Come to Ireland when the sun is shining!

Spring has arrived and with it, Your Majesty, the Sun, and it is shining as never before. For me, a typical Brazilian girl, this time is such a blessing. Days like that makes me feel at home and much more, makes me feel free, safe and loved by God, the Almighty. He has made all things.

 As many people know, in Brazil the sun shines from January to December and the seasons are not really defined over there, which means, warm days are normal for us. When you move abroad, you can never imagine how much it is going to be missed until you realize how good it was to have sunny times as part of your day as it used to be.

In Ireland, the good news is that the seasons are completely the opposite to Brazil. Here, you can clearly identify each one:

www.carrollsirishgifts.com

It seems like a joke, but it is not a joke, it rains almost every single day and the wind can be very strong! But…if you keep your umbrella “wind proof” and always have it with you, that will never be a big problem, and by the way, in summer, the rain gets warmer.

According to the irish calendar, the seasons in Ireland to this day still follow the ancient Celtic tradition, which is based solely on daylight and the strength of the midday sun. As such, the seasons of the year  in Ireland are as follows:

Winter ("Geimhreadh") - November, December, January (Samhain, Nollaig, Eanáir)

Spring ("Earrach") - February, March, April (Feabhra, Márta, Aibreán)

Summer ("Samhradh") - May, June, July (Bealtaine, Meitheamh, Iúil)

Autumn ("Fómhar" Harvest) - August, September, October (Lúnasa, Meán Fómhair, Deireadh Fómhair)

Source: Wikipedia

So, let´s clear this is up once and for all.

Spring starts in February, but it is in March when we can see it clearly, the flowers blooming and the leaves beginning to appear on the trees, the days become more beautiful and people's moods  seem to change completely, in a good way, of course. The flower market in Grafton Street, grabs my attention for sure, it sells a greater variety of flowers, a diversity in colour and shape, making the street more sophisticated and pleasant.  In spring the day ends a little later. Usually the sun rises at 7am and sets at 7pm. This means…more time to enjoy the daylight. 

The three warmest months of the year are June, July and August. That is my favourite time of the year, especially if you study in the afternoon, because when you leave the class it will still be day and most places will be open for you to enjoy. As we have more daylight, we also get very excited, with more time to walk through the city and go beyond the famous and cheerful pubs. We can also take advantage of the best parks and places around. In summer, days are really long, on the contrary to winter (18 hours of lights and 6 hours of absence of light). Sunsets just after 10pm. 

In case you are from a tropical country, like me from Brazil, and you are planning come to Ireland, the best time to arrive in the green island, is in between spring  and summer, because you can get to know the place during the warmest time, get rid of the old habits and start a new life slowly and also it is a better way to look to the country on the bright side.

For us, Brazilians, the sun is not that important as long as we have it every single day, but in Ireland, it´s not that easy to see the sun shining, and that is why we all have to enjoy each second when it shows up. 

Source: Twisted Doodles

All right, will leave a list of things that I´ve done and others that are still in my “TO DO” list, hope you all enjoy and any further information, just ask and will be pleased in search for all the answers:

1 – Visit the Cliffs of Moher – Co. Clare

2 – Visit North of Ireland – Giant’s Causeway and Rope Bridge County Derry, Titanic Museum, Belfast

2 – Visit Phoenix Park, for a picnic with friends/boyfriend or even to ride a bicycle, walk a dog, go to the Zoo!

3 – Walk by the sea, and touch the water with your toes. Feel the frozen Irish Sea! I suggest Blackrock, Killiney and Bray (on the south side); Howth, Portmarnock, Malahide (north side).

4 – Go for a sun bath at St. Stephens Green , take some bread and feed the birds.

5 – Exercise yourself outside; let the sun light treat your pale skin.

6 - If possible, run a Marathon. There are a few at that time:

-          Samsung Night Run – April, 23^rd          

-          Darkness into Light in aid of Pieta House -9th May

-          VHI Women Marathon – June, 1^st       

^-           World Run - Dun Lunghaire, May, 3^rd

The best advice I can give to you is - STAY OUTDOORS – and enjoy every single moment; an Irish summer, is not a guaranteed thing. But one thing you can always rely on, rain or shine, is a lovely ice cream.

