What’s On the Other Side?

The name of this programme has become something of an inside joke between its members. “What’s on the Other Side sounds kind of morbid, doesn’t it?” joked Cheryl Meban, one of the group’s supervisors.

 

In reality, the two-month course was created to gather students from different religious backgrounds at the University of Ulster. The expectation was that the students would be mainly from Northern Ireland and from an either Protestant or Catholic family. The result of the course, however, was an amalgam of students from all over the world.

 

There were a few other Americans beside myself, along with other members from Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, China, Turkey, and Britain.  We met once a week and what was supposed to be an hour-long discussion usually turned into two or three. Even though such a wide spectrum of members was not anticipated, the programme still served its purpose by allowing us to see the world through someone else’s eyes. 
 

We discussed obvious differences first, such as clothing, geography, and language. As time moved on, however, we talked about things that we would have probably been afraid to discuss in other settings like ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, gun violence in the United States, and even terrorism within Islamic cultures. The candidness within the group was refreshing and created close bonds between the members.

 

The course concluded with an overnight trip to Ballymena, a community that has been greatly affected by sectarian violence. We visited churches from different denominations to hear about the town’s past, present, and hopes for the future.  By this point we all had an understanding of the conflict in Northern Ireland and were able to discuss ideas on how to improve relations. This was a rewarding experience because it allowed me to gain insight into Northern Ireland outside of the University atmosphere, where ‘The Troubles’, sectarianism, and racism are rarely discussed.

Overall, ‘What’s on the Other Side?’ was a huge success. Every session turned into something fascinating and honest.  People were able to ask questions without feeling invasive and receive thoughtful answers.  

 

I am grateful to the University of Ulster Jordanstown and Youth Link for making this course possible. 

 

Aimee Sanford