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Excited to experience a new culture

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Can't wait for the mighty trip

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Great to meet you all

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Feel excited about travel to Perpignan. I can't wait for sunny days, delicious food and surfing. Well, and a little work🙂

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Looking forward to enjoying French food and exploring Perpignan

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Excited to experience France culture. 😎

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I am very excited about the work experience and the opportunity to visit France.

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I am feeling nervous about working in a new country but am excited to experience the culture and weather.

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Blog one

Excited to go on Erasmus In Perpignan, happy to do work in elderly home.

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I’m excited to go on my trip to Perpignan.

I can’t wait to be in the warm weather

I can’t wait to start working with the VR company.

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Feeling good in relation to the Erasmus

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Hi  - I'm Jane, Architectural Design and Technology student. We are at the end of our studies for the year but I have thoroughly enjoyed the subjects, the company of my classmates and our tutors.  Looking forward to the new experiences life in Perpignan will bring.

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Looking forward to France

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A very eventful first day in France. Trying to enjoy every moment 

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I haven’t seen much yet, but tomorrow I’ll start visiting the city and getting to know the area. These three weeks look really promising, and I’m excited to see what’s ahead.

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Up,  up and away after a very early start. Ireland's Eye in the distance below. 

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Today we flew out from Dublin to Perpignan, buzzing with excitement for the next three weeks. After landing, we headed straight to the ALFMED offices an hour drive to get things started.

Once we were sorted, we walked to our accommodation and that’s when the workout began. Three flights of stairs with a 20kg suitcase definitely counts as day one’s leg day. Safe to say, we earned some muscle and a serious appetite.

Starving, Jane, Lolita, and I set out to grab a bite. only to learn that most restaurants in Perpignan close between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Not ideal for our hungry bellies! Luckily, we stumbled upon a small café and managed to grab some sandwiches. Then it was back to the apartment for a much-needed power nap.

Later in the evening, the whole group decided to go out for dinner together and sus out the restaurant I’ll be working at. It was conveniently close by and had a relaxed vibe. We all ended up getting burgers, which hit the spot after a long day of travel and settling in.

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Day 2 kicked off with some sightseeing, we visited the Palace of the Kings of Majorca, a stunning medieval fortress that gave us a glimpse into Perpignan’s rich history. The views from the top were absolutely worth the climb, and it was a great way to get a feel for the city.

Later in the day, I had a first-time experience: riding a scooter around the city! We scooted our way to a pizza place for lunch, which made the whole thing feel even more like an adventure. It was such a fun and freeing way to explore, definitely planning to use scooters more while I’m here.

After that, we headed back to the apartment and spent a chilled evening with the group. We shared some laughs, stories, and a few drinks, just enjoying each other’s company and settling into the rhythm of life in Perpignan.

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Daragh Allen

Spent our first day exploring the historical sites of Perpignan and really enjoyed diving into the history of this region.

Then we went and sampled the famous haute cuisine of France.

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Day 3: I have now explored around the city a bit and have been welcomed by the people around me very kindly, I did some classes today with alfmed and learned some French. I am excited for my work experience on Thursday. 

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A Day Full of Art and Culture.Today was all about exploring the cultural city. I visited three museums with Fian: the Natural History Museum, the Castillet Museum, and the Contemporary Art Museum. Each one had its own unique charm and fascinating exhibitions. I even tried to go to a fourth one, but unfortunately, it was closed. Still, the day was absolutely worth it. The best part? They’re completely free for students. It’s a perfect way to spend the day learning, getting inspired, and soaking up the local art and history without spending a cent.

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Jane sean and I went to the Porte Notre-dame

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Jane sean and I went to the Porte Notre-dame

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I decided to go to the beach at Canet, just less than an hour from the city centre on bus #3. Bring some cash (max they accept on the bus is €20 note) in case your card doesn't scan (mine didn't). It was quite a nice way to see the area outside Perpignan city centre.

