Erasmus Irlanda

Today is our last day. Early tomorrow we will take a bus to Dublin and take the flight back to Spain. The truth is that I'm very sad to leave. I loved this experience, and I don't want to leave Ireland. Today we had to say goodbye to all the friends we had made. The saddest thing has been saying goodbye to the Spanish friends we have made. We're going to miss them a lot, and they're going to miss us. At home, I also said goodbye to the German and Italian students. I will miss them too. As I said, I am very sad to leave and I am grateful to have been able to live this increíble experience.  

Today in class we did something special. In the first hour I had language class, but in the second hour, instead of teaching, we had a somewhat different activity. A barista course. In it, we have been taught how to make coffee with a professional machine. We've been taught how to make latte and mocca, and how to draw a picture with foam. Everyone was making the coffee they preferred, and then we had free time to drink it. We all liked it a lot. The rest of the day was unremarkable.  

Today is Sunday. This morning, my host-mum woke me up and took the German student, the Italian student, my host-sister and me to Cork. Cork is one of the most important and largest cities in Ireland. Although it was a bit far away and it was a couple of hours drive, it was worth it. He took us to the mall. There were many shops there that don't exist in Spain, with very hice things. I bought a beautiful top. We ate at McDonald's, and when we finished seeing the shops we took the car to go home. On the way back, we stopped at a souvenir shop selling typical Irish items. There I bought gifts for my family, and a souvenir cap for myself. I loved seeing the shop with all the typical things. Afterwards, we went back home and I went to rest.  

Today my host-mum told me that there would be no one at home all day. That's why she took me to the house of another exchange student with whom I get along very well. She was in the house with two other Spanish girls, so I had a great time. We've been watching scary movies and chatting. I've had lunch and dinner at his house. Afterwards, we went to the cinema all together with my host-sister and my host-mum, and another exchange student with her host-sister. We have seen the movie "My big fat greek wedding 3". Although it was in English, we understood it very well. It was a little bad, but very funny. We laughed and enjoyed it.  

We didn't have any morning excursions today. I've gone to class like a normal day and learned some new things. At lunch we have been talking to some Irish people with whom we have become friends and it has been very entertaining. At the end of school, we went to the pitch, as usual. At the end of school, we went to the pitch, as usual. It was raining a bit, but I still tried to play football. I'm very bad, but the Irish more so! Afterwards, we bought some pizzas and something to drink at the store for dinner, and at 7 pm we went back to the institute to see an event that had been organized for all the exchange students. An Irish night! We have seen a girl dance a typical dance, and another who has played typical music with the harp. Afterwards, we danced and sang together, and we taught some things about our culture. Then, we ate some typical food. It's been a lot of fun and I've learned a lot about Irish culture.  

Today has been a very important day in which I have learned a lot. I've been to the National Ploughing Championships! The NPC is a very characteristic festival in Ireland, held every year. It's basically about farms. It's been about 3 hours drive. When we arrived, we had to put on some wellies because it was all wet and muddy, as it had rained. After that, we went in and we were looking at everything. There were stables with cows, sheep and other animals of all kinds of breeds. We've also gotten several free stuff. They gave us apples, chips, a tote bag... But without a doubt, what I liked the most was a cowboy hat from Aldi. We've been in line for a while, but it's been worth it because it's super cool, and I'll take it as a souvenir. We have also seen the most important part of the festival: the tractor contest. I wasn't too interested in it, but my host-dad loved it. We've also been to a country concert. We've kept going around and seeing ...

Today in class we have done a lot of things. First thing in the morning we did self-defense, which was very interesting. Then we did first aid and were taught how to use a defibrillator. Then we've had technology and music. Then I had a cooking class, where I baked some delicious cookies. Then in geography we've been playing cards, and we taught the Irish people some spanish card games. I came home and in the afternoon I went to the gym with the Italian student who is also at my house. I really liked the gym, so I´ll probably go in Spain.  

Today, Monday, we had an excursion with the exchange students. We've been taken surfing to a beach here. We went by bus to the beach which was two hours away. Once there, we put on our wetsuits, they put us in groups and we started the course. It's been a lot of fun, even though most of us didn't know how to surf. The water was very good and there were a lot of waves, although it was too windy. I managed to get on my feet on the board. After that, we have been taken to see the Cliffs of Moher, which are famous for being featured in many movies. It's been beautiful. Then we went back to our homes.  

