the official Welcoming Lunch. This was the most formal occassion of the trip with local officials being present and speeches being made and gifts presented on behalf of both delegations. This was a great oppurtunity to meet more of the Hong Kong delegates and talk about some of the things we would be doing over the next week.

After a quick change, with all of us sqaushed into the one hotel room, we set off for Noah's Ark. This is a built-to-scale replica of the ark in the Bible and where we were to spend the night in a sharing camp. Essentially this was an oppurtunity for us all to get to know one-another. After a dinner which included cow's tongue (something I can't say I had ever planned on trying, nor ever plan on trying again!), we went outdoors and played various games. This brought all of us back to our childhoods and let us share plenty of laughs...and sweat! We all went back to the boys' room and continued to play more games including one about our first impressions of one another - a potentially very insulting, but nonetheless fun game. As we went to bed the thunder, lightning and torrential rain began - the irony of which was not lost on any of the Irish delegates - but we were all safe in the knowledge that we were in the best possible place...no storm is a match for Noah's Ark!

Thursday, 13th August

Having had a good night's sleep we spent the morning exploring the different exhibits in Noah's Ark which included a 4D show about environmental protection, various exhibits related to the story of Noah's ark and the Treasure House, a children's museum where we revelled in playing with building bricks and watching Jacqueline dancing to Mozart!

From Noah's Ark we headed to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The theme of this visit was environmental sustainability. After a brief presentation on the changes the university has made in order to make itself more environmentally friendly, there was a more interactive group discussion which was really informative and made me question many of the assumptions I had always made about products and energy sources being environmentally friendly. As a result I will certainly be more sceptical in future when considering claims of environmental soundness. We were then brought on a campus tour where the ways in which the university has become more environmentally sustainable were pointed out to us. Whilst not being the most scintillating of tours the view of the bay from the highest point in the universtiy was a nice way to finish up.

We went to the famous Temple Street for dinner and afterwards got to go out into the market and shop. Bargaining was the name of the game and the Hong Kong delegates had taught us a couple of key useful phrases for this. Some of us were far better than others - bargaining not being my strong suit I chose to stick with people who were good at it and could tell me what to do! Having the Hong Kong delegates with us made things alot easier too.

Friday, 14th August

First on our schedule was a trip to the Magic Kingdom. Most of us had conjured up images of this being something Disney-esque so when we arrived at an apartment block we were all slightly confused. We all piled into a small room with a stage and realised at this point that it was a magic show that we were attending. All of the tricks were amazing! We all got the oppurtunity to get involved and be part of one of the tricks which made them even more astounding as we couldn't figure out how they could be doing these things. At the end we were all given a small metal ring and chain and taught a couple of basic tricks which we spent the rest of the trip trying to perfect and relishing the chance to show them to any of the HK delegates who had not been there with us. Lunch was at a traditional dim sum restaurant - the meal was HUGE, the food just didn't seem to stop coming.

After lunch we got an old tram up to Victoria Peak. The packed tram jostled its way up the side of the hill, surprising us all by not falling back down again, the slope being so steep. A few of us took the oppurtunity to go to the highest point of the building, from where we had the most amazing view of the city from above. The buildings seemed to sprawl forever - all of them so tall and densely packed when compared to Irish standards.

That evening we visited a YMCA centre for the deaf - here we got to meet with some of the deaf people and learn about and ask questions about the centre, its work and the daily lives of the deaf. We also learned the alphabet in sign language - another thing that we continued to practice amongst ourselves for the rest of the week - and how to sign the song Pretty Woman. This was great fun - with everyone getting lost and going at different speeds. If any of us ever need a good laugh, looking back at the video that was taken will certainly do the trick!

We then visited another YMCA facility - this time a Centre for Young Night Drifters (YNDs). This centre seeks out young people who are hanging around the streets at night - not necessarily homeless but who for one reason or another choose to stay out rather than go home. The centre seeks to give them somewhere else to spend this time, attempts to help them solve any problems or issues they might have and tries to teach them new skills. We got to see young people using the music equipment in the centre and also the hip-hop dance class. We were then brought out in our coach to drive around the city trying to locate and identify YNDs -quite an odd experience as the coach would pull up alongside a park or similar area, the lights would come on and we would all, far from subtly, stare out at groups of children and teenagers on the street.