The beach is long! It was quite windy on Sunday and the sea a bit rough for swimming, but it was a nice day out. Just made it back before the thunderstorm!

Visited my friendly neighbours (Samantha & Lolita!) in the evening for some drinks and chat.

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Alex, Jane and myself doing the quiz today, found a police man who was kind enough to take this photo!! :)

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Today we went on a guided tour around the city as a group, we were shown around by Helena. I saw a lot of the Dali paintings scattered around the city, which there is seven of total, the city is beautiful and seems to have a lot of kind people around. After we did the tour we did a quiz in which we went around the city and answered questions regarding the city and talking photos of different places around the here too. I am excited to do my interview for work experience tomorrow, and for the days to come.

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Yesterday I visited the beach in Canet-en-Roussillon, we went there to see the sunset but unfortunately we got there a bit to late. We walked along the beach the water was nice but a bit too windy, over roll we lived it. 

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Day 1

Arrived into Cacassonne airport and got the taxi into Perpignan, we met Anna and Jelena who showed us our accommodation.

Myself Daragh and Paul went to visit the local bars (Irish bars🤣). Had a meal and then got some rest after the long trip.

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Erasmus Blog – Day 1

Today we flew from Dublin to Carcassonne. After landing, we took buses to Alfmed in Perpignan, where we were shown to our accommodation. Once we got settled, myself, Daragh, and Seth went out for a wander to grab some lunch and explore. We also stopped into the two nearby Irish pubs to check them out.

Later in the evening, we met up with the rest of the group and went for dinner and a drink at Samantha’s workplace. It was a great way to relax and get to know everyone better on our first day.

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Erasmus Blog – Day 2

We started off with breakfast in the apartment, then myself, Daragh, Seth, Samantha, and Lolita went to the Palace of the Kings of Majorca. I’d definitely recommend visiting—it’s free for EU residents under 26, and €9 for others. The place is massive and full of interesting sights. It seemed to go on forever with so much to see.

After the palace, we rented e-scooters using the Pony app—they cost €1 to unlock and 24c per minute. It was a fun and easy way to get around. We used the scooters to get to La Roma, where we all ordered different pizzas. Everyone enjoyed theirs, and I’d happily go back.

In the evening, we hung out at the girls’ apartment, had a few drinks, and ordered food. I had a carbonara from Fricaccia Italian Street Food, but it was very bland—not what I’d call a proper carbonara. The girls ordered sushi from another place and said it was really good.

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Day 2

Day 2 myself, Daragh , Paul , Sam and Lolita went to the kings palace of Majorca which was an extremely interesting castle with lots of interesting history around it with a nice view at the top of the tower!

Then we all went and got food at a very nice pizza restaurant called La Roma which was very good😋.

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Day 3 we had a bit of a quieter morning. We made some Breakfast in our accommodation and chilled out for a bit.

Then we met up with Anna, Jelena and Florence who showed us into the Alfmed HQ and gave us the rundown on information related to our work placements and we learned more specific French related to our individual areas of study.

Daragh then made us some lovely chicken curry and we went out with the larger group to a bar and played pool and darts 🎯 🎱

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Beautiful weather today sun is shining!!!

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We had our first French class and were taught basic conversation starters to assist us in our interviews.

Afterwards we went out to a local bar and played pool.

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We recently visited a magnificent palace with countless rooms and fascinating details — truly a place full of history and elegance. I really appreciate that entrance is free for students under 26, which makes it even more accessible. The architecture is absolutely breathtaking!

Right now, we’re in the stage of studying the French language and preparing for interviews, which is both challenging and exciting. Every day, we get to enjoy delicious French cuisine — a real treat!

By now, we've all gotten to know each other really well and work together as a team. It’s been such a rewarding and inspiring experience so far!

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Day 3 started off slow and easy, we stayed at home until around 1:30 p.m., just relaxing and enjoying the quiet morning.

