17 February 2021
This time last year seems like it was decades ago. The COVID pandemic has been difficult and exhausting and scary and overwhelming. I'm sure others are experiencing similar feelings, in different contexts. I wanted to list, in no order, all of the highs and lows of the last few months:
- moved into my first home: a seaside cottage, with amazing neighbours (mostly) in the wonderful town of Whitehead, Co. Antrim in August 2020
- did some DIY home improvement and outdoor work on my wee cottage
- was stuck in my tiny cottage during 3 lockdowns
- felt helpless when my mom and her partner got COVID in November 2020 and I couldn't be with them
- experienced the best Christmas holidays back in Chicago, consisting simply of spending time with my mom and Jim in the house and enjoying being able to be together in December and January
- got COVID in February, which was a moderate case that I'm still feeling
- slowly continued on my fieldwork, while also balancing mental wellbeing during a global pandemic
All of these have come with a myriad of emotions - but most of all, I have been learning to truly appreciate the everyday things in life, like hugs from loved ones, being able to walk along the sea, taking things slow, and being kind to myself.
- moved into my first home: a seaside cottage, with amazing neighbours (mostly) in the wonderful town of Whitehead, Co. Antrim in August 2020
- did some DIY home improvement and outdoor work on my wee cottage
- was stuck in my tiny cottage during 3 lockdowns
- felt helpless when my mom and her partner got COVID in November 2020 and I couldn't be with them
- experienced the best Christmas holidays back in Chicago, consisting simply of spending time with my mom and Jim in the house and enjoying being able to be together in December and January
- got COVID in February, which was a moderate case that I'm still feeling
- slowly continued on my fieldwork, while also balancing mental wellbeing during a global pandemic
All of these have come with a myriad of emotions - but most of all, I have been learning to truly appreciate the everyday things in life, like hugs from loved ones, being able to walk along the sea, taking things slow, and being kind to myself.
19 June 2020 | Celebrate Juneteenth
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In recognition of the day when slaves in Texas received news of their emancipation, two years after the official declaration, and to highlight the ongoing work being done to ensure respect, honor and the flourishing of Black culture, I encourage everyone to learn about this important celebration.
This month, there has been a resurgance of a global movement recongizing and compbating ongoing systems of racial injustice in the West. Belfast communities came together to stand in solidarity with minority communities in the US, as well as to call out racialized structures here. As a researcher of social movements, policing, and surveillance, it is a time of an influx of data to explore. As the daughter of two police officers, it is a time for difficult conversations. As a white female, it is a time of acknowledging my own positionality and ensuing mistakes, even with good intentions. This has been an exhausting time, but one in which we have the opportunity to move towards transformative social change for the benefit of all, expecially those most marginalized in our global community. This is not a zero-sum game in which one person's truth and calls for justice mean a loss for others - but rather it is a time in which listening to the truths of those who have different life-experiences can bring us towards a more wholistic Truth. This requires active listening instead of defensive debating, vigilant self-reflection instead of ego-centric exclusion, and the humility and grace to recognize the lived experiences of people who have different social positions than our own. Self-education is central to liberation for all, so here is a list of resources to further explore: Reading List |
21 May 2020
The lows seem heavier and the highs seem more sparce. Many people and institutions are expecting "business as usual" workloads, which this situation is most definitely not "usual".
But there are rays of light through the greyness... Friends who send "feel better" surprise donuts; cuddly pets that upcycle said donut box as a bed; conference presentations that are full of support regardless of the stage of research; quiet mornings for repotting my flourish houseplants, which brighten my work-from-home-space; brandy old fashioned mix to remind me of Wisconsin; time and space to bake and cook; sunny cycles to the water (while maintaining social distance); personal yoga in the park with my dear Kahlo.
But there are rays of light through the greyness... Friends who send "feel better" surprise donuts; cuddly pets that upcycle said donut box as a bed; conference presentations that are full of support regardless of the stage of research; quiet mornings for repotting my flourish houseplants, which brighten my work-from-home-space; brandy old fashioned mix to remind me of Wisconsin; time and space to bake and cook; sunny cycles to the water (while maintaining social distance); personal yoga in the park with my dear Kahlo.
13 April 2020 | Blessed Easter
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Isolation is hard. It's hard when it's nice outside and the sun is shining for the first time in months. It's hard when your family lives in a different country. It's hard when you don't know how long it will go on for and what the "new normal" will be. It's hard when it's Easter, and you still can't tell what day of the week it is. It's hard to be productive when all the work you've just done needs to be revised and plans you've worked on for months get thrown out the window.
These are the things I'm grateful for during this time: sitting 6 meters away from Eilis and Paddy in their garden over tea; group videocalls with family, friends, and former students I haven't spoken to in a long time; feeling the sun on my skin while sitting in front of my apartment building; extra time to take naps; extra time to do crafts; Thursday evenings where everyone claps for frontline workers; and all for the messages from people who care about me just checking in. 
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27 March 2020
In a matter of weeks, the world around us has changed dramatically. We are still living with much uncertainty: about jobs, markets, duration. But it has now seemed that (most) governments and businesses have confirmed the health dangers of COVID-19 and have adjusted rules and norms accordingly.
It's a strange time: limiting social interactions to online videochats, staying indoors alone on a beautiful day, wearing provided gloves and waiting in lines to get into stores, where clothes/fashion sections have been replaced with toiletpaper mountains that are limited to 2 per customer, side-eye nervous smiles from passersby on the street, conversations that talk around "it" in disbelief, without the need to say the word pandemic.
Needless to say, my productivity on my PhD has been low, given the emotional toll of being an ocean away from family in a world that has grounded all flights. I also have to now revise all logistics and theoretical frameworks, since my project centered on traveling to and from the US to conduct in person interviews. My "new office" (read: dining room table) is already as messy as my official office.
The good points have been unexpected skype calls from groups of friends and family who I hadn't checked-in with for a while, some time for early morning walks through the forest before the crowds come, cozy time to read Terry Prachett (and escape into a Discworld that seems less-far-fechted and more familiar than the world we live in now), a lot of stress-baking and time to practice ukulele cords. Most of all, I have a new addition to my household, who is on official cuddle-support duties. Her name is Kahlo and she is just what the doctor ordered for self-isolation.
Hope you are all staying safe and healthy (both physically and mentally). We will get through this, and be a strong global community for it.
It's a strange time: limiting social interactions to online videochats, staying indoors alone on a beautiful day, wearing provided gloves and waiting in lines to get into stores, where clothes/fashion sections have been replaced with toiletpaper mountains that are limited to 2 per customer, side-eye nervous smiles from passersby on the street, conversations that talk around "it" in disbelief, without the need to say the word pandemic.
Needless to say, my productivity on my PhD has been low, given the emotional toll of being an ocean away from family in a world that has grounded all flights. I also have to now revise all logistics and theoretical frameworks, since my project centered on traveling to and from the US to conduct in person interviews. My "new office" (read: dining room table) is already as messy as my official office.
The good points have been unexpected skype calls from groups of friends and family who I hadn't checked-in with for a while, some time for early morning walks through the forest before the crowds come, cozy time to read Terry Prachett (and escape into a Discworld that seems less-far-fechted and more familiar than the world we live in now), a lot of stress-baking and time to practice ukulele cords. Most of all, I have a new addition to my household, who is on official cuddle-support duties. Her name is Kahlo and she is just what the doctor ordered for self-isolation.
Hope you are all staying safe and healthy (both physically and mentally). We will get through this, and be a strong global community for it.
09 March 2020
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It's rainy, grey and chilly - but there are some blue skies that peak out every now and then - resulting in some rainbows outside my office. The birds are getting a lot more rambunctious in their singing, as well. So, I guess Spring should be here soon.
At the moment, I'm working on synthesizing all of the data I collected during fieldwork, while simultaneously gearing up for conference season. I've got a few trips in March and April, and a number of abstracts to send out for June and September. In between these, I should probably get organized on the rest of my fieldwork trips, so that I can start my third year out with all my data collected. Of course, COVID-19 (aka: coronavirus) is not making these logistics easy to sort out. Everyone seems to be holding their breath on finalizing plans, waiting to see whether conference planners will call off their events and/or airlines will cancel their bookings. I hope that everyone is taking care and remembering to wash their hands thoroughly! But, as they say, the show must go on - and I must get back to writing...after I finish some vegan cheesecake and a chai latte. P.S. Make sure you all exercise your civil right (and duty) to VOTE! I sent in my absentee ballot last week for Illinois general primary and local judicial elections, so there's no excuse for you not to! |
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26 February 2020
Jet-lag is so very real. I just woke up for a 48-hour nap, with minimal breaks for sustenance. Hopefully that stretch of sleep has re-set my biological clock, but I'm still reeling from the homestretch of my fieldwork experience, both physically and mentally.
I arrived in Dublin on Monday at 4AM, and waited for the 620AM bus to take me back to Belfast, and my own bed(!). The fieldwork trip ended with a week in Boston.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to set up as many interviews with police officers as I had in DC and NYC, so I made the best of my "free time" by scheduling phone interviews, and attending classes with a dear friend of mine, Bridget, who is currently studying at Fletcher's School of Diplomacy. The classes I was able to sit in on included "Counter-terrorism" with James Forest at Tufts University, and "Civil Resistance" with Erica Chenoweth at Harvard University. It was enlightening to be in an American university classroom again, and I mentally noted some of the differences in theoretical approaches across the Atlantic Ocean. Questions in these classes were far more analytically-based and data was extremely quantitative, compared to the critical and qualitative education I've been able to foster while living in Belfast. I see strengths and weaknesses in both approaches, and it was a good chance to get some perspective on my own theoretical framework.
Spending time with Bridget was not only good for my bank-account (hotels and food are so expensive on the East Coast!), but most importantly it was revitalizing for my soul. I was able to tell her about the difficulties I was facing in my research and positionality, and she listened with open ears and gave feedback with an open-mind that was both supportive and challenging.
I was able to schedule an in-person interview with an active Boston PD officer. Being my last one, I had gotten used to which questions I needed to ask, and it ended up bringing about the most diverse responses. It also led me to find out about a protest that was happening the next day at the Boston Police Headquarters. I went down to do some non-participant observations of interactions between police officers and protestors - what an opportunity that I never would have had if I wasn't able to travel there! Over these past three weeks, being able to travel to cities I had never been and to undertake fieldwork in-person has lead to leaps and bounds in my research. My thinking around my project has developed more in these last few weeks than many of the last months, and I am scrambling to get all of my thoughts down on paper! I feel both overwhelmed at the amount of data and considerations I have to analyze, but my project now feels so much more solid than it did before this trip.
I also want to especially thank the Alan Graham fund at QUB for supporting my flight and train costs for this trip, making these experiences possible.
I arrived in Dublin on Monday at 4AM, and waited for the 620AM bus to take me back to Belfast, and my own bed(!). The fieldwork trip ended with a week in Boston.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to set up as many interviews with police officers as I had in DC and NYC, so I made the best of my "free time" by scheduling phone interviews, and attending classes with a dear friend of mine, Bridget, who is currently studying at Fletcher's School of Diplomacy. The classes I was able to sit in on included "Counter-terrorism" with James Forest at Tufts University, and "Civil Resistance" with Erica Chenoweth at Harvard University. It was enlightening to be in an American university classroom again, and I mentally noted some of the differences in theoretical approaches across the Atlantic Ocean. Questions in these classes were far more analytically-based and data was extremely quantitative, compared to the critical and qualitative education I've been able to foster while living in Belfast. I see strengths and weaknesses in both approaches, and it was a good chance to get some perspective on my own theoretical framework.
Spending time with Bridget was not only good for my bank-account (hotels and food are so expensive on the East Coast!), but most importantly it was revitalizing for my soul. I was able to tell her about the difficulties I was facing in my research and positionality, and she listened with open ears and gave feedback with an open-mind that was both supportive and challenging.
I was able to schedule an in-person interview with an active Boston PD officer. Being my last one, I had gotten used to which questions I needed to ask, and it ended up bringing about the most diverse responses. It also led me to find out about a protest that was happening the next day at the Boston Police Headquarters. I went down to do some non-participant observations of interactions between police officers and protestors - what an opportunity that I never would have had if I wasn't able to travel there! Over these past three weeks, being able to travel to cities I had never been and to undertake fieldwork in-person has lead to leaps and bounds in my research. My thinking around my project has developed more in these last few weeks than many of the last months, and I am scrambling to get all of my thoughts down on paper! I feel both overwhelmed at the amount of data and considerations I have to analyze, but my project now feels so much more solid than it did before this trip.
I also want to especially thank the Alan Graham fund at QUB for supporting my flight and train costs for this trip, making these experiences possible.
15 February 2020
Staying in New York brought very unexpected experiences. Having spent time DC with people that were very dedicated to social justice issues, it was a big transition to then be staying just outside NYC with a retired police officer (whom I was put in contact with through a family friend in Chicago). My research is based in critically examining relationships between police officers and activists through the visual technologies they each use. In DC I was faced with questions that were concerned about my bias favoring the police, given both my parents were police officers in Chicago; upon arriving in NYC, my research was being questioned for its possibility of liberal bias against police. Although these conversations became extremely draining (both mentally and emotionally), as I worked to explain my ever-evolving positionality, I think that having spent real and intentional time in that discomfort is an important contribution to the research I hope to develop. The questions I aim to ask are difficult, topical and controversial, which makes the research so important, but also so very difficult to navigate, both professionally and personally. I have been taking nightly notes about my interactions, both around the "official" interviews I am undertaking, as well as all the "small" experiences I have outside of those formal environments. I'm trying to track not only how police officers and activists interact with visual technologies, but also how my own biases and perspectives are shaping the questions I ask and the people I speak with. I'm sure I am making mistakes, and that my findings and reflections will probably make people uncomfortable. And, that I am facing uncomfortable questions, I think, has become an important part of the research process.
In New York, I spent time in NYPD neighborhoods and security offices. Officers were surprisingly open about speaking with me, and I was able to gather a number of multi-level interviews across many positions. I also got to see a lot of the official technologies that the SWAT team and crowd control teams use, which was very eye-opening. Due to privacy concerns, I didn't take many photos, but my scribbles and notes will hopefully help evoke the memories and experiences when I go to write up the ethnographic analysis.
In between all this fieldwork, I did get to sneak in a informal walking tour of lower Manhattan. My favorite part was the Art Deco building that is lesser known from it's Empire sibling: The Woolworth Building.