Hello all...

Breaking the ice, let’s talk about business...

This time I am going to tell you a bit of my experience at my college here in Ireland ICD Business School: 

http://www.icd.ie/

As there were so many options, it was a bit difficult for me to settle on any specific one. But being the clever girl that I am (so my mum says), I started with the main priorities: Money, Quality of education, Courses offered, Location.

Before I enrolled to study here in Ireland, one of the main things that freaked me out the most was the fact of my first language wasn’t English. I guess that everyone that has come from a country that doesn’t have English as their first language knows what I am talking about.

Before joining ICD Business School, I searched for all types of information that could bring to me a certain security about the college itself. After all, I was going to invest a lot of my time and my money in it so I had to know what I was getting myself in for.

It is well known that Ireland has a great outlook for education. Even beyond only study the students have the opportunity to put into practice what they are learning. There are different companies and programs (http://gradireland.com/; http://postgradireland.com/) out there recruiting final students for internship, offering to them a great chance to improve their career. The possibility of being part of the team permanently is very big. That is of course, once you can prove your skills, determination and your potential.

Why did I choose ICD Business School over the many other good colleges around the country?

Firstly; the price was very attractive in comparison with others. For that reason I was a little bit suspicious about the quality of the education. As I mentioned above, I searched for information from the Immigration Department about the situation of the college. I needed to know if it was recognized by the law of the country! And what a good surprise! I received an e­mail back from the Irish Department of Naturalisation and Immigration Service confirming that the college was in perfect agreement with the internationalization register. Bingo!!!

Secondly; the location was perfect for me. As I live in downtown I don’t need to use transport to get there. It is located in the heart of Dublin, close to many tourist attractions, such as parks, galleries, Temple Bar, Banks, Small shops and with restaurants spread everywhere, all tastes and preferences are catered for. For those that depend on buses or trains, the access is very handy. It is no more than 2 minutes walk to the nearest bus stop or approximately 15 minutes to the train station.

Well...everything was working for me: good price, excellent localization and then what?

All right, then what? The last point ,and no less important, it was the accessibility. The team was highly qualified to receive students from other nationalities. They were very patient, despite the language barrier. Also attentive and with a great ability of managing information. Many that attend the University might feel a little unsure about fitting in and getting used to a new environment. Without exception, everybody involved with the service at ICD Business School was very helpful and very professional in their attitude. They even have a translator, if needed, for initial support (I said, initial...hehehe).

Another observation I have made is about those who teach, the professors! They show an amazing knowledge and control about the lectures to be given and the subject material. This made me feel comfortable and confident, even more so, about the course of Business Studies, and as I googled them (Yes, I do it sometimes, I “google” people to find out their life history), I was very surprised to find out that the same lecturers in ICD Business School, also taught in other big universities, like DCU ( Dublin City University), which means, same quality of education and consequently, same degree of recognition.

In conclusion, my experience at ICD Business School is very good. And I can ́t wait for the day I will graduate and hold my diploma up, and express myself in loud voice: “I did it! Thank you, God. I did it!” Also, I want the traditional photos. I will send one to my mum and I know she will put up on the wall and, proudly explain to those that will certainly ask her about her daughter abroad. Looking forward to partying and champagne (I have heard that we are going to have, at least, a glass of champagne at the end of the ceremony ), and so much more!

My advice is this. If you are like I was before taking the first steps and leaving my home country and are looking for a good opportunity in doing a course out of your "comfort zone", do not hesitate in searching for all types of information that can brings you more than just an economic stability. Look mostly for quality, knowledge and student support.

Ireland is one of the few countries in Europe that allows any student to engage in part time work, that from my point of view, is an opportunity to do more than just make money, it is a way to immerse yourself into the culture of the country and makes you feel the atmosphere of the environment you are currently living!

Check out the ICD Business School when looking for something trustful, safe and appropriate to the foreign student. I am talking about something that I am experiencing and I can assure that it was one of the best things that happened in my life here in Ireland.