In the afternoon, we headed over to ALFMED for our first proper French lesson. It was a great introduction, and although it felt a bit intense at times, it was exciting to finally start picking up some of the language. The class finished around 6 p.m., and by then we were ready for food.

After dinner, the evening took a fun turn. A few of us grabbed some pints and ended up around a snooker table, playing pool and having a laugh. A little friendly competition, some music, and a few missed shots made for a chilled and memorable night with the group. Friends were made.

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Entrance to Palais des Rois de Majorque (Palace of the Kings of Majorca)

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A morning visit to the magnificent Palais des Rois de Majorque, affords 360 degree views of the city, the surrounding mountains and the sea. Amazing Gothic architecture from 1300s.

The afternoon was spent at Alfmed preparing for interviews, with everyone learning some French phrases so we could introduce ourselves to the various tutors offering the Erasmus placements.

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Erasmus Blog – Day 4

Today we had a guided walking tour of Perpignan, where we visited some of the city’s historical sights along with a few local cheese and chocolate shops. It was a great way to learn more about the area and experience a bit of the local culture.

After the tour, we took part in a photo hunt challenge. We were split into teams and had to complete various tasks like taking photos of specific places, finding the price of a croissant in a certain bakery, and asking for the name of the chef in a restaurant. My team came out on top—not only against the other BIFE teams, but also teams from Spain and Italy, which was a great win!

Later, we explored a food market, where we tried some empanadas—a few different kinds, all really tasty. In the late afternoon, we had another French workshop, this time focusing on useful phrases to help us introduce ourselves to our employer tomorrow.

For dinner, we went back to the Les Halles Vauban food market with Ross. It’s small but has a great atmosphere and food—I’d definitely recommend it. After that, we finished the evening with a fun trip to go bowling.

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Bonjour! Today was packed with activities and a great mix of culture and fun! We started the morning with a city tour led by Jelena from ALFMED. One of the highlights was climbing up the 145 steps of the museum tower totally worth it for the incredible panoramic views of Perpignan.

During the tour, we also took part in a fun quiz in teams, and our group proudly called ourselves the Shamrock Rowers. A well earned break followed before we headed back to the ALFMED office for a relaxed afternoon session.

There, we had a French lesson paired with a sangria and cheese tasting. After the tasting, came the moment we’d been waiting for, the announcement of the quiz winners… and guess what? The Shamrock Rowers won! Major bragging rights earned.

In the evening, we had dinner at the Les Halles Vuban Market with Deputy Principal Ross from BIFE, which gave us a lovely chance to connect and reflect on our experience so far.

To top off a full day, we went bowling, a perfect, lighthearted end with lots of laughs and a bit of competitive spirit.

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Found these two pretty cats in a closed florist shop on my way to the Alfmed building

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Erasmus Blog – Day 3

We had a quiet morning and made breakfast in the apartment. At 2pm, we had a session at Alfmed to go over paperwork and get an introduction to the Erasmus program and what we’ll be doing over the coming weeks.

From 4pm to 6pm, we had a French language workshop where we learned how to give a basic presentation introducing ourselves in French—something we’ll use when meeting potential employers.

That evening, we made dinner in the apartment. There are two big shops near us:

Al Sima Saint-Assiscle Perpignan, which has a wide selection

Lidl, about a 5–10 minute walk away

Later, we visited Bar Tio Pepe, which I’d recommend. I tried a cherry beer called Kwak—definitely worth trying!

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What’s the story morning glory! Taken on the walk to the bus station 6:00am

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After a lovely noodle dinner—thank you very much, Ross, for the 10 euros!—we went to a bowling place for a game and came back home ready for the interview the next day.

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Today was the first day at work. The city is lovely, with the port, the beach, and all the shops. It's incredible how all the nature-related facilities are within 500 meters of each other - plastic at sea research centers, the university, and the aquarium. We've been given a couple of studies done by people working here to help us get used to their terminology and work.