But the week flew faster than I could hold on, and soon enough, it was time to get onto the train and head to Boston.
In New York, I spent time in NYPD neighborhoods and security offices. Officers were surprisingly open about speaking with me, and I was able to gather a number of multi-level interviews across many positions. I also got to see a lot of the official technologies that the SWAT team and crowd control teams use, which was very eye-opening. Due to privacy concerns, I didn't take many photos, but my scribbles and notes will hopefully help evoke the memories and experiences when I go to write up the ethnographic analysis.
In between all this fieldwork, I did get to sneak in a informal walking tour of lower Manhattan. My favorite part was the Art Deco building that is lesser known from it's Empire sibling: The Woolworth Building.
But the week flew faster than I could hold on, and soon enough, it was time to get onto the train and head to Boston.
08 Feb 2020
My week in D.C. was pantemporal – everything went by so quickly, yet the days and hours each felt very long and full. Staying with Beth and Jonathan was filled with delicious vegan meals (including red lentil soup, winter salad, and lots of herbal teas), a climbing session (so nice to get back to the wall), and important suggestions about elements of my research (including going to the African American History Museum on the National Mall).
For anyone in D.C., I think this is one of the most important museums to visit. The museum’s extremely well-considered architecture, rich content, and really delicious cafeteria come together to create an experience that is emotional and thought-provoking about the under-considered, albeit central role of African Americans in building US history. I also stopped into the National Museum of the American Indian, on the opposite side of the Mall, but was unable to spend enough time in it before closing time. Both of these spaces helped expand my thoughts on my own research in ways I wouldn't have considered.
For anyone in D.C., I think this is one of the most important museums to visit. The museum’s extremely well-considered architecture, rich content, and really delicious cafeteria come together to create an experience that is emotional and thought-provoking about the under-considered, albeit central role of African Americans in building US history. I also stopped into the National Museum of the American Indian, on the opposite side of the Mall, but was unable to spend enough time in it before closing time. Both of these spaces helped expand my thoughts on my own research in ways I wouldn't have considered.
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These, like all the Smithsonian museums, are free to enter – so I decided to financially support them through their bookstores. I got Rosa Park’s memoire from the AAHM, as well as “Speaking of Indigenous Politics” from the NMAI. I also got a chance to catch a sushi dinner with Claire, a former student at Marquette that I met while working at the Center for Peacemaking. It was energizing to see such a capable and passionate person succeeding in her work around legal aid for immigrants and international peacekeeping. Our future is in good hands with people like her.
But my time sight-seeing in D.C. was bracketed with trips to police stations for interviews, and a lot of writing and reflecting afterwards. Through Beth’s business, she runs a Weekly Writing Group, which “meets” every Friday online to check-in, set writing goals for the week, and dedicate 2 ½ hours to working on our individual writing projects. I decided to join, as a good way to keep me accountable to my writing as I travel for fieldwork. It’s been helpful to speak with other people, who also write for a living, and to go through challenges and insights. |
Overall my ethnographic interviews have gone well this week, and there is a lot of information to analyse and sift through. But I am currently at a very tough crossroads in my thinking, around what my positionality is, who is my work accountable to, and what I want this research to really aim towards accomplishing. The nature of my project means that a lot of intersecting elements converge (or rather I am trying to find out how they converge), from different literatures and fields, to different actors and politics, to different approaches and understandings. I think I need to more fully establish the answers to some of those questions, before I get carried away in a too many directions without clear purposes.
And now, onto NYC.
And now, onto NYC.
03 Feb 2020
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This week marks the start of my fieldwork! Over the next few weeks, I'll be in Washington D.C., New York City, and Boston, conducting ethnographic interviews with police and technological units around surveillance and community relations. Last week was a whirlwind, as I tried to get everything ready and done before flying back to the US.
Today, I’m writing this with the sun on my back and the US capital building in my view. Birds are chirping and hopping around the steps of the Library of Congress, asking me to share my crumbs of cashews with them. (A friendly post as I walked home reminded me that the only foreign government to ever burn down the U.S. Capitol buildings and Library of Congress was the United Kingdom). This week in D.C., I’m staying with friends that I met in Milwaukee, Beth and Jonathan, who live just ten minutes by foot from the National Mall. After less than 24 hours, I feel overwhelmingly welcomed into their cozy and natural-light-filled apartment. Beth is a former professor in Milwaukee who has left academia to work on her own business of coaching and research “outside higher-ed”. While sipping herbal coffee, she has given me so many personal and professional suggestions, from readings on ethnography to considerations to account for as I speak with people. |
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Tomorrow is my first ethnographic interview. It’s very exciting, nerve-wracking and all-too real. My masters research allowed me to stay safe in the comforts of text, doing discourse analysis of policy documents. My PhD has forced me out of these comforts of words on pages, and into the unknown territory of word from mouths.
I am a good conversationalist. I can navigate social situations with relative ease. But semi-structured interviews with police officers and activists for my own research are unchartered waters. We’ll see what the next few weeks bring!
I am a good conversationalist. I can navigate social situations with relative ease. But semi-structured interviews with police officers and activists for my own research are unchartered waters. We’ll see what the next few weeks bring!
27 Jan 2020
I went to London at the end of last week to present my theory chapter to the Doing IPS Seminar Group, which is a collection of PhD and early career academics from around the UK and Europe that are in the field of critical political philosophy and sociology. Every month, we meet to discussed two papers, with discussants that are established in the fields of our research.
I arrived a day early to settle in and enjoy a meal with a friend I met last year in Gregynog, Alice. She is doing very interesting work on everyday experiences of travellers on holiday, with geographic focus on Kenya, India and the UK. We met at my favorite Indian restaurant in Europe, Sagar Covenant Garden, and enjoyed dosas and conversations about the highs&lows of being a PhD student. My walk back to the Airbnb took me along the Thames, and centuries worth of playwrites, royalty and everyday people seemed to dance with the river’s murky waters.
Friday, the day of my presentation, I drank two too many cups of very strong coffee that my Airbnb host Nicola and therefore needed a place to walk off the caffeine jitters. So, I walked across the bridge, looking for a café, and found myself face-to-face with the Tate Modern. Free entry and a wide selection of art met me there, and I even found a quiet spot to reread my notes and eat lunch.
The presentation went fine, given that they had already read my paper in advance. It is a chapter about the theoretical fameworks I’m situating my work in, and was very much a working progress. To be able to hear what other peers, and my discussant, Chris Rossdale at Essex, read from my words was helpful in getting out of my own mind. Too often, the concerns I have about what people will read out of my work stifle my creativity and force me into writing-blocs. It turned out that my concerns weren’t actually what they noticed – although there were plenty of comments for improvement. Over the next few weeks, as I start my fieldwork, I’ll be reflecting on questions about my positionality, machine agency, and post-coloniality in race. There’s plenty more workshops and conferences on the horizon to get more feedback and continue to refine my research.
I arrived a day early to settle in and enjoy a meal with a friend I met last year in Gregynog, Alice. She is doing very interesting work on everyday experiences of travellers on holiday, with geographic focus on Kenya, India and the UK. We met at my favorite Indian restaurant in Europe, Sagar Covenant Garden, and enjoyed dosas and conversations about the highs&lows of being a PhD student. My walk back to the Airbnb took me along the Thames, and centuries worth of playwrites, royalty and everyday people seemed to dance with the river’s murky waters.
Friday, the day of my presentation, I drank two too many cups of very strong coffee that my Airbnb host Nicola and therefore needed a place to walk off the caffeine jitters. So, I walked across the bridge, looking for a café, and found myself face-to-face with the Tate Modern. Free entry and a wide selection of art met me there, and I even found a quiet spot to reread my notes and eat lunch.
The presentation went fine, given that they had already read my paper in advance. It is a chapter about the theoretical fameworks I’m situating my work in, and was very much a working progress. To be able to hear what other peers, and my discussant, Chris Rossdale at Essex, read from my words was helpful in getting out of my own mind. Too often, the concerns I have about what people will read out of my work stifle my creativity and force me into writing-blocs. It turned out that my concerns weren’t actually what they noticed – although there were plenty of comments for improvement. Over the next few weeks, as I start my fieldwork, I’ll be reflecting on questions about my positionality, machine agency, and post-coloniality in race. There’s plenty more workshops and conferences on the horizon to get more feedback and continue to refine my research.
17 Jan 2020
Before Emmanuel left, we were able to take a "working holiday" down to Downpatrick. We packed up our laptops and got an early bus south, and ended up in the St. Patrick's Centre. In 2014, I had been introduced to the Centre through the Young Ambassadors of St. Patrick, a programme that connects North America and Northern Ireland through the history of St. Patrick. The Centre works on retelling St. Patrick's story through his own words, and moving beyond stereotypes of "St. Paddy's Day, green beer and parades". We got to meet up with my old friend, Dr. Tim Campbell, the Director of the Centre, who let us go through the historical exhibit and told us about the new initiatives they have. This year, they are launching a new website, which encourages people to donate during the St. Patrick's season to local charities. After some work in the Centre's cafe, Emmanuel and I dandered up to the Down County Museum (an old gaol, which explores the area's history from pre-historic times to the fishingand farming families of the 1980s) and St. Patrick's Cathedrale (supposed burial site of St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and St. Colmcille). The day ended with us stopping by Inch Abbey (ancient monesarty ruins and more recently a set backdrop for Game of Thrones) to play fetch with some friendly doggos, and popping back on the bus to Belfast with sore feet and full hearts. I highly recommend a stop in this quaint, and historical town for any passers-by in Northern Ireland. Every time I visit, I find something new!
This week has been busy, with deadlines and meetings making my desk a complete mess. The rainy days don't help to increase productivity, but I have got my aloe plants to brighten the office. I found time, however, to stop in Belfast Rotary's meeting on Monday, to hear Bryan Johnson's talk on Francis Hutchinson and the Foundations of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Bryan is always chalk-full of facts and figures, and it was like being back in high school US history class as he wove together stories of Founding Fathers and Ulster-based philosophers.
As a concluding note, I now have the honour of being Belfast Rotaract's founding Treasurer. A group has been meeting recently to find out how to get a Rotaract Club started, and we got together yesterday at QUB to elect board members and set out plans for founding the club. I'm excited to work with such driven and enthusiastic peers in getting this off the ground in the next few months.
This week has been busy, with deadlines and meetings making my desk a complete mess. The rainy days don't help to increase productivity, but I have got my aloe plants to brighten the office. I found time, however, to stop in Belfast Rotary's meeting on Monday, to hear Bryan Johnson's talk on Francis Hutchinson and the Foundations of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Bryan is always chalk-full of facts and figures, and it was like being back in high school US history class as he wove together stories of Founding Fathers and Ulster-based philosophers.
As a concluding note, I now have the honour of being Belfast Rotaract's founding Treasurer. A group has been meeting recently to find out how to get a Rotaract Club started, and we got together yesterday at QUB to elect board members and set out plans for founding the club. I'm excited to work with such driven and enthusiastic peers in getting this off the ground in the next few months.
02 Jan 2020 | (BELATED) SEASONS' GREETINGS!
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And so the holidays have come and gone in a flash. I'm still not used to 2020 (evidenced by me first typing "2019" in this entry's header). I hope your holidays were complete with full stomachs and full hearts. Mine certainly was.
The weeks leading up to winter break were filled with beautiful friends and ugly sweaters, and I couldn't have asked for more. For Christmas I met my mom and Jim down in West Palm Beach, FL. Although there were hiccups (an awful dose of the flu during the week before my flight (see photo after THREE tissue boxes), 7 hour United flight delay getting there, and scatted showers for the few days of the vacation), the trip was relaxing and rejuvenating. Our new tradition over the last few years has been to forego a bunch of presents, and instead get each other one book to read on Christmas morning. This year I got The Handmaid's Tale and Paris: A Love Story, both of which I finished in three days! We spent Christmas Day reading on the beach of Singer Island, and we made sure to include our Christmas tree for extra holiday cheer. Our 10 days together included plenty of farmer's markets and a trip to a turtle hospital! Of course, I didn't get away from the university duties completely, and had a lot of final papers to grade for my World Politics class. But margaritas and burritos made great rewards when I would finish a pile of them! Getting back to Belfast brought forth the New Year and a visit from Emmanuel. It must have marked the first NYE of being old, since we were happy enough to chill on the couch in onesies for the celebrations, and barely stayed up for midnight. And so 2020 has begun. with frantic writing and logistical planning for my ethnographic work trip to NY, DC and Boston in February, but it feels good to get back into the swing of things. I'm not teaching this semester, so I hope this allows me to concentrate more on my own research and conferences (although it's very possible I'll end up procrastinating in other ways than marking student papers). |
03 Dec 2019 | HAPPY (BELATED) HALLOWEEN AND THANKSGIVING!
November was a tough one this year. It's been overwhelming, as I've been trying to balance mental health, host friends, check up on family, teach students, mark papers, and write a theoretical chapter. The end of October had left some pain, with the 10 year anniversary of my dad and maternal grandmother's deaths. So far, though, December has gotten off to a better start, while I've learned to be easier on myself, to say "no" before getting burnt-out (this one is still a work-in-progress, and even when I do say no, I end of spending time after wondering if it was the right decision - this was especially tough when WIIS emailed me inviting me to their Next Generation Symposium), and to take things slowly. Taking care of my various herbs and plants has been calming. Also got a haircut, which feels like that helped with some mental clarity a surprising amount. Never under-estimate the power of a new haircut.
A quick recap on the ups and downs of November: Louise was away for most of the month on her solo adventure across Australia (I have the coolest friends). So the apartment felt a bit empty and lonely at time (especially after I had had my fill of "introvert time"). Halloween was a treat, with friends stopping over from Minnesota (which was fun to see "worlds colliding" when we went out with my friends from Belfast). Emmanuel was in town, so I got to share the best of my holiday traditions of pumpkin carving and seed roasting. We also fit in an outing of axe throwing, which is just as cathartic and excting as it sounds. A few dinners with Eilis and Paddy finished off his visit. The month ended with a cozy Thanksgiving with some friends and the help of a virtual fireplace crackling. Throughout all of this social activities, I've been able to spend the days at the office, which can be broken down into about 20% teaching/prep; 20.5% writing/worrying about writing; and 90% marking/catching up with more marking (and yes, that math is correct). I have a deadline of Christmas to get my theory chapter to Debbie, which will then give me a month before I go to London to present it to some peers in the Doing International Political Sociology seminar series. This past week was productive, while I cleaned the apartment, got 2,500 words down on paper, submitted a few abstracts for conferences in 2020, and join my colleagues at the University and College Union (UCU) picket-lines to take strike action over falling pay, the gender and ethnic pay gap, precarious employment practices, and unsafe workloads. |
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29 Oct 2019
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I am drowning in 38+ undergraduate papers that need to be marked. So I've decided to take a breather and reflect on the adventures of the last two weeks.
