Fifteen students came from Spain to attend school in Presentation College, Carlow. In an interview with a number of them we asked about their reasons for coming to Ireland, their experiences of life and school in Ireland and also about school and life in Spain.

Yolanda and Nichel came to Ireland because they want to improve their English because in Spain English is essential if one wants to study at university. They are staying with different families in Carlow and find this an excellent way of improving their English. Both Yolanda and Nichel enjoyed their visit to the National Ploughing Championship with their families. They see many differences between school in Spain and Ireland. According to Nichel “Life in Spain is great, because we have fantastic food like paella, spanish omelette, potatoes and gofio. In soccer we have a good team and very good players like Iniesta, Villa, Torres, Puyol, Ramos and more players. Our breakfast is lighter than in Ireland and our lunch is heavier than in Ireland. We have got a unique sport called pétanque. The people are friendly and very nice. I live in a house near the beach and I go to the beach every afternoon in the summer.”

Yolanda explains that “In Spain the school is very difficult but the teachers are very nice. There are two types of school. Private: You wear a uniform, you need to pay and the level is very difficult. Public: You don’t need to wear a uniform, it’s free and the level isn’t very difficult. In Spain school begins at 8am and finishes at 2pm. The spanish weather is good It is often sunny. It is not always sunny particularly in the north of Spain. 
According to Ubay “Spain is very beautiful, there are old monuments to visit. There are many beaches and very beautiful places to bathe. The weather is good, because it is often sunny and hot’’