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I got a fresh roll, orange juice a croissant and a coffee this morning before starting my first day at plastic at sea 

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French breakfast before our first work day

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French breakfast before our first work day

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After our work interview we went for a walk by the coast and saw a family of ducklings with their mother.

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Hypnotising lights from the jellyfish

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Day 4 started off with a guided tour around Perpignan with Jelena! We saw some really interesting historical sites and got to go inside the Perpignan cathedral.

It was a very hot day so we had to make sure to top up on the sunscreen!

We ended up at the final stop of the tour which was a really lovely market. (Les Halles Vauban), we then did a quiz were we had to figure out some local sites names and the prices of croissant 🥐

After the quiz we had some free time to wonder around.

Later this day we all had to meet back up at Alfmed, we played some activities with the other Italian and Spanish students which was fun to get to know some new people!

The results of the quiz were next and our team which was myself, Lolita, Paul and Samantha or the “Shamrock Rovers” We WON 🙌 🥇, we got a few nice goodies provided by Alfmed.

The evening was spent with a nice meal which Ross gave €10 towards( Thank you Ross!) and then bowling to finish off the day!

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One of our questions on the quiz was to take a selfie by the peak in the background and with the canal in the background! 

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I found out that I’m actually not as good as I thought in bowling. I think this particular throw ended up in the gutter🫠

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Today was all about preparation and first impressions. I spent the entire morning practising my French introduction for the big interview, which honestly had me more nervous than I expected! On top of that, I was stressing about what to wear since I hadn’t packed a proper shirt. In the end, I decided to go with my BIFE chef jacket, professional and practical.

I arrived at ALFMED at 16:00, where I met Bryn and Fian, who helped calm my nerves for a good 10 minutes. Then, at 16:25, Anna drove me to Arena Bar, the place I’ll be working.

The interview was at 16:45, and I got the chance to meet the head chef and get a feel for the place. I also received my work schedule, I officially start tomorrow at 6:00 PM. I’m feeling a mix of nerves and excitement for what’s to come!

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The day started just after midnight with a fun 21st birthday celebration for Seth! We gathered as a group on the night of the 14th rolling into the 15th, enjoying pizza and good vibes to ring in his special day. It was a great way to relax and bond before what would become a busy and challenging day for me.

After a few hours of sleep, I spent the morning and early afternoon cleaning up, ironing my work clothes, and chatting to my family on a WhatsApp video call, I miss them dearly, so it felt really good to connect for a bit.

In the evening, I got ready for my first shift as a chef assistant. I headed over to Arena Bar at 5:30 p.m., ready to start at 6:00 p.m. From the moment I stepped into the kitchen, it was full-on learning mode.

I was taught how the ordering system works, how to cut potatoes for fries, restock supplies, and prepare a variety of dishes like burgers, wings, onion rings, and more. The menu was completely in French, so I had my phone out constantly, translating with Google. To make it more interesting, the chef doesn’t speak or understand English, so we communicated entirely through translation apps. It was tricky, but I slowly began to find my rhythm.

Later on, I got to meet the owner, and by 10:45 p.m., he asked us to start closing a bit early. We cleaned the kitchen, washed all the dishes, and hosed down the floors, making sure everything was spotless for the next day.

It was a full and intense day, my feet are sore, but a great experience thus far.

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There are worse ways to start your day at plastic at sea

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This morning I went for a short walk by the pier as I was early for work, the wind is was very strong but the view was worth it

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It's 6 in the morning and we're at the Perpignan station to catch a bus. An hour and forty minutes later, we'll arrive in the city where we work, Banyuls-sur-Mer. I think the four of us who work at this company could have stayed here so we wouldn't have to take a bus every day we work.

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Spending lunch enjoying the weather 5 feet from the sea 

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Today they tried to collect sea urchins in order to breed them and experiment with the embryos using different types of plastic to see how the animals are affected. It was very windy, and unfortunately, we couldn’t do anything. They say maybe next Friday—we’ll see. We were able to lend a hand by distributing 192 ml of filtered saltwater into containers to experiment with how different plastics degrade in contact with this water over the next two to eight months. A somewhat repetitive job, but very interesting and necessary to be able to continue the research.