The Great British Bake Off has been keeping everyone here cozy as the nights creep earlier - and I got a treat at Sean and Sarah's a few weeks ago when they had me over for a butternut squash pastry bake (for Pastry Week). Unfortunately, the night ended with a phone call from home that a family member was in the hospital. It's hard to explain the feeling of powerlessness being an ocean away when your loved ones aren't well. But I was surrounded by dear friends that supported me until I made the decision for a quick flight home to be there. Fast-forward to last week, and I was quickly on a flight back across the ocean to make it to the CDA's Cyber Security Symposium in London, cashing in my "prize" for last February's Cyber 9/12 competition. I had the honor attending the speaker dinner, and getting to chat with some amazing and diverse people who are protecting us from cyber threats we don't even know exist. It's a simultaneously terrifying and fascinating environment to learn about what is out there and who's on the job to take care of cyber security. However, my jetlag from the Chicago trip (as well as a slip up from the AirBnB host I was supposed to be staying with) meant I had to miss a few speakers at the end. However, I made up for it by taking advantage of London, with a last minute ticket to see Book of Mormon in the West End, and a stop into Sagar, my favorite Indian Restaurant in an anglophone country, to celebrate an early Diwali. Since getting back to Belfast, I've been cleaning my apartment and grading these papers as a means of procrastinating from Theory writing. |
15 Oct 2019
The air is chillier than it was last week. And every cycle to and from work brings new smells of autumn: warm peat fires from chimneys, damp leaves by the river, squishy mud on the path.
Last week I went to London for a critical seminar on Migration and Security at Goldsmith's university, and it was another refreshing moment of conversations with "my people". All the scholars there focused on different aspects of critical theory: post-colonialism, feminism, post-structuralism, etc. and I never felt like I had to justify myself or my work - they just "got it". I also got to go with my supervisor Debbie Lisle, and a new PhD student, Patrick, who were great company to and from London, especially because we got to stay in the very posh Reform Club as Patrick's guests. The trip ended in the midst of an Extinction Rebellion protest at London City airport, when our flight was scheduled to leave - which was such an interesting experience. I felt annoyed at the delay in my personal travel, but sympathetic to their desire to provoke environmental change, as well as interested as a person who researches social movements and policing.
The rest of the week was spent preparing for my meeting with Debbie about my Theory chapter, as well as prepping and delivering my teaching tutorials on liberalism, realism, and critical theories. I really do enjoy being in the classroom and getting provoke discussions and new ideas in first years (although a surprising amount of time has been used to go over how bibliographies and referencing works).
The weekend was filled with our house/apartment warming with wonderful friends, a belated birthday dinner for Eilis, and pumpkin-making (from wool) at the Fine and Dandy market.
All and all, a pretty good week to enjoy the sunshine for as long as it's with us. I've been relying on soup-making and tea to keep cozy, with long walks along the river to enjoy the crisp air.
Last week I went to London for a critical seminar on Migration and Security at Goldsmith's university, and it was another refreshing moment of conversations with "my people". All the scholars there focused on different aspects of critical theory: post-colonialism, feminism, post-structuralism, etc. and I never felt like I had to justify myself or my work - they just "got it". I also got to go with my supervisor Debbie Lisle, and a new PhD student, Patrick, who were great company to and from London, especially because we got to stay in the very posh Reform Club as Patrick's guests. The trip ended in the midst of an Extinction Rebellion protest at London City airport, when our flight was scheduled to leave - which was such an interesting experience. I felt annoyed at the delay in my personal travel, but sympathetic to their desire to provoke environmental change, as well as interested as a person who researches social movements and policing.
The rest of the week was spent preparing for my meeting with Debbie about my Theory chapter, as well as prepping and delivering my teaching tutorials on liberalism, realism, and critical theories. I really do enjoy being in the classroom and getting provoke discussions and new ideas in first years (although a surprising amount of time has been used to go over how bibliographies and referencing works).
The weekend was filled with our house/apartment warming with wonderful friends, a belated birthday dinner for Eilis, and pumpkin-making (from wool) at the Fine and Dandy market.
All and all, a pretty good week to enjoy the sunshine for as long as it's with us. I've been relying on soup-making and tea to keep cozy, with long walks along the river to enjoy the crisp air.
6 Oct 2019
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I seem to have misplaced September. I could have sworn it was here a minute ago - but now it's gone and October is in full swing - I even saw a few kids in Botanic Gardens with pumpkins on their sweaters today as I cycled through the crisp autumn air to get some work done on a Sunday.
It's unsurprising that September got lost in all the commotion of the last, well, month. It was dotted with a few blackberry pickings, walks through the woods and sunny office days. But it was also punctuated by apartment and office moves, a trip to Nantes (involving many carbs and wines), and a hop over to Chicago for some intermediary fieldwork (along with some end of the season tomatoes from my mom's garden) before going to Vail, Colorado to celebrate a friend's wedding (accompanied by my dear JVC NW housemates). When I arrived in Dublin on 30 September, I had no idea was year it was, let alone the hour or day. But there's no rest of the weary (academic), and I hit the ground running as a TA on 1 October for a first year undergraduate module on World Politics. So, as I have now much to catch up on, I'll leave you with some pictures to tell the stories of my September. |
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29 August 2019
I can't find any more words in my head to write for my literature review at the moment, so I'm using this as a reflective work-break.
I've gotten back into baking and cooking, and I have come to see these activities as a very good stress-reliever, with tasty endings. It's very grounding, calming, and even when there's a mess, I've found it to be a good place to practice meditation and breathing. The difference between a photo of my beautifully finished raspberry crumble and another image that captures the chaos after a huge salt spill have also reminded me of the peaks and troughs of this PhD process. There are a lot of days when my desk and brain are filled with a cacophony of words and tabs, but the sweetness of having a beautiful 8,000-word article ready for submission at the end is unrivaled by even my best stout cake. Sometimes, my hands slip and I cut myself on sharp edges during this experience. But with proper self-care throughout the process, the blood, sweat and tears I put in can lead to some delicious results.
With my slower commutes home, as I take it easy, I've also been reminded that when it starts to rain after a really long day and I can't wait to curl up in bed, looking around for inspiration can lead to some pretty amazing discoveries, such as the rainbow I glimpsed yesterday.
I've gotten back into baking and cooking, and I have come to see these activities as a very good stress-reliever, with tasty endings. It's very grounding, calming, and even when there's a mess, I've found it to be a good place to practice meditation and breathing. The difference between a photo of my beautifully finished raspberry crumble and another image that captures the chaos after a huge salt spill have also reminded me of the peaks and troughs of this PhD process. There are a lot of days when my desk and brain are filled with a cacophony of words and tabs, but the sweetness of having a beautiful 8,000-word article ready for submission at the end is unrivaled by even my best stout cake. Sometimes, my hands slip and I cut myself on sharp edges during this experience. But with proper self-care throughout the process, the blood, sweat and tears I put in can lead to some delicious results.
With my slower commutes home, as I take it easy, I've also been reminded that when it starts to rain after a really long day and I can't wait to curl up in bed, looking around for inspiration can lead to some pretty amazing discoveries, such as the rainbow I glimpsed yesterday.
26 August 2019
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This was a sunny, beautiful weekend in Belfast. And I filled it with bike trips, time with family friends, blackberry picking, and a craft-market.
Keeping up this week's theme of taking it easy, I decided to go for a meditative walk along the Lagan to start my Saturday, which brought me some good headspace and fresh blackberries along the side of the footpath. It was a motivation meditation through the app HeadSpace, which I found out a have a free subscription through as a student member of Spotify (shout-out to those two companies for recognizing students' need for this!), which left me...well...motivated. So after getting back home and eating a blackberry-themed vegan parfait, I grabbed my backpack, hopped on my bike and cycled to get some groceries. My favorite part about this town is that they still have a lot of local small businesses, like Michael's Fruit and Veg on Ormeau Road - which has become my go-to for affordable, local, seasonal produce. It's also conveniently located near my family friend's home, Eilis and Paddy. The other thing I appreciate about Northern Irish culture is the fact that dropping in to friends and family for a cuppa is always welcomed - no need to call ahead or have an excuse. Unfortunately, Eilis was feeling under the weather, and had to rest up, as she's having hip replacement surgery next week. But Paddy and I spent a relaxing wee while in their garden over a cup of green tea and a biscoff. |
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That wee while turned into a few hours of me helping him go through old records and fourty-fives in the garage, and then picking more blackberries in their garden (third favorite thing, if you haven't guessed yet, is these delicious berries grow like weeds over here). I had promised Eilis I'd get her some Vitamin C tabs from the store, so I hopped back on my bike and told them I'd be back on my way home to drop it off.
Well, after returning to "just drop off the medicine", my afternoon at their place turned into an evening at their place, when they offered/insisted on cooking me dinner. We enjoyed it while watching Hannah Gadsby's Nanette - which I HIGHLY recommend. Today, was just as sunny and bright of a Sunday as my Saturday was. I woke up, read an email saying I wasn't successful in an application for a conference in November (an imporant, albeit disappointing, reminder that I won't get 'em all), and headed over to the Fine and Dandy Market at Elmwood Hall. Smiling faces and beautiful arts, crafts, and plants greeted me ; and after walking through the entire market once, I had made a sheep brooch (given to EIlis, to get 'wool' soon), sewed two hair bowties (one matched my dress perfectly), ordered personalized stationary, stocked-up on some eco-friendly toiletries, and purchased an absolutely stunning, one-of-a-kind hand-made blanket. Needless to say, I consider it a pretty successful trip. Most of all though, I enjoyed chatting with the overwhelmingly friendly vendors, whose work on each table was clearly their passions. It happens every month, so if you're in Belfast, you'd be crazy to miss it - I'll definitely be back. |
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22 August 2019
It has a pretty overwhelming month. Usually, blogs and such highlight the positives, which is very important, but I've also realized the validity in writing on the tougher parts of this PhD process (and all the life-stuff that happens in between).
During a routine cervical exam, I was recently diagnosed with CIN3 or severe dysplasia. There are no words that describe the feeling of hearing "pre-cancerous cells" from a letter from the doctor, so I won't try. I'll only take this time to say that in difficult times, the people who take the time to walk with you really shine through. The GP I am with in the NHS was outstanding in taking time to explain to me the timeline and risks - calming my fears by noting that the procedure I would have would be preventative, and reiterating that these results do not mean cancer right now. Also, I've been showered with support from friends and family, from Sean driving me to and from the clinic, to Melissa and Louise coming by to sit with me and just chill, to my mom who immediately asked if she should book a flight over and has been on the phone with me checking-in.
I had the LLETZ procedure to remove the affected cells this week, which was an outpatient, local anesthetic appointment. This week has been more emotionally and mentally taxing than physically, and I've learned the importance of removing myself from the stresses of work to properly recover. With a PhD, it feels like you could always be doing more: more readings, more writing, more thinking, etc.; and it is really difficult to separate yourself from those pressures. So, I feel lucky to be in an environment that helps me prioritize my well-being, even though it's still a work-in-progress. (Special shout out to Matthew and Sean in my office for introducing me to Terry Prachett, who has given me a perfect distraction in Discworld...)
I won't be able to exercise for a few weeks, so I'm replacing that with meditation and slow walks. Today, I walked to work, and got to enjoy some wild blackberry picking and took time to (literally) stop and smell the flowers.
I also want to take this time to encourage all females to keep up with their routine gynecological exams. Any stigma or discomfort around the topic should not take precedence over your health and well-being.
During a routine cervical exam, I was recently diagnosed with CIN3 or severe dysplasia. There are no words that describe the feeling of hearing "pre-cancerous cells" from a letter from the doctor, so I won't try. I'll only take this time to say that in difficult times, the people who take the time to walk with you really shine through. The GP I am with in the NHS was outstanding in taking time to explain to me the timeline and risks - calming my fears by noting that the procedure I would have would be preventative, and reiterating that these results do not mean cancer right now. Also, I've been showered with support from friends and family, from Sean driving me to and from the clinic, to Melissa and Louise coming by to sit with me and just chill, to my mom who immediately asked if she should book a flight over and has been on the phone with me checking-in.
I had the LLETZ procedure to remove the affected cells this week, which was an outpatient, local anesthetic appointment. This week has been more emotionally and mentally taxing than physically, and I've learned the importance of removing myself from the stresses of work to properly recover. With a PhD, it feels like you could always be doing more: more readings, more writing, more thinking, etc.; and it is really difficult to separate yourself from those pressures. So, I feel lucky to be in an environment that helps me prioritize my well-being, even though it's still a work-in-progress. (Special shout out to Matthew and Sean in my office for introducing me to Terry Prachett, who has given me a perfect distraction in Discworld...)
I won't be able to exercise for a few weeks, so I'm replacing that with meditation and slow walks. Today, I walked to work, and got to enjoy some wild blackberry picking and took time to (literally) stop and smell the flowers.
I also want to take this time to encourage all females to keep up with their routine gynecological exams. Any stigma or discomfort around the topic should not take precedence over your health and well-being.
11 August 2019
I really love an opportunity to show off this beautiful place to friends and family from back home. Two friends recently were passing through Belfast during their trekking trip around the entire island of Ireland, and I was lucky enough to share Cave Hill with them. Beth and Jonathan live and work in D.C. now, but I met them while working at Marquette in Milwaukee last year. They are both doing amazing work in social justice and it was amazing to get to have a day filled with fulfilling conversations about anything from local NI politics to career discernment in academia, as we walked up the trail to get an arial view of Belfast. After a trip around QUB's campus and a stop in Eat Street and Darcy's with our fellow hillwalkers, Sean and Sarah, the vegan menus and insightful conversations left us all satisfied in body and mind.
I would reccomend a look at Beth's work; she does everything from career discernment, to social and ecological justice, to walking meditations. She can be found at Heart-Head-Hands.com, which has some truly inspiring ecourses and blog posts. (Some of the above photos are hers!)
I would reccomend a look at Beth's work; she does everything from career discernment, to social and ecological justice, to walking meditations. She can be found at Heart-Head-Hands.com, which has some truly inspiring ecourses and blog posts. (Some of the above photos are hers!)
