Category Archives: Northern Ireland

Home Comforts–and Ugly Reminders

Posted on January 4, 2021 by Liz Barron

I find myself on the same stretch of the Ravenhill Road where I had a flat thirty-five years ago. Then, I chose not to notice the ragged flags that shawled every lamppost, flapping damply in the wind. I ignored the … Continue reading →

Posted in Belfast, identity, Northern Ireland | 6 Comments

Pure moments of bubbling joy

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Liz Barron

At the wedding, we all sang along to the music played by the DJ. The bride and groom were in their sixties, and so all the music was of a certain vintage. The only people under 40 in the room … Continue reading →

Posted in Beauty, British food, British Royal Family, cocktails, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, eating out, Food, Gin, joy, love, Northern Ireland, Nostalgia, singing, The Proclaimers, Things that gladden the heart, ulster fry, United Kingdom | Leave a comment

Ways of making him talk

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Liz Barron

It is a mission I never thought I would accept. I need to find a way to make my most mouthy friend talk more. If you don’t know Peter Weil, well count your lucky stars. If you do you know … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Belfast, friendship, Fundraising, Grand Central Hotel, Nortgern Ireland Peace Talks, nortgetn Ireland railwsys, Northern Ireland, peace and quiet, Peter Weil | Leave a comment

Northern Ireland and Armenia: bordering on —well, what?

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Liz Barron

Above all else, politicians and peace-builders in Northern Ireland — not two completely overlapping groups— know that people find it hard to change. It is 20 years since the Good Friday agreement and many stumbling blocks to lasting peace and … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Armenia, Belfast, Borders, Caucausus, Cross-cultural understanding, fear, Learning, life lessons, Millisle, Nagorno-Karabakh, National pride, Northern Ireland, Peace Corps, Peace Corps Armenia, Terrorism, Things that make a difference, travel, velvet revolution, war, Women | 3 Comments

When World’s Collide

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Liz Barron

I am back home in Goris and enjoying a perfect dinner of Irish Wheaten bread with Armenian butter, salad, and cheese. The bread comes from Knott’s Bakery in Newtownards a no-nonsense town just outside Belfast, Northern Ireland. The tomatoes probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, Food, friendship, gratitude, identity, Ireland, Local delicacies, Millisle, Northern Ireland, Nostalgia, online friends, packing, shopping, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, Women | Leave a comment

Tayto take Armenia

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Liz Barron

I was posting a present for my sister when the lady in the post office said she had parcels for me. Not one parcel, but two.  I was surprised. Sure, my birthday is tomorrow but I had not anticipated any … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Blessings, Emilia Simonian, family, Food, food safety, Fundraising, gratitude, joy, Local delicacies, Northern Ireland, Serendipity, Tandragee, Tayto, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, welcome | 2 Comments

I don’t know myself at all.

Posted on August 18, 2017 by Liz Barron

Gazarnaguine they call it here. Carrot orange. The color of my hair ever since I was born. Admittedly my hair– much like the rest of me– has had a little help from the bottle this last twenty-five years, but still … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, bad hair day, Beauty, Belfast, clothes, Cross-cultural understanding, Embarrassment, errors of judgement, fashion, fear, friendship, know thyself, Northern Ireland, red head, Terrorism, Women | 1 Comment

Thunder Road

Posted on July 29, 2017 by Liz Barron

I call it the Thunder Road, although there is nothing loud, scary or stormy about it, and there’s not a Hell’s Angel or Harley Davidson in sight. No sign of Bruce or his bandana either. The road from Sisian to … Continue reading →

Posted in Antrim coast, apricots, Archaeology, Armenia, Beauty, Caucausus, Cross-cultural understanding, Driving, Giants Causeway, Great weekends, History, joy, Nature, Northern Ireland, Syunik Marz, Things that gladden the heart, travel | 4 Comments

In the Pink at the Raspberry Festival

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Liz Barron

The mayor was wearing a shiny blue suit with a silvered stripe. He stood out in the heat of the day, not least because almost everyone around him was attired in raspberry pink. The occasion was the Raspberry festival, held … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Beauty, Belfast, Cross-cultural understanding, family, Food, Great weekends, joy, Language, Language learning, love, Northern Ireland, Nostalgia, Syunik Marz, Things that gladden the heart, travel, Village life, Vodka, Women, work | Leave a comment

Border Post: Part Two

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Liz Barron

May 9 is a public holiday in Armenia and is known as Victory Day.  The day marks triumph over the Germans in the Second World War, where Armenians fought as part of the Russian Army, joining the allies to defeat Hitler. … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Borders, Caucausus, Cross-cultural understanding, identity, Nagorno-Karabakh, Northern Ireland, Politics, war | Leave a comment