At the final week, I have learned so many amazing things and have heard so many inspiring stories while attending the UNCRPD. In the beginning of the week, we met with a woman named Erica Stross, who is an individual with Cerebral Palsy. She told us a story where she was caught grabbing her child’s arm when he was being scolded, so the school brought her in for a meeting because they were concerned. They told her that she was doing a ‘good job parenting DESPITE having a disability’, which was very appalling to hear. They were basing her parenting skills off of the fact that she was an individual with a disability and judged her parenting skills on how well she could function outside of her disability. They also came off accusative instead of having an open conversation about whether she was being abusive about her child or not. Erica felt that they were making accusations based off of her CP. Another story she shared with us was when she found out that her sons teacher called her ‘slow’ when she did not pick him up right away. When her son heard this and saw another child who was not picked up yet, he said ‘his mom is also slow’, taking the saying literally when the teacher meant it to be an insult on his mothers mental illness. This just shows that children are much more accepting and less likely to see things like mental illness as anything other than a difference. Erica also said that when she came to the states for middle school, they had to hold her back a year because the schools in England were not teaching her everything that she should have been learning. Because of this experience, she thinks that’s schools in the US are much better than schools in England when it has to do with disability.

We also were able to meet one of the speakers named Judy. Judy asked me about my teaching job I had last summer and asked what training the school offered for the children for life after school, such as practical life skills and vocational training. I told her that they only had half of a year when they were 18 of ‘practical life training’ where all they did was make rugs, count money, shred paper, and cook. These are not jobs that the people want, these are only jobs that people with disabilities think are available to them. They should be training for things that they actually want to do, not just a small number of jobs that people think are the only jobs people with disabilities can get. Also, she told me that they are required to start job training and practical life skills when they are 14! It was amazing that schools that I worked at did not start doing this until the age of 18! Clearly, something needs to be done about students and preparing for their future careers.

Finally, we had the opportunity to meet Tom Harkin, the man behind the creation of the ADA. He told us a story about a girl named Emily, who was told she could only do certain jobs and ended up in a job she hated. She started pulling out her fingernails and cutting her arms because of the unhappiness she felt. When asked what was wrong, she told her parents that she was not happy and not happy with the person she was. She was not doing what she wanted to do. When asked what she wanted to do she said she wanted to own a coffee shop. So she did just that and now owns a very successful coffee shop in Iowa. She has 5 people working there: her, 3 people with disabilities, and one without. This shows that these people have hopes and dreams just like everyone else. They should not get stuck in a job that they hate. They should be encouraged to do a job that they want. When we talked to Tom, he asked us what we were doing this summer and we all said a summer job. PWD’s are not encouraged to have summer jobs in their area of interest and are not given the tools for proper training for their future careers and that’s a problem. Schools need to get away from having the mindset of putting PWD’s in only a small number of jobs and have the mindset that the sky’s the limit. This is the newest mission for the CRPD and hopefully as a future educator I can encourage this.

Four weeks in Ireland went by faster than any of us ever could have imagined. Getting on a plane and heading home was harder than we thought it would be too. Though all of us missed our friends and families, there was not one smiling face heading into that Dublin airport on our final day. The cobblestone roads, the friendly people, the countless sheep, the stone walls winding through the farms, and, of course, the great pubs left an unforgettable impression of Ireland on all of us.

I also know Ireland changed me. Besides the fact that now I have plenty of great new stories that originate from across the Atlantic, I have experiences that have left me feeling more independent and worldly. I managed to learn some of the country’s history, which was just as brutal and sad as America’s, but the knowledge made me appreciate how Ireland got to where it is now. I know I’ll never forget how beautiful the country is too. More than once, the rolling emerald hills and cold stone castles and giant cliffs that suddenly dropped off to the navy sea left me absolutely awestruck. I already miss the land that stole my heart. I know I’ll be returning some day to experience all of it once more.

I’ve only been home for a few hours and I miss Ireland so much already. I honestly don’t know where to begin when I start thinking about it. My mind jumps around from all the wonderful sites that we visited, to the beautiful scenery, to becoming friends with eight people who a month ago were complete strangers to me. It’s all so hard to believe, but it happened. And I’m so happy it did!

This study abroad has truly been one of the best experiences of my life. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m still just soaking it all in! Most of all, I know that this experience will help me to shape my future career. Not everyone can say they lived in Ireland studying Culture and Disability. If I look back to a month ago and think about how much I thought I knew then, to how much I actually know now, it’s astonishing how much of a difference there is.

Even though I miss Ireland so much, it feels good to be home. I’m already planning what I would do if I ever get the chance to go back! Which I hope I do—sooner rather than later.

Going to miss this beautiful scenery. 

