Vienna – Bratislava – Dublin – Galway – Aran Islands – Cliffs of Moher – Dingle – Ring of Kerry – Dun Laoghaire – Dublin – Bratislava – Vienna! It was quite a trip! This year’s language study travel brought 48 students from our 7th grades, together with Mag. Sara Gander, Mag. Klaus Philipp & Mag. Magdalena Schmidberger, all across the Republic of Ireland.
Our program, which was very rich in variety, included a three day long round-trip where we were able to enjoy some of the most beautiful places and sceneries Ireland has to offer (Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, Ballinskellig Beach, to name but a few). After some admittedly very long bus journeys we arrived at what was going to be our home for a week, the scenic coastal town of Dun Laoghaire. Only 20 minutes away from Dublin by the infamous DART (a kind of S-Bahn), it turned out to be the perfect place to become acquainted with the Irish culture and language.
After the daily half-day lessons, in which the students practised and improved their language skills, our activities included a guided walking tour around Dublin city centre, a fun afternoon at the arcades in Bray and an Irish pub music experience. Other highlights were the visit to Croke Park Stadium, home of Gaelic sports such as Hurling and Gaelic football and the 3rd largest stadium in Europe, as well as the Irish Dancing evening, which turned out to not only be fun, but also quite sweaty.
Besides getting acquainted with the local trademarks and their nicknames – The Spire of Dublin is locally known as “The Stiletto in the Ghetto” – , we also learned a lot about the always very friendly people, the crazy Irish weather and the local culture and cuisine. Must try dishes included fish & chips (the ones in Galway were definitely the best) and the tea and scones served at our Irish dancing evening. We were also able to get a taste of whiskey, if only with the eyes. The newly built Teeling distillery is the only operational Irish Whiskey distillery in Dublin, and definitely worth a visit.
But let the students speak for themselves:
“I still enjoyed the trip to the Aran islands, although it was cold and rainy and many of my friends got sick on the ferry. I loved the houses, the stony railings and most notably the nature. (…) and I think that every day was a good day. I had the chance to see new things, to be with my best friends, to laugh, to freeze, to not find the way back home. Each day was a gift and I made the best of it”
Helena
“The Star Wars beach was beautiful too. It was nice to walk to the beach and enjoy the morning sun. I really loved that because I can’t really do that here in Vienna.” Magdalena
“I have to say that the whole trip made a huge impression on me, but if I had to choose, I would say the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands and generally the landscape. I have never been to a place that looks like Ireland, and I also don’t think that there is one because it’s just such a unique landscape. There is something quite magical about it, and that’s why I loved it so much, even though I wouldn’t consider myself to be a person who is into nature.”
Laetitia
“I tried fish & chips once, and I have to say, it was delicious. It was hard to decide which kind of fish to choose, but in the end, we all chose the most common one and it was delicious. I also liked that the chips had vinegar on them. You don’t find anything like that here in Austria.”
Sophie
“I miss everything but what I miss the most are the super duper cool stores in Dublin, the best ice cream shop there (ScrumDiddly’s) and of course my host family because they were such nice people and they have a delicious dog. Oh, I mean cute… cute dog.”
Jess
When we arrived, the air was warm,
We slept in some kind of dorm.
There were some drunk guys on the street
Stepping almost on our feet.
On the next day, we went out
On a ferry (that’s a boat).
It rained all day until the end
And then there came the sweet weekend:
Driving around in a bus
While the sun shone down on us.
We saw a dolphin and much sea;
Then we arrived at our host family.
They were kind (and had good food!)
And they showed us the neighborhood.
Five days, we had to go to school
Which was just partially cool.
We had a tour through Dublin city;
That I don’t live there is a pity.
I really love that city so,
Also Dun Laoghaire, Bray and co.
The other trips were also fine
(I needed that one for the rhyme).
We went to pubs, we played some games,
At the stadium we learned some names
Of famous players and their teams
And looked down on some smaller streams.
We had an Irish dancing eve
Two days later, we had to leave.
But first there was a whole free day
To roam the city and go to Bray
To watch a Hurling match (for free!)
But I wasn’t there, obviously.
We had to wake up earlier
Which made my hair go curlier
Because it hadn’t yet been dry.
So I had to run and try
To be on time and catch the ride
So we just had to catch the flight.
Which was hard, ‘cause Stefan lost
His passport somewhere on the bus.
Eventually, he got it back;
Turned out the pilot had a jetlag.
We made it back home anyway,
Maybe I’ll come back one day.
Sophie
