What is it like being growing up in a place notorious for conflict?

Kathy, 17

My hometown is on the north coast of Northern Ireland and I am a student at a college in Belfast. These are two very different places. My hometown is quiet and peaceful and only ever usy during the summer. My house is just minutes from the beach.

Belfast, however, is a city with a great diversity of industries, businesses and people. It's a great city for entertainment. There are a lot of pubs, clubs and restaurants, catering to all ages and tastes. There is a large student population in Belfast so there is no shortage of places to go throughout the week as well as on weekends.

In the past couple of years there has been a real turn-around in the look of Belfast and the facilities that Belfast has to offer. Shopping is good and there are currently new developments appearing such as the Odyssey. This new arena will have a large ice-rink, a cinema complex and concert facilities.

New developments such as the Odyssey and the growing number of hotels in the Belfast area like the Hilton and others are all due to the peace process. Since the Good Friday Agreement - despite a few setbacks - there have been definite improvements in Northern Ireland and particularly in Belfast. Tourism is increasing and the political process has made it possible. Also the political stability means more investment in the area, especially in the hospitality industry.

Hopefully the world's perceptions of Northern Ireland will now finally change. It's a great place to visit and there are areas of lovely scenery. In Northern Ireland, due to the size of the place, you are never far away from the town, countryside or coast.

I think that, in the future, Belfast will continue to thrive and offer people of my age a chance of a good career and future. I am a Protestant but I find that personal religion is increasingly less important in Northern Ireland. The culture is definitely changing and it is for the better.