It is hard to believe that our month in Ireland is officially over. We finished at the conference on Friday with the moot trial and then had a fun last night in Galway listening to a local band. After getting home and showering, I found out that my flight home to Newark was canceled, so I called my parents and we scrambled to find a new flight. Thankfully, it worked out that there were seats left on the plane to Philly, and I was able to to fly home with the rest of the girls. So at 3:45 am, we took a bus to the Dublin airport, where we checked in, made it through customs, and waited until our flight at 11:30. We landed in PA at 1 pm where my dad picked me up and brought me home to see family and friends. While it is great to be back home, I cannot believe that the trip is over. It was an experience of a lifetime and I am so grateful for the friends and memories made.

I spent the entirety of sophomore year questioning if I was where I wanted to be in terms of my academics. Not only did I feel unproductive as a Rehabilitation and Human Services major, but I also was not confident that Occupational Therapy was the field I wanted to find myself in. For the past four weeks, I have been studying Culture and Disability in Ireland, a country that is full of good “crack,” and Guinness. I visited eleven organizations in Dublin that provide services for children, and adults living with intellectual, and physical disabilities as well as mental health illnesses. I participated in the annual United Nations Civil Rights of People with Disabilities conference in Galway, where I was able to meet leaders of the civil society in every region of our world… Today, I am going home with an experience that has strengthened my commitment, my knowledge, and my passion for disability culture. I want to thank the eight “outrageous” ladies who have constantly made sure I was following along with them through this crazy country that has not only stolen my iPhone, but also my heart.

Today was the last day of our four-week journey to the Emerald Isle. I have sat at my computer and stared at the screen for well over an hour, trying to find the words to describe how incredible and life changing this experience as been for me. Quite honestly, I don’t think I will ever be able to do so.

The excitement, and feelings of spontaneity and adventure are ones I am going to miss after returning home. Stepping foot in Dublin on the very first day, with 8 other girls my age and many suitcases, I knew the world, and all of its knowledge, was right at my fingertips. I did not know what to expect, or where I was going, but I took chances, and exposed myself to a different culture, way of thinking and believing, and opened my mind to challenge beliefs and accept new perspectives.

This experience not only changed the way in which I viewed the world, but how I viewed myself, as I became more self-confident, independent, and self-reliant. Time is your most valuable asset, and within these past four weeks I took the time to listen thoughtfully, question respectfully, discover my passions, and consider ways in which I can change the world. Or at least try to.

Furthermore, as a future professional, this trip has allowed me to gain an intangible amount of knowledge in regards to the perspectives on disabilities, services provided, and disability rights on a global scale, as well as the importance of being an advocate. I hope to maintain the connections I have formed with such knowledgeable and influential individuals, who are leading disability rights movements worldwide, as well as maintain the friendships I have formed with the 8 amazing girls I have experienced this journey with.

This is only a glimpse of how extraordinary this trip was, as there was so many lessons learned, memories made, and friendships formed. I am so immensely grateful to have had this opportunity, and it will forever be one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

Farewell Ireland, you will always have a piece of my heart

I won’t lie… I was pretty hesitant about this conference. I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the experience of our service visits in Dublin, but… It has!

To be able to sit in a room full of advocates who have years of experience, and wisdom behind them is an honor. To be able to gain an understanding of disability rights on a global scale by the very people who are leading the movements in countries all over the world is unreal. I mean, we got to meet Senator Tom Harkins, the founder of the Americans with Disabilities Act… The very ADA that we, as RHS majors, learn about in EVERY SINGLE course. To hear, and speak to someone who made such a global impact on disability rights is inspiring.

I’m looking forward to what the rest of this week will offer!

This week, we are attending the International Summer School on Disability Law. I was not sure what to expect, but I have been pleasantly surprised. I really enjoy learning about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and how it is applied to different countries around the world. I have also thought about how the United States’ has signed, but not ratified, the Convention and it is upsetting. Ratifying the Convention would not impact the nation’s budget or existing laws; however, it did not receive the necessary amount of votes from the Senate because of distrust of the UN. I hope that the Senate votes on this treaty again and is able to officially ratify the CRPD.

Our group also had the opportunity to speak with Tom Harkin, former Senator of Iowa and one of the founders of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He asked all nine of us what we are doing for the rest of the summer, and we said working. He then explained how people with disabilities would have different answers because of the lack of employment opportunities for PWD, and that the United States needs to focus its attention on employment for this population. He continued to speak about disability and made a comment that I have thought a lot about. He said that certain people react to different disability suggestions by saying, “we are setting them up for failure,” to which Senator Harkin responds, “and what’s wrong with that?” Failure creates learning opportunities and should not be viewed as something that PWD need to be protected from. Success is a often a product of failure so we need to create equality and accessibility in order for PWD to both fail and succeed.

