Category: Culture

So Similar, Yet So Different

Published on by mayamccrumLeave a comment

I have been in Ireland – Maynooth to be exact – for two weeks, but there have already been many things I have noticed. I want to write about some of the things I have noticed and the differences.

Much of what I have experienced is similar to what I know from home in Colorado but there are many things that are different from what I expected or thought I had known.  

Many of the facts I knew about Ireland were from stories I had heard from friends, family, or from the internet. Coming here has changed some of the things I thought I knew.

It rains a lot, definitely more than in Colorado. I have experienced very heavy rain and many sunny days where there have been hardly any clouds. From the stories I had heard, I thought it would be raining and overcast and freezing cold every single day, but it is not. I do wonder if that changes throughout the year though, maybe it is rainier during a specific season and it might be rainier later into my trip. Right now it is not as rainy as I expected. Personally, I love the rain and have greatly enjoyed the rain, clouds and sun that I have experienced so far.

There are also differences in language used. There are many terms that are different from in America. For example, take away is what take out is called. Trash or garbage is referred to as rubbish. One of the biggest differences I have heard so far is “craic,” pronounced “crack”. “Craic” is an Irish word and means fun. These are not particularly shocking but when these phrases and words are added together at the same time and you are having to learn everything else new, it can be a lot to think about. With that said I think that the more I hear these new phrases and words the easier it will become to add them to my vocabulary.

Ireland is a lot more diverse than I expected. From stories and media I thought that Ireland had mostly Irish people, but I was still hoping to meet people from all over the world.  When I arrived, one of the very first things I noticed was how many people there are in Maynooth from outside Europe. I understand there are places with less diversity, and this large amount of diversity may be due to Maynooth being a college town, but I am still happy to see so many people from all around the world.

The diversity in this town also ties into the food. There are many different cuisines in Maynooth. I have eaten food from all around the world including Irish foods, but I have also found restaurants serving Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Indian, and more.

Another difference is that there are no screens on the windows, so when you open your window, the window is just open. There is nothing there stopping bugs from coming in. I did not expect this, but it is not big of a deal because there are not as many bugs trying to get in.

3C439206-E798-4F0F-B4DE-44ADD3DF7C65_1_105_c

There is more old architecture here in Ireland than there is in Colorado. With the large amount of old architecture, it seems as though there is a very large amount of ancient castles. In Maynooth there is a castle right next to campus. The picture above is of Maynooth Castle.

There are many other differences, but these ones seemed extra important because they either shocked me or changed my understanding of what I thought I had known. I think that recognizing the differences and learning to accept them is a good way to figure out the new place you are in and to help your mind realize you are somewhere different. Difference is not aways bad and staying the same is not always good. It is stressful finding so many of these differences because it changes my daily life. With that said, I also enjoy learning about new places, and I am grateful for finding the similarities and the differences; it makes things more interesting and it is constantly teaching me new things.

Two Holidays and a Funeral

Published on by Caitlin TurkLeave a comment

Salaam maalekum! This means “hello” in Wolof. Technically, it translates to “Peace be upon you”—not a phrase you’re likely to hear outside of a religious setting in the U.S. However, in Senegal, “Salaam maalekum” and the corresponding “Maalekum salaam” (Peace be with you too) is an essential greeting every time I encounter a friend, family member, or even complete stranger. In fact, I think I say “Salaam maalekum” at least every 30-45 seconds as I walk to school each morning. 

“Salaam maalekum” is merely one manifestation of religion’s omnipresence in Senegal. In the U.S., my family is hardly religious; we attend church perhaps once or twice a year for Christmas and Easter, and I was always more excited about watching the NORAD Santa Tracker and putting out carrots for the reindeer. While I can appreciate the impact of religion on many others’ lives, it simply has never been a large part of mine. Therefore, to my immense surprise, the prevalence of religion is one of my favorite parts of being in Senegal. 

My host family is Muslim and belongs to the Mouride brotherhood. One morning, my mom told me about an upcoming holiday called Mawlid; it celebrates the birth of the prophet Muhammad.  She told me there would be singing in the streets. What she did not tell me, however, was this: There would be huge white tents and colorful prayer mats completely barricading the street leading up to my house. Hundreds of people dressed in their finest clothes milled about in the street, in the house, or in between. Young children distributed water in plastic bags and carried all sorts of ingredients to prepare the dinner. 