Saturday, 15th August

Saturday saw us spend most of the day at Ocean Park, a themepark with both rollercoasters and rides and animal exhibits. This was the hottest day of the trip, or at least it felt like it. We had all become too accustomed to the air-conditioning in our coach and in all of the buildings. With the sun shining and the humidity very high, being out in the heat all day and walking around was a new and sometimes trying experience. We went on most of the rides - some more willingly than others - which were great fun. We also visited the aquarium where we got to see all kinds of marine-life which I've never seen before - from various sharks and rays to sea-horses and, most importantly, we found Nemo! Our final stop was a visit to the Panda habitat. They were such beautiful and gentle animals, unphased by the throngs of people staring in at them as they attempted to eat and relax. I wanted to take one home!

After a much-needed shower (this was a common feature of the week) we went for a Shanghai-style dinner. We then dashed to catch the Star Ferry in order to have a tour of the harbour. The skyscrapers on both sides of the harbour, in Hong Kong and Kowloon, were all covered in various lights and displays. We all clambered to get the best possible view of the nightly light show where all of these lights changed, flashed and twinkled in time to the music playing on the ferry. Once we disembarked, we walked along the promenade where we took pictures with Jackie Chan's handprints on the Walk of Fame and saw an Olympic torch from the Beijing Olympics.

Sunday, 16th August

We started the day with a trip to see the Golden Bauhinia, a large statue of a bauhinia flower, the symbol of Hong Kong, which was presented to the people of Hong Kong by China on the occassion of the handover in 1997. This visit encouraged much discussion and questioning on the topic of what may happen to Hong Kong in 2047 when it is no longer a Special Administrative Region. From here we took a tram through the city en route to Stanley. This was quite a touristy area, many of us feeling more like we were in a resort in Spain than the Far East. The place was full of Westerners and western restaurants - a fact we were none too pleased about - the fact we were Westerners ourselves was entirely besides the point and seemed to have almost been entirely forgotten by us! We spent most of the afternoon enjoying the beach here and swimming in the sea which was a much more comfortable temperature than any beach in Ireland.

After hearing so much about how small apartments in Hong Kong are, the Home Visit was something we were all looking forward to. Myself, Laura and Damon all went to visit Dwyane's apartment. We were instantly struck by how little living space people in Hong Kong actually have. The whole apartment would probably have fit in my kitchen and yet 5 people lived there. I also realised how much space we waste in our homes, as they utilise every inch to its full potential. For dinner we met up with one of the other home visit groups and went to a local restaurant where we had hot pot. This was definately a new dining experience. A big pot with a sort of flavoured soup was placed on a hot plate in the centre of the table and then all of the meat and fish came out raw. In order to cook the meat we had to put it into the pot and then leave it until it was done. The meal was delicious and the whole cooking process just added to the enjoyment.

Monday, 17th August

First on our schedule was a trip to a Buddhist Monastery and Giant Buddha. The Buddha, whilst indeed being giant and very impressive as such, turned out not to be a centuries old place of worship as we had anticipated, but rather more of a tourist attraction which had been built in 1990's. This ancient mystique was further effected by the fact that sponsors names were engraved on the body of the statue itself. The monastery had a similar tourist vibe to it but it still gave us the opportunity to see incence being burned and to see that no meat or alcohol was permitted on the premises.

We spent the afternoon in Tai O, a small fishing village which is built on stilts. We were all struck by the vast difference between life in Tai O and in the city. Going on a boat tour of the harbour we were able to see the stilts upon which the houses were built. We were also lucky enough to glimpse a couple of pink dolphins swimming. While walking around the village a couple of us also had the strange experience of being asked could people have their photo taken with us. The Hong Kong delegates explained to us that they had said that they weren't used to seeing foreigners - as I am blonde and couldn't be much paler if I tried I really must have looked out of place to them!

Before returning to the hotel we stopped at an outlet centre. Despite the numerous brand name shops and reduced prices we bought very little here. Instead we all flocked to Ladies Street as soon as we returned to the Hotel - this is a market brimming with "designer" bags, shoes and clothes, together with and all sorts of traditional Chinese items and souvenirs. This was a regualar haunt of the Irish delegation and where we spent most of our money.

Tuesday, 18th August

Being our final today, Tuesday's schedule was less hectic than the rest of the week. In the morning we visited a YMCA Secondary School. We were given a presentation on the education system in Hong Kong and on the school itself, which was followed by the Irish delegates giving an unprepared, off-the-cuff, and therefore very very brief description of the Irish education system. We then went for refreshments and were given the oppurtunity to mix with the students, who brought us on a tour of the school in small groups. The school was quite similar to Irish schools in many respects such as its classrooms and size. It also had some very impressive facilities however such as facilities with which to have video conferencing with schools on the mainland.