This week, we have the privilege of attending the 8Th International Disability Summer School, which focuses on the implementation of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities throughout numerous countries around the world. The past three days have been nothing less than inspiring, as I personally have had my own beliefs challenged, and been exposed to and learned about the different perceptions of disability, as well as basic human rights for persons with disabilities from numerous professionals with respectable credibility. One of the most memorable individuals I had the honor of meeting and speaking to on a personal level, as he sat with our table Monday evening, was Senator Tom Harkin. Senator Harkin, the founder and lead sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act, influenced and advocated for a global disability rights movement after being inspired by his brother who was deaf and discriminated against due to his impairment. He further discussed with us the four main goals of the ADA: equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. While I learned that the ADA has been an incredible success providing equal rights to individuals with disabilities in the US, it came to my surprise that the US is one of few countries that has not yet ratified the CRPD. Our conversation with Senator Harkin allowed me to reflect on our discussions about the importance of becoming an advocate. I believe this experience of participating in the 8th International Disability Summer School, as well as the knowledge acquired and the networks established with influential leaders in the disability rights movement from around the world, will open up numerous opportunities for me, as an individual, to share my stories and knowledge with others throughout the US, to advocate for the ratification of this treaty.

This week, we have had the pleasure of attending the 8^th Disability Summer School. This year, the session focuses on the CRPD or the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Going into this week, I thought that a lot of the conversations would go over my head, but I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to understand a lot more than I thought I would. Additionally, I think I have taken away some important insights by hearing about different countries around the world that I definitely would not have had without this study abroad experience.

I think that the speaker that sticks out in my mind most so far was from former Senator Tom Harkin . He was a crucial component of writing and passing the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act. I have learned so much about this act in my classes, and I think that we were all a little star struck to meet the man who helped build the foundation for our future careers. My favorite thing he said was, “change doesn’t happen from the top down, it happens from the bottom up.” This was really helpful to hear, because I am at the bottom. I’m in a room filled with people with so many impressive accomplishments and I haven’t even finished my undergrad yet, but regardless of this, I know that I’m still able to make a difference and be an advocate, especially for people with disabilities.

When I thought about United Nations (UN) conventions, I thought only the smart, rich, and famous could attend to provide input based on their vast areas of expertise. It turns out that my idea isn’t far from the truth. Everyone in attendance has done serious research or works in politics or has years of education based on their interests. Then there’s us. Of course, our group is filled with equally brilliant minds, but to say we were a little star-struck by our first couple days in the conference may be an understatement.

The huge topic of discussion among the UN is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which is a treaty meant to promote the creation of policies and legislation that will result in equal rights for all people with disabilities. It is very interesting hearing from representatives from countries across the world and having them explain their country’s current state of signing, ratifying, or implementing the treaty. Poverty, education, and funding are common reasons why many of the countries are struggling with the treaty. To my surprise, the U.S. is actually one of the few who has signed the treaty but not ratified it. Ironically, the U.S. is the same country who came up with the idea in the first place!

However, what I have found to be the most interesting so far is hearing from representatives who come from countries that have signed and ratified the treaty yet cannot manage to enforce the concepts that the treaty encourages. I’d like to think that everyone from the around the world truly benefits from this conference because of these confessions. It certainly benefits us students by opening our minds about issues we had never even imagined before.

My final weekend in Ireland was very bittersweet. One one hand, I was very happy to be done with bus tours. They are great for seeing a ton of Ireland in only a day, but on the other hand, being on a bus 5 separate times for 13 hours each wasn’t the greatest thing in the world. Unfortunately, my last bus tour wasn’t the best. We went to the Aran Islands, which had been hyped up by many people to me. However the day we chose to go on our tour was windy, rainy, and a chilly temperature of 55 degrees. We also were on a bus where the microphone of the tour guide did not work, so looking we had no idea what we were staring at due to the fact we could not hear a word he was saying. Again, not ideal. On the bright side, I was able to get some souvenirs for my family (I cannot say what they are because I know someone in my family is bound to read this). Sunday was blissfully lazy and I think I speak for everyone saying that we needed a break from running around Ireland. We all travelled into town, only to get poured on the entire time. I guess that its fitting that our last free day in Ireland was a rainy one. Tomorrow we start the UNCRPD conference, which will be a demanding but rewarding week. I feel ready to tackle whatever this next week will throw at me.