Today is Saturday. Those of us on the exchange have arranged to go to Limerick for the day. We took a bus from Kilfinane and when we arrived we were walking around the city. I bought a gift for my host-mum because it was his birthday. Then we ate at the Burger King and went to the Crescent, a shopping mall. We had a great time. We took a bus back to the city, and there a bus to Kilfinane again, where they have picked us up and taken us to our homes. In the evening, my family ordered Chinese food for dinner, which was very tasty, and we have been talking.  

Today we also went to class as a normal day. We've done the musical and we've helped in Spanish class. At the last minute we couldn't fit into our class and they took us Spaniards to a room. We've been teaching a teacher how to play cards there. After class we stayed at the pitch and at 7 o'clock we went back to school because we had a movie night. We've seen the movie Jumanji. We haven't really paid much attention to the film. We've been chatting, laughing, and playing hide and see around the school. We had sweets and pizzas for dinner. It's been a lot of fun.

Today was a normal school day. First thing in the morning we had the musical, which I love, and the rest of the classes were normal. After class we stayed at the pitch and I tried to learn playing hurling. I was very bad at it, but I really enjoyed. Then, I went with a friend to her house and we played table games. Then our host-mums picked us up and took us with another girl from the exchange to dinner in an Italian restaurant. The pizzas were very good and we had a great time. I came back home and I fell asleep because I was really tired.  

Today we were taken on a hike to an adventure park. There was climbing, zip lines, and a water park. They separated us into two groups, and mine were taken to the water park first. We all thought the water would be very cold, but with the wetsuits it was fine. It was a lot of fun, it was very good. They were mats and inflatables in the water, we laughed a lot. Then we dried off and changed, ate and were taken to the climb. It was hard for me, but we all managed to do it in the end. Then we went to the zip lines. They were so cool. It was time to go back and we got on the bus. Then we stayed on the football pitch and I'm back home.  

Today our two-week colleagues arrived. We went to school as a normal day, but there we were picked up by a bus that took us to Dublin. The trip was almost 4 hours, so we stopped for lunch at a gas station. When we arrived in Dublin we made a dynamic with which they showed us the city. Then they took us to a shopping street and let us go. we ate at McDonald's, and then we took the bus to the airport. It took our colleagues an hour to geta there, so we've been talking to the Irish. When they arrived, we greeted them and got back on the bus to go home. On the bus we were playing music and talking. We stopped at the same gas station for dinner and when I got home, which was late, I went to sleep.

Today is Sunday. My host-sister does Gaelic football and had a match this morning. The whole family went to see him. In addition, another girl from the exchange also does this sport and I have been watching it with another Spaniard. At first it was hard for us to understand it, but it's an entertaining sport. When the game was over, the whole team went to eat together, to celebrate that they had won. We had pizza with pineapple. I had never tried it, and I didn't like it. We also had some typical Irish biscuits. Then we went back home and I was chatting with the family.  

Today is the third day of this experience. Yesterday was quite similar to the day before yesterday, that's why I didn't write. We went to class and then I was with the family. Today we went on a hike to Limerick. We've been to a mall and a milk market. the milk market was a bit boring, but in the mall we ate at McDonald's. We are integrating quite well into the group of Irish. After this we went by bus to watch a hurling match. It's an interesting sport that doesn't exist in Spain. We've been with the Irish cheering on their team. When the game was over, they took me and another Spanish student to see a farm and then to the park. It's great to learn about the cultures here. Then I came home, had dinner and went to sleep.  

Today was the first day. Yesterday we spent the whole day traveling, and we arrived at our homes around 11 pm. Today I woke up and went to class. At first I was a bit lost, but the rest of the exchange students and I have been adapting. First thing in the morning we had musicals. It's been a lot of fun. We met other Spaniards who were in high school. It was a bit strange for me to eat at one o'clock, since in Spain you eat later, but I'll get used to it. At the end of the lessons, I took the School bus and went home. In the afternoon I didn't do many things, I spent a bit with my host family and rested. It's been a great day, I think I'll really enjoy this experience.