Finally, I arrived !! And this diary will tell to you my adventures during my journey far away from my country. 

Each day, you could follow my different experiences in this new land for me, the Irland in Dublin capital city.

My adventures goes to Mondy 18 July to Friday 29 July 2022.

09:00 a.m – Once upon a time

This was the beginning of my journey, my first day at the Trinity College for the course of EnglishMatters organisation to activate my english (B1+, B2). 

This session gathered 17 countries.

After registration at 9:00 a.m, we were gathering in the Synge theatre in the Art building to attend a general presentation of courses during these next two weeks.

Trinity College – Art building

the Synge theatre

09h30 a.m

We started thirty minutes later after a little break time.

During the following ice breaking activities, each nationality had to sing a famous song from their country. We were 4 French people and to represent our country, we sang “Alexandrie Alexandra” from our national electric singer Claude François, but without Claudettes !! So, it was a little bit brigthless…

Ice breaking activity – Singing

Afterwards, we participated to Table Quiz and that is why we constituted different teams to stimulate group working. I was in the Hop House 13 team.

The different questions dealt mainly with Irish civilisation (languages, urban geography, monuments), culture (housing), art (music, movies, artists – i.e ; singers, actors and actresses ; songs, instruments), literature and finally, sports.

Then, the general presentation spoke about a description of all different courses available and their aims. During this next two weeks, the conductive line will be “Contexts4Context”, because reals contexts of daily living make meanings.

The philosophy of this experience is creating a learning experience by actively participating and will treat about many subjects : places, archaeology, art, literature, fim, music and dance.

In this presentation, I could felt a strong philosophy of progressiv education and modern pedagogical principles. 

Developing skills, sharing success and failures, cultivating a European and human dimension are the values of this experience.

01:30 p.m – Walking on the (College) Green

Back with my Hop House 13 team, but this time, outside.

the Campanile – famous assembly point in Trinity College

This afternoon, we had a mission : walking across Dublin city to go to different points of interests. We started by the famous Trinity College’s structure – the Campanile – to take a group photo.

After, we go to the writer’s statue Oscar Wilde to find out his importance in Irish literature – but not only, and three things about him.

Oscar Wild on the rock

Then, we went to Grafton Street to discover different and coloured shops and theirs buskers, urban artists.

Grafton Street

An exemple of busker

By the way, we met Molly Malone, I mean, her statue, a famous fishmonger. After a group selfie, we sang her song.

statue of Molly Malone, the fishermonger

Walking to the meeting place, we crossed the Ha’Penny Bridge… Fortunately, it’s now free because I didn’t have one and half pennies to pay old taxe.

Ha’Penny Bridge > ‘One and half pennies to cross please !’

Further, we met two ladies seated on a bench, discussing. Situated in one of Dublin’s most popular shopping areas, this bronze sculpture Meeting Place was designed to reflect everyday city life. Like all statues in Dublin, they have a local nickname – ‘the Hags with the Bags‘.

‘the Hags with the Bags’ statue

Then, we went to GPO – General Post Office, sited in the centre of O’Connell Street.

This building is very important for the city, not least because it served as the headquarters of the leaders of the Easter Rising or Easter Rebellion, an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916.

General Post Office – Inside

Inside the GPO, we could see the bronze statue of Cú Culainn, a warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology.

Cú Culainn’s statue, warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology

Not far from here, on the corner of North Earl St, we stood in front of James Joyce, an Irish novelist, short story writer, poet, and literary critic. To conclude our team work, we recited together this quote from Ulysses, a Joyce’s novel  :

“ To learn must be humble. But life is great teacher… ”

James Joyce’s statue

3:30 p.m – End of « Where in Dublin ? » 10 tasks-based Field Learning Project

My daily reflection

I wanted to conclude my log’s first entry to say I have appreciated this first experience.
If in the morning, the general presentation has exposed several goals and ideas of progressive learning methods, the afternoon tasks permitted to illustrate concretely the concepts exposed, earlier in the morning, by stimulated teamwork with an active participating and, real contexts of daily living and culture.

That’s true I have forgotten these ideas to focus only on my lessons’ contents.

I think this experience will remember me some of importants pedagocals methods to interest my students.

This is my Irish experience and by the way, the English Matters’ method to improve our skills.

I hope my story was interesting and pleasant and hope that you read my second entry tomorrow…

Signed by your lost european traveler,

Vivien CAPO