We traveled to the Aran Islands today for our fifth, and final day tour, and yes, I am very tired of long bus rides. However, I do not think that it will ever be possible to grow tired of the beauty in this country. From the Giant’s Causeway, and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in Northern Ireland to the Upper and Lower Lakes of Glendalough at the Wicklow Mountains, to the Blarney Stone in Cork, to the Cliffs of Moher, and finally, to the Aran Islands, I found myself falling in love with Ireland view by view.

It amazes me how, even after all these day tours, there is still SO much more beauty to Ireland that I have not been able to see, but it also excites me because this only means that I have to come back to this country to see the rest of it all.

After spending two-and-a-half weeks in the lively Dublin, we have finally made our way into the heart of Galway. It can’t be denied that every single one of us were reluctant to leave our new favorite Irish city for one on the other side of the country. After all, we had finally figured out Dublin. We knew where to get food, where to shop, where to party, where to get tattoos… But Galway? How could Galway possibly top Dublin? Well, it really can’t, but that’s only because comparing the two cities is like comparing pizza to ice-cream. Both are definitely good but also utterly and completely different masterpieces.

The first time I walked the streets of Galway, I felt like I was entering a carnival. Musicians played on the streets, artists made chalk creations on the sidewalks, and ribbons and flags hung between the quaint shops and restaurants. All of it was so…charming. If Dublin is the ideal, fast-paced city, Galway is the charming, artsy town that makes the perfect counterpart. The only downside to our arrival is that the rain finally arrived with us. However, I felt like a true Irish woman when I was drenched during the onslaught of rain that fell into Galway’s streets earlier today. Instead of cowering and perhaps scrambling to find an umbrella, I threw my hood up like all the locals and kept shopping. It was all part of the experience, and the rain was a particular part of Ireland that I was happy to indulge in.

We’ve had a few days in Galway now and I think that we are learning to love it as much as we loved Dublin. As always, we decided to go on a few day trips in order to see as much as possible in the limited time that we have. The first trip we went on was to the Cliffs of Moher and I’m having a hard time deciding if this trip or our previous trip to Northern Ireland was my favorite!

The Cliffs of Moher

Being on the edge of the world like should seem a little scary, but instead I was overwhelmed by the beauty and wasn’t scared at all! We were able to get up to the very edge, laying on our stomachs of course, and look beneath us to the ocean. It was so calming, I think I could’ve taken a nap right there.

On the Edge 

The view below

Yesterday, we went to the Aran Islands. The weather wasn’t the best, but we have been so lucky so far with weather that it is hard to complain. The Aran Islands are really different than anywhere else we have been so far—they didn’t even have electricity on the islands until the 70’s! It was almost like going back in time, everything was so simple and it was a nice change to see people live like that!

A traditional cottage on the Islands

It’s hard to believe that next week at this time we will be back in the states. I know I’m trying to fit as much in as possible, because, sadly, this once in a lifetime experience is coming to an end, but it’s an experience I will always remember.

On Wednesday, we packed our bags and left Dublin for Galway. It was bittersweet because I loved Dublin but was so excited for our impending adventures in this new, smaller city. We wasted no time exploring Ireland’s west coast and on Thursday traveled to the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. This quickly became one of my favorite parts of the trip. I have seen a lot of pictures of other people at the Cliffs; however, the pictures did not do it justice. It was a breathtaking view and the weather was amazing, which made the day even better. We explored Galway on Friday while doing some shopping, then on Saturday, we left for the Aran Islands. We took a ferry to the largest island, Inis Mor, where we drove around and learned about the island. It is weird to think that this was our last weekend in Ireland and that next week at this time, I will be back home.

Our last sight visit in Dublin sent us off smiling. Friends of the Elderly was such an incredible opportunity to sit down and talk to a group of individuals from whom we could learn so much from, and in return, they could learn from us. They were so inspiring, sharing stories of their experiences growing up in Ireland, and offering advice for us as we embark on our future endeavors. The atmosphere was upbeat and inviting, as we not only got to form a bond with these individuals through words, but through song and dance as well. They pulled us up onto our feet and we danced our hearts out! It was also pretty funny to see Dr. Herbert sing a song with one of the men! It was very hard to leave, as I could have stayed for hours, laughing and talking with this amazing group of people.

We arrived to Galway and immediately began to explore. The city is much quieter than Dublin, but there are still so many pubs to enjoy and shops to visit. The views of the water and lush greenery are breathtaking. We took a trip to the Cliffs of Moher on Thursday, which was absolutely exhilarating, as we all enjoyed “living on the edge”. The sun was shining and our hike along the top of the cliffs was one I will never forget. On Saturday, we spent the day at the Aran Islands. Although it was a bit rainy, the island has so much history, beautiful cliffs, and inviting locals that were proud to show us around. We spent a good amount of time in the sweater shop, where we picked up handmade wool gifts for our friends and family back home. On Sunday we are visiting a wine and cheese bar, and will spend the day in town at the market. All 9 of us refuse to accept the fact that our time here in Ireland is coming to an end.

