Today we had a really long bus ride to the Cliffs of Moher and eventually we met our host families in Dublin. At 8:30 a.m. we left the Dawson Hostel and took a two hour bus ride to the Cliffs of Moher. As we got off the bus we immediately were impressed by the height of the cliffs. Unfortunately there were many tourists but nevertheless it was a beautiful place. There they also had a small movie theater and you were able to watch a short film that told you a bit about the cliffs. In Shannonbridge, a place in the middle of Ireland, we visited an old monastery where we had a tour guide who explained the history of the buildings and cemeteries very detailed. Then we took a three hour bus ride to Dublin where we met our host families for the first time. For us the host family is perfect and we didn’t have any problems. They were very helpful and immediately showed us how to get to the train station so that we can get to school. Right when we arrived at the house we got something to eat and the family was really surprised by the gifts we brought for them.

All in all it was a long but exciting day. We really like our host family, they’re really nice and friendly and hope the other families are as well.

Lorenz, Felix and Simon

Landing in Ireland as two Austrians was really magical. We came into Dublin and took a bus ride afterwards, a very long but stunning bus ride through the nation to Galway. The green rolling fields and stone walls, and all the sheep, made the trip feel like a film.Some things never seemed quite right from the start. The cars are on the opposite side of the road, and we still glance the other way before we cross the street. It is something that you have to get used to.What we were most amazed at was how nice everyone is. Everyone wants to talk. Everyone on the street greets us and smiles. Store owners want to know where we are from and they share a lot about themselves. It’s as if all the Irish people like to talk and share. The conversations are loose and funny. We feel like we’re always included.Another difference is how slow and serene life is here. At home, if we have to wait ten minutes at the checkout because the cashier is chatting with the customer, people get frustrated. But here, no one is in a hurry. Everyone waits patiently and enjoys the moment. It is very refreshing.Galway is a great city. The houses are painted in bright colors, music is coming from the pubs, and the people have a very strong sense of community. They are proud of their culture, and they want to share it with everyone. There is something generous and creative in the air.We are only staying here for a short time, but already we feel at home. Ireland is a friendly country, and we are eager to learn more about it.

By Rocco and Sebastian

On our 3rd day in Ireland we decided to visit a region called Connemara. There we did a lot of interesting activities such as going to a beach, feeding local sheep and enjoying lunch next to a magnificent castle. If you want to find out more about our trip you should consider reading this blog post.

After breakfast between 7 and 8 o’clock we set off by bus to visit Connemara. Our first stop was at a beach covered in remains of deceased corals featuring many animals such as crabs and sea tomatoes. One pupil was even burried underground in the sand.

Next, we coninued our journey through the area of Connemara and enjoyed the beautiful landscape. Our second stop took place at a spot where local sheep could be fed. We also had an opportunity to refill our bottles at a nearby creek with very clear
water and take a few pictures of the surrounding landscape.

Finally, we visited the castle Kylemore Abbey and enjoyed delicious lunch in an adjacent restaurant. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to enter the monument because the security guard would not let us in. On our way back to our accomodation we either listened to our bus driver telling us the rather recent history of Ireland in the 20th century, enjoyed the view or simply slept.

As conclusion, it is crucial to emphasize that today was a really enjoyable day and we vistied many important Irish sights. I hope that these descriptions gave you a vivid impression of what we visited, that your interest could be cought and that you are also planning to visit some of these sights.

As a conclusion, it is crucial to emphasize that today was a really enjoyable day and we vistied many important Irish sights. I hope that these descriptions gave you a vivid impression of what we visited, that your interest could be cought and that you are also planning to visit some of these sights.

RamonG NikoS

On a recent school trip, a guy from my grade had a little travel drama—his suitcase didn’t show up at baggage claim. For several minutes, he just stood there while the rest of us collected our bags. Thankfully, his suitcase finally appeared, but it got all of us thinking: what if it hadn’t?Since then, I’ve learned a few simple tips. Always pack some basics in your carry-on: underwear, a clean T-shirt, travel-size toiletries, and your charger. That way, even if your suitcase is delayed or lost, you won’t be totally stuck.Also, make sure your suitcase has a label with your name, phone number, and email. Put a copy of your travel plans inside too—it helps the airline return your bag more quickly. One more tip: take a photo of your suitcase before the flight. If you need to describe it, that picture will help a lot more than saying, “It’s black.”It only took a few minutes of panic to remind us how easily things can go wrong when you travel. But a little preparation goes a long way! What would you do if your luggage wouldn’t arrive at the destination?

The whole world is currently talking about an especially important and recent event, which has just occurred in the US – the election of the next president. In this blog post I will cover that there are surprisingly only two parties as well as a shocking trend in people’s voting habits all over the world.

To begin with, it’s important to get a quick overview of the parties in the US. Surprisingly, there are only two of them and they are complete opposites of each other. One calls themselves the Republicans. They are absolutely ignoring climate change, want more people to carry weapons with them, don’t care about the health system and take delight in refusing to provide immigrants with the support and help they need. On the other hand, there are the Democrats. As already mentioned, both parties oppose each other. Therefore, the Democrats address the issue of climate change quite well, want people to own fewer guns and desire to expand the health system.

When comparing these parties to Austrian ones it becomes obvious which parties share similarities. For instance, the Republicans are similar to the Austrian FPÖ and the ÖVP, while the Democrats are more like the Austrian SPÖ and the Green party. Similarly to Austria, where the FPÖ unfortunately gained many votes, you can spot an increase of Republican-voters in the US too.

Shockingly to me, there appears to be a global trend that somehow leads more people to vote for conservative and right-wing parties instead of left ones in elections. It is possible to make out this trend almost everywhere: You can find it in France, Italy, Germany and many other countries. In my opinion that is something especially bad and I hope this problem will vanish as soon as possible.

I personally find this very shocking and cannot properly explain this phenomenon to me. If you know a possible reason why this might be happening or you want to share your thoughts on the recent US-election I would ask you to leave a comment.