So, good luck folks and all the best for you all that are moving out from home. May God be with all of you and my advice is; do never give up. Remember, obstacles exist to teach us how to extract the best of ourselves. 

Be enthusiastic, be positive...if you don’t know what it means, check this guy out! He is awesome!

Do you really know Dublin?

In a random weekend, during a short visit to Johnny Fox (the highest pub in Ireland), I found myself completely astonished with so many old things around the pub; the ceiling was full of things that, in my opinion, there were no connection, such as wood motorcycle in real size; grandmother s underwear; an apparently heavy and old clock, in roman numerals; looking back down and around, the furniture was a mix of vintage and modernity, nothing was connect at the first sight, but in general, there were in complete harmony . On the walls, there was a lot of information about Dublin´s history. But, nothing grabbed my attention more than a frame where we could read “Forty One Interesting Facts About Dublin”...so many amazing things that, probably, most of you do not know and have no idea about at all.

Well... based on this, I picked 20 of them and will share and show to everyone how amazing this island is.

So, let the games begin!

1 – Dublin was originally called ‘Dubh Linn’ meaning ‘Black Pool’. The pool to which the name referred is the oldest known natural treacle lake in Northern Europe and currently forms the centrepiece of the penguin enclosure in Dublin Zoo.

2 - Dublin's O'Connell Bridge that covers the famed River Liffey is reckoned to be the only bridge in the European continent that has the same width as its length. It was originally made of rope and could only carry one man and a donkey at a time. It was replaced with a wooden structure in 1801. The current concrete bridge was built in 1863 and was first called ‘Carlisle Bridge’. 

O'Connell Bridge

3 - Dublin’s oldest traffic lights are situated beside the Renault garage in Clontarf. The lights, which are still in full working order, were installed in 1893 outside the home of Fergus Mitchell who was the owner of the first car in Ireland. 

4 - The Temple Bar area is so called because it housed the first Jewish temple built in Ireland. The word ‘bar’ refers to the refusal of Catholics to allow the Jewish community to enter any of the adjoining commercial premises. 

The Temple Bar

5 - Dubliners drink a total of 9800 pints an hour between the hours of 5.30pm on a Friday and 3.00am the following Monday.

6 - The average 25-year-old Dubliner still lives with his/her parents.

7 - There was once a large statue of Queen Victoria in the Garden outside Leinster House. It was taken away when the Republic of Ireland became independent and in 1988 was given as a present to the city of Sydney, Australia to mark that city’s 200th anniversary.

8 - Strangers are more likely to receive a drink from Dubliners than from a native of any other County.
9 - The statue originally in Dublin’s O’Connell Street (but now moved to the Phoenix Park) is commonly known as the ‘Floozy in the Jacuzzi’ while the one at St Andrew’s Church tourist office (new location) is best known as Molly Malone, (original name is Tart with the Cart). The women at the Ha’Penny bridge are the ‘Hags with the bags’ and the short lived millennium clock that was placed in the River Liffey in 1999 was known as ‘the chime in the slime’.

Floozy in the Jacuzzi

Molly Malone

Hags with the bags

10 - Henry Moore, Earl of Drogheda lived in Dublin in the Eighteenth century. His job was naming streets. He called several after himself. Henry Street, Moore Street, Earl Street, Drogheda Street. Drogheda Street later became Sackville Street and is now O’Connell Street.
11 - There are seven areas in Dublin whose names end in the letter ‘O’. Fewer than one Dubliner in 20,000 can name them off by heart. They are: Rialto, Marino, Portobello, Phibsboro, Monto, Casino and Pimlico.
12 - The original name of Trinity College was ‘Trinity College Near Dublin’. The capital was a lot smaller then.

13 - The headquarters of the national television broadcaster, RTE, in Montrose, was originally built for use as an abattoir.

14 - Dublin Spire on O'Connell Street was built to withstand inner-city atmospheric conditions, pollution and lighting, and to survive for at least 120 years. The monument is 3m in diameter at its base and tapers to 150mm in diameter at the tip, exactly 121m (396 feet) above, where the sway is 1.5m in any direction. Its weight of 130 tonnes is held down by 48 bolts. Having taken five months to manufacture, the Spire has graced the capital's most well-known street since January 2003. It is official name is the Monument of Light, but everyone calls it the Spire or the Spike (or one of the somewhat ruder nicknames that I won't include here!)

