My name is Ana Paula. I am 22 years old and I have been living in Cork for a year and six months. I made the decision to come to Ireland two years ago as soon as I had finished my studies at college and I wanted to have a life experience abroad.  Below, I am going to talk about my experience in Ireland.

”The best English teacher I’ve ever had” Ana Paula with teacher Steve.

Why did you choose Ireland as a study destination? 

I chose Ireland because I did some research online about it and I discovered that Ireland had good opportunities to offer and it is one of  the best places in the world to learn English. By the way my uncle was living here before I came and he recommended me to come too.

What made you choose Cork city as a study destination?

I chose Cork because it is a small city and felt I could get closer to Irish culture.  This little place manages to be one of the most vibrant and engaged cities in the country with lots of music and sightseeing.

How did you achieve your current C2 level? 

I have recently finished my English language course and I obtained a level of C2 which is included on my certificate of achievement. When I look back I start laughing because when I got to Cork English Academy at first I couldn’t understand anything that the teacher was talking about. I remember leaving the class crying! At that time I was A1 level.

I  have never missed any English class, not one! Also I used to study at home on my own and the most important thing which is speaking English as much as possible even outside of English class. Sometimes I feel like I sound more natural speaking English than Portuguese.

Basically I progressed from A1 to C2 over a period of a year. However it does not mean that I should stop studying. I know that I need to keep improving and working on my weaknesses.

Can you tell us a little bit about your course and teachers?

The course is extremely important to develop the English skills such as listening, reading, writing and speaking and the teachers are very helpful, patient and always willing to help. Moreover the course gives you all the tools to keep improving everyday.

What aspect of English language learning are you improving in the most?

I am basically getting better in my speaking and writing. I do have some weaknesses that I need to work on it but the good news is that with focus and a little study these weaknesses turn into manageable challenges.

Is it easy to make friends in Cork?

Yes! People who live here are friendly and cheerful. Making friends is one of the best ways to practice your English.

I hope to help you by my personal experience and remember: You will never know if you never try. What are you waiting for?

Come to Ireland !!!

Before coming to Ireland to improve my English I studied Marketing in Mexico and worked for many multinational companies based in Mexico.

I chose Ireland as a study abroad destination because it was an affordable option. Besides, me and my brother Emmanuel could enter the country as tourists without a visa.

I chose to study in Cork over other cities because I had only a 12 month period available to me. I wanted to maximise my language stay and I heard Cork has less Mexican and Latin American students so my opportunity to speak Spanish was lower!

Cork is a beautiful city. It is quiet but at the same time it’s lively and vibrant. Another point is that Cork is a very safe city to live in.

My English language course was great. I learned about so many different topics. The teachers were so kind to me and always willing to help me. Listening and speaking are the two skills I have improved in the most. I found improving pronunciation to be the most challenging.

My brother and I are currently living with an Irish host family. Our host family is so nice! Living with a family is a great way to improve our English.

My favourite things about Cork are:

• Friendly people
• People willing to help while you are learning English
• Safe city
• Cosmopolitan city

I will recommend my friends to come here. Living in Ireland is a great experience!

I finished my degree in teaching in Spain this summer. I was working in a summer camp before coming to Ireland with my boyfriend in October.

Initially we thought of studying English in the UK but Brexit left the country in an uncertain situation.  We decided Ireland would be a good alternative.

I met a teacher who had studied in Cork a few years ago. She loved the experience in Cork and she is now an English language teacher at home! She told me Cork is better than Dublin because it is less busy and smaller.

I loved Ireland from the first day because the people are very friendly and everybody helps you if you need it. Cork city is very small but it has everything you need: schools, pubs, cafes, supermarkets, shops, parks, public transport.

Quiero Languages recommended Cork English Academy and I think it is the best English language school in Cork. I had the best teachers in the school, Paul and Steve. I really think that they love their job and we all really enjoyed learning with them.

The extra free classes are very good. You get to listen to other teachers and hear different accents. The culture classes are great. The receptionists are very kind and I enjoyed taking part in the BINGO and school quiz with them.

Debora, her husband Moises and friends enjoying BINGO in the school. 

I think I have improved all of my language skills and in specific my listening skills. I am listening to English all the time; in the school, at home and in the street. I am able to have conversations with native English speakers and watch films in English. I find some of the phrasal verbs and clauses difficult but I am improving every day.

My accommodation is wonderful. We are living with a host family. We initially booked just one month but extended to three months. The hosts are a married couple with three teenager kids. Since the first day we left very comfortable with them and we speak to them all of the time. They always help me with everything I need. My host mother cooks very, very well. We are really enjoying our stay.

We have travelled around Ireland: Dublin, Ring of Kerry, Dingle, Galway and some towns in Cork also Cobh and Kinsale. I love the landscapes of Ireland. Everything is green and you can see sheep and cows everywhere.

Here is what Ali has to say about his host family who live in Blackrock just outside the city centre:

” My host family is lovely, very warm and welcoming. I felt at home on the first day. They even adapted their food  to suit me ( for example I eat a lot of vegetables, they don’t eat a lot so they make some extra for me, I think it is very considerate).

About the room, it is separated from the rest of the house so I am very quiet, I have my own bathroom on the same level ( private stairs from the kitchen so if you want to be alone, it is perfect, it’s like a little flat in the big house).

May I add that they have 3 or 4 living rooms with tv so there is no problem for watching your own show on tv if you wish( though I like to have plenty of conversations with the husband in the host family) and the house is very clean ( important point for me)!

I only have good comments about the family, the welcoming they gave me and their house. The location also is good, not too far from the center, the village of Blackrock is lovely and shopping center ( Mahon point) is not too far ”.

We hope you enjoy the rest of your stay Ali and thank you so much for the lovely photos.