EIL Intercultural Learning - Travel Awards

Network Weekends with EIL

Caitriona — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:49:59 +0000

Twice a year (in April and November) EIL Network members and staff meet for practical and informative workshops, debates and activities on global issu

Volunteer Abroad

Development Education

Travel Awards

Description:

EIL hosts residential Network weekends twice a year (in April and November). EIL Network members and staff meet for practical and informative workshops, debates and activities on global issues and lots of fun at the network weekends. The next Network weekend will take place in Cork in November. At the Network weekend you can expect to: Become more informed on global issues: Take part in intractive workshops and learn skills. Get creative: Learn creative ways to campaign using art and dram. Challenge and take action: Speak with people and make your voice heard in an awareness raising street action. Meet others: Make links and share ideas with other EIL members. Relax and have fun: When the workshop sessions wind down on Saturday night it is time for some music, theatre, dance or movies and make friends at the Network weekend night event. For more info contact Caterina at caterina@eilireland.org.

EIL

Development Education

residential

Network weekends

Short version

Global issues

Fun

Engaging

Staying involved with EIL

Ireland/Hong Kong Travel Award Winners' Pre-Departure Thoughts

Caitriona — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:05:01 +0000

Learn about the thoughts, feelings, fears and excitements of this year's 8 lucky travel award winners who are taking part in a once in a life time Ire

Travel Awards

Hong Kong

Description:

Learn about the thoughts, feelings, fears and excitements of this year's 8 lucky travel award winners who are taking part in a once in a life time Ireland/Hong Kong youth exchange. EIL Intercultural Learning in association with The Hong Kong Commission on Youth offer a Hong Kong Ireland Exchange Programme in August 2011. The exchange provides an opportunity for young people in Hong Kong and Ireland to exchange ideas and experiences. During the programme in Hong Kong there will be visits to universities and schools, meetings and activities with local young people, official visits to Government Departments and Agencies, community service activities and sightseeing.

Ireland/Hong Kong youth exchange

video blog

pre-depature thoughts

Meine Erste Woche in Deutschland!

birchallemma1 — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:43:45 +0000

Wow what a week!!! I can't believe I'm saying this but at last I am in Germany und Ich liebe Deutschland. I can hardly believe that one week has already passed. It has gone by so quickly and I have loved every minute. On Tuesday 24th January I flew into Frankfurt where I was met by two lovely gentlemen called Herman and Martin who worked for experiment ev. We then had to wait on a girl from brazil called Melanie who actually turned out to be sharing my room when we got to the seminar in Weisbaden. I met so many people from all over the world and I know I have made some great friends for life. There were people from new Zealand, Colombia,Korea, brazil,USA and Italy and also another girl from Ireland. We had so much fun at this seminar. On the second day we were split into small groups and Herman was our team leader. In my group was Danna and Camilla from Colombia Joshua from the USA and Dohymund from Korea. Our task was to go out in Weisbaden and swap an egg for something better. We went all over the town into shops asked people on the street to swap with us. First we swaped the egg for a lighter then a bookmark then back to a lighter then on to flowers and finally some Christmas decorations. It was one of the best things I have ever done and it really relaxed me with speaking german. We had great fun but unfortunately my team did not win as one of the other teams got a working phone. On the last night in Weisbaden we had a talent show with each person doing something from playing the piano to making a human pyramid. I decided to do my Irish dancing and it went down a treat. After the talent show we had a mini disco and the guys and girls from Colombia showed us how to salsa!! I will never forget my time in Weisbaden it was amazing Es war Klasse!!! On Saturday I made the seven hour train journey to meine Gast Familie in Aurich. Die Reise war sehr sehr Lange!! I had stopovers in Mainz,Munster and Leer. When I got to my family I was so excited as they were amazing so lovely and I am having a great time with them. So far I have been on a pony, ice skating on a frozen lake and shopping. I also went to see my host brother in a soccer blitz and to gymnastics and every night we watch a film in german and this is really helping with my language skills. On Wednesday I had my first day at school and it was great. Ich bin auf dem 10 Klasse und Ich habe viele neue Freunden! Am Ersten Tag, Ich Lerne Sport,Mathe, und Kunst and sometimes I find it hard to understand the teachers as sie sprechen sehr schnell Deutsch aber meine neue Freunden hilfst Mir. Sie Sind sehr nett!!! I hope that in the coming weeks my german will continue to get bettered when I come back to Ireland I will be amazing!!!! Even in the last few days I am finding things are getting easier and that's only in one week imagine eight!!!!! Well that's all for now I promise to keep you updated with my further adventures in the coming weeks. Bid Bald Emma

Just before I go!!

birchallemma1 — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:56:31 +0000

Only one more day left and then I will be starting my adventures in Germany!! :D Im so excited, I cant wait! I have all my bags packed and Im ready to go. I still cant believe that I was lucky enough to recieve this scholarship from EIL. Its the trip of a lifetime and Im delighted that EIL have given me this opportunity and for that I would like to sincerely thank them. Zwei Monaten in Deutschland. Klasse!!

I will be staying with a host family in North Garmany for the duration of my trip and I am looking forward to getting to know so much more about them and their home country. Since I have recieved this scholarchip from EIL I have been in regular contact with the family. They have made me feel really welcome and I cant wait to finally meet them in person. However, before I meet the family that I will be staying with, I must go to an orintation course in Frankfurt. I am really looking forward to going there as I will get to meet some other students from around the world that will be doing the same thing as me.:)

A couple of months ago, I went to a pre-departure workshop with EIL and I got to meet loads of other students that were going all around the world. I was also lucky enough to meet Bríd, another girl that was going to Germany just like me. It was great to meet so many other people that were doing the same thing as me. The pre-departure workshop really helped me to realise that it was ok to be a little bit nervous about going to a new country for the first time. It also gave me great advice on what to do if I ever felt upset while over there.

Ich freue mich auf die Reise nach Deutschland und wenn die Schule beginnt!! I am really excited to meet lots of new people that I hope can become friends for life. I am also really looking forward to improving my German language skills. I have been learning German for three and a half years and I always wanted to be given the opportunity to do something like this, so once again Vielen Dank EIL!! :)

I will be posting blogs regularly to share all of my adventures from Germany and I will try to add as may photos as I can!! Ich hoffe meine Reise wird etwas das Ich nicht vergessen!! :D

Bis zum nähsten Mal

Emma <3

Continually thinking in German

Brid McConnell — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:26:04 +0000

I'm now back a month after spending two months in Germany as an exchange student. It was an amazing experience and I'd even go as far as saying the best two months of my life!. I had soooooo much fun. I made many friends who I hope to have for a long time (some are planning on visisting me in the summer hols), I got to experience another culture and have grown to love it, I've tried many new things, become more organised and independant and my German has improved immensly.

I'm now fairly fluent and confident at speaking the language and I can understand what people are saying quite easily. My goal for the two month was to improve my German so that I'd be able to have a normal conversation with natives, to get to know and appreciate the German culture and to make friends. I achieved what I wanted to and even more. I'm now in the process of reading my second book in German. That's something that would have been unimaginable 3 months ago. Some might think I'm weird but at the weekends, when I have time I even watch my favourite German T.V. programmes.

When I first came back, I was constantly thinking in German and spoke a few words here and there by accident! I was delighted to see my family and friends again but I really do miss my German family, my friends, the schoolsystem and the lifestyle in general. I found it quite easy to adjust to the German way of life and it was a pleasant experiece but when I returned I found it quite hard to get back to my old routine. The school in Germany started at 8 and finished at 1.15/3.15, there was no uniform, the schools were mixed and their was not as much emphasis on written homework. This meant that I had loads of time for hobbies in the afternoon, I could spend time with family and friends and just relax. As you can imagine, it was a lot different when I came home as school and schoolwork practically dominates the day. I also experienced culture shock for a while. I kept complaining about Ireland and comparing it to Germany and almost everything here seemed to frustrate me! Things are only getting back to normal in the last week

I've enjoyed sharing my stories and experiences with my classmates and friends. I even told them the stories where I made a complete and utter fool of myself trying to explain things without the propper words. We all had a laugh at my expense but they learned many "need to know" phrases :P People seem to be quite interested in hearing about my time in Germany and some of my classmates are even making the effort to speak to me in German outside of the classroom! After doing the exchange, I have more respect for Irish culture and realise that it is unique like every culture is, I've more respect for the German culture and every other culture in general. I'm more interested and passionate about learning languages (though especially German) Learning languages in my opinion is never boring, because no matter how much you know, there's always more to learn and there's always room for improvement. I'm even considering learning another language

After spending 2 months in Germany, I'm 99.9999% sure that I want to pursue a carrer in German. I plan to become an Irish/German teacher or become a translator.

