December 14, 2004

Time is really flying over here, and the work’s piling up. Since the students at Queen’s don’t have exams until after the holiday break, most of them are relaxing during this final week. But for a lot of the international students who are going back to start new semesters at their home universities, this week is packed with substitute exams and papers. But luckily, I’ve been well prepared for my work, and I’ve found a little time to soak up these last few days of Belfast Christmas cheer with my friends.

One of the big events in the city this week was the international Christmas festival, a three-day affair in the courtyard at Belfast’s city hall. I’ve mentioned that Belfast has a really strong international feel to it, and this festival was a testament to that. There were booths set up outside representing many different nations of the world, and they sold everything from food to clothing to artwork. There were Belgian chocolates, African headdresses, and Japanese silks. I walked around all afternoon with friends, ate a lot, and spent a ton of money. It was an afternoon of excess, but my Christmas spirit was flowing and it was worth it.

I also made time for one last historical trip to the city of Londonderry (or ‘Derry, as the locals call it). It’s an important part of Irish history because it was the center of a lot of the events of the ‘Troubles’ of the 1960s and 70s. There are a lot of memorials for the victims of the fighting.