THE WEATHER

Ireland is really green. I knew that it rained a lot but...Oh my God! I couldn´ t believe that It rained everyday. In addition, last summer the weather was worse than in years. So, it´s essential to carry my umbrella. My handbag was always crowded.


Actually, I should wear like an onion because in the same day we could have rain, wind or sun or all together. Can you imagine? But in spite of the weather I must say that Ireland could be a wonderful country to life in. Mainly, because of the lovely inhabitants and secondly, because of the marvellous landscape.


Anyway, I would like to come back. I don´t know when or how but I´ll go again.

THE STUDENTS

My first week in Dublin was really difficult. I guess you are wondering why, and the answer is because of the teenagers. If it is a little hard to adapt to the changes in addition, in my case I should take care of 17 teenagers and although the majority were lovely people some of them gave me lots of problems.


For instance, a girl called A. was all the time complaining about the family, the school, the teachers, the trips and of course about me( I knew at the end of the course). At the beginning, I believed in her and her stories and I was trying to solve her misfortunes but after a conversation with one of her friends I realized that she was cheating me and the rest of the people. In my opinion, she was jealous of her friends but she hadn´t any reason. In contrast, her friends were the typical people who feel confortable at everywhere. I have very good memories from them.

A new sample, we arrived on Thrusday and on Sunday I had to go to the Police Station because four girls decided to have fun shoplifting at the most famous shop in Dublin "Pennies". You have read properly. Following the rules if you are catched shoplifting, drunk, drugging...you are sent to Spain immediately, but after a serious scolding with the girls and for my surprise, nothing happened. Incredible!!. The following day I should back to the Police Station to report a lost wallet, but that is a normal case.


These are some of the problems that I had there just the first week. As I told you a complicated one.

MY HOST FAMILY

Joan was my landlady. She was divorced. She was living with her youngest son Conor. She is an artist(I can´t talk in past because she is alive). I was delighted because as I was her first guest at home, she was trying to make me feel confortable and she was paying me a lot of attention. She loves cooking and the most important, I like what she cooks. Joan is really talkactive and extrovert and she is always laughing, like me! I can sum up in one word her character: lovely!

A CAOTIC ARRIVAL

We landed in Dublin at 11.30 a.m. and staff from CES were waiting for us in the airport so, we followed him to the bus. We went to a church where the host families should come to pick up the teenagers but for my surprise some of the families didn´t come to collect them, including mine. I didn´t understand what was happening. We stayed there for a long time without eating. In addition, it was raining and in spite of being in July it was really cold. Finally, in the afternoon a new bus came and we moved to a new place this time a school on the other side of the city.


At last, all the students were with their host families, but where was mine? I didn´t know the name or a telephone number because my boss told me that CES had the address and I didn´t need to worry about it. Well, I was so tired that I didn´t mind. I began to laugh thinking of the situation and the total disorganization. Then the Alpha college director brought me to my host family house, but a new misunderstanding happened. He thought that I was an Alpha group leader and I told him that I was a Mount Temple group leader. So I couldn´t stay with this family because they lived just on the opposite side of Mount Temple and I needed 30 minutes to arrived there. While he contacted with the Mount Temple director to try to solve the problem I was waiting for in my supposed host family house. Oh my God! Incredible! the lady was drunk! another spanish leader were living there and she told me that she was a little scared because the woman seemed to be drunken all the time. The last night she fell down twice. The lady was really kind with me but I got glad when I left the house I wasn´t ready to this kind of situation.


I couldn´t believe what was happening it was like an Almodovar´s film, a little unreal and surrealist. In the end of the day I knew my host family!!!. This time the family was normal. My bedroom was small but nice and clean. I was really exhausted but happy too. The adventure was served and just with my first day there I could write a book. Don´t miss my next post this is just the beginning.

TRYING

This is my first post in my own blog and in addition, in English. I must say that my mother tongue is Spanish so I ask for sorry if I make mistakes, what is more, I would be very grateful if you can correct them because the aim of this blog is practice and improve my English.

I have been learning English for a long time and this year I got my official degree from the Official Language School in Spain. During five years I have had different teachers but the last course, fortunately I found a really complete one. He is very interested in motivate his students and I can ensure that he gets it. I have learned a lot with him and his blog. In my opinion, we need more teachers like him in our schools, because depending on the teacher you can love or hate the topic, don´t you think so?

After finishing the course I decided to travel to Dublin as a leader with a group of teenagers.
I stayed there for a month and well, I need a long time to explain all my troubles there so I hope you wait for a while until I send my next post.

To be continued...