Category: 2018/19 Victoria L. (China) Blog Blogger High School Exchange Study Abroad UK UK High School

I still remember I arrived in Ireland on the sixth of January,2017, at half six in the morning. My first impression of this country is that this is a peace and quiet place. A small beautiful airport, few people walking around, slightly raining. I held my suitcases and kept walking, my host mum was waiting for me there.

After the first weekend, I was ready for my new school. My host father drove me to the school that morning. This is such a beautiful school! There are two ancient buildings, one is the convent and the other is the library. You can see the sea from every single window in the school. My host dad dropped me at the reception office, there I met my first friend Eva, a German girl. Then an Indian girl Iris showed me around the whole school (Iris is one of my best friends now). My first class was a music class. I went into the classroom after Iris. Everyone was looking at me. Honestly, I was so nervous and awkward at that moment, I’m worried about my English, can I understand other’s word? But the start wasn’t too bad. I introduced myself then sat at the corner, everyone sitting there started asking me questions.

Transition year wasn’t too hard, despite from I was too quiet, and I put on so much weight!

My fifth year started on a clear sunny day. I gave a small gift to everyone in my class, including a postcard I wrote, a Chinese bookmark, and some dictionaries with ancient images. Obviously, I made more friends in fifth year. A month later, I had my favourite moment so far. That was my seventeenth birthday. It was a horrible raining day, so everyone had their lunch in the canteen. I went to the bathroom after lunch and when I walked out, the whole year song “happy birthday” together. I was absolutely shocked at that time! It’s the first time approximately 100 people singing birthday song to me together.

This year is definitely my best year. I find some subjects not so hard anymore and I do better in my exams. Additionally, I am not so shy anymore, I have more close friends, I start waffling with other girls between classes and I start joining parties. This is the most amazing progress I made so far! Furthermore, I met my new guardian Naoise this year. My first time met her, I said to myself: “She should be a model” because she is so tall and beautiful! Naoise always helps me with my study as well as my mental health. We have many same subjects for the leaving cert thus she helped me a lot with my English, which is my worst subject. Also, she always tells me not to be too stressful and gives me advice on releasing stress. She attended my parent–teacher’s meeting as well and coincidentally, she arrived just when I was upset because of homesickness.

Sixth year is not easy, especially when I have a high goal. I’m looking forward to doing well in my leaving cert and continue my further study in one of the G5 colleges in England. However, I will try my best. Everything is getting better and better now!

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