My workplace

Today, after our language school, we met Margaret the first time. She told us where we will work for the next 7 weeks. I’ll work for a company thats named Celtrino in the city centre of Dublin. Its a IT consulting company for  Electronic Sales/Purchase Processing. I’m really looking forward to work with them.

Start in School Life

Hello There!

Today we had our first school day. After getting up and eat some breakfast we got on our way to the international house, the place where we have our language classes. At the house we met the some people from the other classes from our school and we met some new people. It started with a introduction presentation and get to know the others. After that Leo and I got seperated from the other because we were the better speaker. The class itself were quite boring because there was nothing really new but it was fun talking to the guys from spain.

At 1:00 pm we were free to go but just until  2:00 pm where we had to go back for a social activity. Jane were introduced to us and she told us a bit about the nightlife of Belfast and where we could go for a drink. She took us made some pictures with us and the we went for a little walk in Belfast. It was quite intresting and Jane is a super nice person but we had to cut the trip of because we had a termin at 3:00 pm regarding our work placements.

Later that evening Leo and I went to this pub Jane invited us to go, the „Dirty Onion“. We met Jane and the the guys from spain again. Leo bought me a Guinness and I got into a nice conversation with one of the spains regarding our internship here and how the apprenticeship system works in germany. In the middle of the talk we were interrupted by that guy who teaches „Bodhrán“. He asked us if we are intrested in learning how to play that instrument, what is a drum like instrument, and we glady accepted his offer. After one our of playing I noticed that I have no feel for rythms or that kind of stuff, but it was still fun to play and to try it out. We decided to get home after that because it was already late and we have to get up early in the morning.

After all it was a fun day and I am looking foward to all the things we will see and learn.

 

..not enough time on a single day

On my second day in Dublin Angelo and I explored the city. At first we tried to figure out the public transportation via bus, which was more diffucult than we expected it to be. We drove to the city centre were we saw „The Spire“.

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From there we walked to the ministery district were we had a great view at „The Custom House“ and „The Ulster Bank“.

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Standing on a small bridge that crosses the „River Liffey“ we were planning the rest of our day. Since we were really hungry we decided to go to the „Temple Bar“ district and order some delicious italien food.

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After that, we picked up Toni and went to the famous „The Temple Bar“ in Temple Bar.The drinks were good but the prices not, but it was worth it.

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I would have loved to see more of Dublin, but there was not enough time on a single day.

A Very Warm Welcome

To say it was cloudy when we arrived at Dublin Airport would be quite the understatement. However, the carpet looked beautiful from above and kept us warm from below. I don’t know what the temperature was but I had to open all 3 of my jackets on our way to the bus.

After hunting down our luggage we made our way outside where Damien, our driver from INTERNSPLUS, waited. He gave us our welcome pack including an Irish sim (which I’m not going to use) and instructions for the first week in school. We have to attend classes at a language school near the Trinity College in the city and since Monday is a bank holiday, we have to stay the whole day on Tuesday. Wednesday through Friday it’s supposed to be 4 hours from 9am to 1pm so there’s time to see the city afterwards. There is also going to be a welcome meeting on Wednesday after class.

I was the first one to get off the bus and Damien brought me to the front door of 31 Elm Mount Heights where Ann O’Connor is now harboring me. She showed me to the room where I put down my bag and backpack and took off my jackets. I went down to have a cup of tea and a sandwich in the kitchen. I talked to Ann for quite some time and asked her about the things I would have to keep in mind while staying with her and her husband. She told me that there is also a guy from Saudi Arabia and a guy from Switzerland in the house and that she has been a host for about 2 years now. She mostly has full time students here and I’m the first one to have a work experience.

After my second cup of tea Ann told me that she had to run some errands, gave me the key to her Wi-Fi and I went up to unpack. My room had obviously belonged to some girl before because she kindly left her hair all over the wooden floor. I got rid of the hairs and started unpacking.

Later that evening Ann’s daughter and two of her sons where supposed to join us for dinner. I sat in the kitchen while she prepared lamb chops with potatoes and assorted vegetables and an apple pie. We talked a lot which I really enjoyed.

The evening was great and the food awesome. I stayed up until long after 2am that night, talking to Ann, her son Patrick, his wife Denise (who both kindly invited me to their house warming party and Denise’s Birthday) and the rest of the family. Patrick told me about the national sport Hurling and said that the championship is about to start. He offered to take me to a game one time and I’m looking forward to it.

Patrick also offered me a chance to have a Guinness and after having three Heineken already I felt reluctant to refuse the offer. So after 2 Guinness, a couple of jokes and singing Dubliners songs, Patrick and Denise where the last to leave the party and I went to bed after they had left.

I felt very welcome that day and considering it was only the first day and they had just met me, I’m looking forward to the days to come.

Grocery shopping and a little bit of sightseeing

Today we went to the Belfast City Centre to pickup a prepaid Sim card, so we can call each other without paying anything. We chose O² as a provider since our colleagues from Dublin also got it so we can call/text them for free. Afterwards we did a little bit of ‘sightseeing’, although we basically just walked trough the town to see what Belfast has to offer and hell its a lot, even though its a rather small city compared to Berlin. You can find everything within a few meters, multiple places to eat, pubs and grocery stores.