I'd like to thank EIL for giving me the opportunity to participate in the "Secondary School Abroad Programme", my German teacher for telling me about the travel award and nominating me and also my school who allowed me to go to Germany for 2 months. It sounds a bit cliché but it was a dream come true!!!!

Bríd McConnell <3

Tralee Twins with Hong Kong!

Caitriona — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:31:13 +0000

In the month of March this year my Youthreach co-ordinator Margaret Culloty nominated me for a Travel Award to Hong Kong through the not-for-profit organisation EIL Intercultural Learning. I had never travelled anywhere abroad before apart from Britain so it was a huge opportunity for me. The trip was a youth exchange so we would be hosted by a group of young people from Hong Kong and then they would come to Ireland when we returned. I had to write an essay about why I would be worthy for the trip and after I got short- listed for an interview. There were 10 of us going for interview and everyone was really great so I wasn’t too confident about my chances of winning the award, however about 2 weeks later I got a phone call telling me I had been chosen to go to Hong Kong. I was so excited! A few months later we set off for Hong Kong.

I was one of 8 young people from around Ireland going on the trip. I was really worried about meeting the other people going, in case I didn’t get on with them, but by the time the 13 hour flight was over we were all great friends! Whilst in Hong Kong we did a huge amount of activities such as going to museums, theme parks and visiting the famous Hong Kong landmarks and markets. We stayed in a youth hostel on the outskirts of the city, it was a great hostel and we all loved staying there. We spent one night in a resort called the Noah’s Ark Resort; this was my favourite night in Hong Kong. There was a beach at the resort and all of the Irish group and the Hong Kong group stayed on the beach until about 3am playing games and talking. It was such a beautiful experience sitting on the beach and looking across at the lights of the city, and it was still boiling hot even at that early hour of the morning! Another one of my favourite experiences was going to visit The Peak, which is a famous building in Hong Kong. We took a tram up to the building and from there we saw the entire city, the view was amazing and there were lots of shops up there to buy souvenirs. We had dinner at The Peak that night in a Western style restaurant, which was a nice break from all of the Chinese food! Before I went to Hong Kong I was expecting a lot of differences between the young people there and the young people here but after getting to know them I realised that we are not that different at all! We all got on so well, we shared the same sense of humour and all had ambitions to go to university and start a career. The Hong Kong group were so welcoming and helped us so much when we were finding things hard. I found the food very challenging as it was so different from anything I had ever tried but the Hong Kong group were very patient and told me what everything was and didn’t get offended if I didn’t like something. They were especially patient with us all about the chop sticks, a lot of us found this very difficult to get the hang of in the beginning but they helped us a lot and found it all quite funny!

I loved every minute of being in Hong Kong and it has really made me want to do more travelling and see more of the world! To other young people reading this, I would really recommend them to travel at any opportunity. I can truly say that this has been one of the best experiences of my life and I am so thankful that I was given such a great opportunity. I have made great friends that I will remain in contact with both in Ireland and Hong Kong. It was so sad when we all had to say goodbye but I am hoping that one day I can go back to Hong Kong and see everyone again.
Rowena Mattock, Tralee Youthreach LCA

October in Germany! Oktober in Deutschland :D

Brid McConnell — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:57:30 +0000

Hey! Sorry it's so long since my last blog. I've been quite busy doing many different things. The first weekend in October was a long weekend, as Monday was a National Holiday (Tag des Deutsche Einheit/German Unity Day). On the Saturday we went to Bremen. On the train we met an Irish band called "Spellbound". It was the first time in 5 weeks that I got to speak English face to face with somebody. Surprisingly, I found it extremely difficult, as German words kept coming to mind. When we arrived in Bremen, we went to the "Universum" there. It was a really cool Science Museum, that had exhibits related to cosmos, the earth and people. Most of the things were pretty cool. There was a sitting room, and when you sat on the sofa, an earthquake from the past would occur eg. 1906 Sanfransisco Earthquake. It was so authentic. The pictures began to shake on the wall, the music on the radio cut out and there were even aftershocks. It mimicked the actual earthquake. Monday was German Unity Day, so we had no school. The weather was so nice 22 degrees that we had a barbeque

During the week, I made a powerpoint presentation about Ireland with the help of my host sister Jenny, and then on Friday I showed it to my class. I can't believe that I only realised after doing the presentation, that there are so many unique and interesting things about Ireland and our culture :O. My classmates found out that the majority of the Stereotypes of Irish people are false (not all of us have red hair, drink Guiness for breakfast and are drunk and lazy). When I first came to Germany, somebody actually asked me, were my ancestors originally from Ireland as I have brown hair :L Everyone found Gaelic Football, Hurling and Irish Dancing quite interesting as they had never seen anything like it before. Some described Gaelic as a mixture of basketball, volleyball, soccer and rugby and many said that hurling was like playing hockey in the air. I thought my classmates cupla focail and they quickly learned that it is a completly different language to English. Many of them were actually surprised to learn that the majority of Irish people don't speak Irish at home.

The next weekend I went to the Salt Museum in Lunenburg (a salt town about 15km from my German home). I was able to see many different types of salt crystals, the process of making salt. After that I went to a German 1960's house. My last school week in Germany, we had a project week. Every yeargroup were given different themes. My theme was from text to film. We were given 4 texts, we had to choose one text, interpret it and make a film from the text. After filming, we had to edit the scenes, add appropiate music to the background and add credits. It was soo fun and something that I had never done before. During the project week, my host sister went to Rome for the week with her Latin course, so things were quite different. On my last day of school, everyone presented their projects so the whole school and parents could see them. After school, I went to my friends house to celebrate her 15th birthday. It also turned out to be a goodbye party for me, because the next week most of my friends were going on holidays,. We made pizza's ourselves, watched two movies (shopoholic and Inception in German) and played many board games.It was very sad, when I had to leave, but they promised me they'd come to visit during the summer holidays

Last Sunday, I went to Neungamme Concentration Camp with my family. It was the one thing that I felt I had to do when I went to Germany. We learned about the Holocaust last year in History class, but I didn't hear about a lot of things that happened. It was so very interesting and educational but I found it unbelivably sad. I had a constant lump in my throat and when I read diaries of those who were in the concention camp, and stories of what had actually happend, the tears streamed down my face. It is something that I'll never forget but I'm glad I went there.

On thursday, I went to Hamburg, and did a bus tour of the city, so I could see everything. Friday night, was my last night in Germany. I stayed up till three O'clock with my family, playing kareoke, listening to music, talking about my time in Germany and their culture. They gave me a beautiful necklace, with a key. They told me that the key symolises the key of their house and that I'm welcome back whenever I want. My host sister is also welcome to come to Ireland whenever she wants, but first of all she has to do her German Leaving Cert.

Thanks sooooo much once again for the opportunity!

Brid <3

Eurocamp Naumburg 2011

LydiaFish — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:58:49 +0000

Eurocamp. If like me, you have no idea what this is, then you are exactly where I was back in May when I applied for the award. To this day, I never expected to win it and I really did not have much time to mull over what was in store for me. Essentially, it was a three week opportunity to make friends from all over Europe, to explore East Germany and generally to become aquainted with the whole concept of being "European".

My first contact with Eurocamp was when I started receiving e-mails from the organisation in Germany. Eurocamp started to feel a bit more “real” in the sense of the word and by the end of July, I was on a bus from Cork to Dublin to catch a flight to Germany.

It took me around eighteen hours of travel to get to Germany, so for me, Eurocamp is just twinned with travel forever in my mind! A mixture of bus, over-night stay in the airport, plane and train got me there and thankfully a very nice Team member from the organisation collected myself and others at similar times and drove us straight to the youth hostel.

My arrival is a bit of a blur, I just remember LOTS of people all coming in at once and having to introduce myself to everyone. We were ushered in, had our photos taken for the Eurocamp ID cards and were told to sign in. Unlike others who were a bit subdued, I could talk for Ireland so I was chattering away pretty much instantaneously. Without fail, most people could speak at least two languages. German was preferred by the organisers but in reality, a basic level of German would suffice so no worries here if you are still a beginner!

