I chose to come to Ireland for several reasons. Firstly, I have always shared with the Irish a passion for folk music and pub culture. Secondly, the history of Ireland – and tales of the nation’s fight and resilience – has always fascinated me, and also how such a small country in comparison to my country (Brazil is more than a 100 times larger than Ireland in area) has such prominence in various fields of interest, such as technology and education. I can say I made my choice based on both reason and heart, and everything pointed towards Ireland being the best country for me. What I can tell you today is that, five months after my arrival here, I could not have made a better choice.
When I first landed at Dublin airport alongside other Brazilian students, there was someone from my chosen college, Dublin Business School, waiting to bring us to our new homes. Once there, another member of staff helped us find our way around and provided us with all the information we needed. From our very first day at college, we were greeted by the staff who explained everything about our new academic routine, and we had several opportunities to meet other students.
I’ve also had the pleasure of being one of the students chosen to meet the Irish Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn. One striking sentence during his speech inspired me on the day – one that echoes much of my experience so far – was this: “If you have a problem, any problem at all, look for those responsible at your university and ask for help. If it does not work, get in touch with the Irish education authorities and, if still your problem is not resolved, please email me!” Everyone laughed, and he added: “The good thing about living in a small country is that we know each other. You always know someone who has a brother, who has another brother, who knows someone who studied with your brother, so it’s easy to communicate!”
So, if you are considering Ireland as your destination for studying abroad, I can tell you that you will experience more than incredible scenery, rich culture, great music and entertainment. Besides the opportunity of having a high quality education, you will get all the support you need to make you feel at home here. You will truly get to know the meaning of one famous Irish blessing, “Céad míle fáilte”. It means “a hundred thousand welcomes”, and I really feel like I am collecting all of mine during this year.
