Cork

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile! The dorms at Cork do not have internet :( We have been pretty busy here anyway. We arrived on Sunday afternoon but were pretty sleepy so we just hung out and played card games all evening...On Monday we had two lectures in the morning on homelessness in Cork. The lectures were preettttyyy boring but we got to go to a shelter called Cork Simon in the afternoon. The shelter was very impressive..First off, all homeless people can receive free medical service at the shelter. Also, they are not kicked out every morning like they are in the US. Each person has their own room and two people share a shower...that is better than the dorms we are staying in (4 people share a shower). They have programs that send the residents on day trips to go fishing or other things they are interested in. The shelter also has computer courses/GED programs that the people can take. It is kept very clean...The lecturer made a good point that if you give people something to feel proud of, they are more likely to what to change and keep that change up. The shelter has a "harm reduction" model they use that allows people to be intoxicated or high and still come into the shelter as long as they will not harm others. This way, they are not vulnerable on the streets and can still stay warm and have food in their systems. I thought that was an interesting take on the situation. The shelter provides apartments and off-site housing that homeless people can work up to. I was VERY impressed by that because Lawrence is about the lose our shelter (the lease will be up) and the community won't let them build even ONE shelter in the outskirts of town..It seems like people here really understand compassion. One last thing that stuck out to me was the name of the shelter (Simon). It was named after the man who helped Jesus carry his cross. The lecturer said they chose this because they want to help people carry their burdens and help take a weight off the shoulders of the people in crisis. He also said most social services would simply throw a ladder down a well if someone were stuck at the bottom...however, services should really go down the well themselves and help carry the person up the ladder. I thought this was a great example of what social work should really be out; not simply giving services to people but helping people through them. If someone can have someone around who cares and is willing to help them, they are more likely to accomplish their goals...

On Tuesday we had lectures on adoption and visited an adoption agency. It is crazy because currently they only have 6 babies in Cork that are being worked on getting placed into a home. I thought this was an incredibly low number, especially since abortion is illegal in Ireland. Also, same-sex couples here can adopt children (they adopt as a single parent and then the other can apply to be a "social parent:). However, these couples cannot adopt Irish babies. They can only adopt children from other countries. Another surprising part about adoption here is that it is moving towards a completely open adoption model AND it is usually the adoptive parents that are seeking out the birth mom for advice/medical history.

Today, we learned about intellectual disability (learning disabilities). We visited Brothers of Charity which has schools for children with these disabilities, especially Autism. They have programs for the siblings of these children too because they often get forgot about. I thought that was a great idea. They also have medical programs and on-site living for elderly people with learning disabilities.

Tomorrow we are headed back to Dublin! It is crazy how fast this trip is going by. This is the final leg of the journey and it seems like I just got here the other day. I can't wait to see America again on Sunday though!!! I am getting a little tired of how people drive here, taking cabs everywhere, and sharing my shower :) Overall, it has been GREAT though!