This Post is for my DAD who is 100% pure IRISH! His great grandparents came to the United States from Kilkenny which is a mere 1-1/2 hour train ride from Dulbin. I plan to visit this town next time I am in Ireland, which will most likely be very soon.
The purpose of my trip was work, but I did manage to have a wee bit of fun while there. I traveled with 4 of my colleagues from school to meet with the Dublin City Council. We are working on a Strategic Management project and my group was offered the opportunity to collaborate with the Social Housing Maintenance Department to help them build a vision and move towards sustainability. I know, social housing may not sound all that exciting, but when you think about it, it encompasses a whole lot of interesting things - houses, materials, energy, water and PEOPLE! So, we showed up to facilitate a workshop and soon realized it was 5 of us girls (ranging in age from 24 to 40) and 10 men all over 55, but we were not intimidated. We had the entire afternoon with them and it turned out to be an amazing experience. We somehow managed to engage this group despite our differences and we really got them excited about sustainability. Mission accomplished!
The purpose of my trip was work, but I did manage to have a wee bit of fun while there. I traveled with 4 of my colleagues from school to meet with the Dublin City Council. We are working on a Strategic Management project and my group was offered the opportunity to collaborate with the Social Housing Maintenance Department to help them build a vision and move towards sustainability. I know, social housing may not sound all that exciting, but when you think about it, it encompasses a whole lot of interesting things - houses, materials, energy, water and PEOPLE! So, we showed up to facilitate a workshop and soon realized it was 5 of us girls (ranging in age from 24 to 40) and 10 men all over 55, but we were not intimidated. We had the entire afternoon with them and it turned out to be an amazing experience. We somehow managed to engage this group despite our differences and we really got them excited about sustainability. Mission accomplished!
The next day we had a full day of interviews and tours set up by the sustainable consultant that we are partnering with. We toured the maintenance depot, visited several social housing flats, interviewed a politician and met with the tenant association. It was eye opening to realize that all of these groups, as diverse as they were, had the same vision. The issue was lack of communication and community participation. This seems to be a common occurance and is too often overlooked. We will never be a sustainable society until there is equality in the world and we will not reach equality unless we take an integrated approach where all perspectives are considered.
This expereince really reminded me of how fortunate I am...to be able to take 9 months off to persue my passion, to have choices and to support myself. Some of the tenants I met are struggling to live each day, they have nothing and they are losing hope. We tend to forget that this is happening all over the world, we live in our bubbles and look the other way...please take a step back during this holiday season and truly be thankful for who you are (not what you have because material possessions do not define you).
Later that evening, to celebrate our success, the sustainable consultant took us out for our first Guinness in Dublin. I must say it was quite tasty, but not as smooth and delicious as the brew at the Guinness factory which we indulged in later! After a few drinks we got talking and next thing I knew we had a thesis project with Dublin!!! The next day we met with the city planner and it was official. I will be teaming with my colleagues Melina (city planner from France) and Caroline (marketing/ communication specialist from Canada) on a redevelopment plan for the City of Dublin. We do not know exactly what this entails but we are very excited about the opportunity.
Other than that, Dublin is a wonderful city. It is full of energy and history and I really feel drawn to it. I feel welcome and comfortable there - perhaps I have this sense of connection because Ireland was home to my great, great grandparents, it is the source of my history, my family. I saw my dad in people's faces everywhere I went - it was all so familiar. And the people, the people are genuinely warm and outgoing. I met quite a few people that remind me of a family friend while growing up - Johnny Hill - he is still remembered for his laughter and heart.
I love Dublin and I am looking forward to returning for my thesis project. Next visit I hope to have time to explore more of Ireland as it is truly an amzing place!
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