What Ulster Means to Me...
Teen Comments about their experiences.
The UP changed me in many
ways. It helped me to gain
confidence and trust in myself…. Emma 2006
Favorite event UP_
Definitely Independence Day. – having never been to
Being a teen and
counselor on the project has helped me gain significant insight into what
teens want from their lives – and how their faith, values and family/friends
shape that. In many ways when I was
16 and came back that summer, I was more of a man, that period of time had
changed me – changed how I saw people, not as a label but as individuals who are
actually more like you than you think – and I at least hope I was able to
encourage others to think similarly, to engage with their faith and God, and to
see how treating others fairly, treating others and loving others like Jesus
did, unconditionally, can make a difference. …the bonds and friendships that you
made in that summer/those summers are for life. …
Simon 2000
More conscientious of the
world? Very much so.
We are rather sheltered from the problems in the world in
The UP was probably one of the most fun
and memorable experiences that I have ever had.
It was one of the best summers of my life and I gained friends from home,
and overseas. I would recommend
this project to anyone who is interested in world culture and making a
difference. Not only will it be the
most fun month of your life, but it will be an experience you take with you the
rest of your life….. Tyler 2004
I would say that the
project changed me more as a person, which probably plays into my career choices
and other decisions in life, maybe without me even knowing it.
I learned that people of all backgrounds, and in our case religious
backgrounds, could be friends. At
the time I did the project I was still pretty shy, but the experience helped my
break out of that a little bit and now after my college experience, I am much
more outgoing. … Debra 2001
The UP remains one of the
best things I ever did with my summer.
I honestly can’t believe it’s been 8 years already since I participated
in it. It’s really one of my
fondest memories. I remember
feeling hesitant about giving up a month of my time or giving up what I thought
would be my freedom, but ultimately I’m so glad I chose to do it because I
gained so much more. Those four
weeks are forever shared between 24 teenagers and four counselors, but it’s even
cooler that we share the experience with an even bigger
UP has taught me to not be
afraid….. Emma 2008
Impacted major decisions?
That what you put into life, is what you get out of life, but ultimately
love life and be thankful everyday…. Emma 2008
It weird how a month can
change your life, but it does. You
make life long friends, and ultimately learn that barriers put in place by the
culture you live in, don’t matter.
I learnt that diversity isn’t a dirty word, it’s something to be celebrated….
What’s great about
The UP opened my eyes to
another world, and I am eternally grateful.
I don’t regret anything about the project and I will carry lessons and
experiences from it for the rest of my life!
Susan 2007
I think more about how my
decisions will affect others, and whether or not my choices are Christ centered.
I was moved from a self-centered way of thinking to a way of thinking
centered around others and finally to more of a Christ-centered way of
thinking….. Paul 2005 , counselor.
I may not be going back to
a country divided by religion, but I live in a place where stereotypes and
divisions remain. It takes small
steps to make the world better, but through the Ulster Project I will now be
able to take those steps more firmly.
Overall, our group has come to realize that what ultimately matters is
what a person has to offer spiritually, emotionally and mentally, and that what
has been given to us is not for us to judge, but rather to be used as a guide
for life. I leave you with a
quote by Mario, a Catholic organizer of the UP, to hopeful help you understand
what this month has meant: “Peace
begins with me”. Rachel 2003
The main reason the
project is based in
It is my belief that Anna
grew in maturity; she is now a few years older and has a respect for all types
of people. She is proud of her own
faith while at the same time respects diversity…
….Soon we were a group;
individuals no more,
With a vital agenda to
settle the score;
To attempt to bring peace
to our violent nation
With no more hatred,
division or segregation. …
from a poem written by Matthew 2006
Having been on the first
ever UP to