1 August 2019
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I had to sneak in another trip to the Mournes before really getting back into writing my literature review (which is due at the end of this month). So I dragged two friends, Kathryn from Milwaukee and Emmanuel from France, with me to show off my favorite part of Northern Ireland. Driving into Newcastle, with the Irish sea on the left and the mountaintops of the Mournes coming into the distance, never fails to bring me sense of grounded calmness. There's just something about this hidden gem that never fails to put me in a better mood after being there.
So we all woke up at 7AM to get the rental car (since the public transportation leaves much to be desired here), and prepped our PB&Js (a first for Emmanuel) to get on the road. The skies of Belfast were quite grey, so there wasn't much optimism for a dry day, but the sun peaked through just as we drove in through Dundrum Bay. A quick dander through Tollymore forest was the eprfect warm up, as we saw the hermatages and bridges that became the backdrops for season one of Game of Thrones. But determined that the sunlight would not going be lost on us, we headed up to the Slieve Donnard carpark for the main event. The first 1/4th of the walk is through a wooded climb that snakes along a bubbling stream. This part cuts open to a flowered valley and the first introduction to Northern Irish sheep. From there, it is a steady climb into the saddle, till you meet the imfamous Mourne wall. We took a short break at the wall to catch our breath and enjoy the PB&Js (now officially French-approved), shilelded from the wind by the stones that had been there long, long before us. The hike up Donnard (the tallest peak in Northern Ireland) really begins here, with a mixture of miss-matched "steps" and gravel, and it ends with two false summits to really make you earn the sense of accomplishment. But getting up to the summitt does make it worthwhile, with a strong breeze swirling around views of the mountain range to the west, expansive blue waters to the east, farmland to the south, and the tiny town of Newcastle to the north. Our way back to Belfast included a well-deserved ice-cream along Newcastle's promenade, and a stop-over at my family friends' Eilis and Paddy for a cuppa and catch-up before the weekly pub quiz with Louise and family to finish off a wonderfully full day. |
29 July 2019
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What ever happened to lazy summer days?! I mean, I can't complain, really, because they have been replaced by amazing experiences, opportunities and adventures - but, boy, am I exhausted.
This month began with the Gregynog Ideas Lab, an absolutely soul-affirming experience for critical scholars studying International Relations. Organized by and for academics in critical, postcolonial, feminist, post-structural and psychoanalytic traditions - it provides a space for people whose approaches don't always "fit in" well to the traditional and dominant approaches in academia. It was so nice to walk into a space where, when I brought up my research, I didn't need to explain or justify myself - they just "got it". When I first heard about the week-long summer-school-esque course, I expected to be exhausted and overwhelmed by the end of the sessions. However, between getting to hear from well-established academics like Jenny Edkins and Rob Walker, and learning new ways to approach my research from Himadeep Muppidi and Erzsebet Strausz, and mingling with other PhD students who are working on truly innovating things, I ended up feeling more energized and excited to get back to my own work. On top of all of that, the setting in an old mansion in rural Mid-Wales (which served such great vegan food that even the omnivores started requesting the vegan option) made the whole experience unforgettable (not least because of the ghost stories of the two former proprietresses of the home). I've already marked out next year's Gregynog schedule on my calendar. As excited as I was to get back to work, I had to wait a bit longer - because Manchester and Northern Wales were calling. I had never been to either, and after a few days in the former and a week in the latter, I can definitely say I'll be back again. Manchester's eclectic political history of labor movements and punk rock was a surprise (see the bottom right photo for their bumble bee obsession). Having done the free walking tour, and after 3 hours, I was still curious for more. After a visit to an old friend, Eve, who I did my MA with at QUB, I met up with another friend, Kathryn, who flew in from Milwaukee, to get out of the city and into the mountains of Snowdonia. From walled-towns to rainy summits, we traversed Northern Wales. Starting with the sleepy port of Conwy, we toured 15th century castles and Elizabethian mansions. From there, we drove to the forested Bets-y-coed (pronouned bet-uh-suh-coy-d), saw the lake where Excalibur was ditched, and hiked the Lord-of-the-Rings-esque Mount Snowdon (highest peak in Wales). We also had a stop-over down into a slate quarry, complete with hard hats and overalls. After that, the Mediterranean-touristy feel of Portmarion was a stark contrast from the sandy Welsh beaches around Harlech castle. And we finished our adventure with a few light houses around Anglesey's South Stack and Ynys Llanddwyn (I can't begin to write out the pronunciation on this). I'll let the photos do the talking, because my Welsh pronunciation is still shaky. But from out first hike to the ferry to Dublin, it was a trip with more peaks than troughs. 
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4 July 2019 | HAPPY FOURTH!
I can't believe how fast this week is going by... I'll be off on another plane to Wales in just a few days.
When I got back to our apartment from Krakow, I was greeted with a Happy Birthday balloon and the smiling face of my favourite Belfast roomie, Louise. To be away from home is always difficult, especially on special days of the year, but I am constantly reminded of the makeshift family I've gathered across the ocean, who helps make things easier. Our kitchen table is now filled with a lovely array of cards from the States and Belfast to remind me of how lucky I am to have so many people amazing and supportive all over the world in my life.
Although it's been busy at the office, with reviews for the IPS journal, conference calls to seminars in London, and edits of my own writing, I've still been able to enjoy some sunshine and Belfast culture. I went with Emmanuel to the Ulster Museum, which currently houses a stunning exhibition of local handwoven tapestry from Northern Ireland to celebrate Game of Thrones. The pictures don't do justice to the intricate details and stunning artistry of fabric that covers all eight seasons. Hand woven wicker dragons also hover in the museum's airspace, and I'm glad that the industry is able to incorporate local craft and talent in such unique ways.
Since it was sunny and (relatively) warm, I woke up early yesterday to hike up Cave Hill with Sean before we headed to the office. It's enjoyable to see how different the landscape is from autumn, to winter, to spring, to summer. Wild flowers were in full bloom, and made the Estate Trail a colorful path to walk through.
This evening, I'm meeting up with some friends, so that we can raise a glass at Cutter's Warf to America's birthday (and a cheeky extended belated birthday for me). I hope Americans around the U.S. and the world have a enjoyable and safe fourth of July.
When I got back to our apartment from Krakow, I was greeted with a Happy Birthday balloon and the smiling face of my favourite Belfast roomie, Louise. To be away from home is always difficult, especially on special days of the year, but I am constantly reminded of the makeshift family I've gathered across the ocean, who helps make things easier. Our kitchen table is now filled with a lovely array of cards from the States and Belfast to remind me of how lucky I am to have so many people amazing and supportive all over the world in my life.
Although it's been busy at the office, with reviews for the IPS journal, conference calls to seminars in London, and edits of my own writing, I've still been able to enjoy some sunshine and Belfast culture. I went with Emmanuel to the Ulster Museum, which currently houses a stunning exhibition of local handwoven tapestry from Northern Ireland to celebrate Game of Thrones. The pictures don't do justice to the intricate details and stunning artistry of fabric that covers all eight seasons. Hand woven wicker dragons also hover in the museum's airspace, and I'm glad that the industry is able to incorporate local craft and talent in such unique ways.
Since it was sunny and (relatively) warm, I woke up early yesterday to hike up Cave Hill with Sean before we headed to the office. It's enjoyable to see how different the landscape is from autumn, to winter, to spring, to summer. Wild flowers were in full bloom, and made the Estate Trail a colorful path to walk through.
This evening, I'm meeting up with some friends, so that we can raise a glass at Cutter's Warf to America's birthday (and a cheeky extended belated birthday for me). I hope Americans around the U.S. and the world have a enjoyable and safe fourth of July.
29 June 2019
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It has certainly been a busy time. I’m writing from a plane at the moment flying back to Belfast, somewhere between the Netherlands and Ireland. I can tell we’re approaching my little island, because there's more and more clouds to fly over....
The last few weeks have had be tied up with preparations for what turned out to be an awesome workshop at the European Workshops on International Studies in Krakow Poland which I'm flying back from right now. After meeting with Debbie before she left for her own various conferences this month, I realized that we have had a few miscommunications on structure for the project. Nothing serious, but it has required some revising and re-thinking. There are times when writing is exhausting and it seems like I'm so far off the right track that I'll never find it back again. But then a wave of clarity hits - and I have to type furiously to get all the thoughts out of my head before they fly away. A week before I was set to present, I decided to travel with two friends to get to know Krakow and have a breather before the EWIS conference. We got there right as the annual Jewish Festival started, and also got to see the summer solstice celebrations along the river. Emmanuel and Julia both made excellent travel companions, and it was the perfect mix of sleeping in, going to museums and sightseeing, and enjoying local cuisine and beverages. Through couchsurfing, we also met a local named Marta, who was the best tour guide, taking us to local breweries and tiny bars, sharing the story of Smok the Dragon, and translating the Polish menus of all the different kinds of vodka and perogies. We stumbled upon a great ethnographic tour that was a part of the Jewish Festivalt, and I would also highly recommend the MOACK museum which is nestled inside the Schinder factory to anyone visiting. Krakow is a perfect mix of ancient castle architecture, 20th century history, and a modern culinary/nightlife scene (plenty of vegan options, in case you're wondering). Even just walking around the Old City and Jewish Quarter brings up new surprises, like the familiar wheel of Rotary. At times, I even felt at like I was back in Chicago, seeing similar foods and signs from my childhood (fun fact, Krakow has the third largest Polish population in the world, behind Warsaw and Chicago). Our time at Auschwitz and Birkenau was sobering, and served as a chilling reminder of the importance of continuous efforts against such calculated tyranny that can manifest in so many forms. The Salt Mines were a sight to see, and a time in which my French came in handy, as we got in a francophone tour when the English ones had sold out. But after enjoying the hot sun and friendly atmosphere, it was time to get back to work, all too soon. The conference started on June 26th - which is known in some circles as the best day of the year, both for the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision in 2015 and for my birth in 1991. I started the day off with last minute readings of other participant's papers, and a fresh vegan breakfast near Jagiellonian University before heading to the Plenary sessions. Two days later, I was standing in front of a small group of academics in the Surveillance, Transparency and Truth workshop, presenting my work on police and protesters in the Black Lives Matter movement. The workshop was so enlightening, not just for the feedback given about my own paper, but also to see what work is going on across Europe on my field. The night closed with us all going to a vodka bar, to sip on a few local delicacies and continue our nerdy conversations long into the evening. Overall, it was a perfect way to spend my birthweek. Now, it's back to Belfast for a week, before heading to Gregynog, Wales for a summer school. |
04 June 2019 | EID MUBARAK
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A few weeks ago, I found out that I had earned the " Alan Graham Fund Travel Scholarship " to undertake my future fieldwork in the states next academic year. So, last week, I was invited to be a part of the ceremony, in the bright Canada Room of the Lanyon building. It was great hearing the stories behind the various awards and funds, both from the benefactors and beneficiaries, and spending intentional time to celebrate our work.
But to have something to celebrate requires the work to go along with it. Having met with Debbie, my primary supervisor, after differentiation, there are a lot of things to get done. But the project is really coming together, and like a jigsaw puzzle, the wider picture is becoming clearer and clearer as more piece are put into place. If we're sticking with the puzzle metaphor, there are still thousands of pieces all over the place, some of which are missing from the box... but it still remains a fun activity - for now. Belfast is still a cool, rainy town, even in June - but I still try to get outside and clear my mind as much as possible, either going to the Mournes, getting up to Fairhead, or even just walking through Botanic garden. I've found that, in the light summer rain especially, the flowers have become very fragrant - and stopping to smell them on my walk to work makes the day seem sweeter all around. (Having an after-work drink with co-workers, topped with a flower, also helps.) |
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27 May 2019
Even when I take a few days "off", it feels like there's always so much going on. I've been trying to catch up on all of the to-do lists that I put off with differentiation, and it is a Sisyphian struggle.
From booking flights for conferences to actually writing the papers to present in said conferences, there's always something to keep me busy. One of these conferences, the first of a year-long seminar series, was on Friday, which meant I had to pop over to London to meet everyone. It is an IPS seminar series, organized by students from London School of Economics, King's College London, and Queen Mary University London. Pros: it was an environment in which I felt like I was surrounded by people who 'got' my work. They are all early career critical, trans-disciplinary scholars, who are also used to not feeling like they 'fit in' with one subject. Cons: I flew in and out of town in less than 24 hours, and found out that the funding they will be allocating to support my travel (given my long commute from Belfast) will be a lot less than expected. So, in typical academic fashion, onward to find other funding sources (or as my mom calls them, scams) for the next trip back!
The weekend was a much needed respite, both from work and from the news about the EU elections. I went up for a picnic in Helen's Bay, on Sunday; and although the skies were overcast, there was a pleasant breeze and fresh sea air to enjoy, along with some wine and hummus.
Sunday found me in St. George's Market, with phenomenal findings of a jigsaw globe and teapot succulent. The friendly merchants never fail to show stunning Belfast hospitality, whether helping me clean up my mess of spilled coffee or giving me a change purse after I went back to tell a pursemaker that my mom gets a lot of complements in Chicago from her bag that I bought months ago. I don't know what my favorite part of that open market: the cacophony of tourists and musicians, or the mixture of myriad food options, or the exciting discoveries of one-of-a-kind treasures from smiling vendors.
From booking flights for conferences to actually writing the papers to present in said conferences, there's always something to keep me busy. One of these conferences, the first of a year-long seminar series, was on Friday, which meant I had to pop over to London to meet everyone. It is an IPS seminar series, organized by students from London School of Economics, King's College London, and Queen Mary University London. Pros: it was an environment in which I felt like I was surrounded by people who 'got' my work. They are all early career critical, trans-disciplinary scholars, who are also used to not feeling like they 'fit in' with one subject. Cons: I flew in and out of town in less than 24 hours, and found out that the funding they will be allocating to support my travel (given my long commute from Belfast) will be a lot less than expected. So, in typical academic fashion, onward to find other funding sources (or as my mom calls them, scams) for the next trip back!
The weekend was a much needed respite, both from work and from the news about the EU elections. I went up for a picnic in Helen's Bay, on Sunday; and although the skies were overcast, there was a pleasant breeze and fresh sea air to enjoy, along with some wine and hummus.