We were then shown to our rooms, introduced to our room-mates and told to go down to the main room to meet everyone. Accommodation wise, we were split into groups of four, for example, four girls or four guys to a room. I found the accommodation to be very nice (although things did get a bit messy with four girls sharing one small bathroom) and I was very pleased with the food we were provided!Meals were served three times a day which everyone took full use of because a combination of hard work and lack of sleep would make anyone very hungry! Mealtimes were held in a large room and there were many different areas in the hostel just to relax. There was also an internet cafe which was nearly always full! There were also cleaning supplies provided if you, like me, could not stand using the same bathroom for three weeks without some form of a good scrubbing! Clothes washing was only done once during the three week stay so I would advise to pack more than you need as some of my clothes also went missing somewhere along the journey from the washing machine to the hostel!

In total, there were around ninety members partaking in the camp, ranging from ages of eighteen to late twenties. It was an entirely international affair with representatives from countries such as Slovenia, Denmark, Finland, Bulgaria and Romania to name a few. Each representative country was asked to make a presentation about the country and it is through this that I learnt a lot. Although at times it did feel like a very “organised fun” affair, I think it was to be expected considering the nature of the programme. The three weeks consisted mainly of timetables involving your work-project, daytrips/activities and the theatre project in the second week.

The work project was the title given the volunteer work you would do during your stay. There were a number of different projects to choose from, which were all explained with the help of a presentation. For my project, I chose a primary school. My group had to sand and paint fences, build a summer house for the children and create a little garden. This meant a LOT of varnishing and sun-burning. In all honesty, I believe that my project was one of the more purposeful ones as many other groups ran out of work early on in the camp. If anything, it was our group organiser that made it all worthwhile. She was incredibly motivating and was quick to alter things for the enjoyment of the group. In the beginning, I was a little disappointed that our work, was perhaps, not as meaningful as I would have hoped it to be. However, by the end of the first week, the ability to work in shifts was a god-send as we could all catch a nap at some point of the morning!

I believe the purpose of the work project was more so about “unity” rather than the actual work we were doing. This whole experience was essentially an exercise in inter-personal and intercultural skills, for which I am most appreciative of. The work was hard-going at times as everyone was tired but it was worth it once we saw the end-product. Out of all of the projects, I feel like mine made the most sense as individuals in the other groups felt disillusioned by what they were actually volunteering for. However, personally, I do believe it is what you make of a situation that will decide whether you will enjoy an experience. I threw myself into the work project and got involved where I could. It's up to the individual to decide whether a project has a purpose or not. Thankfully, I was part of a very motivated group who all wanted to improve the local school and be able to enjoy a sense of achievement towards the end of the three weeks. So in that sense we succeeded in one of the goals of Eurocamp. We were an intercultural unit working together for the betterment of the local community!

Without a doubt, it is the individuals I met in Eurocamp that stand out to me the most. I realise that three weeks is a short period of time but I really got to know people and have been in constant contact since the end of Eurocamp. In some ways, I do feel that I have a greater connection to the idea of “Europe” through meeting like-minded people from countries such Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Malta. I feel like I have made friends for life and to me, that is worth far more than anything else.

Hence, I must thank Eurocamp for the activities they organised as it is through these experiences that I got to know these people. There was the tour of the town, daytrips to Leipzig and Magdeburg, a trip to the champagne factory, a town treasure hunt, lots of barbeques, movie nights, game nights and wall climbing. Some I liked, some I didn't but I think that is the same for anything in life! The organisers certainly kept us busy and one thing I had not accounted for were the amount of parties. Without fail, every night a majority stayed up till four in the morning dancing, singing and making merry. There were Balkan nights where we were taught traditional dances and everyone joined in. It was great fun and is probably one of the many reasons I decided to take it easy the last two months since Eurocamp! It certainly gave me enough “partying” to last me for a few more months!

There were also many opportunities to organise outings yourself as every Sunday was a designated as free-time. For example, myself and a group of girls went out in Halle one night and then partook in the organisers activities the next day, so everyone was happy!

There was also the main theatre project which took place during the second week. Again, we were divided into groups and given “props” and were instructed to debate their meaning. My group received a head scarf, a picture of a woman with a briefcase and a Turkish newspaper. As a group, we came to the conclusion that the topic we were dealing with centered around female emancipation and how we viewed the “headscarf”. Together, we worked together to put together a theatrical piece without words. This was then performed in a lovely little theatre in Naumburg. Personally, this was not my favourite aspect of the camp as I felt that our group had little say in the development of the piece. Theatre is a passion of mine, thus I was slightly disappointed by this thread of the programme as I expected some form of professional mentor-ship where we could aptly deal with the issues we were given. Yet on the other hand, for a newcomer to performing, this would have been very enjoyable. Having performed for years, I am just a little biased and I do not want to influence anyone in thoughts about Eurocamp! I enjoyed every other aspect of Eurocamp, this just wasn't my thing!

Eurocamp is also, in some sense, a politically driven affair. European Union style debates were held and many of the seemingly innocent games we played, would then be linked into current topics of European or national interest. Many of the people involved like myself in Eurocamp, were undertaking European Studies or politically driven courses as part of their degree. It was satisfying to see these said people defending policies as I believe they will do in their future careers. Now, have no fear if like me, you do have the same extent of passion for politics. I partook in these activities as a learning experience as in all honesty, I did not harbour interest in whether or not the European Parliament should only converse through three main languages. I enjoyed the cultural aspect of the camp, with a favourite moment being when myself and the other Irish representative performed a piece from “Translations” by Brian Friel. I want to stress that Eurocamp does have a greater meaning because although the experience was a nice get-away for me, there is a meaningful point for such a large group of Europeans to get together!

So in my evaluation of the project, I am just trying to be as honest as I can. If you love people, having the opportunity to speak three different languages in a day (mine were German, French and English) and want to make friends from all over Europe, this is the place for you. I surprised myself with how much I laughed and bonded with people I probably would have never met in my normal day-to-day life. I love traveling and now this experience has piqued my curiosity even more. There is so much to see out there in the world and you will surprise yourself with how easy it will be to make friends because, I guess, culture may represent a group but it does not represent the individual. In Eurocamp, we all came from very different cultural backgrounds but once we got to know each other as people, there were very little differences to speak of. The whole of Eurocamp was a boiling-pot for open-minded, well traveled personalities,with many having volunteered in other parts of Europe previously. So perhaps I was not completely enamoured with some parts of the programme and my political knowledge may have been a bit lackluster but this all greyed in comparison to the unadulterated fun and laughter that I shared with my friends in Eurocamp. I absolutely adored the experience and if like me, you like adventure, apply for this programme straight away! Have fun Eurocamp 2012!

Forming new friendships and the possibility of an excursion for the kids...

Steph Elliott — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:41:29 +0000

Hi everyone, so on Saturday evening Marieka, Jan and carsten arrived in Chilecito. They are the fresh new volunteers ready and waiting to begin their year’s stay here. I have to say I am a little jealous. As I live with Betty I never need to go very far for our volunteer meetings or parties and on Saturday evening we met for some sandwiches and ricotta cake. Seeing the guys takes me back to my first day in Chilecito. I was so scared and unsure about what to expect. I remember attending a similar party where I was the main focus of attention. Everyone was speaking in Spanish and I didn’t have a clue what they were saying to me. It feels like a million years ago. You really grow, mature and experience fantastic things in such a short space of time on an adventure such as this one. I am glad I can help the guys settle in here as I know exactly how they are feeling. We sat and talked about their first impressions of the town. I told them a little about the comedor and gave them the all important tour of Chilecito showing them the important places you crave when you first arrive, a phone shop, internet cafe, bank and post office.:) They seem really nice and I am looking forward to spending my last two weeks with them.

On Monday Jan,Marieke and I set out on our little journey to San Miguel. We left a little early so that we could stop and take in the surrounding mountains which I knew they would adore. The kids were very well behaved and quiet shy to begin with but within a half hour the hyper atmosphere of the comedor was restored and they even drew some pictures with the guys. At the moment I am teaching the kids the names of all the animals by drawing a picture and writing the Spanish and English translation. I have to say the Spanish /English dictionary that I brought here has been a life saver and we use it time and time again. The kids love the pictures. I am keeping all the pictures aside and when we have learnt most of the animals I will paint a zoo scene on the wall in the comedor so that the kids are reminded of the English translation every day. I have also begun to stick both the Spanish and English translation on all the items in the comedor this not only helps me to remember the name in Spanish but the kids are also reading the English words on a daily basis.

