Five weeks ago, the accent the Irish people have was a challenge to understand. Most of the time I could get the gist of what they were saying, but I would miss bits and pieces. More than once did I find myself asking them to repeat what they had just said-both in and out of school. This made school a challenge for me. Trying to understand what they were saying, as well as trying to understand the material they were giving me made it harder than I expected it to be. Finally though, I have been able to get a better grip on what is being said. It helps to get out and talk to the locals. They are so understanding and willing to repeat what they had said enough times for you to understand what was being said.

The classes themselves aren’t too hard. It’s a lot of reading and participating in class. Most of the time in the States I would skim the material and just pay attention in class and got by just fine. That doesn’t fly here. You have to actually read the material and understand the material enough to have a conversation in depth. That has been the hardest part about school. School isn’t all terrible though. We have gone on multiple field trips and it really helps tie in what you are learning. It also helps you to remember and make those connections.

The length of classes is something else that takes getting used to. If you think a 75 minutes class is too long, try a four hour class! My classes are for four hours a day. We get two, sometimes three, breaks. Our cottages are right next to the school so when you get a 10 minute break you can easily get a snack, some coffee, or just stretch your legs. But don’t be fooled, a ten minute break will go a lot quicker than you think. It also helps that classes don’t start until 10 am. If it started any sooner, I would for sure fall asleep!

The class room is the first picture you see, the second is a picture of the lounge that we all do our homework in. We don’t have assigned seats or the imaginary assigned seats that are in each class back home. With us all being so close, no one get secretly offended when someone sits in their seat.

The classes have taught me more about myself as a student than I was expecting it to. I have learned a lot about the Irish language, history, and literature as well. Being more cognizant of myself as a student, as well as this knowledge is something I am thrilled to be able to go home and share with others.