Sunday found me in St. George's Market, with phenomenal findings of a jigsaw globe and teapot succulent. The friendly merchants never fail to show stunning Belfast hospitality, whether helping me clean up my mess of spilled coffee or giving me a change purse after I went back to tell a pursemaker that my mom gets a lot of complements in Chicago from her bag that I bought months ago. I don't know what my favorite part of that open market: the cacophony of tourists and musicians, or the mixture of myriad food options, or the exciting discoveries of one-of-a-kind treasures from smiling vendors.
19 May 2019
Everyone recommended that we take a week off after differentation. So, a few of us decided to really take off, going all the way to Derry for two days. It was a quick trip, but it was a great way to relax and get out of the office, physically and mentally. After getting in some culture at the Free Derry museum (note for future visitors: there are some very triggering artifacts from Bloody Sunday, which can be difficult to process), we made some pina coladas and walked about the hilly, sun-streaked cobblestones of "the walled city". For such a tiny town, there were myriad boutiques, bookshops, restaurants and - of course - pubs. At the end of the evening, we couldn't pass up taking selfies with the Derry Girls mural, just before heading to the last pub and calling it a night.
I had an afternoon to myself, as I waited for the 64 bus to take me down south to Mayo, to visit some family and extend the trip. So, I sat in a local vegan cafe, Cow Bog, which has a weird name, quirky wooden aesthetic and delicious breakfasts (perfect for hangovers) reading Terry Pratchett's Men at Arms.
The weekend in Mayo continued with fresh air and slow days, sipping tea next to cast iron stoves. It's a shame it takes longer to get from Belfast to Castlebar (three buses and 8 hours) than Dublin to Chicago (one flight and 7 hours), because it's always so nice to get to see everyone. On the way back, I discovered a slightly faster and more comfortable route through Dublin (one train, one bus and 6 hours). All in all, while sitting on the Liffey, waiting for the Dublin coach to come bring me home, I felt content, and ready for the next adventure.
I had an afternoon to myself, as I waited for the 64 bus to take me down south to Mayo, to visit some family and extend the trip. So, I sat in a local vegan cafe, Cow Bog, which has a weird name, quirky wooden aesthetic and delicious breakfasts (perfect for hangovers) reading Terry Pratchett's Men at Arms.
The weekend in Mayo continued with fresh air and slow days, sipping tea next to cast iron stoves. It's a shame it takes longer to get from Belfast to Castlebar (three buses and 8 hours) than Dublin to Chicago (one flight and 7 hours), because it's always so nice to get to see everyone. On the way back, I discovered a slightly faster and more comfortable route through Dublin (one train, one bus and 6 hours). All in all, while sitting on the Liffey, waiting for the Dublin coach to come bring me home, I felt content, and ready for the next adventure.
16 May 2019
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This last month has gone by in the blink of an eye. With differentiation, teaching and conferences, time has gotten away from me. But I'm happy to say that I've come out the other end - with a stronger confidence in my research and a few great stories.
Between revising my written work and preparing my presentations, I stayed sane by enjoying the best of Belfast's sprawling parks. If the weather was as sunny and mild as it's been this month all the time, we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves. Friday, 3 May, was the LINCS graduate-led conference, with keynote speaker Dean Wilson. After months and months of planning, logistics, abstract-reading and emails, it finally came together, and we got rave reviews. The presenters, who were PhDs from all over (QUB, UCL, Buenos Aires), shared fascinating work that spanned from video games in international relations to stalker-ware around the world, to GDPR in Westminster to technology for tracking carjackings in Brazil. Dean, whom I had invited (selfishly, as he is cited throughout my first chapter), shared a phenomenal genealogy of platform policing, seamlessly touched on everyone's subjects, despite the huge variance in disciplines. And the day finished with a roundtable discussion about trans-disciplinary challenges from three of our own professors from QUB - Philip O'Kane, Debbie Lisle (my supervisor), and Mike Bourne (my previous MA supervisor). Overally, it was empowering to see everything finally come together, and to get good reviews from everyone that attended an event that I co-organized and presented in (although, I can tell you now that I have no intention of signing up to organize another one in the near future). The next week, in between lesson-planning for French and working at Special Collections, I prepared for my oral presentation that would supplement the chapter draft I submitted for differentiation. Not knowing what to expect, everyone in the Hub was naturally buzzing with nervousness. My panel was comprised of Mike Bourne and Kieran McLoughlin, and knowing how Mike gave feedback from my MA experience, I felt slightly more at ease, knowing it wouldn't just be an hour of them trying to dismantle my work. In fact, on the Thursday before the panel, Mike approached me at a HAPP poster event, which my colleagues and I attended for the free wine, and said "I haven't even read your work yet, but I'm sure it'll be great". I'm at a stage in my work that I feel more and more like a peer with my 'supervisors', and I can tell that they want me to succeed. It's very encouraging. Rather than getting a nice relaxing few days before the panel, my schedule was filled with a Rotary presentation about RYLA to the Belfast club, and a master-class with Sen. George Mitchell. These ended up being perfect distractions from sitting around and stressing about what would happen on the Tuesday of my panel. The Rotary presentation was a great opportunity for us to express our gratitude for the experience of RYLA, facilitated by the club. The Mitchell master-class was outstanding. It was an hour in which he took questions from a roomful of MA and PhD students affiliated with the Institute. With a slow north-east-coast accent and a genuineness of tone, we spoke on everything from the Good Friday Agreement to the Green New Deal. I got to ask two questions (well, two two-part questions, so really four); in answering, he looked directly to me and responded with poise and rationality, both providing an impressive amount of facts and figures as well as allowing for hopefulness. Although, I didn't always agree with his words, but I could feel that he would still respect my opinion and see where I was coming from. Differentiation day came and went, and it ended up being a very productive conversation with two scholars in related fields that gave me novel and interesting things to consider while moving forward. During it, I came to the realization that for three years of my life, I'll be doing work on something about which I am passionate and hope to discover more, so I might as well remember to enjoy it. Sure, there will be stressful waves, but I need to remind myself to not let those moments turn into a storm. |
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My desk has been an absolute mess over the past few weeks.
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The room my differentation was in had an appropriate panoptic feel.
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21 April 2019 | HAPPY EASTER
Got to celebrate a beautifully sunny Easter with my favorite Belfast roomie and her wonderful family. Of course, Wisconsin was well represented!
19 April 2019
When it rains it pours...but that gives way to pretty amazing flowers. In the last few weeks I've gotten two new (part-time) job offers, my first article to review, and have been trying to get differentiation materials done. The new positions are with Special Collections at the QUB library (a post I had when I did my MA) and with the Language Centre at QUB teaching beginning French. Both of these I had applied for back in September, but they said they had no openings at the time.
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As an IPS intern with Debbie, my supervisor, I also get to review manuscripts that have applied to be published in the journal. Since these are all positions that involve work that I love, I've said yes to all of them. Sounds a bit crazy, I know, but luckily, they are only 2-5 hours/week, keeping me well below the Tier 4 visa limit of 20hours/week. I'm excited to be back in the classroom teaching, and it'll be nice to be able to see my coworkers at SC again! They will be welcome breaks from constantly thinking about differentiation.
Other breaks have involved taking walks around campus, enjoying the spring sunshine (it stays light outside till 830PM!) and blooming trees. My HAPP peeps and I took a walk over to QUB's Naughton galley in the Lanyon building this week, for the 'Scuse Me art exhibit, walking past QUB's famous thinker. With the cherry blossoms and tulips in bloom, we also decided to take a leisurely stroll through the Botanic Gardens before everyone parted ways for Easter break. Once again, it is always such a pleasant reminder of how much people here take advantage of sunshine - of course that's because we have to enjoy the little sun we do get, but nonetheless, it's a nice atmosphere of solidarity. I can't lie, though, with my Literature Review chapter due, I really have been nerding out with some new library books and fascinating chapters on anything from 1990s french critical theory to modern t-shirts and feminism. Make fun of me all you want, I'll be over here enjoying my pomegranate and Deleuze. |
15 April 2019
It's the Game of Thrones premier. Final season. And I'm in Northern Ireland, home of Westeros. The cruel irony of it is that, even though I live near the real Kings Road, Iron Islands and Winterfell (see photos from last post)...the season aired yesterday in the States. So, now I have to avoid all forms of internet news and social media, to avoid the dreaded and ever-present spoiler minefield.
Furthermore, the only provider that broadcasts it here is SkyTV, which is too posh (and full of sports channels I wouldn't watch) for my bank account.
Luckily there's a few local pubs who are showing GoT when it airs every Monday night. A friend told me that the Bot(anic Inn) posted a start time of 10pm on their Facebook, so we agreed to meet there by 9pm to get a good seat.
As I got into the taxi to get there, I couldn't contain my excitement, and told the driver about my thrilling night ahead. Before reaching the first roundabout, we were swapping predictions and character preferences (I have two scorecard/bets going, with valuable prizes to win...gives a new meaning to the term "fantasy league"). Before I got out, he told me that he had just driven a woman who was an extra in the final season: She said when they shot the finale, they did four different takes with all the extras with only a green screen and a ball that represented the dragon...so no one would know which one would be the actual ending. That's how seriously everyone here takes this stuff.
I walked in to the Bot, wearing all black (loosely dressed as a member of the Night's Watch, oath in hand), to find.... a nearly empty bar. Guess everyone else had gotten the illegal downloads at home.
We waited for an hour... But as the clock neared 9:51, then 9:56, then 9:58, the barman was still searching the channel guide, unable to find the right channel and battling a wake broadband signal. Long story short, at 10:10, we left, still ignorant of the lives of Dany, Jon, Sansa and Arya.
My only consolation was another great taxi driver, who yelled at me "No spoilers!!" when I said the words "Game of Th--", drove me back. Actually he ended up parking on the curb in front of my building with the meter off, telling me of his theory about Bran the builder and the Stark lineage (even rounded down the fare). Although I still haven't gotten to see it, at least there was solidarity across all those still anxiously waiting to watch the recordings.
Well... Vaalar morghulis.
Furthermore, the only provider that broadcasts it here is SkyTV, which is too posh (and full of sports channels I wouldn't watch) for my bank account.
Luckily there's a few local pubs who are showing GoT when it airs every Monday night. A friend told me that the Bot(anic Inn) posted a start time of 10pm on their Facebook, so we agreed to meet there by 9pm to get a good seat.
As I got into the taxi to get there, I couldn't contain my excitement, and told the driver about my thrilling night ahead. Before reaching the first roundabout, we were swapping predictions and character preferences (I have two scorecard/bets going, with valuable prizes to win...gives a new meaning to the term "fantasy league"). Before I got out, he told me that he had just driven a woman who was an extra in the final season: She said when they shot the finale, they did four different takes with all the extras with only a green screen and a ball that represented the dragon...so no one would know which one would be the actual ending. That's how seriously everyone here takes this stuff.
I walked in to the Bot, wearing all black (loosely dressed as a member of the Night's Watch, oath in hand), to find.... a nearly empty bar. Guess everyone else had gotten the illegal downloads at home.
We waited for an hour... But as the clock neared 9:51, then 9:56, then 9:58, the barman was still searching the channel guide, unable to find the right channel and battling a wake broadband signal. Long story short, at 10:10, we left, still ignorant of the lives of Dany, Jon, Sansa and Arya.
My only consolation was another great taxi driver, who yelled at me "No spoilers!!" when I said the words "Game of Th--", drove me back. Actually he ended up parking on the curb in front of my building with the meter off, telling me of his theory about Bran the builder and the Stark lineage (even rounded down the fare). Although I still haven't gotten to see it, at least there was solidarity across all those still anxiously waiting to watch the recordings.
Well... Vaalar morghulis.
9 April 2019
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With deadlines for differentiation coming up, it's been busy. But somehow, I've still found time for my unofficial part-time gig as Northern Ireland's best personal tour guide. My Uncle Tim and cousin Isabel stopped over this weekend for a quick trip - and we got in more than I thought possible in less than 24 hours. Sunday was spent on an unofficial Game of Thrones tour - at their request, just in time for the final season to start. We drove up through the fields of the north, to the Kings Road (Dark Hedges), Castle That Should Have Been in GoT (Dunluce), the Iron Islands (Ballintoy), and Another Spot That GoT Missed Out On (Giants Causeway) - we even stopped for a moment at Bushmills distillery, and took in the banana-bread-esque smells of the old buildings. Driving back along the Antrim coast (and accidentally also going through the beautiful Glens of Antrim because I missed a few directions on the GPS) is without a doubt one of my favorite ways to ground myself. Even when it's dark and stormy, the waves crashing against the coast and the small towns with smoke rising from myriad fireplace-chimneys have a way of calming the mind - as your car speeds along the twists and turns of the road.
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2 April 2019
This past weekend was the Rotary Youth Leadership Award Conference, and going into it, I had no idea what to expect. But even before the first meeting, I was pleasantly surprised when Bryan Johnson told me that I'd be staying at the Europa Hotel for three nights. The rest of the conference kept on delivering amazing surprises. First, the 19 participants represented 6 different Rotary Clubs across Europe, and we hailed originally from 5 different continents. The group was diverse in experience as well, with people from science, business, academia and other fields, there was never a dull conversation. The weekend was full of workshops and gatherings, but there were a few highlights that stuck out: two speakers, Conor Lambe, Chief Economist from Danske Bank and Pierre-Yves from RAC Paris Quai d’Orsay, discussed Brexit and its implications from economic and legal perspectives - which was interesting not only in itself, but also because when they were done, someone said that the UK parliament had voted down 8 more options, on the day that it was originally meant to leave the EU - so it was pertinent, to say the least. Another workshop featured Ted Corcoran, a member of Toastmasters international, on How to Write a Speech in Ten Minutes. It was one of the best workshops I've been to. Ever. I ended up using the method the next week, for a 3-minute thesis presentation with LINCS, and it actually made me excited (as opposed to dreadful) to present (what?!). But above all else was the sense of connection that our group made over the 4 days. We have already begun planning for meet-up in Berlin and Louven; I've set up a book club with two of them to skype once a month; and I'll not soon forget the nights out at the Crown bar and Kelly's Cellars with everyone. I always enjoy showing new people around Belfast, and their reactions and promises to come back to visit meant the world.
17 March 2019 | Happy St. Patrick's Day
Hope that everyone enjoyed the feast day of Ireland's patron saint - wherever you happen to be in the world! I spent the day making my favorite shepard's pie - and dining with my dear family-friends Eilis and Paddy.
