A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE IN DUBLIN

In 2019, during the summer I went to Dublin, in Ireland to do a study holiday of two weeks. I departed from Bergamo airport with a group of Italian teenagers that lived in northern Italy. A part of the group stayed at the DCU College, in the centre of Dublin, whereas other students stayed in local host families. Personally, I preferred to house at the college because it was my first experience abroad without my parents and I was kind of concerned. Moreover, the college provided a canteen with a rich range of foods and it was very close to the classrooms where the lessons were held. My room was very spacious and bright and I shared it with an Italian girl with whom I built an amazing friendship, I will never forget the nights spent talking with her.

Our daily routine:

The lessons started at 8 o'clock and finished at 3 p.m.

On the first day of school I did the entr test to check the language level, then, the pupils were sorted into the different classes. The lessons were held by a native speaker, we did reading and pronunciation exercises, even if most of the time we played games that helped us extend the vocabulary. A huge part of the lessons were spent doing speaking activities, this allowed me to find out the origins of my international mates.

I learned new idioms and many slang words, my favourite one is “Chatty Cathy”, it was used by the teacher to describe one of my friends that was always talking with the other students.

The lunch was held in the canteen, usually at 1 p.m. It was self-service and we could take the food we prefered, there were long tables of students and this was another occasion to socialise and to meet new friends. Indeed, I met a group of Spanish guys of my same age: they were so easy going and we kept in touch thanks to social media. I am a good eater and I am not picky with the new kind of plates served. For instance, one morning porridge was served for breakfast, it's a traditional Irish meal that I had never heard about before, indeed it was delicious.

During the afternoon there were plenty of activities and games proposed by the school. For instance, we played golf and gaelic football. During those activities I enjoyed myself a lot because I really like sports and I am always open to new experiences.

In the evening, once the evening activities like the disco or the card games were over, my international friends and I went to the” College Lounge”, where there were two sofas, a table and a kitchen, where an evening chamomile and hilarious laughter were never lacking.

Places that I discovered : My group of friends and I went to Dublin city centre many times, which is amazing. The streets are colorful and in every corner there is a different shop or a museum. The thing that I liked the most was Temple Bar, which is promoted as Dublin's 'cultural quarter', it is the centre of the nightlife and one of the main tourist destinations. Here, I ate a delicious burger and some tasty fries at the Hard Rock Café restaurant, known for its T-shirts. Obviously I had to buy one! And not to forget: the delicious snacks at Starbucks, where every afternoon I could not miss my cappuccino with my name on the glass. I also had the opportunity to visit the city of Belfast, in Northern Ireland and Galway, a town on the west side of the island, known for the famous song of Ed Sheeran. Last but not least, I visited Howth, a lovely town with a breathtaking view of the ocean.

My personal thoughts : The main difference that I first noticed was the left-hand drive, during the bus journey the streets seemed so strange and confused but only a matter of habit . During my first days it was very difficult to understand the native speakers, the Irish accent is very tough and the locals speak very quickly, but again, it is only a matter of habit. This experience has enriched me a lot: not only did I meet people from all over the word, but I also discovered a different culture. My English skills improved: I became more confident in interacting with other people, and I realized that the important thing is to join the conversation trying to say something, rather than remain silent. Although initially I had a bit of embarrassment in speaking English, as the days went by, I got used to it and once I got home it made me feel weird to hear Italian people speaking. I highly recommend an experience like this to everyone, because it has enriched me in a lot of ways and every time I tell somebody it my eyes shine, because the emotions that I have felt will always remain a part of my cultural experience.

FOR MORE INFO: DUBLIN IN 4K (YOUTUBE)

https://youtu.be/r3btlOJhJmc