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I started my first day of work experience and was greeted by a big group meeting with all of the staff as I entered the building, I had no clue as to what they were saying but it had a kind hearted vibe to it. I was then shown around the building and spoke to my tutor about what is needed from me, we spoke about ourselves to the best of our abilities with the language barrier but ended up making good conversations, I then prepared the dining area for the clients and wheeled them in an out of the dining area, as well as cleaning of plates that were dirty and cleaning the area once the clients had finished eating, we then set up a quiz about Morocco for the clients and did a yoga class with them, after that I was allowed to leave and went home for a falafel and played some pool with some friends, all and all it was a very nice and fulfilling day.

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To get to work many of the bife students leave at 8:30 or 9am and walk or take a short bus journey. The ecology group wake at 5:30 leave at 6am and get home at 7pm, our free time the last two days has consisted of making lunch for the next days work as we leave before any shops open and get home after local shops have closed leaving only convenience stores as an option. Overall this will be over 33 hours travelling in buses not including walking to and from the stations.

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Day 5 was a much shorter day!

In the morning we travelled too my place of work for the first time which was really exciting!

I’m working for a VR Cafe company which is a company who provide VR(Virtual Reality) headsets to customers and they get to experience a video game or a rollercoaster, or a horror experience.

Anna from Alfmed went with me on this journey and I had to present myself in French too my Boss - Sandro, Sandro was lovely and he was appreciative that I tried my best in French!

We organised the hours and going to be working and what kind of things I will be doing!

The rest of the day was spent preparing for our first day of work! I am looking forward to starting!

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Wow what a day!

Thursday started off late in the morning at about 12am when I got surprised by a cake 🎂 and a lovely t-shirt! I’m so grateful to these lovely people I met on this Erasmus! They have been so kind, generous and friendly. True friends.

Turned the big 21 today and it was nice to spend it in Perpignan on this amazing trip!

The rest of the day was exciting as I got to go to work for the first time today! I took the early bus by an accident so I had a little while to wait but that’s ok! The bus trip was nice on the way to work and I got to see a lot of nice scenery!

Arrived at my stop which is Levant, took a stroll to the supermarket since I had the time and picked up some snacks and a cold drink as it was very hot this day ☀️🌅.

Arrived into work and I was greeted by the lovely Sandro who explained to me what my first project is. He sat me up with a desktop and explained that he needs new door clips for the back door of his building and he would like for me to design those clips in blender and export them to another software called Fusion 360 so that they can be 3D Printed, which I thought was very cool. It was pretty handy because I have a lot of experience with Blender but not a lot with Fusion 360 so I was learning new things aswell!

I got to meet my other colleagues who were extremely helpful and welcoming! It was another girls birthday aswell and we shared a candle together!

The time reached around 7pm and it was home time for me so I packed me things and got the 20 minute bus journey back!

My friends took me out for a nice meal and I had a few drinks to cap off a very good day!

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Tuesday was packed! Alfmed in the morning and a tour of the city with Jelena, followed by a treasure hunt. In the afternoon a refresh of our introductory French and then a gathering in the Alfmed gardens.

We ate in Les Halles Vauban and were all given a generous contribution towards our meals - thank you Ross and BIFE!

Some of us then went bowling, where I promptly disgraced myself with the worst score but all in all it was a great day!

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Today I had some free time as most people were meeting their tutors and finding out about their placements. Mine is scheduled for tomorrow.

I had a wander around the city and a browse in some of the shops. Had to stop for coffee, obviously it would be rude not to.

Meet up with my neighbours later and helped celebrate Seth turning 21... a great evening. Happy birthday Seth! 🎂

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Erasmus Blog – Day 5

Today we had our interviews with our employers. My meeting was at 9am—Anna from ALFMED brought us there, drove us from the office, and introduced us to our employers. We got our hours and introduced ourselves, which helped settle any nerves.

