Language trip to Dublin

Visit Ireland and get to know…

… your host family:

There were two, three or four people living together at a host family who was responsible for telling us information such as which bus we had to take and when we were expected to be home again. Every day they would make breakfast and a packed lunch for us which also contained typically flavored Irish crisps. In the evenings, we returned to our host families for dinner or did evening activities such as bowling or Irish dancing. Selina Schmidt

… famous places in and around Dublin:

We were living with a host family in Dublin who were really nice and hospitable. Every day we would get up and take the bus to the city centre for sightseeing or to explore the city of Dublin with all its beautiful architecture. Afterwards we would go to a language school in the afternoons for improving our English. Thomas Gruber

During the day, we always did group activities in the morning such as a cliff walk in Howth, visiting famous sights like Trinity College or the National Gallery but also popular places in Ireland like Bray and Glendalough. Simone Wöginger

The trip to Howth was the perfect way to get away from the urban rush and traffic. Alina Nutz

As we got off the train in Howth the sun was beating down on us. While we were wandering along the cliffs next to the ocean, the weather was simply incredible. Tabea Thaler

It was so beautiful, we all couldn’t stop talking about it, there were many pretty flowers and seagulls. Then we had some time in the scenic little fishing village. We had beautiful weather most of the time, except for two times, one of which we got so soaked that our shoes and clothes didn’t dry for a long time. Johanna Punesch

… a lot of new things:

Personally, I believe that my highlight was the Irish dance party. It was the funniest thing in my week. We were divided into two groups and we learned three dances and also sang Irish songs. It wasn’t very hard to learn, because the dances were very easy, however, nobody was perfect at it, but we didn’t mind. Elena Brandstätter

Despite our exhaustion we still had enough energy to give our all during the bowling night. Having little bowling competitions with friends was just delightful. Tabea Thaler

Thanks to the language school, I now know how to make several Irish dishes with just one ingredient, the potato. Isn’t that astonishing? Additionally, I created my own podcast. It might not be Spotify-level, because who would want to listen to teenage gossip, but at least we had fun in the making. Lena Stelzeneder

… yourself:

I learned that meeting strangers is not always a bad thing. I was very scared of my host family, but that was unfounded, because they were really nice and there was not a single moment when I felt uncomfortable with them. Alina Winkler

One time I realized that I was speaking absolutely freely with my host mum and I didn’t even think about it. I was very proud of myself and gained self-confidence. Elena Brandstätter

On the one hand, you get the opportunity to work on your English skills in a place where speaking it comes as natural as breathing air. On the other hand, you´ll learn to deal with responsibility and how to organise yourself on your own. Viktoriia Boikiv

You are around people 24/7 and never get any privacy, which can be really challenging of course, but I think you learn to interact with people and respect each other’s desires and needs that way. Maria Wurzer

In this one week, I learned some things about myself. I´m stronger and more independent than I thought I would be. Not only did I manage to find my way back home to the host family, but I also wasn´t too shy to ask foreigners for help. I became more confident in talking English and I even adapted some new words and proverbs. And last, but not least: I´m very thankful for my amazing sneakers which carried me through the week. Laura Haubenberger

Going on a language trip to Dublin is …

… a big adventure from which you learn a lot about yourself and how to find different ways to solve problems. Sophie Hofer

… a perfect week with painful feet. One thing which could be considered a downside is the fact that the program contained a lot of walking; hence we fell into bed tiredly as soon as we got home. Lena Stelzeneder & Tabea Thaler

… fun. Although the bathroom in our host family’s house wasn´t really tidied up and freezing cold, we had tons of laughs and fun. Think of yourself and your best friends exploring the streets of Dublin and looking for a place to eat or the right bus to take. All those normal activities turn out funny with your friends and the stupid things they say. You also discover new, unknown sides of your friends while being in a big city far from home. So, my highlight of the week wasn´t any specific activity, no, it was the fun we had in these „normal” moments. Vincent Gosch

… an experience worth going away for. It won’t always be within your comfort zone, but that’s good, the more you get out of it, the more you grow. Johanna Punesch