It’s been an incredible first week here in Dublin. We have met with several Professors, students, and advocates who have shown us the differences and similarities between services offered to individuals with disabilities in Ireland versus the United States. In our time between meetings, we have also been able to experience the Irish culture ourselves, and explore the city’s historical monuments, while learning about their history. However, despite these experiences, several cultural differences still come as a shock.

On the day we landed, for example, I read a sign in the bus that struck some of us as peculiar and, in some sense, offensive (picture below). Associating a disability with being drunk, we interpreted a negative message of disability from the poster, rather than a positive of even neutral one. I thought about this throughout the week and although it might just be unethical, I also thought of the possibility of this negativity being the result of cultural differences. While drinking is seen as something negative in the United States, it is part of Irish culture. Therefore, while associating a disability with drinking might be seen as detrimental to an individual’s image, in another culture it might be understood as humorous. Despite this possibility, and the fact that I still find the poster to be unethical, the idea of the campaign is very clever.

Drink Tea for MND asks locals to gather friends for tea in order to raise funds for individuals with Motor Neuron Diseases. As they put it: “Everyone loves a cuppa especially in Ireland so why not organise an afternoon tea / coffee morning in your home, local pub, restaurant, GAA club, workplace, community centre, garden… anywhere in fact! We want as many people as possible drinking tea for MND throughout June. Tea packs, which have been sponsored by SuperValu, are available from the IMNDA office so call 1800403403 or email fundraising@imnda.ie to get yours today. Let’s Drink Tea for MND!!” This is a campaign funded by the Irish Motor Neuron Association (website: http://imnda.ie).