Our Students

Hi!

I am Marta and I have spent the last year in Ireland. I can assure you that this is an amazing experience. You learn a lot of English, meet new people, make new friends and get to know a new country.

At the beginning, it was hard to speak so much English but now I want to stay for longer. While I have new Irish friends, I also meet up with some Spanish friends when I go on the excursions that Tara Placement’s organises and they are always great fun.

I love my Irish family. They always help me and treat me like a daughter. My host sister, Elaina, is like a real sister to me and we do everything together. I am very happy to be with them and they are coming to Spain to my family on holiday this summer which is really exciting.

Hi,

I’m Paola. My friend Lucía and I decided to come to Ireland to spend the school year together. Some people think that as we came together we were going to learn less English but we have been together in good and the bad moments so we think we have improved.

We are very comfortable with the family and they are very nice. We were very lucky. We are doing TY (Transition Year) in St. Flannan’s College and I totally recommend it. I have had so many experiences that would not have been possible in Spain. It’s also not a stressful year.

Hello!

My name is Lucía. Last year, I decided I wanted to come to Ireland to study and to improve my English but I didn’t want to come on my own. I talked my friend Paola into it and she decided she wanted to come with me. We are studying TY (Transition Year) in St. Flannans, a very big school in Ennis.

I think it is a very good year because you have work experience, trips, talks and it is very enjoyable. We are also staying with the same family and they are very nice. I think that being with a friend is also a good experience because when we are with people we always speak in English and we learn a lot. We also have each other’s support. This is a year that I will never forget and I am so happy that I came.

Hi,

My name is Timo. I have been in Ireland for about five months and had a great time. I had a great host family, which I’d like to keep in touch with, went to Gort Community School, tried out many new things, started playing Irish traditional music (bodhrán), started drawing portraits, got to know many new people and the Irish Culture. If I would have known, that everything would be so positive, I would have stayed longer in Ireland! I can just recommend everybody to go to Ireland and I am glad I did it. Thank you!

Hi,

I am Maria and this is my third year here in Ireland. I came for a term two years then I returned last year for a full year. Now I am doing TY (transition year) and have decided to remain here to finish my high school education. I really like studying here as I think the teachers are all really nice and more fair. I have a wide range of subjects to choose from and I really like the practical subjects like Technical Graphics, Technology and Home Economics.

I have lived with the same host family since the beginning and get along really well with them. They have tried to understand me and I try to understand them. I really like the food here in Ireland. I have tasted food from many different traditions, like Mexican, Japanese and Indian. I have made lots of friends since I arrived both at school and in the locality where I live. For the first two years, I attended the Ennis Community College and really enjoyed my time there. Now I am boarding at Villiers School in Limerick and it’s fantastic. I was really worried that I wouldn’t like boarding but in reality, I love it. My host mum picks me up on Fridays and I return to Villiers on Monday mornings. I think the concept of work experience is really good too. This year I spent one week in Dingle, Co. Kerry working at an Aquarium.

The highlight of the week for me was my interaction with the penguins. I also spent a week at the University of Limerick in the Architecture Department.

My English has improved dramatically, I have passed both FCE and the CAE and have just started preparation for the Cambridge Proficiency exam. My time here is Ireland has been life changing and even if at times it has been challenging, has been totally worth it!

Hi,

My name is Paolo (front row, second from right), I come from Italy and I want to share with you my experience here in Ireland.

I’m currently attending my 4th year at Gort Community School and the further I go through my experience the happier I am to be part of this program.

I came here and I knew nobody. I need to thank my host-family because they made me feel at home since the very first day. Now, after five months, it seems like I have always lived here.

Everybody here is friendly and curious to know about your own country. I would advise this experience to anybody who is motivated to know and learn about the Irish culture.

Hi,

My name is Timur and I am an 18 year old Italian boy from Milan. I am completing my second year in Ireland in St. Caimins’ in Shannon, Co. Clare.

For the most part I really enjoy being in Ireland. I think the school system is very fair and caters to a wide range of students with different interests.

Though it was difficult at the beginning to make friends I am now settled and have lots of friends. I love my host family. Mary and Gerry have been an integral part of this experience as well as their sons Brian and Michael.

I would highly recommend this experience and want to thank Tara Placements for making it possible.