Dublin Spire

15 - None of the so-called Dublin Mountains is high enough to meet the criteria required to claim mountain status. The Sugarloaf is the tallest 'Dublin Mountain' yet measures a mere 423.3 meters above sea level.

16 - Dublin Corporation planted 43,765 deciduous trees in the Greater Dublin area in 1998.

17 - The Average Dubliner earns £19,000 per Annum giving twelve pounds to charity and a hundred and sixty two pounds in tips. The most important consideration when a man is deciding whether or not to give a barmaid a tip is the amount of her body that he can see.

18 - The "Oldest Pub in Ireland" is reputed to be located in Dublin. The pub is called the Brazen Head. There has been a pub on this site since 1198.

19 - Dublin is Europe’s most popular destination with travelling stag and hen parties. There is an estimated six hundred ‘pre wedding sessions’ every weekend in the capital.

20 - There are forty six rivers in Dublin City, the river flowing through Rathmines is called the River Swan (beside the Swan Centre). The Poddle was once known as the ‘Tiber’ and was also known as the River Salach (dirty river), which is the origin of the children’s song “Down by the river Saile”. It is also the river whose peaty, mountain water causes the Black Pool mentioned above.

So, it is Christmas and what have we done?

Deciding what to do at Christmas time when you are a foreign student, living miles and miles away from home is difficult.

I am homesick!

Ah! How it hurts! Christmas is one of my favourite seasons of the year. It’s such a great time to spend with family.  Brazil...I really miss you …

..hold on a second…am I out of my mind?? Wow … I LOVE IRELAND!

I love Ireland, I-DO-REALLY-LOVE-IT-HERE! I have to admit that I love Christmas time more than any other season. (especially the day after when everything is on sale). In my opinion, family is having everyone you love around you, home is the place you reside, alas…thank you Ireland for believing in me and making my dreams come true!

Alright, I can not change the subject so let´s “talk” about Christmas time in Ireland. 

Jervis Shopping Centre - Henry Street - Dublin

It's a time when good things happen.

I feel like I am living in a fairy tale, all the streets wrapped up in an eclectic mix of colours and lights, shining everywhere.  I love to see people smiling, greeting unknown faces and wishing you a Merry Christmas.

Grafton Street - Dublin

Oki doki…it is time to go shopping. There is the Christmas market at St. Stephen’s Green, the shops in town are all decorated and the staff wearing seasonal costumes. How beautiful it is to see people wearing Christmas jumpers....it is a kind of tradition and you have to have one to not feel left out...in all places and events, it is important that everyone knows it’s  already  Christmas.

Grafton Street - Dublin

Christmas Market, St Stephen´s Green - Dublin

Christmas Market, St Stephen´s Green - Dublin

The city has a magical atmosphere, effusing a real sense of hope. Almost all Christmas trees are real, and the smell lingers in the air.

There are so many gifts distributed in the streets, food stalls selling typical Irish food, "children" who live far away are coming back home to surprise their oft times elderly parents. 

The city is crowded and sometimes it is difficult to walk along the streets, as they narrow with so many people passing through.

This is Christmas in Dublin, frozen and windy, rainy and dark, but at the same time, so bright and effervescent, lots of happy faces, plenty of hot drinks and that burning sense that snow awaits you in the not so distant future!

Ilac Shopping - Dublin

Nothing compares to a "thanks love" by a lovely lady working the market stalls, or "I beg your pardon" when someone needs to pass you...or the kind way to ask you to repeat something "pardon me?" …actually, this for me sums Ireland up nicely. Christmas time makes this simple action more intense.

So, it is Christmas, and what have you done? The year is finishing and a new one is about to begin. With it comes a chance to make it better than what passed before...

