Intercambio en Irlanda de 3 semanas por Gael Vallejo García

  DIFFERENT LEARNING METHODS The main difference I noticed as soon as I arrived in Ireland is that at their school, more specifically at Scoil Pól, they do not use as many books. In addition, all the students have an iPad to complete many different tasks. On the one hand, I think this is a good idea because it teaches students how to use modern tools and technology in a responsible and educational way. On the other hand, this method could lead to less reading and poorer reading comprehension. There is also a risk that students use artificial intelligence to do their homework, which could affect individual work and critical thinking. Moreover, nowadays we already spend too much time looking at screens, so I do not think we should encourage students to use them even more. In conclusion, I think what they do in Ireland is a good idea because education should adapt to the modern world. However, I would not stop using paper books or practical activities, because it is important not to l...

  A DAY IN CORK Since the beginning of the trip, I had really wanted to visit this Irish city because it is the second largest city in Ireland. We went to school as usual and, at 9 o’clock, the bus took us to Cork. When we arrived, we went directly to UCC (University College Cork), where we had a guided tour around the whole campus. The most interesting part was the old observatory, which we were able to visit. There were several telescopes and a folding roof that could be opened to see the sky. After that, we went to a more central area where we stopped for lunch. We went to a pizza place and, for dessert, we had an acai bowl. We had to leave at two o’clock, so we did not have much time to explore the city. Even so, we were able to see several monuments and some shops on our way to the meeting point. Finally, we took the bus back and spent a normal afternoon without anything particularly special happening.         

  MY FAVOURITE SUBJECTS IN IRELAND One of the things that attracts my attention the most in Ireland is the variety of classes available. Students can choose from many different subjects, which change every four weeks so that there is more variety. Some of these subjects are not available in Spain. Some examples are chess, cooking, dancing, musicals, swimming, sustainability, journalism… The subjects I have enjoyed the most are hiking and woodworking, as I already mentioned in my first blog. In the woodworking classes, the Spanish students who are taking part in the exchange were allowed to make a simple piece that we could finish during the three weeks we are here. First, they taught us some basic techniques, and then we started making a wooden boat. The classes are very enjoyable, although they can be tiring because we have to work with our hands a lot. On the other hand, the hiking classes are completely different. They last several hours, and we have to take a bus to the mountai...

  A DIFFRENT DAY IN IRELAND Saturday was a different day and one of the most entertaining days we have had in Ireland. In the morning, we woke up quite early and went to the Kilfinane bus stop. There, we met a lot of the Spanish Erasmus students, but also some other international students (other Spanish students and three Germans) who are studying at the same school as us. We were all going to Limerick together. When we arrived in Limerick, we went to the city centre to have lunch because people here eat quite early. After that, we took a double-decker bus that took us to a shopping centre, where we watched a film. Finally, we took the same journey back to Kilfinane and then we all went to a friend's house. A different and exciting day!  

  SURF AND CLIFFS OF MOHER   The Wednesday when we had been in Ireland for a week coincided with a famous agricultural festival, which is well known for its tractor championship. As the championship took place in Screggan, Tullamore, in County Offaly, we had to take quite a few trains and buses to get there. The day started at 5:50 in the morning so that we could shower and get ready, because the first bus to Limerick left at 6:15. At Limerick station, we took the opportunity to have breakfast. Then, we took a train to Portarlington, where we caught another train to Tullamore. Finally, we took a bus that brought us to the Ploughing festival site. It was a huge place full of agricultural and farming shops, as well as other stalls selling clothes and food. For example, I bought a hurley as a souvenir. It is a type of bat that is used to play a popular Irish sport called hurling. There was also a fair and lots of tractors and farming machinery. We really enjoyed the experience an...

PLOUGHING CHAMPIOSHIP  The Wednesday when we had been in Ireland for a week coincided with a famous agricultural festival, which is well known for its tractor championship. As the championship took place in Screggan, Tullamore, in County Offaly, we had to take   quite a few trains and buses to get there.   The day started at 5:50 in the morning so that we could shower and get ready, because the first bus to Limerick left at 6:15. At Limerick station, we took the opportunity to have breakfast. Then, we took a train to Portarlington, where we caught another train to Tullamore. Finally, we took a bus that brought us to the Ploughing festival site. It was a huge place full of agricultural and farming shops, as well as other stalls selling clothes and food. For example, I bought a hurley as a souvenir. It is a type of bat that is used to play a popular Irish sport called hurling. There was also a fair and lots of tractors and farming machinery. We really enjoyed the experience...

  DIFFERENT MEAL TIMES One thing that really caught my attention about Ireland was the difference in the way people organise their daily activities. The day starts at a similar time, between 7 and 9 a.m., when people have breakfast, get dressed and get ready for school or work. In my case, in Spain, I start school at 8:30 a.m., while in Ireland I start only 15 minutes later. The difference becomes more noticeable at lunchtime. In Ireland, people usually have a small snack around 10 a.m. In Spain, this usually happens around 12 p.m., when Irish people are already having lunch. Lunch in Ireland is also usually light and easy to take with you, such as sandwiches or wraps. When students arrive home from school, the differences are even clearer. In Spain, people usually have lunch around 2 or 3:30 p.m., while in Ireland people often have dinner at around 6 p.m. This means that the Spanish afternoon snack, or merienda , is usually skipped in Ireland, as it would be too close to dinner ti...

  FIRST DAY AT AN IRISH HIGHSCHOOL As soon as I left home, I noticed the first difference. In Spain, students usually walk to school, while here most of them go by car or by bus because students come to school from many different villages. Regarding the building, the school only has one floor, but it is much bigger than Spanish schools, which are usually smaller but have more floors. The classes are varied and there are many more optional subjects, some of which are quite different, such as woodwork. Apart from this, the way classes work is quite similar. However, they are currently Transition Year, so they do not have homework or exams. Another thing that surprised me is that they have lunch at 12 o'clock and eat at school.  The highschool also has a cafeteria, which is not very common is Spain. Students in both countries are friendly and respectful, despite the academic differences.