lyndor
Active Member
Hey.
My name isLynette and I'm 20.
I am from Belfast in Northern Ireland, a county that is one of the components of the united kingdom, but also shares in the identity of the irish peoples making it a completely unique upbringing.
Many people have heard of N.I. -- of the bombings, of the IRA, the UDA, death and destruction.
This is mostly an american forum, and whilst a lot of you have some irish blood or another, you are not irish. I am not irish. I am northern irish. There is something so distinct in the difference.
And it's not just the different currency and school qualifications.
Whilst I grew up I lived in the shadow of the troubles - bombs and death. One of my favourite memories of high school was an evacuation, our rugby pitches shared a boundary with the large army barracks in my town, and a bomb was reported... so us, and the other neighbouring grammar school, legged it - literally!
The thing about this constant "threat" is how it's not threatening. When we would go on holiday, English people on their holidays asked my parents were they not afraid to lose us, or to even go out for the food shopping.
No. I'm not afraid. I've never been afraid of, for want of a better phrase, being blown up. Obviously, it never happened. I've been evacuated out of buildings more times than I can remember, I've lost 3 uncles, and a cousin to it, my dad was in a wheelchair for a portion of his teens due to it...
Why wasn't I afraid? Probably because we knew if we were afraid the terrorists win. And because we knew of it so well we knew not to be afraid.
That's not to say that if you could point me in the direction of those who maimed our society would I not kick the living oreos out of them.
But what was it about? Catholics vs. protestants. Unfortunately a lot of the world have this warped view that only catholics suffered -- in laymens terms how it came about was this.
Ireland existed, its populace was nearly entirely catholic.
The scottish started to emigrate over to the northern third of the island, these immigrants are prodominently protestant.
There is conflict over land and resources.. one side does one thing to another and no one forgives.
And my generation lives with this.
My family are protestants, irish protestants and ulster scots (the name for the protestants who created their own culture in the north, including a language incidentally) and this is our home for so many generations.
I belong here, anyone who says I'm a foreigner may go and have a conversation with my great ^ 25 grandfather, because since then my ancestors have loved and mixed and grew in number and become part of northern ireland.
I get frustrated, because people make assumptions about us. About our temperament and heritage and I would love you all to read what follows about how I'm the same, just like you, but different.
I would also love the youth of the western world to realise that theres terrorists under their feet still, and maybe you should make your own bed before criticizing those of others.
Righteo.
Anyway.
I'm 20, haha, I'm a student nurse (paediatrics) and a year off finishing uni!I have two rabbits - Marley a sooty fawn dwarf lop, and my baby..
Ollie, my free spirited mix and first bunny... he thinks our relationship is a one way street. He touches me, I don't even think of touching him
This is William and Marley. William is my boyfriend of nearly two years! I adore him. My absolute soul mate. And he has a yummy tummy
Henry - Our one and only piggie. A rescue, which is why hes by himself.. he can be a bit bad tempered...
and finally, the budgie, Aero Smyth
My name isLynette and I'm 20.
I am from Belfast in Northern Ireland, a county that is one of the components of the united kingdom, but also shares in the identity of the irish peoples making it a completely unique upbringing.
Many people have heard of N.I. -- of the bombings, of the IRA, the UDA, death and destruction.
This is mostly an american forum, and whilst a lot of you have some irish blood or another, you are not irish. I am not irish. I am northern irish. There is something so distinct in the difference.
And it's not just the different currency and school qualifications.
Whilst I grew up I lived in the shadow of the troubles - bombs and death. One of my favourite memories of high school was an evacuation, our rugby pitches shared a boundary with the large army barracks in my town, and a bomb was reported... so us, and the other neighbouring grammar school, legged it - literally!
The thing about this constant "threat" is how it's not threatening. When we would go on holiday, English people on their holidays asked my parents were they not afraid to lose us, or to even go out for the food shopping.
No. I'm not afraid. I've never been afraid of, for want of a better phrase, being blown up. Obviously, it never happened. I've been evacuated out of buildings more times than I can remember, I've lost 3 uncles, and a cousin to it, my dad was in a wheelchair for a portion of his teens due to it...
Why wasn't I afraid? Probably because we knew if we were afraid the terrorists win. And because we knew of it so well we knew not to be afraid.
That's not to say that if you could point me in the direction of those who maimed our society would I not kick the living oreos out of them.
But what was it about? Catholics vs. protestants. Unfortunately a lot of the world have this warped view that only catholics suffered -- in laymens terms how it came about was this.
Ireland existed, its populace was nearly entirely catholic.
The scottish started to emigrate over to the northern third of the island, these immigrants are prodominently protestant.
There is conflict over land and resources.. one side does one thing to another and no one forgives.
And my generation lives with this.
My family are protestants, irish protestants and ulster scots (the name for the protestants who created their own culture in the north, including a language incidentally) and this is our home for so many generations.
I belong here, anyone who says I'm a foreigner may go and have a conversation with my great ^ 25 grandfather, because since then my ancestors have loved and mixed and grew in number and become part of northern ireland.
I get frustrated, because people make assumptions about us. About our temperament and heritage and I would love you all to read what follows about how I'm the same, just like you, but different.
I would also love the youth of the western world to realise that theres terrorists under their feet still, and maybe you should make your own bed before criticizing those of others.
Righteo.
Anyway.
I'm 20, haha, I'm a student nurse (paediatrics) and a year off finishing uni!I have two rabbits - Marley a sooty fawn dwarf lop, and my baby..
Ollie, my free spirited mix and first bunny... he thinks our relationship is a one way street. He touches me, I don't even think of touching him
This is William and Marley. William is my boyfriend of nearly two years! I adore him. My absolute soul mate. And he has a yummy tummy
Henry - Our one and only piggie. A rescue, which is why hes by himself.. he can be a bit bad tempered...
and finally, the budgie, Aero Smyth