As our last week in Dublin came to a close, we wrapped up our time with some pretty cool sites. On Monday we visited ChildVision, an equine-­assisted therapy (EAT) camp. They assist children with both physical and mental disabilities and taught them skills such as social skills, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, etc. I also learned about the mental benefits that horseback riding can give the riders as well. Often times children who are not able to walk on their own are given a sense of confidence and control when they’re able to ride. These individuals are used to being pushed around because they are not able to walk or are oppressed by their disability. Riding gives them a sense of power by being able to move a giant animal and initiate where and when they can move them. It was very inspiring to listen to the women share stories about small victories that meant so much to them and the riders.

On Tuesday we visited the deaf village, and although I already knew a great deal about deaf culture I was still able to benefit from the experience. I had taken a course at Penn State about deaf culture, so I got to take the ideas and concepts that I learned in that course and bring them to life. However it became very clear that Ireland has a stronger deaf community program than the states do. I finished up the day by going to the Guinness Factory where I spent the majority of my afternoon drinking their beer and bonding with my classmates. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon!

Today was dedicated to saying goodbye to my beloved Dublin and saying hello to my new home in Galway. Luckily we were able to take a break from packing and moving and spend some time at Friends of the Elderly. The energy in that room was a lot more lively than what I expected! We were all getting pulled off our seats to dance on the dance floor to old-­timey music with the members. We were all in a fit of laughter watching them do the line dance, ballroom dance, and kick their legs up like the Rockettes. It’s safe to say we were all a little sweaty when we left. We have now arrived safely in Galway and have a four day weekend ahead of us. I can’t wait for the wonderful adventures that we will take in western Ireland!

Monday we went to a therapeutic horseback riding facility. As soon as we arrived, we were given a wonderful show where two of the barn’s regular riders went around the riding ring with their volunteer assistants spotting them from either side of the horses. While the assistants made sure the riders didn’t fall, the riders were the ones who really did all the work. They made the horses halt, walk, trot, and turn. During this, the instructor told us about how beneficial a sport like horseback riding is for all ranges of disabilities. For example, adjusting to the horse’s movements and staying balanced in the saddle are especially beneficial tasks for someone with cerebral palsy. It offers freedom from a wheelchair, which promotes feelings of independence, and improves posture and muscle tone at the same time. For individuals with autism, experiencing the different textures, such as feeling the leather of the saddle, the short hairs of the horse’s coat, and the brittle strands of the horse’s mane provide tactile sensations that can either sooth or stimulate depending on the instructor’s directions. Similarly, the facility developed a special trail through the facility where the horse can walk over pavement, gravel, and a wooden bridge to provide different auditory sensations.

Today was our final day in Dublin, and I’m still wondering where our time went. Leaving the city today was hard, and I can only think about how much harder it will be when we have to leave this country in one week. I stepped into Ireland without a single expectation of what my four weeks would be like. Two and a half weeks later, I am left speechless at all the views I have been able to see, all the experiences I have been able to have, and all the people who I have been able to meet.

Side note: Now I can tell people at home that I not only left my heart in Ireland, but also my iPhone.

Today, we went to the Deaf Village in Ireland and I have to say, I have never seen anything quite like it! I can’t say that there is anything similar in the United States. Once again, I have seen something that I really think that the U.S. should adopt. The woman who gave us a tour told us that the village as, a whole, rents out space to different supports for the deaf community—so the village was kind of like a “one stop shop.”

Our guide was hearing, but both of her parents were Deaf. She told us that when she was younger, she wanted to be part of the Deaf community too because she felt left out. I liked hearing this because I think most of the time when someone learns that their child cannot hear, they find it “devastating,” but her situation was sort of flip-flopped.

Tomorrow, we leave Dublin for Galway. It’s bittersweet, but I can’t wait for what’s in store!

Our third and final week in Dublin began with us visiting Riding for The Disabled Association Ireland who offers therapeutic horseback riding for individuals with physical or intellectual disabilities. It was very exciting to see how the use of equine related activities combine PT and OT to enhance an individual’s confidence and social skills, as well as posture, coordination, and balance. We were introduced to two individuals John and Neamus, who very much enjoyed horseback riding, and were working towards receiving their certificates for being able to ride completely on their own by interacting with and responding to the horses movements. I have never been exposed to equine therapy before, but would love to continue to learn about it, as well as its emotional and physical benefits for individuals with disabilities.