Having the guys in the comedor is great and with three people we are able to organise more games and English classes for the kids. I feel very confident that together we will generate a positive change in the comedor. I have really noticed a difference in the kids. There is a really nice energy and willingness to learn now. As Spanish is not our first language we meet before the kids arrive and organise our activities for the day. This helps us to be more confident when we are explaining the lessons to a group of 30 exited children. My ambitions for this project have defiantly changed dramatically from the ambitions I had before I left however this is not necessarily a bad thing. The comedor has so much potential and I truly believe we are on the right track to make it a very special place for the kids to grow and mature into young adults. However Rome wasn’t built in a day and patience is a must when one is trying to generate change.

Friday was a very special day; a group of children from a school in Buenos Aires who are vacationing in Samay Huasi came to visit us in the comedor and invited the kids for a game of football and volleyball. They even donated some caramels and lollipops which will come in handy as prizes for bingo. I should mention that we play bingo to help us teach the kids numbers in English. I take such pleasure in seeing the kids improve more and more every day. So back to Friday, Samay Huasi is this fantastic property about 2 km outside of Chilecito. This house belonged to JoaquinV. Gonzalez a fascinating man was an Argentine educator, political scientist, writer, magistrate, and politician. It is now a museum and people come from afar to visit this beautiful home and its breathtaking grounds. The boys played soccer and the girls played some volleyball. At half time, we were invited for some chocolate milk and cookies. The kids had so much fun and it was lovely to see them form friendships with these kids from Buenos Aires. We have arranged to return next week.

So I have mentioned in my title that we hope to bring the kids on a little day out. There is a circus in town and we are dying to bring the kids along for a fun day. I have written a letter to present to the owners of the circus. Hopefully they will be generous and give the kids the opportunity to experience a little excursion far from the comedor. We are very reliant on donations to help us take the kids on little adventures such as a trip to the circus. A circus only comes to Chilecito every few years so it would be great to be able to bring the kids.

Stephie x

1 month in Germany <3

Brid McConnell — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:14:36 +0000

Guten Tag! :D I find it hard to believe that I'm here 1 month. The time is flying and I'm enjoying every minute of my time here. I've really settled in with my family. I feel right at home to be honest. School is getting better and better by the day. 3 weeks ago I knew nobody, I could hardly understand a word my teachers were saying, I was unable to do my homework and I was almost afraid to speak incase I made a mistake. (stupid ehh?) I learned quickly that it's better to make mistakes and learn from them than being afraid to speak. What other way was I suppossed to learn. 3 weeks later, I have many new friends, I'm able to understand what my teachers are saying, I'm able to do most of my homework (well I try my best), I have the confidence to speak and am no longer afraid about making mistakes. When I dont know a word, I try my best to describe it. yesterday for eg. I hurt my toe. I didn't know the word for toe so I said "meine Füße Finger tut weh(my foot's finger hurts)!" It was quite funny and I made a fool of myself, but I learned the word for toe :P The school here is very different to my school at home but I like it.I love the way, school finishes early here (1.15/3.15). You have more time to relax, do hobbies and evern do homework and study. I've noticed that here in Germany, pupils don't get as much written homework as we do, and they don't have to learn as much off by heart. There is more emphasis on oral work (even in subjects like history, maths etc). The students rarely have to change classroom as the teachers come to us. We get regular breaks. There is a 5min. break between every class and a 15min break every 2nd class. At first I loved not having to wear a uniform, but the novelty is slowly wearing off. It's so hard to decide what to wear in the mornings :P. I find it really intersesting the way they learn English here.

People over here, have a genuine interest in the Irish culture. Some people seem to be surprised that not all Irish have red hair and drink Guinness for breakfast. My sister here, finds hurling pretty cool. I promised her that when she comes to visit me, she can join my local team. She's also interested in the Irish language, so I taught her´"cupla focail". She's a pure natural! In return for teaching her Irish, she taught me some German tongue twisters. Now I know the proper definition of tongue twisters, because they are litteraly IMPOSIBLE to say.

I don't know why, but many Irish people say that German food is disgusting, without evern tasting it. (I was once one of those people). I've tried so many new things since I arrived here and the only thing that I can say I don't like is...... The tea.

THe first weekend here with my family , we went to Cuxhaven by the North Sea. The tide was out sooo far, (3.5km) that we were able to take a horse and carraige to a nearby island (Insel Neuwerk). We did a tour of the island, and played in the sand. By evening time, the tide had come in, and the water level was soo high that we had to return to the mainland by ship. It was such an enjoyable day. The next weekend I went to "Hamburg-Theatre Nacht" with my sister and her friend. It was my first time in Hamburg, my first time at a ballet, my first time at an opera and my first time at an improvisation. It was a great experience and I'd love to do it again. That thursday, I went ´to the cinema (Kino) and saw Freunde mit Gewissen Vorzüge (I think friendships with benefits in English). Surprisingly I was able to understand it and it was soooo funny. Last Saturday I went to Hamburg again. This time, we went to Hamburg Hafen (the port) and did a boat tour of the port. NEVER in my life did I see so many different types of ships and so many big ships. Every ship I saw was bigger than the previous one. One ship, was over 400m long and could carry more than 12,000 containers :O after that we went to the Reeperbahn, where I got pretty cool souveniers, saw Hamburg's Rathaus, and then went to "Build a Bear" where I made a bear with a German football Jeresy. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, as I'm going to my friends house

One of the most common questions people ask me is "do I feel homesick". I can honestly say, most of the time no, because I'm so busy doing things, having fun, enjoying the experience and I know that I'll get to see family and friends again. However, the day I got my Junior Cert Results I was quite homesick. My parents sounded so proud of me on the phone that it made me miss them and want to see them again. It also felt strange, that while I was at school doing Maths and Physics, the rest of my friends were celebrating. The next day results day was over, homesickness gone and everything back to normal. It was quite strange.

Last week I was talking to a girl who read my last Blog. She asked me what's it like to do an exchange as she's thinking about doing one. I can honestly say than in the past month, my German has come on leaps and bounds! I'm beginning to think in the language and sometimes I speak German (accidently) to my family at home.. I understand more than I ever could have imagined and am able to have a decent conversation with others. If you like/love the German language,want to improve your German or learn about the German culture, this programme (in my opinion) is the best way to go about it. You'll make many new friends, will always have contacts in Germany and it's DEADLY CRAIC!

I've done so much since my last blog, and find so many things about the Germany and the German culture great, that it's impossible to fit it all into a blog. I could almost write a book.

bis hoffentlich bald!

Brid :)

Last week all alone and creating a reading friendly environment in the comedor.......

Steph Elliott — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:49:29 +0000

After a beautiful relaxing weekend in Catamarca it was time for me once again to begin another week in the comedor. Time is genuinely going by so quickly here is Chilecito. This Saturday night I am meeting the next group of German volunteers who will be working in the comedor. I am very excited to tell the guys all I have learnt over the last few weeks. Betty and I are holding a little welcome party for the new volunteers which will be really nice. I have invited some of my friends along to help them realise that chilecito is a friendly fun place to be.

Sadly my Spanish lessons are coming to an end and I am finishing them this week. I have really enjoyed going to Esther’s house every evening and I will miss her a lot, however we have arranged to have coffee this Friday and I know we will keep in touch. Every evening I tell her all the news from the comedor, how many kids showed up? What I cooked for them? Were my games a success? After hearing so much about them she was dying to meet them in person and kindly offered to give me a helping hand on Wednesday. We drove to San Miguel together early in the morning (which was a nice treat). She donated two bags of clothes, lollipops and some fruit for the kids; it was such a lovely gesture I have to say a massive thank you to her. The kids also wrote a little letter to say thank you for all she did that day which was very sweet.

On Wednesday we read stories, sang songs and the kids taught me some fun games. I have realised that the real experts concerning games and activities are the kids themselves and sometimes I just need to kick back and watch them for a while. Honestly I have learnt so much from them. For me personally I thought I needed to know it all before I came here and to be honest it is the complete opposite, you learn everything when you arrive and I am sure what works in this project would not work in another but that is where the challenge and fun comes into play and it is really up to each and every volunteer to make their own experience one to remember. I enjoyed reading with the kids on Wednesday, so much so that it got me thinking...there should be more focus on reading in the comedor. There is a lack of comfy chairs for the kids to sit on while reading and also a lack of a safe place to put some new and second hand books (as the centro vicinal is also used by other groups and workshops). So a wish or idea I have for the comedor is to set up its very own library. On Wednesday night I got to work on this matter and with the help of my host mum Betty I wrote an article to the local newspaper in Chilecito. As this article was in Spanish it took me some time but I am very happy with the finished product. I explained a little about the project itself and how grateful we would be to receive donations to help make the comedor a reading happy environment. Hopefully it will be published soon as I would love to still be here to put this idea into place. Fingers crossed.

