«I'm Gian Arpagaus and I'm going to tell you about my experiences during my first week in Dublin

On Sunday, 18 August 2024, we set off on our journey to Dublin. After a two-hour flight from Zurich to Dublin, we landed safely. Then we had to wait for our luggage. After that, we were ready to be sent to our accommodation. It took most of us 40 minutes to an hour to get there. It took us 1-2 hours to get settled and later we were given a tour of the neighbourhood to explore the options available and make sure we found the right tram, train or bus for the next morning.

For most of us, it was a strange feeling to be away from everything we knew. Some found it hard to settle in at first, but by the end of the first week they felt at home with their families. It was difficult to settle in and organise everything properly, as the Irish work very differently in terms of work and punctuality.

Some people got sick, unfortunately myself included, which was a bit of a shame because I didn't get a chance to see the city because I just sat at home and waited until I felt better. The weather is certainly one reason for this, because it's not like the Swiss weather. Lots of rain, wind and cool temperatures characterised the first week. But by the end of the week, we all kind of got used to it so we had plenty of time to enjoy the well-known Dublin nightlife.»