Afterwards we did some grocery shopping to get the basics we need for at least a few days. The closest grocery store is a tesco express, it’s a 5-10 minute walk but its only a small version of tesco so you can’t get everything there you want. On Tuesday we’re going to a normal Tesco to buy more supplies for our stay.

 

Some impressions of the flight

Hi there!

Yeah, how shall I begin? First of all, I guess we all are arrived fit and healthy. We started in Berlin Schoenefeld with a delay of 10 minutes but reached the cost of Denmark already quite precisely after an hour, so that was no problem. The Aer Lingus machine was quite small, so even I, whose last flight was 4 or 5 years ago, can say that you feel every single air-hole with a small plain, at least at the start and the landing. But all in all the flight was nice, a bit warm, but the stewardesses were really friendly. Sometimes I wished to have my telephoto with me to study some oil rigs and ships on the ocean.

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But there were also some mysterries. Sometimes the clouds looked like they would form a straigt line. I would speculate that this were the shadows of some upper jet trails. Maybe one of our readers know that phenomenon. I am looking forward to see your ideas in the comments. 😉

Regards Nick.

First time and first impressions

I have heard a lot of Ireland, but today it is the first time that I can form my own impressions.

The pleasant flight took 2 hours and a very nice guy picked us up from the airport. He drove us to the house of the host family. A jolly middle-aged man opened the door. His name is Paul an he has two sons at my age and a little cute dog. After the greetings Paul shows me my room. It is a very comfortable room in the attic. The view is amazing, despite of the bad weather. I hope that sunbeams will wake me up tommorow.

 

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1001 Goodbyes

The last 24 hours in Germany are quickly ticking by. As I’m writing this, there are actually not even 23 hours left until my flight leaves tomorrow. I am at my father’s house in the depths of Brandenburg, enjoying a preview of the weather in Ireland. It’s quite cold and the gray sky is weeping droplets if bittersweet goodbyes.

I feel… great! After the last couple of weeks of studying for the CCNA-exam, cleaning my apartment and meeting family and friends for „the last time“, today is the day I can just enjoy the peace and quiet, for there is nothing more I can do now but wait in happy expectation of what is to come.

As of now, I still have no idea where I will sleep for the next 2 months or where I’ll be working during that time. My only constant is Dublin and the EU-Office’s continuous affirmation that there will be someone picking us up from the airport. However, I am excited; excited and not afraid.

I am looking forward to meeting new and interesting people, to working with people, both users and colleagues, who appreciate what I’m doing as much as I will enjoy it and to seeing one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

Over the next two months I will write 3 times a week so stay tuned for the first blog entry out of Dublin – Ireland.

 

Das Auslandspraktikum

Mit der Entsendung von Fachinformatik-Azubis in ein Auslandspraktikum setzt der afib (Ausbildungsverbund Fachinformatik Berlin) im Raum Berlin/Brandenburg wieder ein weiteres Zeichen zur Steigerung der Qualität in der IT-Ausbildung. Die angehenden Fachinformatiker des Lehrjahres 2012 sind Teil einer Gruppe mehrerer Auszubildenden, die ab 03.05.2014 einen achtwöchigen Auslandsaufenthalt in Irland und Nordirland verbringen werden.

Der afib hatte schon im Jahr 2008 in enger Kooperation mit dem Oberstufenzentrum für Informations- und Medizintechnik (OSZ IMT), der STRATO AG, der Deutschen Telekom und dem Institut für lebenslanges Lernen in Europa (ILE-Berlin) das Projekt “Europaerfahrung für Azubis in IT-Berufen“ (E-FAIT) initiiert und 14 Fachinformatik-Auszubildende nach Irland entsandt.

Auch das diesjährige Projekt “Training in Europe Supplemented” (TIES) wird im Rahmen der Mobilitäts-Maßnahme des EU-Bildungsprogramms LEONARDO DA VINCI durchgeführt, welches u.a. Vermittlungs- und Austauschprojekte für Personen in der beruflichen Erstausbildung fördert. Ziel der Maßnahme ist die “Förderung der grenzüberschreitenden Mobilität von Menschen in Berufsausbildung, insbesondere jungen Menschen”.
Unseren Auszubildenden ermöglicht das Auslandspraktikum, ihre Kenntnisse und Fähigkeiten im konkreten Arbeitsumfeld zu erproben und zu erweitern.

Durch die Begegnung mit Menschen aus anderen Ländern können sie ihre so genannten Schlüsselqualifikationen erweitern – beispielsweise Kommunikations- und Kooperationsfähigkeit, Toleranz, Offenheit, Anpassungsfähigkeit und Kenntnisse über andere Lebensweisen. Diese Zusatzqualifizierung ermöglicht bei späteren Bewerbungen einen leichteren Einstieg in den regionalen, nationalen oder internationalen Arbeitsmarkt.
Eine weitere Qualifizierung erwartet die Irland-Besucher bei deren Rückkehr. Sie erhalten nach einer Prüfung ihrer Englischkenntnisse ein europaweit anerkanntes telc-Sprachenzertifikat.

In diesem Webtagebuch berichten die “Irland-Azubis” regelmäßig über Ihre Erfahrungen und Erlebnisse während des Auslands-Praktikums.