Sunshine, rain, sunshine, pouring rain, wind, … – the weather in Dublin was as diversified as our activities. Cultural excursions (a walking- tour, an Irish Music & Dance evening, Dublinia and a guided tour of Trinity College) went hand in hand with a hiking trip to Howth, a shopping afternoon and cozy cinema evening in Bray. The second we set our feet on Irish soil, we became aware of the fact that this week would be very different to our normal school routine. However, it turned out that “different” was in that case a very welcomed change. I think I speak for all my colleagues when I say that living with a host family was one of the most exciting, enriching and interesting experiences we’ve had so far.
Most of us lived in a small Dublin suburb called Shankill, which had the benefit that the sea and the beach were close-by. Even though the cultural differences were unfamiliar at first, all of us got used to them. (Except for the sandwiches. 15 sandwiches in a week is possibly record- breaking.) After our arrival on Sunday, when we had plenty of time to explore the neighborhood and get to know our host family, our first day at Atlantic Language School arrived, which was a refreshing change to our daily school routine in Austria. Apart from the group excursion and sightseeing, we had plenty of time to explore Dublin on our own, to go shopping in Grafton Street, or to simply relax on the beach in Shankill.
All in all, we made the most of our time in Dublin – thanks to the teachers and their commitment. Finally, we arrived in Amstetten on Saturday at 2pm, tired but also satisfied and enriched with new experiences. I think all of the 52 students agree on the fact that we wouldn’t want to miss a second of that trip and we promise that we’ll try to be home by 9:30 during the summer holidays.
Go raibh maith agat (Thank you)
Sarah Raffetseder