March has always been an interesting month, no matter where in the world I've lived. I remember St. Patrick's Day parades that only required an Irish sweater and leggings, and others in the middle of a polar vortex. Belfast has been no different. Some days here feel just as dark, grey and gloomy as the darkest days of winter, while others can be sunny, breezy and bright. Yesterday, as I looked out my window, I saw gorgeous blue skies on my right, but a turn of the head brought sparkling raindrops - right in front of me I could see the line where the rain stopped.
The same capricious weather held up last Friday, while I and a few others from the Hub went down to the city centre to support the Youth Strike 4 Climate. Students, of all ages, stood in Victoria Square, through wind and rain, and called for radical changes to the way adults were handling (or not) climate change. The sun ultimately came out in support, as well, and it was so encouraging to watch young people take concrete action in making their voices heard.
On the way back to the office, we celebrated with vegan Oh! Donuts and I tried my first Greggs vegan sausage roll. With the ups and downs of the temperature (and PhD-life), it is great to have the stability of great co-workers and friends to enjoy such holiday weekends.
March has always been an interesting month, no matter where in the world I've lived. I remember St. Patrick's Day parades that only required an Irish sweater and leggings, and others in the middle of a polar vortex. Belfast has been no different. Some days here feel just as dark, grey and gloomy as the darkest days of winter, while others can be sunny, breezy and bright. Yesterday, as I looked out my window, I saw gorgeous blue skies on my right, but a turn of the head brought sparkling raindrops - right in front of me I could see the line where the rain stopped.
The same capricious weather held up last Friday, while I and a few others from the Hub went down to the city centre to support the Youth Strike 4 Climate. Students, of all ages, stood in Victoria Square, through wind and rain, and called for radical changes to the way adults were handling (or not) climate change. The sun ultimately came out in support, as well, and it was so encouraging to watch young people take concrete action in making their voices heard.
On the way back to the office, we celebrated with vegan Oh! Donuts and I tried my first Greggs vegan sausage roll. With the ups and downs of the temperature (and PhD-life), it is great to have the stability of great co-workers and friends to enjoy such holiday weekends.
10 March 2019
No big news to report. It's been a solid start to March, where days go between snow, sun, and showers - as well as work, walks and writing.
Yesterday, after getting a fry at Maggie Mays, my co-PhDer Melissa and I went for a walk to enjoy the ephemeral sunshine. It was the kind of walk that leads you down muddy paths, where the air smells like earth and the earth feels like water. It never ceases to amaze me that everyone here really takes advantage of beautiful weather.
Yes, we all may constantly complain about the incessant grey; but when it does cease and give way to blue, you'll find Belfast's walking paths pleasantly crowded with strollers, dog leashes, running shoes, and canes.
When the days return to grey, the best way to maintain sanity until the next sun-spell is to go to a cozy cafe and pretend to be productive on a Sunday afternoon.
Yesterday, after getting a fry at Maggie Mays, my co-PhDer Melissa and I went for a walk to enjoy the ephemeral sunshine. It was the kind of walk that leads you down muddy paths, where the air smells like earth and the earth feels like water. It never ceases to amaze me that everyone here really takes advantage of beautiful weather.
Yes, we all may constantly complain about the incessant grey; but when it does cease and give way to blue, you'll find Belfast's walking paths pleasantly crowded with strollers, dog leashes, running shoes, and canes.
When the days return to grey, the best way to maintain sanity until the next sun-spell is to go to a cozy cafe and pretend to be productive on a Sunday afternoon.
1 March 2019
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It's APR (annual progress review) and differentiation season - and Spring is in the air.
Despite the impending due dates coming up in April and May, it has felt good to actually have concrete assignments to tackle. We need to present 6,000 words of text, outline the feasibility of the project's ethnographic work, and demonstrate oral and written proficiency in the subject. Now that I've settled on my case studies, I've gotten a better sense of the organization of my chapters. The best part is, the more I think about delving into the theory and doing the practical fieldwork, the more excited I get about the next few years. I'm enjoying what I'm doing. I feel excited to get started on the interviews and ethnographic work. I feel like I have a map of where the theory will go. I want to get up and work on weekends - not because I feel I have to, but because I have so many thoughts about the work, which come at all times of the day and if I don't get them out, I'll explode. (Nerdy, I know.) My summer calendar is also starting to fill up. I'm confirmed for Krakow in June (over my birthday) and mid-Wales in July for conferences and summer schools. These events seem like they'll be equally challenging and helpful to furthering my research. Plus it'll put me in contact with other people in my field - so we can lament and nerd-out together. Work-life balancing is another challenge - and I'm relying on my commute through Botanic and along the river to keep me grounded. Trying new vegan recipes spices up the week as well (seewhatididthere?), although some attempts are more successful than others. To top it all off, popping into a pub - like Cutter's winter domes - and doing weekday game nights with co-workers helps keep the PhD-induced insanity at bay. |
19 February 2019 | A Valentine's Day Sing-a-long
As promised, a quick synopsis of the Dublin trip from last week:
Fresh off of our London success, our plane landed back in Belfast last Wednesday, which meant I had about 12 hours to get everything together for a research networking event with the Policing Authority in Dublin on Thursday. With some rest and a load of laundry under my belt, I woke up at 6AM to catch the 2 hour bus from Glengall station to Custom House Quay. I learned the difficult lesson that doing make-up on bus is recipe for frustration and uneven eyebrows.
The taxi from the Custom House to the Ashling Hotel was pleasant - and after charging me a fortune (I have gotten used to Belfast's reasonable pricing), the driver told me how I could take the Luas tram for a fraction of the time and cost to get back (which was great advice, and on the Luas later that day, I had the pleasant experience of seeing a "Visit Chicago" ad). I arrived to a fancy hotel, and signage pointed me toward the Policing Research event. Throughout the day, I had the chance to hear from and talk to a range of scholars and practitioners, representing every university on the island of Ireland, all of whom were engaged with policing studies from all disciplines. I've found these events to be helpful in processing my own work, as well as in hearing other approaches to the topics I'm researching.
I had decided to stay that evening in Dublin - and booked a small room in the quaint Ferryman Townhouse right on the Lagan. Since it was Valentine's day, I figured it was a good time to take myself out for a nice date - so I booked one ticket to Motown: The Musical, even splurging for the closer seat. I got dressed up in my nicest black jumpsuit, and naively set out for a pre-show dinner - without having reserved a table. After four restaurant attempts, I got a salad at a hotel lobby bar (sidenote: I was unimpressed with Dublin hotels' vegan offerings, Belfast has a far better vegan food culture - at least that I know of), and walked across to the Bord Gais Theatre.
A word to the wise, in that theatre, Row C is actually the front row - a surprise I discovered while taking my seat at the right end of the row. I had a pleasant conversation with the older couple behind me, and the Dublin-based gentleman told me they had been married for 45 years. When I asked their secret, given the holiday, his lovely wife noted that it was actually 46 years, and that although they disagree a lot - the secret is to never go to bed or leave the house while still fighting. On that note, the lights dimmed, and soon the hall was filled with the beats and energy that made Motown what it was.
The point about Row C being in front is important to this story, given that in the middle of the show, during the "The Supremes' farewell concert" in 1970 at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, the young Diana Ross, debuting her "new" single, walked to our side of the stage to interact with the audience. I turned to see an usher asking "Do you want to sing with Miss Ross?", and it took me a second to realize he was in fact asking me. With shock on my face and fear in my voice, I said "I can't sing!"; but before I had time to protest further, the usher took my hand and I looked back to the couple behind me smiling and urging me on (...traitors). The rest is a blur, and all I remember is a flash of white light in my eyes when I turned to face the audience, as "Miss Ross" smiled warmly as she put her arm around my side. Thank God she did - because my knees might have buckled if I wasn't clutching at her beaded dress. She asked, in her soft, high voice, "Now where are you from?" I replied, with a terrified smile and an American accent, "Chicago". Her eyebrows raised for a moment, and she said, "Whoa, you came all the way from Chicago to see me perform in Las Vegas?" (Clearly, it was supposed to be a more exciting punchline, with most of the audience being from Ireland). She then said "So are you ready to sing with me? Do you know this song?" Unfortunately, her "new single" in 1970, Reach Out and Touch, was also brand new to me, and I replied with an apologetic "No, sorry". I half felt relief, since I wouldn't have to sing in front of two thousand people, and the other half was guilt, since there were definitely audience members among that 2,000 who were better Diana Ross fans and should have been up there instead. But, she wasn't planning on letting me off that easily, and as the orchestra band played louder, she said, "Don't worry, honey, I'll help you!" and before I knew it, there was a microphone in front of my mouth, her voice telling me the lyrics in my ear, and the bright stage light in my eyes. I think I got into it a bit more by the third line - and I'm pretty sure I lifted my arm and reached out to the audience to (please please) join along; although, it really was a blur. After what felt like years, but was probably less than a minute, she put me (and the audiences' ears) out of misery, and I let go of my death grip on the back of her beautiful dress to walk down the steps and to my seat. My hands were still shaking a few songs later, and a disbelieving smile stayed on my face, long after the people around me had said "Well done!" (lie), "I never would have done that!" (thanks), and "You were lovely!" (bigger lie).
It wasn't until the next day, as I walked toward the EPIC museum to learn about Irish emigration (which I highly recommend for its interactive and informative, albeit dungeon-like layout), that I realized how lucky I had been: Thank god she didn't ask, "And who are you celebrating with tonight?", because then the audience would have had to pity both my singing (in)ability and my being alone on Valentine's Day.
Fresh off of our London success, our plane landed back in Belfast last Wednesday, which meant I had about 12 hours to get everything together for a research networking event with the Policing Authority in Dublin on Thursday. With some rest and a load of laundry under my belt, I woke up at 6AM to catch the 2 hour bus from Glengall station to Custom House Quay. I learned the difficult lesson that doing make-up on bus is recipe for frustration and uneven eyebrows.
The taxi from the Custom House to the Ashling Hotel was pleasant - and after charging me a fortune (I have gotten used to Belfast's reasonable pricing), the driver told me how I could take the Luas tram for a fraction of the time and cost to get back (which was great advice, and on the Luas later that day, I had the pleasant experience of seeing a "Visit Chicago" ad). I arrived to a fancy hotel, and signage pointed me toward the Policing Research event. Throughout the day, I had the chance to hear from and talk to a range of scholars and practitioners, representing every university on the island of Ireland, all of whom were engaged with policing studies from all disciplines. I've found these events to be helpful in processing my own work, as well as in hearing other approaches to the topics I'm researching.
I had decided to stay that evening in Dublin - and booked a small room in the quaint Ferryman Townhouse right on the Lagan. Since it was Valentine's day, I figured it was a good time to take myself out for a nice date - so I booked one ticket to Motown: The Musical, even splurging for the closer seat. I got dressed up in my nicest black jumpsuit, and naively set out for a pre-show dinner - without having reserved a table. After four restaurant attempts, I got a salad at a hotel lobby bar (sidenote: I was unimpressed with Dublin hotels' vegan offerings, Belfast has a far better vegan food culture - at least that I know of), and walked across to the Bord Gais Theatre.
A word to the wise, in that theatre, Row C is actually the front row - a surprise I discovered while taking my seat at the right end of the row. I had a pleasant conversation with the older couple behind me, and the Dublin-based gentleman told me they had been married for 45 years. When I asked their secret, given the holiday, his lovely wife noted that it was actually 46 years, and that although they disagree a lot - the secret is to never go to bed or leave the house while still fighting. On that note, the lights dimmed, and soon the hall was filled with the beats and energy that made Motown what it was.
The point about Row C being in front is important to this story, given that in the middle of the show, during the "The Supremes' farewell concert" in 1970 at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, the young Diana Ross, debuting her "new" single, walked to our side of the stage to interact with the audience. I turned to see an usher asking "Do you want to sing with Miss Ross?", and it took me a second to realize he was in fact asking me. With shock on my face and fear in my voice, I said "I can't sing!"; but before I had time to protest further, the usher took my hand and I looked back to the couple behind me smiling and urging me on (...traitors). The rest is a blur, and all I remember is a flash of white light in my eyes when I turned to face the audience, as "Miss Ross" smiled warmly as she put her arm around my side. Thank God she did - because my knees might have buckled if I wasn't clutching at her beaded dress. She asked, in her soft, high voice, "Now where are you from?" I replied, with a terrified smile and an American accent, "Chicago". Her eyebrows raised for a moment, and she said, "Whoa, you came all the way from Chicago to see me perform in Las Vegas?" (Clearly, it was supposed to be a more exciting punchline, with most of the audience being from Ireland). She then said "So are you ready to sing with me? Do you know this song?" Unfortunately, her "new single" in 1970, Reach Out and Touch, was also brand new to me, and I replied with an apologetic "No, sorry". I half felt relief, since I wouldn't have to sing in front of two thousand people, and the other half was guilt, since there were definitely audience members among that 2,000 who were better Diana Ross fans and should have been up there instead. But, she wasn't planning on letting me off that easily, and as the orchestra band played louder, she said, "Don't worry, honey, I'll help you!" and before I knew it, there was a microphone in front of my mouth, her voice telling me the lyrics in my ear, and the bright stage light in my eyes. I think I got into it a bit more by the third line - and I'm pretty sure I lifted my arm and reached out to the audience to (please please) join along; although, it really was a blur. After what felt like years, but was probably less than a minute, she put me (and the audiences' ears) out of misery, and I let go of my death grip on the back of her beautiful dress to walk down the steps and to my seat. My hands were still shaking a few songs later, and a disbelieving smile stayed on my face, long after the people around me had said "Well done!" (lie), "I never would have done that!" (thanks), and "You were lovely!" (bigger lie).
It wasn't until the next day, as I walked toward the EPIC museum to learn about Irish emigration (which I highly recommend for its interactive and informative, albeit dungeon-like layout), that I realized how lucky I had been: Thank god she didn't ask, "And who are you celebrating with tonight?", because then the audience would have had to pity both my singing (in)ability and my being alone on Valentine's Day.
17 February 2019
What a whirlwind of a travel week. This past week, I've been in three different countries (albeit all within 500 miles of each other). My schedule was packed with a cyber-security competition in London (outlined right here) and a policing research event in Dublin (which I'll tell you about in my next post). My days were as busy and bustling as the city streets I walked.
