A year away can’t be measured in days alone. You’ll only be gone for a school year or semester, but the experience will enrich the rest of your life. Living in another country while attending high school is something most people never have the opportunity to do. You’ll return with new knowledge, cultural understanding, maturity and lifelong friends from your host country. The hardest part will be leave your friends and host family. They will have shared in your adventure and learned from you, as you will have from them. I decided to become an exchange student because I thought it would be important for my personal growth to do an experience abroad, outside of my comfort-zone. Then there were other good points in doing a year abroad as, for example, improving my language skills, learning about another culture and creating friendships that will last for a lifetime.
I chose to come to Ireland because many people had spoken to me greatly about the kindness of the people living in this stunning island. Another second but important point is that the landscape of those places and the culture always fascinated me.
Since I’ve been here I had great adventures discovering Ireland, it has given me the opportunity to make new friends and improve my English. Also, the trip that EIL organised was great because it was a chance to meet new friends that are also currently studying, in different parts of Ireland.
Best Regards, Augusto Lorin from Brazil in the Clonmel community
2017