After the meeting, we took it easy and sat in the sun for a bit. Once Daragh finished his interview, he joined me and Seth and we went for lunch at a place called New School Tacos. I’d definitely recommend it—really good value for money and great food.

Later in the day, we did a bit of clothes shopping, then went back to Samantha’s apartment. We had takeaway pizza for dinner, and at midnight we celebrated Seth’s 21st birthday with cake.

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Erasmus Blog – Day 6

Today was our first day at work. I started at 9:30am and finished at 4:30pm. I mostly worked on prep and observation, getting a feel for how the kitchen operates.

There’s definitely a language barrier, which made things a bit challenging, but I did my best and I’m sure it’ll get easier over time.

In the evening, myself, Seth, and Lolita went for dinner at Hippopotamus. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t recommend it—the food wasn’t great overall.

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I’ve already started working!
I’m working at a shop that sells herbs, spices, and vitamins – all as natural as possible. The place has a long history, a beautiful interior, and a very warm, welcoming atmosphere. The staff is incredibly friendly and supportive. They try to speak English with me, and I do my best to respond in French.

My job isn’t difficult – I weigh and pack herbs and spices. So far, everything is going really well, and people say I’m doing a good job. I’ll do my best to keep up the same pace!

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Exploring the charming streets of Perpignan feels like walking through a living blend of French and Catalan heritage. This photo captures the Hôtel de Ville, the city hall, with its elegant stone arches, wrought iron gates, and a proud display of flags—including the French tricolor and the yellow-and-red Catalan stripes—waving above the entrance. The rustic brick and stone façade speaks to the city’s medieval roots, while the vibrant sky and warm sun reflect the laid-back Mediterranean spirit that defines this unique corner of southern France.

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Today we went to a lovely cafe to meet Lolita on her lunch break. We played uno ( with some argument over the rules🤣) and had some tasty food and beverages.

Afterwards we went for cocktails and then cooked some pasta.

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Today I met with the lovelyMme Marion Abbott of Abbott Interiors. I first met with Anna from Alfmed and she drove me to the location. Just beside the sea at Canet.

Mme Abbott went through the project she's currently working on. It's a big redesign of a school for furniture making in Paris (La Bonne Graine). Her first task is to reconfigure the ground floor which houses the reception area and the administration offices. She showed me her proposals, which the company are currently considering.

My job is to help make an exact model of the ground floor through Sketchup... I've a lot to learn as I'm a Sketchup novice.

As Mme Abbott works from her home, we'll meet at a business hub nearby, discuss what she needs me to do and then I will work from my base in Perpignan. I don't mind this as its quite like my previous working arrangements. It could be a kind of lonely experience if someone needed more support or a team based environment.

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Worked from the apartment... the struggles with the technology are real! But onwards and upwards.

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Today is my husband's birthday and he had travelled over to Perpignan for the weekend.

We spent the day in Collioure. It's really beautiful there. An ancient sea port with fortifications. Lively town centre, lots of shops, restaurants and a couple of beaches where you can swim or just dip your toes into the Mediterranean. We had a walk around the back streets of the town... so colourful and quaint. A photographer's paradise - I must have taken about a thousand pictures. I'll just post my favourite one here.

In the evening, we continued the celebrations with a fine dining experience at La Galinette in Perpignan- surprisingly good value for a Michelin starred restaurant.

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Another sunny day in France , new beautiful place with quiz game with a class , we enjoyed our time together.

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wasn’t expecting Collioure to hit me the way it did. I’d seen pictures, sure—but being there is different. The place has a stillness to it, but not the kind that feels empty. It’s the kind of quiet that says you’re exactly where you need to be.

Sitting on the beach, looking out at the water with that castle rising in the distance, I felt a weird sort of peace I haven’t felt in a long time. The rooftops tumble down the hillside in that classic Mediterranean way—burnt orange against deep green—and the whole town feels like it’s been caught between centuries, not in a touristy way, but like time just moves differently here.