On Friday I explained to the kids that 2 new volunteers will be joining us in the comedor on Monday. It will be nice to have some cycling buddies and co-workers back however I have had an absolute blast working on my own with the kids and I feel I have made a really good connection with them.

My first week working alone...

Steph Elliott — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:42:00 +0000

So as you already know from my latest blog the other volunteer working in the comedor( Lea) has left this lovely country to return home to Germany which means I was working on my own this week. It felt a little strange at first because I am really used to having the guys with me in the comedor, but it was another little challenge for me to overcome here in Chilecito and I think I did ok.... If I do say so myself

I was very nervous last Monday morning, thinking of the prospect of cooking and preparing for all the kids while also planning some activities for them to play after lunch. However I had some great help from one of the mother’s who kindly helped me every morning this week preparing the ingredients for dinner. She is a great cook and gave me some great ideas for recipies I can use in coming weeks. I love seeing more and more kids coming to the comedor. On Monday 30 children arrived at the doors of the comedor and it is a day I will never forget. Thankfully I had plenty of food for everyone and they even stayed behind to play some volley ball and football which was a lot of fun.

On Wednesday I made spaghetti Bolognese which went down a treat with everyone, they have even asked for it again very soon which is always a good sign. Being in the comedor on my own no longer seems so scary and daunting. The kids are behaving so well and they have been very helpful this week especially with my Spanish if I can’t remember a Spanish word or if I am having difficulty explaining a game to them, they will all try their best to help me. Some of my activities and games that I have planned don’t work out according to plan, and I have learnt to except that and move on quickly to my next idea. It is all about trial and error in the comedor and I think that I am just coming into my stride. I have begun to sleep siesta now as I return home exhausted but satisfied.

On Friday I decided to celebrate my first week alone in the comedor by making pizza for all the kids. I cycled to San Miguel that morning with 9 pizza bases , ham, cheese and a lot of tomato sauce. The kids LOVE pizza and they were so excited to hear that I was making it. They all helped chop the eggs, onions and ham. I always enjoy seeing the kids getting involved preparing the food and it was especially easy when pizza was on the menu. The pizzas turned out delicious and every plate was cleared. I even helped myself to two slices. I finished the week by playing a really great English volcabulary game called ‘Action race’. This is a fun game using actions like jump, hop, clap and run. Each child learns what each action means and also how to describe the action in english as they need to act it out on my instruction. This game took some time to organise but when it works, it works very well as the kids are using some of that extra energy they tend to have on a Friday afternoon because they are acting out these actions numerous times.

On Saturday I travelled to Fiambala in the south west of Catamarca near the province of La Rioja. Fimbala is a fantastic place in the middle of the mountains where you can visit natural hot springs. We left early on Saturday morning and the landscape on the drive to Fiambala was out of this world. We visited a walnut farm on the way and I even got to help the farmer with his sheep and goats. We stopped off in the town Fiambala for some lunch before going to the springs themselves. It is so relaxing at the springs and I really enjoyed my weekend. I returned home to Chilecito late Sunday evening rested and ready for another week in the comedor

Back from Mexico

mark clarke — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 13:58:06 +0000

Well I've been back home a couple weeks now so this is my final blog. Its so hard trying to reflect back on everything that happened over the summer there was just so much. I'm home since the 14th of august and its just been all go as soon as I got home. Its such a change from the pace of life in Ventanilla, it was just so relaxed, I laughed when I read the handbook because it said there was no forms of stress in La Ventanilla but being back home seems so much more hectic here now. I arrived back and had two months of post to go through and god only knows how many forms and errands to do to get ready for college but I'm settled back in now. The summer just seems like a blur now it just went too fast it all seems so surreal now. I miss it but glad to be back with my family and friends, mexican food just didnt agree with me either. Theres alot of things I really miss like the people, Lalo, Carmelo and Trini I only felt like I was really getting to know the people and settling into their way of life and then it was time to go which was such a shame. I miss being able to just wear a pair of shorts day or night I forgot how cold and damp Ireland is, I dont miss the mosquitoes though ha!

Now I'm back home in Ireland, back to college, back to reality I really want to become fluent in spanish, I didnt think about the benefits of being multilingual before the travel award now I think its essential and I'm already planning my next adventure, this trip really gave me the travel bug, It was an amazing experience and I really think it has opened my eyes and changed me for the better.I am so grateful to EIL for giving me such a life changing oppertunity and I've been telling anyone who'll listen to me about it. Thanks alot EIL and for future travel award winners you'll love it, enjoy every minute of your trip as time is fleeting and you'll be home before you know it. Hasta luego

One week in Germany (eine Woche in Deutschland)

Brid McConnell — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:24:43 +0000

Grüße aus Deutschland! (Greetings from Germany)

I'm now here in Germany one week and I must say that I'm loving it! I flew into Frankfurt Airport (Flughafen Frankfurt) at 10.00 last Wednesday, and only then did it seem real that I'd be living here for 8 weeks :)I said in my last blog that I was nervous about travelling alone and afraid that something would go wrong. Everything went according to plan, and I now realise that there was nothing to worry about (even if something did go wrong). I was met at the airport by somebody from Experiment e.V. We waited for more exchange students to arrive and then we took the train to Mainz, where the orientation was being held.

The orientation was fantastic! We learned a lot about the German culture, way of life, which stereotypes of Germans are true/false, culture shock, how to use the transport system and how to deal with many difficult situations.There were exchange students from Brazil, Equador, Japan, Korea, Argentina and France. The whole lot of us mixed with each other and we had mad craic! We got up every morning at 7, had breakfast at 8, then played many games, did activities and learned a lot about Germany. Some of the activities we had to do were just CRAZY! One day, we were divided into small groups of five and were given a boiled egg. We had to go to the local park, and ask random people there, would the give us anything for our boiled egg (do a swap). Surprisingly most people actually listened to what we were saying and gave us something. we first exchanged the egg for a pear, then the pear for an apple, the apple for a pen, the pen for a packet of gummi-bears and finally the gummi-bears for a toy sheep. It seems really weird, but it was soooo much fun and we got to speak German! Another day, we went to Hauptbahnhof Mainz (train station) and were shown how to use the trains/ transport system. After that we were alowed to go shopping! :) Our last night in Mainz, we had a talentshow. Everyone had to do something, even if you didn't have a talent (LIKE ME! :P). It was actually really interesting. Most people did something from their country- the Japanese did oragami, the Koreans dressed in the traditional clothes and sang Korean songs, the Brazilians sang a Brazilian song, the Equadorians sang in Spanish and I sang our National Anthem.

On Saturday I took a train to Hamburg ( 6hrs) and I finally met my host family. It was a really exciting moment for me, as I was in regualr contact with them and was looking forward to meeting them. They welcomed me to there country/home, they are soooooooo nice and understanding and they make me feel right at home! They speak quite slow with me so I can understand, and if I don't understand something they are more than happy to explain it again. (so patient). When I arrived in Hamburg, we had a Bratwurst (German sausage) and it was lecker (tasty)

Sunday we did a tour of the village where I now live and they also brought me to Scharnebeck to see my school. It's soooo beautiful!It's Beside a river. there was also a fair/festival in the village to celebrate it's 850th year. It was really intersting as people dressed up in clothes from then. After that we went to Lüneburg and had something to eat.

Monday I started school here. It's quite different than the schools in Ireland but I like it. the schools here are mixed, we don't have to wear a uniform and most days I finish school 13.15! I could hardly understand anything in the History, Politics, German class, but I learned sooo many new words as I made a list of the words that I didn't know. As for the English class, I helped the others. I love to watch tv here. They have all the programmes and movies that we have in Ireland, except in German! Awesome! I can't speaK a lot of German, and sometimes I find it hard to understand people, but I find that with every day I understand more and more

bis hoffentlich bald

Brid

I Left My Heart in Tokyo....

Órlaith — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:35:03 +0000

As my overnight trip to Tokyo was so jam-packed and amazing, I thought it deserved a whole blog onto itself :P

On August 4th, along with my host mother and brother, I boarded a 2 and a half hour train to Tokyo (after first dipping our feet in the train station foot spa!). The view of the countryside from the train was gorgeous, and I was so excited!! We met my host mothers' sister in the city, with her cute 2 year old son. First activity was an open-topped bus tour of the city. As usual, it was very hot and we got to see some amazing sights. We saw the Emporers' Castle, Government buildings, the Rainbow bridge, Tokyo Tower and many more amazing streets. It was a great way to be introduced to Tokyo, as the city is huge!

