CATEGORY: Travel

SUB-CATEGORY: Northern Ireland

DATE: August 4, 2025

Touring the Titanic Museum in Belfast, NI

For my first series of blog posts, I thought I would focus on one of my favorite things: travel. Specifically, I’ll be exploring some of the things that I experienced while studying in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the summer of 2023.

First up: the Titanic Museum. 

From the moment I learned that I would be placed in Belfast during my study abroad trip, I knew that I had to visit the Titanic district. Like most children of the 90s, I grew up hearing about the film - and eventually, watching it - so in a way, the Titanic is a part of my childhood. (Plus, as my podcast will demonstrate, I am a major history nerd.)

I was not disappointed. (A quick disclaimer: I knew that I wouldn’t be coming back to Belfast anytime soon, so I splurged on the White Star Line package, which allowed me to take the self-guided tour as well as the guided tour; it also covered the cost of visiting the SS Nomadic, which I’ll discuss later, and gave me a £10 voucher for the gift store or one of the on-site restaurants.)

The guided tour was amazing! Before entering the museum, I had wondered about the building’s unique architecture, depicted below, but I was not expecting to find such detailed explanations for every curiosity. For one thing, the building is shaped in such a way that each side resembles a ship’s hull - and so that helicopters passing from above can see a star that resembles the logo for the White Star Line.

The concrete tiles outside the museum are - on every side - a mixture of light and dark colors; when viewed from above, these tiles make a map of the earth, with the light tiles representing the ocean and the dark tiles representing the land. In addition, a piece of metal runs through the tiles (or map) in a line that charts the route that the Titanic took on its fateful voyage. A plaque marks the spot at which the Titanic sank. (After that point, the metal line continues, dotted now, in order to show viewers the route the Carpathia took after rescuing survivors from the disaster sight.) Additional silver lines mark the spot where Titanic rested for two of the three years it sat in Belfast while undergoing construction. (Unfortunately, I don’t have any good pictures of this.) 

Finally, the tour took us through the Titanic Hotel, which is located in the original Harland and Wolfe design offices. (Fun fact: some of the decorative tiles that were left over after construction on the Titanic was completed have been used to decorate the hotel!)

To this day, my only regret is that I did not give myself enough time to explore the self-guided tour. I arrived at the Museum at eleven, but my tour did not start until noon; I hadn’t planned on getting there so early, so I decided to get on with the self-guided tour while I was waiting. This was not a great decision on my part, especially since I was visiting the site on a weekend, so traffic was pretty heavy. The exhibits featured in this part of the museum were fantastic, I just wish I’d had more time to explore them.

Finally, after picking up some souvenirs and using my £10 voucher for lunch, I stopped by the SS Nomadic - the last surviving White Star Line ship. According to the materials displayed on board the ship, the Nomadic was designed to be very similar to the Titanic, but on a much smaller scale; as a result, walking through the Nomadic felt like walking through a miniature version of the legendary Titanic, which put a perfect end cap on the day!

CATEGORY: Travel

SUB-CATEGORY: Northern Ireland

DATE: September 1, 2025

The Dark Hedges and Dunluce Castle

Last month, I wrote about my visit to the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Today, I’d like to talk about another trip I took while visiting Belfast - one that saw me hopping on a tour bus and heading to the northern coast!

But before I delve into a discussion of this (amazing) trip, I want to quickly note that this post - like several of my upcoming posts - will make references to the Troubles, a thirty-year civil conflict that unfolded in Northern Ireland during the latter half of the twentieth century. (For a more comprehensive overview of the struggle, check out this resource.) 

Despite these references, I want to make it very clear that I found Belfast to be a beautiful city full of kind and generous people who believe deeply in the importance of peace.

Now, back to the trip. Just outside the Europa Hotel, I boarded a tour bus driven by a personable, and knowledgeable, guide named Matt. (All names are pseudonyms.) 

As the bus lurched forward, Matt stopped periodically to point out the loyalties of different communities. For instance, when passing through one village, he said, “This is a Unionist community. See the flags?” And sure enough, when I looked out the window, I saw that Union Jacks were hanging from every storefront (or close to it). 

When passing through another village, he said, “This is a Republican community. Not a flag in sight.” And once again, he was right.

It was startling to see two communities sitting so near to one another (in terms of geography) and displaying such different ideologies. 

It made me think about the Republican/Democrat divide that seems to be growing every day here in the United States - and though I don’t want to get into a heavy discussion of politics, I have to admit that I wondered what lessons Americans, like myself, might learn from an understanding of Northern Ireland’s Troubles.

