Starting in early February, I became part of the MELLIE Project on campus. MELLIE stands for "Migrant English Language, Literacy and Intercultural Education". What do all of those words really mean in practice? The idea is that people seeking asylum in Ireland and people from my university can come together to listen to one another's stories and connect and learn from one another. Because asylum seekers are people who fled their home country to seek safety in another country (in this case Ireland), they often speak languages other than English. The MELLIE Project gives them a chance to practice the language of their land of refuge.
More than that, the project gives both asylum seekers and university people the opportunity to recognize different perspectives and to create relationships. Keep in mind that asylum seekers by definition had to leave everything behind when they fled their home country, so when they first arrive they are provided housing in Ireland called "Direct Provision" (DP). There is some controversy about whether DP is the best way of helping or not. What is important to know is that the DP centers are usually kind of far from town and transportation can be difficult.