After lunch we were free for the afternoon to pack and prepare for the Farewell Dinner. This time mandated another quick visit to Ladies Street for last minute shopping! The Farewell Dinner took place in our hotel and was one of my personal highlights of the whole trip. All of the Irish and HK delegates were present (except P.J. who was unfortunately sick), together with all of the leaders involved and some local officials. The evening included speeches and presentations, games based on the Cantonese we had learned over the week, and great food. The Irish delegates then gave a cultural performance which included tin-whistle playing, irish dancing, a poem being read as Gaeilge and then the whole delegation taking to the stage to give rousing (if not particularly tuneful) renditions of The Fields of Athenry and the national anthem. The Hong Kong delegates then performed a song, Forever Friends, which culminated in all of us gathering together in a cirlce at the top of the room, hoping that we would indeed be forever friends. After the obligatory thousand or so photos (something the Irish were now just as bad for as our hosts) we headed out to a bar and then continued the party in our hotel into the early hours.

Wednesday, 19th August

Earlier than any of us would have liked we sadly said our goodbyes at the airport (all of us secretly hoping we had swine flu and would have to stay for another week). Happy that we had had the most amazing trip ever in Hong Kong and that we had made so many wonderful new friends from both Hong Kong and Ireland, the countdown had already started to the return trip when we would all be reunited again.

Starting to feel like home.

Karen O´ Regan — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:11:41 +0000

Hola de Barra!It is my forth week here in Barra and I feel I am really beginning to settle into daily life here in this picturesque little fishing village! Today is Monday, and this morning when I went to my english class I was delighted to find the usual kids waiting for me, plus some new ones! I call it my english class as I really feel that I have put my own stamp on it, which I love! The children run towards me when they see me coming and they welcome me with hugs and the occasional flower! They show so much enthusiasm for the english classes, this encourages me to pre-plan better classes so I can help them to expand their knowledge of the language.

After we finish the english classes I help them to look for a book which they like. We have a great system which enables the children to check out a book for the night and return it the next day. We just had a big donation from Larousse, a big publishing company. This has been excellent and has encouraged the children to enjoy books even more. Today, as we have some spare time I take out the hurleys and sliotars which I brought with me. Of course the kids, so inquisitive, immediately want to know what this strange sport is and more importantly, how to play it!!

After dividing them into fair teams, I teach them the basic skills like pucking the ball on the ground, soloing and roll-picking the ball. Then we have an exciting game where the teams compete against each other! The atmosphere is really tense with both teams chanting the names of their competitors!..It´s been a busy Monday morning!

Just like the weeks, the weekends seem to fly by, presenting themselves with lots of opportuities for sight-seeing and adventures! Saturday, we go kayaking on the lagoon and on the open sea and Sunday sees us on a trip to Manzanilla - an island which is half an hour away in a boat. The Island is absolutely breath taking.It is surrounded by coral reef so we jump at the chance to go snorkelling and to see the beautiful tropical fish which it has in abundance! It really is a little piece of paradise on earth!

This week is set to be a busy one, two new volunteers have arrived from Germany, and the volunteers who were here for a year are leaving tomorrow. We have lots of work to do, besides planning a good-bye party, we need to start organising the supplies for the school distribution. As everyone returns to school here on the 24th of August, we organise a package for each child. It will contain notebooks, pencils, pens etc, so that children will not be discouraged from going to school if they don´t have adequate school supplies, which has happened in the past. But with our help it has been happening less and less!

Last week, Carmen, the volunteer national co-ordinator who is based in Mexico city, came to Barra. We all got to work and made lots of notepads with our supplies, I couldn´t believe how easy it was to make them! We also counted all of the supplies which we have, so now all we need to do is put the packages together!

In the afternoon class we do a paper making class - this is a workshop which we run in order to recycle paper. We have designated a special area in the library for waste paper. The night before the class, the paper needs to be shredded and soaked in water over-night.The next day we take the paper and make pages with it, then clamp it so that the pages will be as thin as possible. When it´s dry we make booklets and photo frames. The children really enjoy customising their individual projects with glitter and stickers!

After art class we have ´´hora de cuentos´´ which is story hour! We gather in a big circle in the story corner, last week we made a big sign and drawings and hung them in our story corner. One of us maestras takes a popular story and reads it for the children. This encourages their interest in books even more and afterwards they are free to look for more books! After this the kids have play hour where they can inside or outside in the library garden.

After a long day, a cool, soothing swim in the ocean is the perfect remedy. This place is truely a little piece of heaven on earth!

Greetings from Paradise!