Next stop was Kiddyland, the most famous toy shop in Japan and apparently a favourite of Angelina Jolie and Bradd Pitt's. The 3 story shop was filled with every sort of toy imaginable, and fun for people of all ages! There was a special Hello Kitty and Snoopy section! You could literally have stayed in there for hours (it was next to impossible to make my host brother leave!!). We wandered down the streets with all the expensive designer shops (buying loads, of course :P). I tried to take a picture of a man sitting with his monkey and got the fright of my life when he jumped at me, trying to hide his face and shouting at me (presumably to delete the photo!). Needless to say, I walked away quickly!!

After wandering around, exploring the city and popping in and out of various shops, we caught the metro to Shibuya, my favourite area of Tokyo. It's known as the cool place for young people to be, and the atmosphere is incredible!! It's full of teenagers and young adults, gorgeous fahion and quirky little shops. My host mother bought me a fabulous pair of lace-up gladiator wedges!! They are gorgeous (but caused my feet to die a slow and painful death the next day!). We had a gorgeous dinner in a little restaurant. We were given our own private little room, with a floor-level table, and the food was devine! We wandered around, and crossed the famous Shibuya crossing (so many people crossing the road in all different directions: I just stood in the middle and watched, which nearly got me knocked down!!).

We stayed in a hotel in a tatami room, and the hotel provided pyjama yukata (comfy kimono). It was waaay too hot to sleep in, and there was a little earthquake that night! We all got up really early, to make the most of the day in the city. First we headed to Asakusa, where there are a few temples and a big market. It was a great place to buy little souvenirs for my family and friends. It was a really nice place, so we spent the morning walking around and spending all my money!! :)

Afer lunch, we headed to Shijuku, another area with lovely shops and scenery. I tried a gorgeous traditional Japanese sweet black soy bean ice-cream! I chatted to a group of girls from Scotland, they were touring around Japan for a year and loving it. It's something I would love to do!!

We caught the train home to Suwa that night. I'd had a fantastic time! Tokyo is a city I would love to live in, it's so safe and modern, but still traditional Japanese. There is so much to do and see: it kept 2 women, a teenager, a child and a toddler entertained all at the same time! It was such an exciting place to be, so much going on. I can definetly say that my trip to Tokyo was one of the highlights of my trip to Japan :D .

Last few amazing weeks

Órlaith — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:03:07 +0000

I've been home from Japan about 2 weeks now, but I was so busy for my last few weeks there that I still have a few more blogs to update!!

On August 2nd, I was lucky enough to take part in a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony! It was heald in a private tatami room of an old woman's house. She was very nice, dressed in a kimono. I was joined by my host mother and two local photographers. The ceremony was taken very seriously, but since I was a foreigner, the rules were a little relaxed. We had to kneel and perch on teeny weeny stools and first we were given some sweets to eat (I accidentally ate the wrapper of one of them, they were so elaborate!! ). We then sat in complete silence as the woman made the green tea. She prepared the water and the powder on a little stove in the corner of the room, and mixed it all in a certain way. It was so quiet and calming watching her. The Japanese believe that the ceremony is more than just about the tea, that it's a sort of meditation, and I could see what they mean. She then placed it in front of me, and I had to pick it up, turn it 180 degrees, repeat what the woman was saying, then finally take a sip. It was very bitter but I obviously told them it was gorgeous (they were all staring to catch my reaction, and it was very hard to keep a straight face! ). She then repeated the process for my host mother, then she allowed me to prepare a cup of tea myself! We ate more treats; cakes depicting stars and the milky way, and we chatted to the tea ceremony lady. She explained that everything in the room was authentic Japanese and chosen specifically for summer. There was a scroll hanging on the wall, which she had chosen especially for me! She had been practising the Tea Ceremony for over 50 years and still felt that she didn't understand it all, but still loved it just as much!! It was a really nice experience.

After the ceremony, we went to an English Garden for lunch. There was some Irish goods on sale in the gift shop (my host mother bought an apron from Ulster!) and there was many Guinness signs and some Irish Blessings! It was weird seeing things from home when I was so far away!!

With my Host Family, I spent a morning at a summer camp for kids with disabilities. I had so much fun!! We did parachute games. singing and dancing. A man did a comedy mime and I played my concertina for them all (they made me wear my leprachaun hat and there was yet another picture of me in the paper!). They were all fascinated by me and I was asked so many questions. The kids were all so cute and all had a ball!

During my stay, I also got 2 Japanese lessons from a teacher from the language school that helped to organise my trip. The woman came to my house for a couple of hours, and it was strictly Japanese only, no English allowed. I must say that those lessons were the most Japanese I had spoken druing my trip! We did oral work, listening and some exercises, and I'll admit that most of the time I had to translate everything we were discussing!! They were a good help though!

From August 1st onwards, there was fireworks everynight at 8:30 on Suwa Lake, right by my house. The displays were class, and either went down to the lake to watch or viewed them from the balcony. The display was different every night and lasted about 15 minutes. It was so pretty, with fireworks in the shapes of hearts and smiley faces, and all different colours!! Every night when the display finished, all the little neighbours would go outside and play with sparklers. There are so many different types, ones that shoot up like rockets and fly along the floor like mice. They were so much fun to play with, and I managed to sneak some home (illegally!!) in my suitcase :)

In Japan, I went to a couple of restaurants known as Self-Service Restaurants. Basically, you order your food and they serve it to you raw, then cook it on the big BBQ in the middle of your table!! It was really cool, except one person has to constantly be watching the food! Also, if you're starving, usually when the waiter brings your meal, you can dig in, but instead you have to wait for the food to be cooked! I had to try tripe and liver (never again!!) but everything else was gorgeous!! I think these restaurants are Korean style places. I really miss the Japanese food now that I'm home, but my host mum gave me some recipes and I swapped some with her (bacon and cabbage and Bailey's cake are favourites!).

August 6th was the anniversary of the World War 2 bombings of Hiroshima (Nagasaki was August 9th) so we watched a big memorial service from the city on television. Japan is the only country to have been devastated by an atomic bomb in war time, and the effects are still in place. It really made me see how much this country has been through, and how well they managed to cope.

I got to see the last Harry Potter movie in Japanese with my friends. It made everything so much funnier, so I couldn't even concentrate on what was actually going on!

The next day there was a little local festival where the soap I had made at the beginning of my trip was on sale. There was loads of food and a little market. It was boiling hot so the shaved ice was devoured!! I bumped into a lot of the children I had been teaching in Elementary School and chatted to a lot of people I knew. It was a lovely atmosphere, which was then ruined by a sudden downpour and thunderstorm!! Such random weather!!

On my last day, we had lunch with Sachiko and Miyoko, the main organisers of my trip in Japan. The food was delicious, and we had huge ice-cream sundaes for dessert :) It was sad saying goodbye as they had done so much for me, and I was so grateful! I promised that I would see them again, either in Japan or Ireland, they really were such nice people!

Unfortunately, my last day arrived all too soon :( I was collected by a mini bus at my house at around 2am. It was so upsetting leaving my Host Family, we had gotten so close and they had been so good to me!! After a 4 hour drive to Tokyo, I learned that my baggage was 7 kilos overweight (oops!). I didn't really understand why, but I was allowed to separate my check-in baggage into 2 bags and check them both in for free! I'd recommend ringing the airline to find out baggage restrictions, because it said nothing about that on the website!! The flight was fine, I watched millions of movies and chatted to the women next to me. I was still surrounded by Japanese people so the reality that I had left Japan did't hit me until I arrived in Germany. After being sent in the wrong direction, I managed to board the flight and arrived back in Dublin without a problem. I was sad to be home, it meant it really was over :(

I had the best time, met some amazing people, saw wonderful places, tasted delicious food and had unbleievable experience. I have vowed to return to Japan soon, it's such a brilliant country. I owe it all to EIL, I really cannot thank ye enough!! I was so lucky to be chosen, and I am telling everyone all about it in the hope that they will apply for next year. I know I have fantastic memories that will stay with me for life :)

Back in Ireland-goodbyes & hellos! My last EIL blog!

Mary Mc Donnell — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:57:13 +0000

Hello again! Well I am back in Ireland now! I think the last blog entry I wrote didn't appear at all, but it was just a little piece on my thoughts on leaving La Ventanilla for Ireland, and how I was feeling. I was sad that I would be leaving all the warm and wonderful people that I had met there, but I was also feeling excited about the return to Ireland. I was certainly looking forward to seeing all my family and friends again! I was hoping that I could really make the most of my last few days in that beautiful place. We finished painting the crocodile nursery to stop it from being eaten by termites. It is sad to see that for the baby crocodiles, it is the survival of the fittest-some of them are very small and thin compared to the others, and they probably won't last too long as they are not eating much. Some of the bigger ones have become quite confident though! They snarl fiercely at you when you try to move them! It is funny now as they are still too tiny to do any harm, but it is a reminder of the ferocious animals they will soon become!