In London, my LINCS cohort and I represented QUB at the 9/12 Cyber Security Competition, put on by the Atlantic Council in the BT Tower. The competition was in three rounds. The first, in which we were presented with a cyber-security incident facing the UK (a hacktivist threatened to release a code vulnerability for UK fuel outposts), we had a few weeks to prepare a policy document and oral presentation on how to address the issue. Our team was made up of PhDs in Law, Military Science, Economics and International Relations - and we felt we didn't have enough technical-coding experience to make it very far in the competition. In fact, I was looking forward to just getting to see London again and go back to my favorite Indian restaurant. Well, after one of our first judges gave us a "barbed compliment" that if he hadn't seen we were from QUB, he would have thought we were "Oxford PPEs" - we listened for them to announce the 7 of 19 teams to advance to the semi-final round.
"In no particular order the teams are.....", said the BT Tower exec. I started to think about how interesting the master-class (for those who weren't progressing) was going to be the next day. "....and finally - The Strongest LINC 2.0!" My team looked at each other in excited bewilderment. Getting through to the semi-final meant that the incident had worsened and we would only have the night to draft a new policy document and oral presentation to respond - which meant I would be missing my chance to go to that Indian restaurant. On a positive note, though, the wine reception at the revolving top of the BT Tower, which isn't open to the public, gave us some opportunities to make a number of great connections to other teams, judges, and organizers from all different academic, professional, and governmental backgrounds.
They gave us the new "situation" after liquoring everyone up a bit, and we headed to a quick Yo Sushi dinner before getting to the hotel. Our team finally got to bed at 230AM, and set our alarms for the 745AM start of the competition's second day. It seemed that all the other 7 teams had also gotten about the same amount of sleep (see below: progression of dark circles under our eyes in the team photos from before the competition to the final round) - as we sleepily watched the well-rested teams that were going to the master-class, while we sat nervously waiting for our judging panel to open the boardroom doors. I'll save you from the details and cut to the climax: after another round of presenting before judge panels, we were 1 of 3 teams to get through to the final. If you've been following, you'll have noted that at first we had a few weeks to get our policy together, then one night; so, in the final round, they escalated the situation, and each team was given 20 minutes to prep a new response, before going on stage to deliver a 10 minute presentation and 15 minute Q&A in front of all of the competition's attendees.
All in all, our team produced a good response, articulated it well, and answered the judges' questions strongly. We placed second, just narrowly behind the Cambridge team. More substantive than the piece of paper and title, however, was that we came away with a trip to the CDA in October and a challenge coin. The interdisciplinary and cross-industry contacts we've made have already led to the building of a network I never would have had without this experience.
The thing I am most grateful for is the message that was reiterated over and over throughout the Competition: that the field of cyber-security is stronger when people from a diverse set of experiences believe they have something important to contribute. Moving forward, legal professionals, social scientists and humanities academics have just as crucial of a role to play in cyber-security as "techies and programmers". Moreover, the turn out of females at the competition made up 60% of team demographics this year, a huge progression from last year. There are still more inter-sectional perspectives that need to be actively included, and I hope that next year's competition will continue the trends of diversity in cyber-security across all platforms.
In London, my LINCS cohort and I represented QUB at the 9/12 Cyber Security Competition, put on by the Atlantic Council in the BT Tower. The competition was in three rounds. The first, in which we were presented with a cyber-security incident facing the UK (a hacktivist threatened to release a code vulnerability for UK fuel outposts), we had a few weeks to prepare a policy document and oral presentation on how to address the issue. Our team was made up of PhDs in Law, Military Science, Economics and International Relations - and we felt we didn't have enough technical-coding experience to make it very far in the competition. In fact, I was looking forward to just getting to see London again and go back to my favorite Indian restaurant. Well, after one of our first judges gave us a "barbed compliment" that if he hadn't seen we were from QUB, he would have thought we were "Oxford PPEs" - we listened for them to announce the 7 of 19 teams to advance to the semi-final round.
"In no particular order the teams are.....", said the BT Tower exec. I started to think about how interesting the master-class (for those who weren't progressing) was going to be the next day. "....and finally - The Strongest LINC 2.0!" My team looked at each other in excited bewilderment. Getting through to the semi-final meant that the incident had worsened and we would only have the night to draft a new policy document and oral presentation to respond - which meant I would be missing my chance to go to that Indian restaurant. On a positive note, though, the wine reception at the revolving top of the BT Tower, which isn't open to the public, gave us some opportunities to make a number of great connections to other teams, judges, and organizers from all different academic, professional, and governmental backgrounds.
They gave us the new "situation" after liquoring everyone up a bit, and we headed to a quick Yo Sushi dinner before getting to the hotel. Our team finally got to bed at 230AM, and set our alarms for the 745AM start of the competition's second day. It seemed that all the other 7 teams had also gotten about the same amount of sleep (see below: progression of dark circles under our eyes in the team photos from before the competition to the final round) - as we sleepily watched the well-rested teams that were going to the master-class, while we sat nervously waiting for our judging panel to open the boardroom doors. I'll save you from the details and cut to the climax: after another round of presenting before judge panels, we were 1 of 3 teams to get through to the final. If you've been following, you'll have noted that at first we had a few weeks to get our policy together, then one night; so, in the final round, they escalated the situation, and each team was given 20 minutes to prep a new response, before going on stage to deliver a 10 minute presentation and 15 minute Q&A in front of all of the competition's attendees.
All in all, our team produced a good response, articulated it well, and answered the judges' questions strongly. We placed second, just narrowly behind the Cambridge team. More substantive than the piece of paper and title, however, was that we came away with a trip to the CDA in October and a challenge coin. The interdisciplinary and cross-industry contacts we've made have already led to the building of a network I never would have had without this experience.
The thing I am most grateful for is the message that was reiterated over and over throughout the Competition: that the field of cyber-security is stronger when people from a diverse set of experiences believe they have something important to contribute. Moving forward, legal professionals, social scientists and humanities academics have just as crucial of a role to play in cyber-security as "techies and programmers". Moreover, the turn out of females at the competition made up 60% of team demographics this year, a huge progression from last year. There are still more inter-sectional perspectives that need to be actively included, and I hope that next year's competition will continue the trends of diversity in cyber-security across all platforms.
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07 February 2019
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It's a small world, after all. So small, in fact that when I popped over to Disneyland Paris this past weekend on a whim, I found a Wisconsin license plate while enjoying a soja burger in the famous Annette's Diner!
It all began last Tuesday, when a few of us at the office decided to go out for a celebratory pint...for having survived another Tuesday in January. After a few shared bottles of wine at the Jeggy Nettle and a few servings of chips (with salt and vinegar), I headed home. When I got home, Louise was still up, and we began to talk about how we needed something to look forward to at the weekend to make it through the rest of the week. The suggestions began with fancy dinners down in the city centre, but finding suitable vegan options for me became tedious. One thing led to another, and within the hour, we were booking flights to Paris and tickets to Disneyland. Needless-to-say, I vacillated between productivity and procrastination for the rest of the week. Friday evening, we piled ourselves and suitcases into her parents' car, and got dropped off just in time to find a delayed flight. In fact, the whole weekend kept hitting us with queues and delays (including a 50 minute wait in a Customer Relations line, because we didn't realize there were two separate parks), but we were determined not to let that get us down in the Happiest Place on Earth®. We made sure to hit all the classics - Dumbo, Tea Cups, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones - and I managed to drag her onto the Space Mountain rollercoaster (which she said she enjoyed, but wouldn't go again). The Parisian specialties like Ratatouie were pleasantly surprising, as well - and they had plenty of vegan options! We also got to spend a day in the Parisian city centre, walking up and down the Seine, glimpsing les gilets jaunes near our cafe, and having tea at Café de la Paix with my former host family. All in all, a fantasitic weekend, much needed respite from the weekly grind. And although I'm back to the quotidien, the memories will carry me till springtime arrives here. |
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23 January 2019
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January in Belfast is a quiet one. The holiday rush is through, and people get back to work, trying to avoid the January blues. Another reason the January blues are heavy: my favorite poet, Mary Oliver, passed away this week - and her eye for the small things in nature's beauty, combined with her ability to translate powerful sentiments with few and simple words, will be greatly missed. This time of the year has been a constant lesson in learning how to slow down. I've been trying to take advantage of the nature walks around Belfast, going one Friday morning with my HAPP cohort to Divis Mountain. If I said that the winding path up the steep mountain made for treacherous hiking and we encountered fearful beasts that blocked our path, I wouldn't be lying per say. But the less exciting story, which still paints a pretty picture, was that it's a nice hill-walk with views of Irish lakes in the distance, and stubborn horses at the gate that wouldn't budge. I also discovered a beautiful trail route right across the rive from my doorstep - and definitely plan to take advantage of the riverside paths in South Belfast. I always enjoy when the water is still, and sends mirror-images back to the trees that line the river. With morning darkness lasting till past 8AM, getting out from under warm duvets before 9AM is a challenge when there aren't walks to look forward to. So, my days in the office have started later (blessings of making your own schedule), and thus carried on long after the sun goes down at 500PM (curses of making your own schedule). I've been working on funding applications for research travel this year, which means spending a lot of time defining what I want to do/who I want to talk to, before I've laid out what exactly I'm studying. Yesterday, my supervisor returned my drafts, tearing them apart case by case. I spent all night last night revising it, ready for our meeting today. I even got out of bed at 8AM (gasp), and got everything ready for a productive morning. It had snowed yesterday evening. And although the pretty white ground had turned back to asphalt black by morning, I was excited to enjoy the crisp commute to work. Long story short: the snow was gone, but the ice was still very much present - and I slipped hard and landed with a crack on the cold ground, about fifty feet from my front door. Torn jacket, ripped jeans, and bruised ego aside - I hobbled back to my apartment. I've decided to work from home, while resting, icing, and elevating today. I'm taking this as a sign that I need to slow down, both in walking and in writing. I think Mary Oliver would agree. |
11 January 2019
How do I love thee, Belfast? Let me count the ways... I love thy film theatres and coffee shops, riverwalks and mountaintops.
Since most people enjoy the first few weeks of January off, the office has been very empty, and thus very bleak. So, I've been doing most of my work in "wee cafés"; my favorite is 387 Ormeau Rd, which has the best (vegan) rasher and sausage bagels around. And, surprisingly, I've made good progress on an abstract for a conference in June. Submission is in two days, so we'll see if they accept my proposal on sousveillance in protests.
Besides that, my social calendar in the evenings has been completely booked: from celebrating Louise's 30th birthday (when I presented her with a "mug"shot of Ted Bundy, her favorite serial killer), to becoming the "team to beat" at Bob Stewart's Wednesday pub quiz, to Tuesday uke sessions at the Sunflower, to enjoying a screening and discussion of RBG at QTF on Thursday.
Belfast really does have so much to take advantage of. I tried to capture artsy pictures while on the bus from Dublin, when the bus's window next to my seat provided a title to my photos (I had to inverse the images for them to be legible). Let me know what you think.
With all these activities, it has been hard overcoming jetlag and staying grounded. So, as general new year's resolutions, I've taken to doing daily yoga, going for walks along the river, and maintaining my houseplants (...and starting to sound very old...). Hopefully I can keep this all up when Differentiation and conference season draws nearer.
Since most people enjoy the first few weeks of January off, the office has been very empty, and thus very bleak. So, I've been doing most of my work in "wee cafés"; my favorite is 387 Ormeau Rd, which has the best (vegan) rasher and sausage bagels around. And, surprisingly, I've made good progress on an abstract for a conference in June. Submission is in two days, so we'll see if they accept my proposal on sousveillance in protests.
Besides that, my social calendar in the evenings has been completely booked: from celebrating Louise's 30th birthday (when I presented her with a "mug"shot of Ted Bundy, her favorite serial killer), to becoming the "team to beat" at Bob Stewart's Wednesday pub quiz, to Tuesday uke sessions at the Sunflower, to enjoying a screening and discussion of RBG at QTF on Thursday.
Belfast really does have so much to take advantage of. I tried to capture artsy pictures while on the bus from Dublin, when the bus's window next to my seat provided a title to my photos (I had to inverse the images for them to be legible). Let me know what you think.
With all these activities, it has been hard overcoming jetlag and staying grounded. So, as general new year's resolutions, I've taken to doing daily yoga, going for walks along the river, and maintaining my houseplants (...and starting to sound very old...). Hopefully I can keep this all up when Differentiation and conference season draws nearer.
02 January 2019 | HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The holidays went by as they usually do: filled with family, friends, and too much food/drink. Indeed, it seems my days and nights have been too filled with such excitement that I haven't had a moment to reflect. So, I've decided that this year's first post will be a quick reflection on all of the many peaks and few troughs throughout 2018...
This time last year -after celebrating a bit too much on NYE- I was on a 15-hour planeride from Chicago to New Delhi to co-teach a Marquette course on Religion and Nonviolence in North East India. Traveling the farthest east I've ever been with eight students and three other professors, those two weeks were filled with a myriad of new experiences and people who have remained in my thoughts all year.
The day we landed state-side, I arrived back to Marquette's campus with 30 minutes to spare before teaching my first independent course: Intro to Peace Studies. That semester was filled with long nights of lesson-planning and grading, and anxious mornings of trying to perfect everything before each class. But, for every new gray hair and worry-wrinkle that I earned over those 15 weeks, I also gained immense awe for my students' creativity, collaboration and perspectives. Although their semester-end evaluations of the course cited important new insights that they learned about peacemaking, I wonder if they ever realized all of the lessons they taught me as well.
The mid-way point of that semester also marked the most exciting news of the year: I was chosen as Milwaukee Rotary District 6270's Global Grant Scholar, which would afford me the ability to begin my PhD starting in September with the Mitchell Institute at Queen's University Belfast.
I spent the summer both frantically organizing the logistics necessary to move across the ocean, as well as desperately trying to enjoy the best that my dear Milwaukee had to offer: from Summerfest concerts to sailboat adventures, from climbing indoors at AdRock to eating outside at Corazon. I even managed to squeeze in a trip out west to visit old friends and see familiar places along the Olympic Penninsula.
The last few weeks of August were difficult, not just because my visa still hadn't come back from the consulate, but moreso because of the emotional goodbyes I had to be prepared to say. I am in the beautifully difficult position of having multiple loving communities, which all happen to be separated by long planerides - their support and distance are things that I am eternally grateful for and simultaneously saddened by.
September through December's highs and lows are recorded below, so I won't bore anyone with repetition. But reflecting on this whirlwind of 2018, I cannot help but feel that words and pictures cannot truly capture the -sometimes overwhelming- gratitude and humility I feel for the people and opportunities that make my life so very rich. If you are reading this, you are very likely a part of that source of happiness - dhanyavad, go raibh mile maith agat, merci, thank you.
