a haon: the months before

𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮,

I'm back at it again. This time I'll be talking about the time right before my exchange year starts.

It's all about my placement, my host family and school and the Covid-19 situation and how it'll affect the start of my exchange year.

𝓶𝔂 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽

I'll be spending my nine months abroad in Dundalk. It's a town in the north of Ireland around one and a half hour away from Dublin. Which means it won't be a problem for me to go to the capital once in a while.

Moreover, Dundalk isn't far away from the sea. It's actually right beside a canal which leads into the sea. Therefore I'm sure I'll get to spend some time by the water.

Not too far from Dundalk is the border to Northern Ireland.

I also think it's important to mention that even though I'm placed in the northeast of Ireland it might be possible to visit places more towards the west. A drive from one side to the other often doesn't take as long as you might think.

However, I also wouldn't mind if my host family would rather stay close to their hometown because Dundalk and the land around it are interesting enough :)

I also added some pictures of Dundalk to this post for you to be able to picture what it looks like.

𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓽𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓵

I was very excited when I got the email that my organisation found a host family for me on May 20th. Everyone always said you get your host family when you least expect it. But I never really thought this would happen, considering I've been waiting for the moment I'll get them ever since March. But after getting my host family I can say that you really get them when you don't expect it but it still is exactly at the right time.

I don't want to give away too many information regarding them. All I can say is that after getting to know them a little through emails I am very excited to be spending my year abroad in their lovely home. And hopefully, experience life with a dog😊

I'll also be attending an all-girls school quite close to where I live. I'll also be required to wear a school uniform which is super exciting.

But due to privacy reasons, I won't disclose further information regarding my school

𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻

Corona already changed some things about the preparation for the exchange year. For example, we were supposed to take part in a preparatory seminar in a city close to us. Where we, the exchange students and our parents, would get all the important information and would also have the chance to meet other students. However, Corona forced our organisation to change their plan and change those seminars into online ones.

But luckily Corona won't interfere with the start of my year as much as I thought it would.

It sadly prevents me from spending a couple of days in Dublin after we land in Ireland. We will have to go to our families immediately. But I don't think this is too bad.

This also leads to our starting date to be a week later than we thought, but this, also, isn't too bad.

I finally booked my flight this weekend and ordered my suitcase which came today. So everything just got insanely real and I certainly can't wait to start this adventure.

In general, I am expecting that my year will be different to the years other students had before. But that doesn't mean it won't be as good. It'll only be different.

I think this should be enough information for now😊. I'm only two months away from getting on a plane and starting the biggest adventure of my life. And I cannot wait.

Slán,

•Anneli•