I was born in the United States, so I’ve decided to write in “American” English for this blog since it’s about my arrival, and I’ll write in “Irish” English in the next one.
My parents spoke to me in French, but I also spoke English when I was a kid. My family moved to France when I was 5 and I stopped speaking English until I was 11. In fact, I kept the accent but forgot the words. After some time in France, my mother found a video of me speaking English as a child and decided to show it to me: I couldn’t understand a word I was saying. To me, it was as if this blond kid was someone else, but it couldn’t be me. That’s why I wanted to have a long-term experience in an English-speaking country: to have the chance to regain my English and maybe access some of the memories I’d lost.
I’ve lived most of my life in a village near Colmar, in Alsace. It’s a beautiful region, the houses are very colorful and it’s quite peaceful, but I always felt like an outsider: my friends had all their family in the village, and mine was at the other end of the country. After high school, I studied mathematics and physics in Strasbourg for three years, and after my exams, I entered an engineering school in Albi, near Toulouse. And I loved it: I felt at home straight away and met new friends.
It was also in Albi that I began to take an interest in the environment and sustainable development. I began to want a job that mattered and that was part of the transition. But before finding solutions to the problem, I needed to know more and understand it better. That’s why I first looked into volunteering, to join an organization that doesn’t just sell a product or service, but actually looks for solutions. I thought this was the ideal opportunity to do so in an English-speaking country.
That’s when I thought of Ireland. I went there with my family 10 years ago for a holiday, and it was great! We met my American godmother’s family in Kinsale, we went fishing and to pubs, we chatted with the locals, we visited the region. I loved it all. Since then, I’ve wanted to come back for a longer period. That’s why, when I found out about GEAI, I didn’t hesitate and applied straight away.
That’s when I thought of Ireland. I went there with my family 10 years ago for a holiday, and it was great! We met my American godmother’s family in Kinsale, we went fishing and to pubs, we chatted with the locals, we visited the region. I loved it all. Since then, I’ve wanted to come back for a longer period. That’s why, when I found out about GEAI, I didn’t hesitate and applied straight away.
Only three weeks passed between my application and my arrival in Ireland, so it went very quickly. Of course, my flight was delayed because of the French tradition of ‘La Grève’. When I landed, I was initially surprised by the fact that I could understand (almost) everyone. People kept telling me that the Irish accent was something! – (I found out later that it was). I liked taking the bus from Dublin to Carrick-on-Shannon because it gave me time to see different landscapes. When I arrived, a big grey car arrived (Gandalf), and one of the volunteers who came to collect me was dressed in ‘The Incredibles’ pyjamas. They took me to my new home where I was supposed to meet my new flatmate, another volunteer, only to discover that he wasn’t in the house but “somewhere, as usual” according to the others. It was then that I realized what a fun team they were. The next day, we went to Galway to celebrate the departure of a volunteer from there. First weekend, first car journey, meeting lots of other volunteers, all in good humor, and so the journey began.