The night before we left, one of the tour guides, Galo asked us to visit his house, where he is rearing up some land turtles for release at the lagoon next year. It is inspiring to hear him talking with such pride and devotion about the turtle patrol walks that he goes on almost every night. He showed us a picture of an absolutely massive turtle that he found laying eggs on the beach a few years ago! He also gave us lovely coconut milk to drink!

So I can tell you now that it was indeed, as I had expected, with a mixture of happiness and sadness that I left La Ventanilla on August 10th. Me and Mark had spent the morning saying goodbye to our friends, and taking lots of photos. I have to say that everybody there was so kind to us, Trinny from the restaurant even gave us a going-away present! I spent a little bit of time on the beach then also, soaking up the sun, and taking photos of the spectacular views for the last time. And then it was time to jump into a taxi and make our way to Pochutla for the 17-hour bus journey to Mexico City! 17 hours!! But actually, I didn't find it too bad, as the seats were comfortable, and there were some films. We stopped off once for a break.

We were met at the bus station in Mexico City by Cecilia from the host organsiation. It was really great to get such a warm welcome, and to meet Cecelia again. We had a lovely breakfast there before returning to the same hostel that we had stayed in when we had first arrived to Mexico City all those weeks before. It was time to prepare for our visit to the Irish embassy that afternoon! It was nice to have a hot shower at the hostel-the first hot one in a long time (although in La Ventanilla I was only glad that the showers were cold-they were so refreshing in the heat!). The embassy visit was a wonderful experience. Fernanda from P.E.I also came with us-it was great to see her again! We were warmly greeted at the embassy-and we were even served Barry's tea! It was very good to get the opportunity to explain to the ambassador the work of EIL in Mexico, and in particular the Travel Awards. We did a quick evaluation of the programme back at the office, and then we could relax for the evening.

The next day was time for getting a few last minute presents to bring home. We headed into the city centre on the subway. Well the city is certainly vast and vibrant! One thing I noticed is that each street seems to be dedicated to a particular type of merchandise. For example, we spent a long time walking down a very long street that had nothing but every type of fabric shop and art shop-my dream come true! I was only sad that it would be too heavy to bring home all the fabric I'd have liked to have bought! The city was full of noise and bustle, especially once all the stall-holders had taken their places, shouting over one another to get your attention as you walk by!

In the afternoon, I ventured to the National Museum of Anthropology. I had a map, but I didn't really know where I was going! I got to a really beautiful park that was full of squirrels, and eventually after a lot of walking, I did find the museum. It was exciting to think that I had actually managed to find it in such a big city! But unfortunately I didn't have much time there. It is huge, with whole rooms dedicated to every aspect of Mexican history.

After a last meeting and farewell with Cecilia and Fernanda, it was time to head back to the hostel, and get some rest before the journey back to Ireland in the morning.

Well, I was so excited on the plane! We got to fly into New York to change planes, and it was wonderful to fly over the city! I saw something that might have been the statue of liberty, but I am quite short-sighted, so I'm not sure. I definitely saw long Island though. By the time we finally got onto the flight for Dublin, I really was restless and just so excited that I would be seeing my family in just a few hours. When I arrived eventually home to my house in Tipperary, I was so delighted that my cousins were there to greet me aswell! It's funny, once I was home, it didn't seem that long at all that I had been away. I had plenty of cups of tea that day I can tell you!

Well I have been home for two weeks now. I thought i would freeze back in the Irish weather, after being in such a climate, but I don't find it cold at all-I'd say I'm just glad to have a break from the intense heat. But I do often think to myself-"I wonder what time it is now in La Ventanilla", and I think of what everybody would be doing over there at that time, and I think of the lovely sunny beach...and miss it all! But I know the memories will always be with me-and sure there is always email to check in on everyone at La Ventanilla, and my host family in Oaxaca too!

One of the best parts of the travel award is that you get to live for an extended period of time within a community, not just as a tourist, but as a volunteer, working with the community. That way, you do feel that you are eventually becoming part of that community. I won't say that it is all entirely plain sailing. There are of course ups and downs. In my case, it wasn't great when I felt quite sick, or when I got those strange blisters on my legs! Also, there were times when I felt far away from home. Sometimes I wasn't able to get to the internet for a while, and I worried about everyone at home. But all in all, anything like that was for me very minor. I was surrounded by such a beautiful places and by such friendly people that it was easier to be distracted from what might have been worrying me. I definitely think that if you are willing to work hard, if you have an open mind, and if you make an effort to befriend people, you do begin to find that you are becoming part of the community. I suppose that is all part of the challenge.

My Spanish did improve also-not terrifically, but by the end, I could understand it quite well, even if I still found it a bit hatd to reply. It has inspired me to keep practising it, as it certainly would be great to return there and to be able to speak very good Spanish! Or indeed if I was to travel to other Spanish-speaking countries it would be wonderful to have. .

Well perhaps some day I will return there. I think I must be turning everyone's ears red with all my tales of Mexico! It will be really good in September at the EIL welcome back day, to meet with all the others who have returned from their travel awards. I can't wait to hear about their experiences. I think that is a really good aspect of the award-the fact that it is not really all over when you return-you can still stay in touch with EIL, promote the travel awards, and take part perhaps in the selection process of award winners the following year.

I would say to anyone reading this that if you are thinking of applying for the Mexico Travel Award (or any of the travel awards)-definitely do! Go for it! It really is the experience of a lifetime, which sounds I know like a cliche, but it's true. It is an amazing opportunity, and you might have a far greater chance than you think of winning an award. I certainly did not expect at all that I would win when I applied. I was so surprised when I got that phone-call, but I am so glad now that I did apply!

Well I will sign off now. Thanks very much for reading, I hope it has been some bit informative. Thanks so very much to EIL for allowing me to so something so amazing! And the very best of luck if you are applying for a travel award! :)

Adios!

Mary

<3 Germany/Deutschland 2011 <3 Pre-Departure Blog

Brid McConnell — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:49:25 +0000

Only 4 more days here in Ireland and then I'm off to Germany for 59 days, where I''ll be living with a German family and attending a German Secondary school (Gymnasium). I actually can't wait. I'm as excited as a small child on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa to come with presents! Wie die Zeit vergeht! Nur noch vier Tage bis Deutschland! Ich kann kaum erwarten und ich bin total aufgeregt. :D Ich werde insgesamt 59 Tage in Deutschland verbringen.

Hoffentlich werde ich viel spass haben, mein Deutschkenntnisse verbessern, die Deutsche Kultur kennenlernen und naturlich viele Freundinnen winnen. Ich freue mich sehr darauf! Es wird eine tolle Erfahrung sein :) Vielen Dank EIL <3

I'm really looking forward to meeting my host family, starting my new school, improving my German and experiencing the German culture and way of life. I've been in regular contact with my host sister and although we havn't yet met in person, she has welcomed me to her family, she is really friendly and we actually have a good bit in common :O :D

I'm a bit nervous about travelling on my own for the first time but that's normal and is just part of the experience. Sure, if I get lost or need help, all I have to do is ask! I was also quite worried about not being able to communicate properly or people not being able to understand what I'm trying to tell them. But now, after the pre-departure workshop, I realise that nobody is going to expect me to speak perfect German at first and that I'll learn from the mistakes I'll make. Afterall, the first time I spoke to my host sister on the phone, my word order was messed up in places but she still managed to understand what I was trying to say. Since that phone call, we have been in touch via facebook/email and my German grammar has improved immensely and I've even learned a couple of new phrases along the way :) I cant imagine how much I'll improve when I'll be constantly exposed to the language.

