By the end of July, I was packing my bags for a different kind of business trip: I attended an English course for two weeks as part of the ERASMUS+ Staff Mobility Program. The program took me to Dublin, Ireland – the beautiful capital on the east coast of the isle that offers a lot of tradition and culture. There are many different schools and programs with different levels to choose from. I chose “Business English” (Advanced Level B2.2) at International House Dublin (IH Dublin).

During the classes, with around 15 students, I had to change my point of view. Being a “student” again felt a little strange at first, but it was also a lot of fun. I had the chance to meet and share this experience with other students from Brazil, Chile, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Korea. The focus of the course was to build self-confidence when speaking about different economic and business-related topics. Furthermore, I learned about the cultures and different perspectives of the other students, especially during the breaks and social activities outside the classroom. For me, this trip was a unique experience. I learned new phrases and vocabulary, got to know the Irish lifestyle, culture and accent, and met many different people from all over the world.

First of all, I would like to thank ERASMUS+ for funding the program and making this experience possible. I would also like to thank Cansu Citil and Leonardo Office Dresden for supporting me during the application process. And last but not least: Go raibh maith agat (“Thank you” in Irish) to Karina, Liam, Paul and the administration of IH Dublin for the fun and challenging lessons and for organizing everything so well.