Never before have I been so aware of how white my skin is. I smiled my very American smile and said “Salaam maalekum!” to dozens of clusters of people speaking Wolof. I found my mom and greeted her, but she was clearly preoccupied with organizing all of the festivities. I set my backpack down in my room, returned to the common space, and took an empty seat.

At first, only the men were willing to talk with me. I chatted or just sat observing for perhaps half an hour before I saw my mom again and asked her if there was anything I could do to help. “Tu sais éplucher des carottes?” she asked. “Éplucher?” I asked. I didn’t know that word. She mimed peeling carrots, and I responded: “Oh! Enlever la peau des carottes?” I asked her if that meant taking off the carrots’ skin; I couldn’t think of another way to clarify it! “Waaw,” she replied, using the Wolof word for “yes.”

I cut carrots and cucumbers for the next hour or so before I was served dinner. Typically, I eat with my family around a large bowl, and we use our right hand—never the left!—with a bit of baguette bread to eat. Tonight, however, I ate by myself. 

Feeling a little lonely, I decided to explore around the house. I found my mom and she told me to peek outside, and I finally saw the origin of the chanting I had been hearing for the past several hours. Perhaps 15 or so men walked in a circle, each of their right hands placed on the back of the man in front of them. My mom encouraged me to take pictures and videos, so I did! 

I then returned back inside, hoping to find someone to talk to. I found many: a group of girls aged 9-13 who were very interested in my hair and couldn’t believe I didn’t speak Wolof yet (at this point, I had been in Senegal for less than two weeks). Over the next three hours, they hosted an impromptu Wolof lesson for me while simultaneously giving me a variety of new hairstyles. At around 1am, my friend from school Abby arrived with her host family to participate in the festivities. We ate a second dinner and so many puff-puffs (sugared beignets) at 2am, and then one of my young Wolof professors asked if we wanted to join the service outside. 

We had to borrow headscarves (foulards) from my host mom in order to attend, and I had to change from pants to a skirt. We skirted around the tent to its main entrance, where we saw a hundred or so men sitting on prayer mats while the women all sat behind them in chairs. I watched and listened to the chants, starting to feel the fatigue of being up so late. I was offered coffee, which I accepted, but it had no effect. Sleepy but so grateful to have experienced Mawlid, I went to my room, locked the door, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow at 4am. 

On a far more somber note, my family also recently hosted the reception for a funeral. It had a similar appearance to Mawlid: hundreds of people, large white tents, lots of water distribution and food preparation. This time, I had a slightly better idea of what the night would hold. 

When I had left for school that morning, my mom told me that she had just lost her nephew, who had been in the hospital for the entire month I had been living with my host family. I told her I was very sorry for her loss and asked her if there is anything I could do. She told me it was God’s plan and to have a good day. 

After school, I asked the Student Services Coordinator, Fatima, about what to do in the case of a death in the family. Apparently, in Senegal it is customary to give money to the immediate family of the deceased. However, my mom is not in the immediate family, so Fatima told me it would be best to express condolences and leave it at that. I mentioned that my family in the U.S. provides food and asked whether that would be appropriate. Fatima smiled. 

My mom’s favorite snack of peanuts clutched in my hand, I found her. I expressed my condolences and offered her the bag. She smiled too.

The rest of the evening, I made small talk in French and Wolof with some familiar faces from Mawlid, and went to bed early in order to give my family the appropriate space.

Lastly, in a country 95% populated by Muslims, I have been so fortunate to have experienced another religion as well! Two of the ten students in my program are Jewish, so we had our own Rosh Hashanah celebration at school. We ate challah bread and apples with honey and a whole assortment of pastries we got from a Brioche Dorée expedition. Jews and Muslims and Buddhists and one Hindu and atheists/agnostics alike, we all celebrated together. 

Despite not having religion be a significant part of my own life, I am so grateful to my host family and my friends for inviting me to participate in their own traditions. I am so excited to see what the next few months will hold! 

Ba ci kanam / À bientôt / See you soon, 

Caitlin