Arches vs. Marches
By Ross Davis

Note: This story was produced for JCOM 2160, Introduction to Online Journalism, which emphasizes hand-coding HTML.

Comparing Arches National Park, Utah to my home country Northern Ireland has given me the dilemma: Do I want to go home yet?

I am an international exchange student at Utah State University for a year; my flight is booked and my bags will soon be packed but a recent trip to the beautiful Arches NP and Canyonlands NP has made me wonder what else have I missed out on. The diversity of the landscape and the stunning existence of such splendor make it more difficult to leave Utah.

The 12th of July in Northern Ireland is a national holiday celebrated by Protestants who remain loyal to the crown. June and July are known as marching season, where Protestant flute bands march on the streets; it is a time of year often associated with violence particular in areas where Catholics and Protestants are in close proximity.

Me at Arches National Park
The comparison is incomparable; pointless religious violence versus tranquility beauty. Wind and water erosive history has created the marvelous arches seen in the National Park, and it is history that continues to condemn certain parts of Northern Ireland’s dark past.

It is true that Northern Ireland is beginning to emerge from its torrid violent past and the prosperity is undeniable, especially in the capital Belfast. However there are sometimes reminders of its past, more often than not it is during the marching season.

Utah’s National Parks are like no others in the world, they are unique and a sight to behold. Northern Ireland is not without its own beauty, countless greenery and the famous Giants Causeway, but this is sometimes overshadowed by what is in the news.

Arches NP is famous for its arch shaped rocks, like Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch, and although undeniably amazing the most enjoyable part of the National Park was the seven mile strenuous hike at Devils Garden. This felt like going into the wild, a true backpacking adventure.

Zion’s, Capitol Reef and Bryce National Parks have escaped my gaze and following the life affirming beauty of Arches and also Canyonlands, I now question why I have not journeyed to the others. During my year long experience at USU I have traveled to many places in the USA including New York, Yellowstone and California, but it is always the destinations closest to home that elude your travels.

It is an experience that I can relate to, before I even arrived in the U.S. I have not seen much of Europe and the same can be said of my home country. When you meet Americans who tell you all the places in Ireland and Europe they have been, it can be quite embarrassing to compare their travels to your own.

This is something that I will take home with me; to see more of my own continent and country. Arches NP has made me realise the beauty of nature and enjoyment of hiking, therefore I will hopefully carry on my adventures back home.

Sunrise at Mesa Arch, Canyonlands NP