Okay - back to the good stuff. Our first stop was at a place called the Dark Hedges. A surreal natural wonder, the Dark Hedges is a grouping of trees that have grown together to create a natural tunnel of sorts. (Any Game of Thrones fans here? You may recognize this location from the series.) 

Unfortunately, due to the lifespan of this particular species of tree, the Dark Hedges will be fading away before long - which is why some fans of the spot have been spearheading an effort to plant new trees as the old ones die out.

Next up: Dunluce Castle. From what I understand, parts of the castle date back to the sixteenth century. Given that information, it was fascinating what has survived and what has not. One room is still almost fully intact; interestingly, it would appear that this room was once a prison of some kind since there are bars on the single, poorly lit window. 

Another wall of the castle seems to feature modern-looking windows; I found that curious, as I understood the building to have been abandoned around the year 1700, but did not have the opportunity to ask Matt about this.

Exploring the Dark Hedges and Dunluce Castle was awesome, but the pièce de résistance of this trip was definitely my visit to the Giant’s Causeway . . . a visit I’ll discuss in more detail next month! See you then!

CATEGORY: Travel

SUB-CATEGORY: Northern Ireland

DATE: October 6, 2025

The Giant’s Causeway - and the Theater of NI

Last month, I promised to explore my trip to the Giant’s Causeway - so here goes! 

According to Irish legend, or my understanding of it, a giant named Finn McCool once roamed the northern coast of the island. One day, Finn saw another giant staring at him from across the thin strip of ocean separating Ireland from Scotland. Determined to keep this interloper from disrupting his homeland, Finn tore up the coastline and used the rocks to create a pathway that would allow him to travel to, and confront, the other giant. 

Along the way, though, he realized that the other giant was really big! Scared, Finn ran back home to his wife, who decided to disguise him as a baby. When the other giant arrived, and saw Finn, he thought to himself, “My goodness! If the baby is that big, how big must the father be?” and ran back to Scotland, ripping up the pathway as he went. And thus, the Giant’s Causeway was born.

Of course, this is only legend; according to this resource, which also gives an account of the legend that is more detailed than my own, “science says that the Causeway was created following a period of volcanic activity, where the lava cooled and formed these incredible interlocking basalt columns. Each column is near-perfectly hexagonal in shape; a lasting reminder of the power of the world’s natural beauty.”

For my part, all I can say is that I understand why the Causeway is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site. According to the journal that I kept during my visit, when my mother asked me what the Causeway was like, the only word I could come up with was breathtaking - and I have a pretty solid vocabulary! 

I remember being mesmerized by all the colors. For the first time, I really understood why Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle; I’ve never seen that many shades of green, and I’ve never appreciated how beautiful the color green can be quite so much. 

I took a lot of pictures while at the Causeway, some of which are featured below - and they’re great. But none of them capture the magic of actually being in that place. If you ever have the chance to explore the Causeway, I suggest you take it. I’m certainly glad I did!

I also had the opportunity, during my trip to NI, to visit both the Grand Opera House, where I watched a production of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and the Lyric Theater, where I watched a production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane.

Both plays were amazing - and the Grand Opera House was gorgeous. (Its design reminded me of the Fox Theater in St. Louis, Missouri.) But between the two, I have to admit that, in hindsight, it was The Beauty Queen of Leenane that has really stayed with me.

For one thing, the production design was excellent. The set was amazingly detailed, with a special effect in the background that make it look as though it were actually raining on stage (at different points in the show). 

But what really stuck with me is the way in which this play, written by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, provided insights into the animosity that still exists, to some degree, between the island of Ireland and the UK. It also made quips about the affect of Australian TV on Irish teenagers and compared Britain’s colonization techniques to America’s domination of the commercial world.

The message wasn’t always comforting, but it was thought-provoking - so much so that I still remember it two years later.

CATEGORY: In the Classroom

SUB-CATEGORY: Arts Education

DATE: November 3, 2025

A Shameless Plug for the Missouri Fine Arts Academy!

For the past few months, I’ve been discussing my visit to Northern Ireland - and I definitely have more stories to share with you! But for today, I want to put a pause on that topic and let you know about an amazing opportunity for young artists in the state of Missouri: the opportunity to attend the Missouri Fine Arts Academy (MFAA) in Springfield, Missouri, during the summer of 2026!

