First Impression(s): 16 June 2008

I stepped out of the plane and into a very awkward situation. Amy, Emily and myself were seated towards the front of the plane so we were a few of the first people to get off the plane. We walked down to customs to the passport checking area to be officially welcomed into the Emerald Isle. Amy got to the official customs man first. He asked what her business in Ireland was, she answered that she was a student. The man looks at her and points to a desolate looking bench off to the side and commands her to it. Emily and I receive similar treatment as the rest of the plane shuffles in to line after us. So there we are, shunned to the bench, watching the entire plane gawking at us, like we were the first ones out in a game of dodgeball, never to return until the end of the game. Of course, not a single person had an issue getting into the country. Finally the flow of people dwindled and the customs man told us to come back. We showed him our official papers and explained how long we planned on staying. Once he was satisfied we were real students he turned into a semi pleasant man, he even joked with me about golf. This was my first impression of Ireland.

I think this one experience is actually a typical manner in which the Irish deal with people who may be trying to use them. I have spoken with a few Irish and they are very stand-offish until they realize that I am not a threat or perhaps more importantly, a belligerent fool. And than people warm up into conversation and “crack.”
On the “Get lost in Cork for a few hours” assignment I wandered around Fitzgerald Park for a time before stumbling into what turned out to be a fascinating museum. The displays were made up of artifacts dating back to the 1500s and as recently as ten years ago. The artifacts were displayed in chronological order and all had captions explaining what the role of the item played during its period of active use. As a male interested in war and guns, I was immediately drawn to the weapons. I saw a rich history marked by consistent violence. Seeing the evident of such a violent history brought me to an understanding as to why the Irish are suspicious of outsiders. It has become ingrained in their psyche. I feel that this knowledge has given me a more clear view of the Irish people and the culture that is distinctly Irish.