Seniors in Ireland Reflect on Experience Abroad

Greetings from Ireland!All three of us have had an amazing time here in Camphill Callan over the past month and a half. The culture here in Ireland, but especially in a Camphill community, is entirely foreign to that of Exeter. It’s nearly impossible to understand or explain what it’s like to live here without experiencing it for yourself. In a mere sentence, we are living and working in a community for people with special needs, helping out when needed and sharing the lives with those around us. To you better understand this special and beloved place, we thought it would be best to share what we have learned thus far.There are multiple famous Yeatses in the Yeats family. “What’s the Craic?” means “what’s up?” Vellum is stretched calf’s skin shaved and coated in lime. Oscar Wilde was a boxer. Oscar Wilde could handle his whiskey. Americans have a strong accent. Two hours of travel is A LOT for Irish people. Irish people don’t understand the size of America. Ireland had a successful revolution in 1916. The lion card is a valid form of identification. Ireland’s first olympic medal was in art. Making up stories is fun. Making music videos is fun. We like the way we choose to spend our time. Even people who voted “yes” on the same-sex marriage referendum can be homophobic. No one here knows that New York is also a state. Some grown men still wear matching pajamas. Strange people book the 24 bed rooms in hostels. “Ta tu go halainn” means “you are beautiful” in Irish. Some people actually still speak Irish. Maps are helpful. Tourist maps are not to scale at all. The dollar to Euro conversion is sad. Meeting people is fun. Having song lyrics and poems memorized is an asset to yourself and others. The Irish like to make fun of America. The Irish like to make fun of Donald Trump. The “O” in O’Brien, for example, means “son of.” Everyone knows American pop music. Locks are useful to travel with. Americans are loud. There is a large spire in Dublin. Sunlight is exciting. Rain is liquid sunshine. Beets are tasty. Parsnips and turnips are not the same thing. Confucius is a romanized name and he was actually called Kongfuzi or Master Kong. Some people are just genuinely nice and there aren’t any ulterior motives. Whirligigs are three legs or curves protruding from a common center. Beets make good ink (not yellow ones though). Chicory goes sour in sunlight. Beet juice turns black when you leave it out for too long and no longer serves as good ink. Digging trenches is hard. Rain is not an excuse. There are a lot of ways to cook potatoes. Crocs are the most versatile shoe. “Dinner” means lunch, and “supper” means dinner. Yogurt, oats and baking soda make a really good gluten-free bread. Dishwashers and microwaves are not appreciated enough in America.Those are all true, but on a serious note, Ireland has been an invaluable learning experience. Interacting with every single person here, disabled or not, has taught us something. Exeter, no doubt, teaches its students well, but only experiencing different cultures, ways of thinking, and ways of life can teach some of the most important lessons. Here are a few:Speech is not always necessary for communication. The tiniest things can make people really happy.  The tiniest things can also devastate a person. Family-style meals with a big crowd are underappreciated. Compromise is essential. Even if someone can only say one word or phrase, you can still carry out an entire conversation. Long walks with friends are pleasant. The Irish countryside is beautiful. Grammar is less important than everyone thinks. The internet and TV impedes social interaction more than anyone likes to admit. Anyone can draw, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You can be a kid no matter how old you are. Positivity is essential. You can learn something from anybody. Words aren’t necessary to display the purest form of emotion. Sometimes companionship is enough. Being kind costs nothing. It can be really hard to stand back and allow a person to struggle with a simple task, but it is essential not to intervene, and instead let them learn. Level of disability does not determine level of intellect.Level of disability never determines creative ability. Everyone can contribute. Everyone has a place. Appearance is irrelevant. Personal boundaries are important. There are so many ways to live a happy life that you don’t know about. Pressure is for tires. You make your own stress. Education is important, but not everything. There are a lot of lessons and life skills you can’t learn in school: cooking, digging, farming, navigating, cleaning. Success should always be celebrated, never scorned. You can find a friend in anyone. Even the simplest of goals creates something to work for. There’s always something to look forward to, even if it’s just a haircut. You can never predict how something will affect someone. Never, ever belittle anyone else’s experiences or achievements. There is beauty in everything. Keeping a journal is so rewarding. There are times where you have absolutely no idea how to react to a situation, but you have to come up with your own solution. Everyone has their own unique pressure points. Praise can go a long way. When in doubt, offer tea. Stand up for your beliefs, nicely. It’s so easy to treat anyone like a human being. You don’t need to be a good singer to sing. You don’t need to be a good dancer to dance. Self-consciousness is a product of an uneven social structure. Listen, don’t just pretend to. Everyone has weird quirks; some are just more noticeable than others. Everyone has the right to their own preferences. Everyone deserves privacy. Everyone deserves to be taken seriously. Anything can be fun if you have the right attitude. You can adapt to anything.  Some things take time, and sometimes you just can’t get around that. Be grateful. No matter how ridiculous a concept seems, it’s important to listen anyway. You might learn something. People see the world in so many different ways, and trying to understand (when you know you never really will) can be incredibly rewarding.We are relishing every moment here and look forward to learning more in our final weeks.