On Tuesday we visited with Deaf Village, a center for providing community engagement, recreational activities, and inclusion for individuals who are deaf, as well as hearing. The center includes sport and fitness centers, the Deaf Heritage Center, as well as a church, where all individuals are welcome to celebrate and learn about Deaf culture. The Deaf Village representative that met with us, Amanda, began to discuss with us that it is only a language barrier that separates individuals who are deaf, versus individuals who are hearing, and that we must work to continue to eliminate this barrier by providing the supports and a more accessible and universal way of communication. I thought it was very interesting to learn that ISL (Irish Sign Language), ASL (American Sign Language), BSL (British Sign Language), as well as spoken English are used for communication around the center. I also enjoyed listening to Amanda discuss her involvement with Deaf Village, as she is the only hearing individual within her family. She mentioned that when growing up, until the age of 15, she wanted to be deaf as well. This led to the discussion on how individuals who are born deaf, and then receive a cochlear implant, have trouble as they are older trying to establish an identity, often asking “Am I part of the deaf community, or the hearing community?” I thought back to our conversation the first day, with John at Fighting Blindness and how we discussed that society’s expectations, stereotypes, and judgments make it difficult for an individual with a disability to establish self-identity. We have one more visit with Dancing with the Elderly before we head off to Galway. I am so unbelievably grateful for this opportunity, and I am so sad to see our time in Dublin come to an end.

Today was another great day in Dublin! We visited Deaf Village Ireland – which felt like the heart of the Deaf community in Ireland. It was a center for a variety of services for the Deaf, including DeafHear and the Irish Deaf Society. It can be thought of as a “one stop shop” for many services that people with hearing impairments may need. However, I also found it interesting that hearing people are welcome in the center as well. They have a gym that all people can pay to use, and the profits are used to support the Village. I have never heard of a center like this in the United States; however, it is another example of a service from Ireland that the US can learn from.

After the Deaf Village, a few of us made our way over to the Guinness Storehouse. We visited the Guinness Academy where we learned how to pour the perfect pint. I had never had a Guinness before today but I actually really enjoyed it! It was also fun to talk to some of the employees and to some other people visiting from the United States. We made our way up to the Gravity Bar, and considering it was our last full day in Dublin, it felt appropriate that we were able to look out over the city that we have called home for the past three weeks.

This past week we had the opportunity to visit St. Michael’s Raheny School. This is a special school for children with moderate learning disabilities, and may have other disabilities as well. It was great to tour the school and see the different resources they have for the students, including the sensory room and the soft play room. These provide the children with a space to either calm down or become more energized, so that they can go back to the classroom and focus on their learning.

The most surprising part of the visit was when Mary told us about the occupational therapists. We have heard about the lack of OTs multiple times; however, she explained how children who need help with simple life skills, such as tying shoes, are not a priority need and therefore not seen by the OT. These types of skills are a priority three; however, the priority one’s can wait up to nine months to be seen. I am planning on becoming an OT in the future and think that a lot of my work will involve helping people with life skills. I was shocked that kids at this school cannot get this kind of help because of this shortage of occupational therapists.

Yesterday, we visited Cork and Blarney. Cork is a cute city that felt like a smaller, less crowded Dublin. We also went to the Blarney Castle where we kissed the Blarney Stone. I expected a rock in the middle of the ground; however, this stone is built into the top of the castle. After walking up steep, tiny spiral staircases, you make it to the stone where you have to lay down and do a backbend to reach the stone. By kissing the stone, you are supposed to become a more eloquent speaker. I’m hoping this “gift of gab” sets in before my next blog!

Our visit to the Raheny School was nothing less than admirable. Not only did we learn about the school and its curriculum itself, but we learned so much about the students that make the school complete. The principal, her staff, as well as the students welcomed us with open arms, and were extremely proud of their school and its teachings. Every teacher was aware of each student’s own individual and unique needs. Furthermore, they worked extremely hard to respond to each individuals learning styles and supports to enhance their education within the classroom. The principal showed us her school, and introduced us to her students, with so much happiness and pride. I loved the feelings of acceptance and inclusion I felt while touring the school.

This weekend, we traveled to Cork. Our first visit was the Rock of Cashel, which had incredible history and beautiful views of the countryside. We then visited the Blarney Castle, and after walking up 100 steps, we kissed the stone and were granted the “gift of gab and eloquence”. What really made that trip spectacular was that while standing in line at the very top of the castle, I spotted a guy wearing a “One Team” sweatshirt. We all shouted “WE ARE!” and he proudly responded “PENN STATE!” While thousands of miles away in a completely different country, we were able to feel a little bit closer to home. I don’t like thinking that this trip is halfway over, as I have learned so much and became such great friends with these 8 girls. However I know week 3 will continue to inspire me and leave me with so much knowledge and so many memories.