I'd like to thank EIL for giving me the opportunity to take part in the Secondary School Abroad Programme. It's a chance of a lifetime and a dream come true!! I really love the German language and would go as far as saying that learning German is one of my favourtite passtimes. Since I began to learn the language 3 years ago, I've wanted to take part in a programme like this as I believe that there is only so much you can learn from books and that living with a German family is the best way for me to improve my fluency in the language. I'll be sure to make the most of the 8 weeks! :D

Bis hoffentlich bald,

Brid x <3

My experience so far in northwest Argentina

Steph Elliott — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:30:36 +0000

Chilecito is a small city with a main plaza. This plaza is where I hang out, drink coffee and meet with my friends. The plaza is only a 5 minute walk from my host house so I am in walking distance from the banks, shops and post office. The landscape is extremely dry here, with the only water supply coming from the Famatina Mountains. I feel very lucky to have been granted the individual travel award to volunteer in this beautiful place. Winning this award has given me the opportunity to travel to the northwest of Argentina an area less travelled by tourists, which is something that really appealed to me about this particular award. The idea of travelling on my own and spending a summer in a strange place did scare me a little at the beginning but this feeling has long left my thoughts. I travelled to Argentina on my own however once I arrived in Chilecito I was surrounded by friends and my new family. I am honestly taken back by how warm and welcoming the people in Chilecito are. My host mum Betty is like a second mother to me now and I really enjoy listening to her stories about her family and Argentina itself. My house is always busy with people coming and going, Betty also owns a little dog that is adorable and waits for me at the door every day. I attend Spanish lessons every evening for 2 hours. Esther has been very patient with me as it is my first time learning a different language with someone who doesn’t speak English. She greets me at the door every day with a warm smile and a big hug, and after our class we sit and drink mate and of course we eat some dulce de leche a delicious delicacy of Argentina. We have become really good friends and I know I will keep in touch with her when I return to Ireland.

Initially when I arrived everything felt strange and different. I didn’t know the language very well or what people were saying to me. I was adapting to a new country, customs and people.However now I can honestly say it feels like home here in Chilecito and I will truly miss the kids from the project and all my friends and host family.

I love waking up every morning and having the amazing view of the Famatina mountains, and soaking up the air and sunshine as I cycle to the neighbouring village San Miguel. San Miguel is a small little village outside chilecito situated in the province of La Rioja, at the foothills of the Andes in the northwest of Argentina and it is where I go to the soup kitchen to work Monday to Friday. I work in a neighbourhood centre where residents gather for classes or celebrating festivities. The centre is basically one big room. In this room we store a sink, cooker, fridge, cupboard for all our cutlery and some tables and chairs for the kids. A lot of work has been completed on the comedor over the past few years and this September the comedor will celebrate its 3rd birthday. Before the renovations began the walls were cold, grey and sad, the floor bumpy. There was only one fridge and two gas stoves; the remaining equipment was limited and very old. However now the walls are painted and new flooring has been put down.

The comedor (soup kitchen) project is named after the Quirquincho which is a regional term for the armadillo living in the province of La Rioja. This animal has a hard protective shell to protect itself from danger. The two girls who founded the project Caddy and Anita believed that the comedor should follow the same ethos, and become a safe and secure place for the kids to come after school, enjoy a hot nutritious meal , receive help with their homework and most importantly be given the opportunity to be kids, play and have fun. It was founded in 2008. When it began, the kids were aged between 6-9 years. However now the kids have grown up and their needs and wants have changed .A game of Ring a Ring o' Roses isn’t going to cut it with 12 and 13 year olds. However this is where the real fun begins. Like with most projects it is necessary to be adaptable and use some creative thinking to help generate an environment that these kids will enjoy and come back to every day.

When I arrived back in July two volunteers from Germany were working in the project for almost a year, so my first 2 weeks involved a lot of learning and work shadowing. The daily routine of the comedor begins when the kids arrive after school. Every day we are flooded with hugs and kisses. The comedor is run by us (the volunteers) and we hold full responsibility for what the kids will eat on a daily basis, the educational activities and games the kids will take part in along with buying the necessary ingredients for their meals. It is a lot of responsibility and a little daunting at the beginning, however I enjoy the challenge and I have learnt so much in such little time. I am glad that I have two great volunteers working by my side. However in a few weeks time the guys are returning home and I will be given the keys to the comedor. I have two weeks working on my own in the comedor before the new volunteers from Germany arrive.

We work hard to prepare a nice meal that the kids will enjoy. They love to play with cards, and really enjoy drawing or painting. They always ask us to draw pictures for them to colour, so my drawing skills have really been put to the test. A room full of kids is packed with noise and banter and every evening I return home exhausted. It is important for us that the kids respect both each other and us, so on a daily basis we teach the kids to respect the comedor by cleaning up after their meal, and ensuring they take responsibility for their things. When our day is over we clean the comedor and pack all the toys and games away for the next day.

So that is my life at the comedor in a nut shell. I have really enjoyed my experience so far and I look forward to putting some of my ideas and hopes for the comedor into action. Speak soon again

Steph

A reflection of my 57 days in Mexico

ley — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:41:39 +0000

57 days ago I arrived in Mexico with no clue of what I was to expect. Some people in Ireland got me very nervous when I told them I was coming to Mexico. There were mixed reactions from my friends ranging from "omg!! a girl alone in Mexico City?? you better be careful its a very dangerous City", " Stay away from the Volkswagen taxis" blah blah Some were like " wow Mexico City is amazing you will have a great time" I liked that comment as it made me relax a little. Funny enough since the day I arrived in Mexico City I fell in love with the place, I thought it was amazing in its own little ways. I being originally from Africa there were allot of things I could relate too. Some of the food ingredients, being squashed in them very slow pesera's at times, the relaxed attitude to time, but most of all the people. Mexico as a country may have its good and bads, but I must confess the Mexicans were amazing, very kind, welcoming, non-dismissive, as many others it takes a while to get used to differences, and Mexico City although it was not as culturally diverse as many European countries/cities there was no sense of feeling different nor, the casual weird looks just because I was African/looked different/ and worst spoke Spanglish. They welcomed me with open arms and wanted to know more about me, Ireland, and Africa. Which was amazing, in my years of travelling I have never felt so at home in a foreign land as I felt in Mexico.

Often in life we go through experiences without an once of reflexion of what we have done, what we have accomplished, and most of all what have we have learned from our experiences. 57 days ago all these lovely people, whom I now call friends and cried my eyes out at the airport saying goodbye to, were complete strangers and unknown to me. Now they are friends and almost family amazing isn't it? I feel like I have known them my whole life and they lived across the street from me, all we have to do is say hello, and once that's said and done a stranger is no longer a stranger, and the rest is history. I have meet incredibly resilient, hardworking people and I have learned allot from them. In Mexico its either you work hard to support your family, beg or steal to survive as the government does not have a social welfare system. So everybody has to find a way to get food on their tables some how. With all the hardships, not many I came across looked stressed, angry, vexed, nor rude. They all seemed to accept the issues at hand and were busy going about their business trying to make ends meet or finding ways to make it better. Not a complaint/moan in sight. Which made me wonder, when the recession hit Ireland it was all we could hear, recession this recession that........ Getting into a taxi was always a debatable issue as to if one should encourage the recession conversation or the bad weather? all we seemed to do is moan about something, and forgetting to realise how good we have it all. For many Mexicans when I mentioned how bad the economic situation was/perceived to be in Ireland they looked at me like I had a third eye on my forehead. Then one person from out of the blue would say "we have been living in the recession for the last 30years", or another would say "I was born in recession, not sure what you are on about exactly" and there is me with a face as tiny as a piriton pill going all red if I was of Caucasian origin. But this is when I thank God for my lovely brown color that is well able to hide them embarrassing moments. People in Mexico have accepted their economic situation and they are looking for ways forward to up their existence and I think we could learn a thing or two from them. That was lesson number one for me, and I am sure I was not the only one in that class. As the days wore off in Mexico my life class increased in knowledge of both the cultural differences and how to embress ones being, to "Digital Puncture" to knowing how to design and make my own dress but most of all I came home with a language under my belt I must confess I am not very fluent in Spanish yet but being there has definitely opened another door of opportunities. Who would have thought that?? definitely not me, and neither did my very nervous friends back in Ireland. I came home a different individual, I did not think I was going to change the world but I definitely thought I was going to give. However, I ended up receiving more than what I thought I could or even able to receive.

Anyway I thought this might be a good time to share with you guys some of the things I have learned like Digital Puncture, This was passed on to me from my very lovely host mother who showed me the way of getting rid of differnt body pains by pressing certain parts of your body. Crazy!! right? thought the samething when I first heard of it. Any way, she taught me that your hand is like your body. The thumb is your head, your middle fingers are your legs, and small and index fingers are your arms. So when you have a headache press the side of your thumb nail with the applied pressure you will feel the pain in the levels of your headache. The pressure helps release the headache. Sounds crazy right?? try it, it works. Let me know if it works anyone, than i will tell you guys more. i guess she wont mind if i passed on the healing message.