I wish everyone a very joyous, educational, fulfilling and exciting new year - I am certainly looking forward to what we will all make out of 2019.
This time last year -after celebrating a bit too much on NYE- I was on a 15-hour planeride from Chicago to New Delhi to co-teach a Marquette course on Religion and Nonviolence in North East India. Traveling the farthest east I've ever been with eight students and three other professors, those two weeks were filled with a myriad of new experiences and people who have remained in my thoughts all year.
The day we landed state-side, I arrived back to Marquette's campus with 30 minutes to spare before teaching my first independent course: Intro to Peace Studies. That semester was filled with long nights of lesson-planning and grading, and anxious mornings of trying to perfect everything before each class. But, for every new gray hair and worry-wrinkle that I earned over those 15 weeks, I also gained immense awe for my students' creativity, collaboration and perspectives. Although their semester-end evaluations of the course cited important new insights that they learned about peacemaking, I wonder if they ever realized all of the lessons they taught me as well.
The mid-way point of that semester also marked the most exciting news of the year: I was chosen as Milwaukee Rotary District 6270's Global Grant Scholar, which would afford me the ability to begin my PhD starting in September with the Mitchell Institute at Queen's University Belfast.
I spent the summer both frantically organizing the logistics necessary to move across the ocean, as well as desperately trying to enjoy the best that my dear Milwaukee had to offer: from Summerfest concerts to sailboat adventures, from climbing indoors at AdRock to eating outside at Corazon. I even managed to squeeze in a trip out west to visit old friends and see familiar places along the Olympic Penninsula.
The last few weeks of August were difficult, not just because my visa still hadn't come back from the consulate, but moreso because of the emotional goodbyes I had to be prepared to say. I am in the beautifully difficult position of having multiple loving communities, which all happen to be separated by long planerides - their support and distance are things that I am eternally grateful for and simultaneously saddened by.
September through December's highs and lows are recorded below, so I won't bore anyone with repetition. But reflecting on this whirlwind of 2018, I cannot help but feel that words and pictures cannot truly capture the -sometimes overwhelming- gratitude and humility I feel for the people and opportunities that make my life so very rich. If you are reading this, you are very likely a part of that source of happiness - dhanyavad, go raibh mile maith agat, merci, thank you.
I wish everyone a very joyous, educational, fulfilling and exciting new year - I am certainly looking forward to what we will all make out of 2019.
10 December 2018
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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...just with lots of rain instead of snow. Louise and I have put up a Christmas tree and lights in our wee apartment, and I've even decorated a new aloe plant with Christmas ornaments to really set the seasonal mood. Beyond trying mulled wine at the Mitchell Institute's Christmas lunch, shopping for brussel sprouts at the festive Continental Market at Belfast City Hall, going to Eat Street for a vegan Christmas dinner with a delicious chocolate dessert and opening up my vegan advent calendar - most of my time has been dedicated to preparing for a three-month review at the end of this month.
I'm meant to show my progress in the literature, outline my research design, and make sure the scope of my project is feasible over three years. It has required a lot of time-management (which has not always been successful), and I am learning the power of scheduled breaks... That is, when I know that we are having a tea-break at 1PM, I'm much better at being effective in my writing for the hour before. And my cohort has made sure that these breaks aren't limited to the Common Room table. Last week, we woke up early Monday morning to start the week off with a walk up to Cave Hill. If you want to feel accomplished at the end of the week, I'd recommend starting the week by climbing a small mountain that overlooks a city as beautiful as Belfast. My meeting with my supervisor is on Friday - so we'll see then whether all this "time-management" has paid off. |
27 November 2018
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Put a check in the box for my first Rotary Presentation!
Last week, I had the pleasure of being escorted to the Belmont Hotel in Banbridge, Co. Down on a rainy Tuesday evening to join the Banbridge Rotary Club's weekly meeting. As to be expected from Rotary, the group was filled with friendly, accomplished members - including their current president, Tanya Davis, whose career trajectory includes everything from serving as a police officer to educating those with special needs. Sitting amongst such interesting people led to fascinating discussions about the role of education in community relations and more. The club was kind enough to give me the opportunity to share a bit about myself, including about my grant host clubs Milwaukee District 6270 and Elmbrook Rotary Club. I also took the opportunity to bore them with the research I'm undertaking thanks to Rotary's support - which led to even more great discussions and networking. They even invited me to their Christmas dinner celebration in December. I cannot fail to be amazed at the warmth and thoughtfulness, as well as the drive and commitment Rotary members have for their local and global communities. I look forward to traveling to more clubs - where I can expect nothing but the same generosity that I've already experienced thus far. |
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23 November 2018
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This month has absolutely flown by. I vacillate between feelings of competence and existential crises of unproductivity. On the whole, my biking-commute to/from work, even when it gets dark at 4:30PM, helps ground me. I've found that the more I read Michel Foucault and Nicholas Mirzoeff, the more fascinated and convinced I become in the importance of my work.
I still don't feel like I've gotten into a productive writing-reading routine, but I have been making sure to take advantage of any and all extracurricular opportunities that come my way. I'm taking courses Hindi and Quantitative Analysis for fun (...I know, I know...); I've helped organize and get funding for an ongoing event for 1st year PhD students to practice their presentation skills; I go to workshops on subjects like "Imposter Syndrome Training" and "Participant and Non-participant Observation"; I'm helping put together a conference for the Spring (more on that later). All of this to say that I definitely am busy - in a great way. I feel motivated and energized by the supportive and challenging academic environment that surrounds me. Call me a nerd, that's okay - I don't think I will ever tire of the process of learning. Last weekend brought a quick trip to London. It turned out to simultaneously be a much needed breather from the office, as well as a refreshing look at my topic. Among the bike tours, breathtaking views and Christmas lights- I came across a protest on our final day there in Picadilly - immediately I watched the protestor and police interactions - curious to ask questions and see how they were getting-on. I can't escape my research - and right now, at least, I'm happy that's the case. |
22 November 2018 | Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays - not only is it set during my favorite season, but it's also based upon of my three favorite things: friends, family and food. Being across the ocean means missing out on the traditional comforts of home, but my colleagues today have shown me that the essence of those three elements of Thanksgiving is definitely not limited to a geographical boundary.
Getting into the Hub, I was greeted by Thanksgiving signs - in English and Irish (the middle one with the turkey says "I'm thankful for vegans!")! Lunch, as I walked into the common room for lunch, my fellow first year PhDs had set out a makeshift potluck with brownies, chips and pumpkin pie - ALL OF WHICH WERE VEGAN! Sticking with tradition, I made everyone go around and say something they were thankful for - and, clearly, my answer was to be surrounded by such supportive and thoughtful people, especially in an academic environment typically assumed to be lonely and isolating. So, from Belfast to the US and across the world to anyone celebrating - whether eating home-cooked t(of)urkey with your family or home-made pumpkin pie with your co-workers: I hope your day is as full of warmth, camaraderie and gratitude as mine has been. |
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31 October 2018
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This weekend, my mom, Jim and I spent our time enjoying the chilly outdoors - going first to the Ulster Museum Folk and Transport Museum and then to Carrickfergus castle, both of which were a perfect, off-the-beaten-path experience of Northern Irish history and culture - complete with phenomenal views of Belfast Harbour. Of course, we also stopped in to warm up at St. George's, so they could experience the hustle and bustle of a Sunday morning market.
But it hasn't been all tourism and games...after saying bye to my family, I've spent my weekdays investigating, planning and attending conferences (oh, the woes of academic life). Thanks to Bryan Johnson with the Belfast Rotary Club, I secured a place at the 5th Annual Building Peace Conference at Ulster University this week. Biking into the city centre on a sunny day, I arrived (a bit late) and made my way into the conference room just in time to hear a thoughtful discussion on the simultaneously polarizing and united forces in digital communities. Sometimes, I have to stop and think how lucky I am that I can fill my days with such engaging and thought-provoking opportunities - all in line with the research I'm interested in. 
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24 October 2018
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Over the last few weeks, autumn has finally come to Belfast; and so has my family! My days have been filled with courses, readings and meetings - all of which have brought me closer to the thesis map that I am creating with my supervisor, Debbie. To changes things up and to enjoy the crisp air, I've been visiting local coffee shops to get my work done and sip on warm tea - my favorite of which is Cutter's Warf, which conveniently sits right across the river from my flat.
But in working towards a healthy PhD-life balance, I've been consciously making time to do morning yoga, enjoy an afternoon swim and go climbing some evenings. With Halloween on the horizon, my housemate Louise and I wanted to [pumpkin]spice up our apartment and decided to carve jack-o-lanters. Well, Louise's was a jack-o-lantern...mine was a pumpkin pie (seewhatididthere?). I toasted seeds, as we toasted to our artistry over wine. Most exciting, though, has been a visit from my mom and Jim, who have been troopers despite all of us having flu-like symptoms. As per their request, we have enjoyed Belfast's finest culinary spots - including Mourne's Seafood, Shed, and The Barking Dog. And I took them to one of my favorite parts of Northern Ireland: the Mourne Mountains and Newcastle. On our walk through Tollymore Forest, every sense came alive. As we took in the sounds of the dancing river and the colors of the trees preparing for the cold, and felt the crackling leaves under our feet, I was reminded of why autumn is my favorite time of the year. |
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14 October 2018
I can confidently say that the dust is settling and I'm feeling, well, settled. Over the last two weeks, I've gotten into a routine. It includes going to my "office", which is a collection of computers with the other HAPP (History, Anthropology, Politics, and Philosophy) 1st-year PhD students at Queen's, during the week to read, take notes, look up conferences, and freak out about what I'm going to present to my supervisor for the next meeting. In the evenings I go rock climbing at the PEC with the Mountaineering club, and come home to watch Great British Bake Off (which was vegan themed last week!) with my housemate. I also attend two courses regularly: Global Concepts & Practices in Conflict Resolution, and Global Ethics. And each brings about discussions and topics as fascinating and thought-provoking as the last. In the Ethics course last week, Fabian (the prof) came in wearing a sweatshirt that said "khayyam, mammun, ibn sina & ibn rushd", which no one paid much attention to. By the end of the class, the whole class was having a heated discussion on these "lost" arab philosophers and thinkers, and the ways in which global histories are written (or re-written). It was wonderful.
I have to say, I've really enjoyed getting to know some of the people I'll be spending the next three years with, from the classes to the office "Hub". They come from all backgrounds, a number of countries (N. Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Kenya, Germany, and more), and everyone is working of such interesting projects! I get to every Sunday evening, looking forward to what perplexing puzzles and animated conversations the upcoming week has to offer.
I have to say, I've really enjoyed getting to know some of the people I'll be spending the next three years with, from the classes to the office "Hub". They come from all backgrounds, a number of countries (N. Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Kenya, Germany, and more), and everyone is working of such interesting projects! I get to every Sunday evening, looking forward to what perplexing puzzles and animated conversations the upcoming week has to offer.
2 October 2018
Well, things certainly haven't slowed down since the start of the semester! And I wouldn't have it any other way! I've been introduced to my cohort and started on some interesting courses, including Global Ethics and Conflict Transformation & Justice. Most exciting has been a meeting with my PhD supervisor, Debbie Lisle, which included a lot of post-its, highlighters and crossed-out words, as we worked to hone in on the map of my project. Although the road ahead will be tough, I'm in good hands when it comes to being supported.
As for the RIBI Conference in Kilkenny, it was full of plenty of inspiring speakers, beautiful scenery and craic (a highlight was a tour of the 800+ year old Kilkenny castle). Myself and two other Global Grant Scholars (David from Arkansas, studying at Queen's ; Tiffany from Massachusetts, studying at Limerick) had the opportunity to connect with Rotarians from all over Ireland. So many clubs were eager to host us, and I've already set up speaking events in Carlow, Larne, Cork, and Newtownabbey. The weekend, which followed the theme of "Be the inspiration", opened my eyes to the fact that this scholarship goes far beyond the financial support. I am now a part of this international network of people eager to affect change in their communities and across the global, all in a myriad of different ways. I'm really looking forward to meeting more inspirational people and doing my part to aid in the great work Rotary is doing all over.
As for the RIBI Conference in Kilkenny, it was full of plenty of inspiring speakers, beautiful scenery and craic (a highlight was a tour of the 800+ year old Kilkenny castle). Myself and two other Global Grant Scholars (David from Arkansas, studying at Queen's ; Tiffany from Massachusetts, studying at Limerick) had the opportunity to connect with Rotarians from all over Ireland. So many clubs were eager to host us, and I've already set up speaking events in Carlow, Larne, Cork, and Newtownabbey. The weekend, which followed the theme of "Be the inspiration", opened my eyes to the fact that this scholarship goes far beyond the financial support. I am now a part of this international network of people eager to affect change in their communities and across the global, all in a myriad of different ways. I'm really looking forward to meeting more inspirational people and doing my part to aid in the great work Rotary is doing all over.
Although I have thoroughly enjoyed these hectic, non-stop three weeks of settling into life in Northern Ireland, I do think often of the Midwest and everyone back home. So, I'm currently streaming 88Nine, to hear familiar some familiar sounds and keep homesickness at bay while I work.
24 September 2018
Hitting the ground running... It has been two weeks here in Belfast, and I can't decide whether it feels more like only a minute has passed or rather as if I've been back here for years. My absence away from updating you has been due to the seemingly thousands of logistical bits and bobs to get done - everything from getting registered at Queen's University (QUB) to finding an apartment to rent. Although there are still loose ends to finish tying, I can check off a good number of items on my never-ending list. It has been exciting, overwhelming, confusing and exhilarating; but most of all, I feel supported and ready for this journey. |
I owe a huge thanks to the contacts through the ever-supportive Belfast Rotary Club. In fact, in a few hours, I will be joining them for their weekly club meeting at the Europa Hotel. There, I'll find out more about this coming weekend's Rotary Ireland Conference, which I'll be attending in Kilkenny.
Check back soon for photos! |
18 September 2018And so I've landed...
Today marks one full week in Belfast, and it did not disappoint. As I write to you next to a sun-streaked window that overlooks the hills of south Belfast, I think through the highs and lows of these past 168 hours. The week has been full of running around, taking care of all of the tedious logistical necessities that come with moving across an ocean. Luckily the people of Rotary have made my landing much softer, and I couldn't be more grateful for the support I continue to receive from those both in Milwaukee and Belfast.
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