On Thursday of this week, I had the privilege of spending the day in The Raheny School, which is a special needs school. This was such an incredible opportunity for a few reasons, one because this is exactly the kind of setting I want to end up in in the future and two, we got to interact with not only students, but the teachers as well. We have spent a great deal of this study abroad experience talking to administrative level people, so it was an amazing opportunity to talk with the people who are right in the heart of teaching students with disabilities.

I have learned a great great deal for The Raheny school and I will forever be grateful for that. The Raheny school is a school that caters to students up to 18 years old and they take children who at the least have a moderate disability, but most children have a physical disability as well. I learned that they have a large population of students with Autism, the reason being that there are not enough schools specifically catering to children with Autism, so they are sent to The Raheny School. Something that I have seen a pattern in for all of my site visits that talk about SNA’s (special needs assistants) is that it does not take a lot of training or experience to become one in Ireland. In fact, all you need is a secondary junior certification (which you could get at the age of 16), so technically a 16 year old could be looking after a child in a school. This astounded me that they would allow people so young with little to no training to look after and be an advocate for a student with a disability. Personally, I believe that there should be much more training involved and that SNA’s should also be certified to teach these students with special needs and not just act as their care-taker.

When we were talking to Mary, the school principle, I asked her about parental expectations and how she manages parents who come in having unrealistic expectations about their child’s academic growth. She answered this saying that you have to be very sympathetic towards the parents and that you have to step into their shoes. The reality of what a child can actually do, versus what they are capable of doing is a massive shock and these unrealistic expectations can come from mainstream schools that teach the student with a disability a different way and therefore give them different goals to work towards. If the parents are bringing the child to The Raheny school, it usually is a last resort because something in the other school wasn’t working out and they look to the staff as a last hope. So when you have parents in your office complaining that their son or daughter is not living up to their expectations academically, you have to let them complain and vent to you, mostly because they probably don’t have anyone else to vent to about these issues. You can also assure them that settling into a new school can sometimes skew a child academically and it might take some times before they can get back on track. She also touched on the fact that parents not only want someone to vent to, but they also want a tangible solution to their issues about their child. It’s always good to give the parents an outside resource for the child so that if it is an issue that can be delt with outside of school, they have someone else to turn to and a tangible solution to give them that hope and reassurance. I learned alot from this because in my field, I have seen a lot of unrealistic expectations from parents and a lot of burnt out teachers who have no solution to offer the parents, which can be disheartening for the parents, the teacher, the student, and myself. I’m glad Mary was able to help me find a way to talk to parents.

Another important point that i learned from The Raheny school is that if children come from a mainstream school into this kind of program, often they need to be taught independence. The reason for this is that when the children are in a mainstream school, they are often paired with one on one help from an SNA on everything from tying their shoes, to helping them put their coat on, to picking up their pencil when it is dropped. When the children come to The Raheny school, or any school similar to it, they no longer get that one on one time with an SNA. SNA’s are shared throughout classroom and one SNA could be dealing with 8 different children at once. So the child who is used to being waited on hand and foot by an SNA has to learn how to pick up their own pencils, and put their own coat on, and tying their own shoes. its a very big change. I know that when i volunteered at a special needs school last summer, I had to learn to not always help the children with simple tasks like that. I had to let them do it for themselves so that they could learn that independence. Often times its hard to watch them struggle to do things like that by themselves, but it helps to know that in the long run it will only help them.

Another interesting thing that I learned was about placement for the students after the graduate out of school. As i have stated before, children’s services stop as soon as they leave school, so transitional planning is crucial. But often times, transitional planners are not available for the students so it is up to the administration and teachers to help place a child after they leave. Mary told us one of the hardest things about transitional planning is labeling students in order to help plan for their future. She told us that the more labels she can put on a student (Autsim, Anxiety, Down Syndrome, CP, etc.) the more likely insurance will provide money for programs for them and more options for that student. This can be especially tough because some students have such specific disabilities that it is impossible to label them and therefore difficult to help plan for their future. This really struck me because I have a cousin with a non-specific chromosomal disorder who is currently a senior in high school. I cant imagine the transitional planning that is going on for her right now and how tough it is due to her non-specific disability.

