Philosophy teacher at ESO and Baccalaureate

Briefly telling about a 4-week experience abroad is a challenge, the same one that was for me the very experience that I decided to end with the attempt to pass the IELTS exam in Dublin one day before returning to Spain. Taking the exam there was a great idea because it made me demand on my daily work and study.

My destination was Bray, a quiet and charming seaside town south of Dublin, with excellent transport links. The choice to stay with a family was a good one; apart from the help you get in the first few days, I didn’t have to worry or invest time in cooking or shopping: all the time was devoted to classes, study and the social programme that the ATC School has.

The academy is perfect in many ways. It is located in front of the beach, and the breaks and rests of the classes had a special charm. It has many students but the classes are small, so I met a lot of people from all over the world. It was also thanks to the social program of the academy, which has excursions and visits, and which allows you to see the most touristic places, but also the curiosities and charming places. I recommend to join as many as you can. I really liked the agreement that the academy has with the locals. In general, they are older people who, from 21:00 offer conversation in the typical bars, with live music; it is a way to have the older people active, who feel good, and for us, it is great, not only because you can continue speaking English but because you know the character and way of life of the people there. I had the opportunity to meet many people of all ages and countries. All with the same goal: to have an experience abroad and learn a lot. It’s a pity that you can’t extend it over time or have two continuous experiences to consolidate what you’ve learned; because you learn English, that’s for sure, but it’s a very important personal enrichment that, as a mother and teacher, I consider essential to understand what our young people face when they decide to have similar experiences and to encourage them to do so. Thank you for the opportunity, because really, because of my age, 48, and my family circumstances, it’s something I never thought I’d be doing anymore, and it’s an experience that has no age, it just requires attitude.