Brian Denvir — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:10:32 +0000

Greetings from Paradise! It has been two weeks since I arrived in the beautiful pueblito of Ventanilla, and each day I find myself more and more tempted to destroy my passport and stay put! Ventanilla is breathtakingly beautiful, with 70km of white sands and clear oceans, a vast labyrinth of a lagoon infested with crocodiles, iguanas and tortugas, and an idyllic island of palm trees and hammocks a short boat trip away! Life moves at a much slower pace here, and it has taken a while to adjust to ´el ritmo tropical´. The heat and humidity means that most of the work here takes place during ´las horas frescas´, from 6am-12pm and 4pm-7pm. Needless to say I don´t mind the descanso in the middle of the day, as it´s the perfect opportunity to chat to the locals, or take to a hammock! The village consists of about 30 families, who have made me feel very welcome, and are really keen to talk about their home and the ecotourism project which they almost all contribute to here in this unique place.

It is very easy to lose track of the days, because the weekend doesn´t exist here - the tour guides work every day to accommodate the considerable number of tourists. Every morning I wade into the lagoon at 7am with the reforestation team, and we plant about 200 red mangrove trees in the shallow water, always keeping a wary look out for crocs....! In 1997, two hurricanes in the space of a month wiped out 70 percent of the Mangrove here, and in order to save the ecosystem, an extensive reforestation project was undertaken. Along with the reforestation team there is a crocodile team, and turtle team, who have looked after these protected species since the hurricanes destroyed their home.

After 2 hours in the lagoon, I usually help out in the restaurant or help collect rubbish from the beach before the heat becomes unbearable. In the afternoon we take the sapling mangroves for the following day´s work from the island, and paddle through the endless winding corridors of vegetation in the lagoon. I have spent the rest of my afternoons going on as many of the guided tours of the lagoon as possible with the guides, who almost all live and have families in the village. Their knowledge of the natural world would put Bear Grylls to shame! The crocodiles often come right up to the tiny wooden boats, but they are pretty passive, and I fret a lot more about my friends the mosquitos! After 2 weeks of tagging along, I have just about managed to translate the whole tour into English. This week I will start giving English tours, once I have practised my rowing which is an art form in itself! The rest of the time I spend helping out the guides, helping the other volunteers with their English classes on Mondays and Tuesdays, serving customers in the restaurant, and trying to improve the old español! Starting tomorrow I am giving guitar lessons to some kids from the village, and I am looking forward to learning a few Mexican tunes myself!

As the sun sets, most evenings we have a turtle liberation on the beach which is an incredible sight to behold. The eggs usually hatch around this time of year, and a crowd gathers in the evening to help release the hundreds of tiny turtles as they venture in to the Pacific. The first liberation I took part in truly was a sight I will never forget.

Internet access is limited in Paradise, so for now I will have to leave you with this and fill you in on some of my adventures as soon as I can. Needless to say I am having an incredible time and can honestly say I have never experienced anything like this! If I don´t show up in Dublin in September, you know where to find me.....!

¡Hasta Luego!

Brian's Blog

Brian Denvir — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:22:18 +0000

Hola From Mexico! Myself and fellow EIL volunteer Karen O´Regan are soaking up the incredible atmosphere in one of Mexico´s most culturally diverse states, Oaxaca. Oaxaca City really is fiesta central at the minute, with parades, music and dancing every day and night in preparation for the annual Guelegetza festival on Monday the 20th and 27th of July. Each community demonstrates its local costume, music and dance in festivals all over the state, and the sea of colours in the streets really is a sight to behold!

This is our second week in the country, having taken in the sights in Mexico City for a day, before travelling to Oaxaca to attend classes at the picturesque Instituto Cultural Oaxaca, a Spanish school. I have managed to form a good relationship with my host family, as my Spanish improves poco a poco. The phrase ´poco a poco´ is one of the most widely used phrases in Mexico, and is really like a philosophy for the people here - the people I have met have great patience (especially with my stuttering Spanish) and the phrase ´little by little´ really sums up their way of life!

We have only been here a week and we have already made the national Mexican TV news! We were interviewed in the city´s main plaza ´Zocalo´, in a cultural item for TV AZTECA about the festival, and I really didn´t mind singing Oaxaca´s praises! We have also been taking Salsa lessons at the school, which is great fun, although we really can´t keep up with the local standard! The local cuisine is so different to European food - we have salsa and tortillas with almost every meal, and sampling the chapulines (grasshoppers) was amazing!

I really have fallen in love with this city - the people are so friendly, and I have never felt so safe in a city. This may be because the city´s economy relies on tourism only, so they really have to be nice! But it is more likely that since the people are so welcoming, tourism has naturally prospered in this remarkable state!

Anyway, this week sees the start of the Mezcal festival here in Oaxaca, a huge market with many types of Mezcal, a strong, smokey local spirit made from the agabe plants. There will be lots of free samples, so we need to rest up for the tough week ahead...! Hasta Luego!!

Brian

The Parade

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