Hector’s change of scene from his home in Barcelona

St Joseph’s TY student Héctor Sarrión gives his view on life in Drogheda, away from his Barcelona home.

Drogheda hasn’t been a new town at all for me, I had spent already three summers, when I finally decided to come and study Transition Year.

Few important aspects of Drogheda from my point of view. This is a small and cozy town, quiet on the mornings though it gets busier as long as the day goes on. I really don’t mind it.

I could perhaps make a map describing Drogheda with just a sentence: 3 main streets, each one with a shopping centre and few shops, and a river along the town splitting it up in two parts,

Coming from a big city as Barcelona is, Drogheda can be really boring, therefore I always try to spend my free time with friends. I came here on my own, I barely knew anyone.

I’m not saying Irish kids are not friendly, but from my perception they just want to hang out between them, and it is really hard to get in their group of friends. There are exceptions though. For example my neighbours are the best, they come and knock on my door nearly every week to go around with them. My only other friends that I hang out with out of school are exchange students. We really spend a good time together: we go to play pool, we go to the cinema, we go to have dinner...and we speak in English between us and at the end, that was the whole point to come here to Ireland, to improve my English.

School is probably been the place where I’ve found more difference with Spain.

I go to St. Josephs secondary school, it’s non mixed school and you have to wear a uniform as well. (The contrary of the school that I go to in Spain).

I think Transition Year is a really good project, just if it’s well planned. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone that is fully fluent in English and hard working. Four words to illustrate it: no exams, no homework. They make you think that T.Y. is full of chances to take and projects to undertake, I won’t lie to you there might be some, but if you’re Irish, they’ll definitely be to easy.

Even though I would highly recommend it to exchange students, it’s not a difficult year and obviously you’ll enhance your English, the only advice that I would give to anyone that was thinking about studying in Ireland would be; if there’s anyone from the same country as you are, don’t always stay with them, you won’t learn any English. And don’t look to see what your friends are doing in a country that you’re not.

Being and matching with a host family is one of the best experiences I’ve possibly ever had. There’s is this popular sentence in Spain that says “there’s nothing like being at home” the feeling that you get of meeting trustworthy and friendly people is pure adrenaline in your body. I also love being in a house with different cultures and lifestyles. It’s all a process to learn how to be independent and responsible.

Being in a different country, away from your friends and family is tough. You’ve to be really sure if you want to do it.

It’s a whole lesson and experience useful in life, that you never know if someday you’ll have to use the knowledge achieved. Therefore I’d like to encourage anyone that has a chance to take it.