Musings on Hospitality

I wrote this for an assignment, but I think it belongs here as well. Just some thoughts on the nature of Ultimate (and competition in general) and Irish hospitality:

Every country has a reputation, a stereotype or at the very least, something that seemingly everyone who has been there tells you about before you go. For me, Ireland was no exception. You hear a lot about Ireland, and it seems that most of it relates toward belligerent drunkenness. Though I hold myself as having an open mind, I found that I took stock in the above stereotype, almost without question. It is, after all, what everyone says. What I found when I arrived in Galway was completely different.

The notion of Irish hospitality is not as well known as the alcoholic aspect, but it is immeasurably more vital to the culture. The Irish are hospitable, almost to a fault. It was evident on the very first day I arrived. When out at a pub with the other members of the group, I found that everyone near me took the time to introduce themselves, and find out where I am from. Not that they would know where Woodinville, Washington is, or even that I would ever see them again. I found myself telling complete strangers about myself, learning names and birthplaces, meeting people young and old. It goes beyond the pub. During a weekend excursion to Carraroe, an Irish speaking community outside of Galway, we found ourselves staying with a landlady, Lucy. In most housing situations, the host would be content to put food on the table, show us a bedroom and leave you be. Lucy took the time to learn each one of our names, where we were from, how old we were, what foods we liked and did not like, whether we prefer coffee or tea… the list goes on and on. She cooked us 3 course meals for dinner, brought lunch to the school where we studied Irish, even left snacks out for us when we returned late at night from traditional music sessions in the town. It seems that the Irish just have a way of treating guests, even strangers, that while it seems to be above and beyond what we would expect in America, is simply what is expected here. This hospitality, be it simply an extension of the golden rule, or otherwise, is what shapes and drives the Irish society, is what makes it so incredible.

In America, even the best traditions do not stand up to the arena of sport. Competition changes us, it brings out the worst in us. It makes us hate the opponent, to want to crush them, destroy them. The sport of choice in my life right now is Ultimate Frisbee, on the surface a game so casual that it seems impossible for there to be hatred, but underneath a burning competitive inferno, with fierce rivalries that rival any other sport. It seems that the most commonplace things you hear when discussion teams is “that team is terrible, we should crush them” or “those guys are jerks.” Not in Ireland. Two weekends ago, I had the pleasure of competing at the National Championships for Irish Ultimate. When discussing the teams in our pool with my captain, I kept jumping to the conclusion that we would be able to easily win against a team, and he kept dismissing that thought, unfailingly giving credit to our opponents. The one thing that I did hear was that “Trinity are jerks,” “that player from Trinity is a jerk.” Without question I placed them on the level of our rivals from home. Saturday, and our game with Trinity came, and I was surprised with what I found. The players from Trinity were not only not jerks, they were great guys, and much in the way of the pubs back home, interested in who I was, and where I was from. It went beyond Trinity. I found that every player that I defended, or that defended me took the time to shake my hand and learn my name.

I have learned a lot about Ireland since I have been here, and their hospitality is probably the most valuable lesson that I will take home. When you go abroad there are things you bank on being the same, and for me, one of those things was Ultimate. It was amazing to see how a cultural belief has so well inundated their culture that it shows everywhere, even on the Frisbee pitch.