Let´s make things happen,

Let´s be proud of ourselves in everything we do

Let´s love more,

Let´s have no war

Let´s live life

Let´s go somewhere…  maybe Ireland ;-)

Let it snow, Let it snow …

Wicklow Mountains - Ireland

Greece, a piece of heaven in earth!

I always wanted to visit Greece. I already had planned more than twice a trip to go there, but for some reason I could not go. Only in June this year, I finally boarded bound for the land of the greek gods, strong and unbeatable warriors, land of myths and minotaurs. But would the place correspond to my expectations?

Even I was a bit apprehensive the arrival was very exciting, from the top I could see that incredibly blue sea, and a few islands with a stunning landscape. It was a dream come true. I arrived in Athens, the capital, and went looking for a place to eat before going to the hotel, I tried a local food called gyrus (lots of meat with pita bread) and found it delicious. The hotel was located a bit far from the center, but easy access to the subway and buses. I was a little worried because i couldn´t speak the Greek language, but most traffic signs were also in English.

The Greek people are very excited and very receptive. I visited various places, but what impressed me most were the archaeological sites. In some places it was possible to relive history, imagine what it was all about and be in touch with such ancient architecture and stunning in its ruins.
After three days in Athens, I decided to go to my final destination:  Santorini, one of the most beautiful islands in the world, and in my personal opinion, a bit of heaven here on earth. I have stayed in a hotel in Oia, where I could watch the sunset (one of the most beautiful and famous worldwide) Every evening, all the guests went up to the terrace, and together we enjoyed that spectacle of nature.

Santorini was one of the best moments I lived in Greece ... and I enjoyed every moment for sure. I visited some small local islands, amazing beaches, did a boat trip which took me to a dormant volcano, and some other small islands. Santorini is a beautiful place, the houses are so tiny and all in white, some with blue roofs and stairs everywhere . If you don´t have strong legs, please don´t go there because you can get stuck somewhere.

The sea was beautiful, the view of some points was impressive. I found out that Santorini is one of the most sought places for conducting weddings. Every single day I had a such bless to see a wedding being held in a church nearby the hotel I was hosted.

On my last day trip, I decided to go out to for shopping and brought some local products like bags, sandals, dresses, and of course, a marble sculpture of the Greek god, Zeus. When my friends ask me if I found some "Greek god" there, my answer is "yes, and I brought he with me".

It was an unforgettable trip and if I have the opportunity, I will do all again and again!

Thit´s what life is about

Thit´s what life is about

Legend says that "life is so tough" but I dare to disagree. In my personal opinion...life is all about experience; life is about choice you make, and those choices are going to bring consequences for the rest of your life...be they good or bad...in all of them, you will always learn something new, and it’s up to you to decide what to do with the lessons learnt.

My life experience and future aspiration is simplified in a few words.

The moment I decided to leave Brazil, to study a new language in a totally unknown country, to face a new culture and customs, I really did not realize how it would affect my life in such an intense way. Faced good and bad times ... hard times, despite everything, that never ever made me think about quitting. Every challenge I faced and conquered, it was like one of the thousands of projects assigned to me, which was finally filed in the drawer of successfully completed. Today, three years after my first step done, I am a successful person and a pack of untold knowledge. I found out that money does not buy happiness, but true friendship does ... I found out that to be unfair will not take you to high places,  but honesty will...I learned that making mistakes is part of life and learn from mistakes makes you stronger...I found out that love is not only a feeling, but an attitude, one decision that makes you much, so much better.

The experience of face such a large barrier, such as to learn a new language in a country of strangers, getting into college and being part of the group of winners is more than an experience, it was a right choice that would like to share with everyone. Anything is possible, even those things that seem more strange can succeed…Everything depends on you...

I am still on my halfway walked...but very excited about what is coming next and looking forward to put into practise what I am learning in college and experience with colleagues from such a different nationality, eventhough, with so many different cultures and languages, we share the same goal: conquering the sucess! I want give back to Ireland, all the good things I´ve got from it. I want apply for a good job and practice all knowledge acquired in here...that´s my future plan.

Thank you everyone that are making part of this moment in my life...and I don´t intend to stop now...hope you don´t also! And do never forget ...anything is possible if you believe.

May God be with all of you!