Before I get into the details, I want to reassure you that this is not some paid promotion; the Academy doesn’t even know that I’m making this post! I’m telling you about this opportunity as someone whose life has been greatly improved by my own experiences with MFAA - as you’ll hear about shortly!

As the Academy’s website says, “The Missouri Fine Arts Academy (MFAA) is a two-week summer residential program for highly motivated high school student artists in the disciplines of visual arts/mixed media, theatre, dance, creative writing, and music (instrumental and vocal).” But that’s just the bare-bones, surface-level description. The experience of actually attending MFAA goes much deeper. I should know! In 2008, I attended MFAA for vocal performance!

I wish I could give you a detailed description of everything that I did during my stay at MFAA, but it has been nearly twenty years. (Boy, does that hurt to say! lol) What I can tell you is this: I remember feeling like I’d finally found my home. As an artist, it can be hard to find your community - especially in a rural area like the one in which I’ve always lived. (Don’t get me wrong; my hometown is amazing. But it is small, and the opportunities to engage with the arts are few and far between.) MFAA gave me the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you’re not alone.

But my MFAA bond did not end after the 2008 session ended. In 2022, I started teaching Creative Writing at the Academy. I’ve now taught there for three years, and I have loved every minute of it. The faculty and staff are amazing - exactly the kind of people you should want teaching your children. They know their subject, but more than that, they’re genuinely good people who want to help kids find the kind of hope that I once did.

And the students? The students are (of course) extraordinarily talented. But they’re also regular kids looking to find friends who understand, and share, their love of the arts. I’ve never had an issue with a single student that I’ve worked with at MFAA - and though I pretty much always love my students, I do typically have to discipline them fairly regularly; they are teenagers, after all. But the kids who come to MFAA know that they’re getting the chance of a lifetime, and they’re smart enough not to waste it.

You may be wondering what life at the Academy looks like. Information about the Academy’s schedule - as well as the application for students! - can be found here, but basically, students will attend classes taught by incredible artist-teachers while living in MSU (Missouri State University) dormitories under the supervision of Resident Advisors who make sure the kids feel safe and happy throughout the summer.

All in all, it’s an amazing experience - and depending on the decisions of the Missouri legislature, financially feasible (or even free). If you have a young artist in your life, please encourage them to apply!

CATEGORY: Travel

SUB-CATEGORY: Northern Ireland

DATE: December 1, 2025

The Crumlin Road Gaol

Last month, I took a brief break from my travel posts to talk about one of my favorite educational opportunities for young Missouri artists: the Missouri Fine Arts Academy!

This month, we’re going back to Northern Ireland.

When I first arrived in Belfast, an acquaintance told me that her two “must see” recommendations for Belfast were the Titanic Museum, which I talked about back in August, and the Crumlin Road Gaol. Today, I’d like to tell you about the Gaol.

Let me start by saying that I can see why my friend recommended it. The work that’s been done to turn the jail into a museum is really remarkable. On the one hand, it still looks and feels very much like a jail - to the point that I got a little creeped out a few times! But the cells are now filled with exhibits or TV screens that play stories about the people who once resided in the jail.

When I’d visited the Titanic Museum, I’d decided to spring for the more expensive package because I figured I wouldn’t be coming back to Belfast for a while, so why not? Well, I did basically the same thing when I purchased tickets to the jail - and so, in addition to the self-guided tour, I attended a guided walking tour focused on the Troubles.

And, as was the case with the Titanic Museum, I do not regret my splurging!

The tour was fantastic! It was divided into two parts: the tour guide for the first part was a former UVF member while the tour guide for the second part was a former IRA member. It was extremely interesting to hear about the Troubles from these two wildly different perspectives.

(It was also surreal - and moving - to watch the two guides shake hands at the Peace Wall when we switched from the first part of the tour to the second.)

After spending some time in Northern Ireland, I would have to say that, despite the peace that currently fills the city - and, from what I’m told, the whole of Northern Ireland - it’s also quite clear that the Troubles cast a long shadow.

I can understand why someone from NI might want the world to move on and focus on all the wonderful things about the country instead of ruminating on a past conflict. But avoiding the subject altogether sometimes made it feel like the elephant in the room…

In any case, as an American citizen reflecting on these events, I can’t help but think about the current Republican-Democrat divide here in the USA. I think we would be wise to learn from our Northern Irish peers - and find collegial ways to deal with our disagreements before violence breaks out.

And of course, as a teacher, I believe it is my duty to steer my students toward a path of peaceful compromise, so that we don’t end up enmeshed in some troubles of our own.