My favorite part about this site visit was going into all the younger student classrooms and getting to pick the minds of the teachers. One particular teacher taught me a great amount about her job, which was so special to me because I want to do exactly was she is doing for my career one day. She taught me what it was like to work with younger children with disabilities and she told me that they are like a blank canvas. They need to be taught everything from manners, to academics, to social behaviors. The most important thing to do is to get a strict routine down with them and enforce that routine heavily so that they know what they have to do everyday. They also have to establish a communication system with the child. In this line of work, you see a lot of students who are non-verbal, especially the children with Autism. In her classroom, She had 4 students with Autism and 3 of them were non-verbal. She told me that they each have a different way of communication such as pointing at pictures, or using sign language. No matter how they did it, they needed to have that communication open between the teacher and themselves. Another thing that they introduce to the children at this age is independence. They teach them that they will not be waited on hand and foot and that if they want something, they are going to have to advocate for themselves in any way that they can. This could mean getting up and putting in effort to show the teacher what it is you want or need. It’s important for them to know that they do not get to take a backseat to their own learning. They also need to establish a relationship with the parents that is built on trust and understanding. Parents are new to this kind of education and its that close relationship that allows teachers to work with the parents to provide the best learning possible for their child. I loved listening to this teacher and have her tell me everything she could about early childhood special education!

This weekend, we explored more of Ireland and went down south to the city of Cork and Blarney. Of course, I kissed the Blarney stone with will now give me the ‘gift of gab’ or eloquence for 7 years to come. Hopefully this will help me next semester in my public speaking class. It was fun going down to Cork because even though my ancestors weren’t exactly from Cork, they were from that general area, so it was cool to see where they had lived their lives. Im learning so much in and out of class and and so thankful for all that Dublin has given me. I hope I can learn just as much in Galway next week!

On Saturday the nine of us took a small bus on a three hour ride that started bright and early at 7 a.m. out to Cork. We were on a mission to kiss some rock I had never heard of at some castle I also had never heard of. Why would we do such a thing, you ask? According to legend, kissing this stone (the Blarney  Stone) presents the kisser with the gift of eloquence (also known as the gift of gab).

I was definitely skeptical of this trip, and my apprehension  grew when I heard the rumor that the locals of Cork sneak into the Blarney castle at night to pee on the stone. However, like everything else I’ve done in Ireland so far, I ended up really enjoying myself on our trip. Firstly, the beauty of the castle and its gardens is highly underrated. I definitely would like to go back to Cork just to explore the area again. Waterfalls, flowers, tall trees, an idyllic river to cross over, and a garden full of beautiful yet deadly poisonous plants amazed me. Secondly, the coolest part (particularly for someone who’s a HUGE Harry Potter fan like me) was the fact that the poison garden had some of the plants that were referenced in the Harry Potter movies (wolf’s bane and mandrake).

The castle was in surprisingly good shape, and it was fascinating to see the rooms labeled as the “earls bedroom” or the “priest’s sanctuary.” The only unfortunate part of the day was going up several flights of terrifyingly narrow and steep steps to reach the stone at the top of the castle. They were honestly a claustrophobic’s nightmare.  Yet when we reached the top, we could see the entire stunning area. Then we each kissed the stone. Whether the legend is true or not or whether the gross rumor is real or not (which I seriously doubt considering the security of the castle and all those steps to climb), I felt extremely accomplished after locking lips with that rock. After all, not everyone can make it to Ireland and drive to Cork and climb through an entire castle AND still have the confidence to kiss an ancient stone that likely has a bunch of strangers’ saliva all over it. But each one of us from our little group did it with a smile.

Yesterday, we decided to take another day trip to a place where a lot of our relatives came from–Cork. My Uncle told me that his great-grandfather was born on the river Lee, which I got to see in real life yesterday, as it runs through the city of Cork, much like how the Liffey runs through Dublin.

The River Lee

One of the definite highlights of the day was kissing the Blarney Stone. I had first learned about the Blarney castle in third grade on our St. Patrick’s Day bulletin board. Ever since then, it has been a dream of mine to kiss the Blarney Stone. Kissing the stone gives you the gift of eloquent speech for seven years…so I need to be back in at least seven years, if not sooner, right?

Kissing the Blarney Stone

What no one seems to tell you is that you have to walk up the most narrow, steepest steps to get to the top of the castle. It was sort of a daunting task. When we got to the top, we spotted someone below wearing a “One Team” tee shirt. A few of us yelled “WE ARE” from the top of the Blarney Castle, and whoever it was yelled back “PENN STATE.” It gave me chills; Penn State really does live everywhere I guess!

There was so much to admire, and learn at St. Michael’s House Special National School Raheny. The principal had so much love for her students. As she took us to each class, she introduced us to every student. However, the introductions did not start, and end with a name. Whether a student was an Assistant Principle, or was simply scheduled to have tea with her, she spoke about each one with so much pride.

She seemed, and I’m sure she is, happy with her role in this school, and her happiness, in my opinion, radiated to her students, and her staff of assistants, and teachers.

As a service provider, to be a symbol of encouragement in a child’s, family’s, or other service provider’s life is  a task that should not be overlooked.