While wandering the streets, I met a local vendor who had a guitar. We started chatting, and before long, I was playing a few tunes while he laughed and tapped along. No expectations—just a simple, shared moment. He ended up giving me food on the house. Said the music was payment enough. It was the kind of kindness that catches you off guard. Genuine, easy, human.

It made me think about how far I’ve come, and where I want to go next. There’s something grounding about being in a place that’s older than your thoughts. A kind of perspective you can’t find scrolling through life back home.

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Erasmus Blog – Day 7

Today was quite similar to yesterday at work. I did a little bit more than before, slowly getting more involved in the kitchen tasks.

I’m still finding my feet and adjusting to the kitchen routine, but I’m learning bit by bit each day.

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Was out on a walk this morning and came across a bagel place called bagelstein so I invited Andre’s to join me for some afternoon lunch the food was absolutely amazing would highly recommend. The bagel had pulled beef a tomato chutney cheese and red onions. The food is also reasonably priced.

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We were in Collioure this Sunday with the whole Erasmus group.

We had already gone on Saturday to enjoy the beach, so I thought there wouldn't be much more to see — I'm glad I was wrong.

The fortress is very beautiful and full of history. It was a concentration camp for Spanish exiles during the Civil War.

I also took the opportunity to visit the final resting place of Antonio Machado, one of the three greatest poets Spain has ever produced.

Long live the Spanish Republic.

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Tomorrow we have to go back to work. In the meantime, I went back to the natural history museum, which had changed part of the exhibition, and we bought two gilthead breams for dinner. This time, the fish was cooked the Spanish way, and I think it turned out very well.

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This was our first outing as a group and on this day we took a bus trip to the lovely seaside town called Collioure which has won awards for top 5 nicest towns in France.

It was an absolutely incredible place with a lovely bay and beach, great streets with local businesses, amazing food and a few cocktails along the way ! .

We went along with Jelena who was our Alfmed leader for the day so big thank you too her!

While we were in Collioure we spent our time with a quiz were we had to figure out lots of different questions about the local buildings, cuisine and the people. After the quiz was completed we spent a few hours at the beach and I finally got to get my swim in! The water was lovely and refreshing.

We then went home and had a lovely meal out together.

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At the moment, I’m fully immersed in developing a digital project using animation and motion design tools. As you can see on the screen, I’m working on creating a layout or scheme, carefully aligning elements and setting up motion paths to ensure everything flows smoothly. Everything is going great so far — I’ve made solid progress and continue refining the details. I’m working hard and staying focused, pushing myself to deliver a polished result. This stage requires attention to both structure and creativity, and I’m putting in the effort to get everything just right. Working non-stop, and proud of how it’s all coming together!

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It’s stanky work but someone had to do it. If you could smell this picture…

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Working for their next year project by adding some nice music to it

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Today was an amazing day! I spent it working on and finally completing my mini project in Adobe After Effects. I’m really proud of what I created — a detailed smart alarm animation with smooth transitions and thoughtful design. It was a challenging but rewarding experience, and I’m happy to say I finished the project with excellent results. Now I feel motivated and ready to take on new creative projects. Looking forward to what’s next!

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Had a Donut from my nearest Backery and the taste just blowed my mine highly recommend having this donut to anyone who is going to France and im going to go and have another

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Beatiful view from a cafe in banyuls where I work. If in the are would reccomend it the food is really good  and the view is just a benifit that comes with the good food 

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I have been busy working in the elderly home, it can be very difficult work here, mainly due to the language barrier . Often times some residence will talk to me for extended periods of time whilst I give them an intermittent “oui” often times they do not seem to mind and would just like someone to talk to, other times it causes great frustration Im them and leads them to get angry with me. But I have enjoyed my stay in France very much so far, the time has been flying by and I have been very busy throughout the whole trip which has been nice, I am very grateful that I have kind people in my residence and around me in the Erasmus group , I am looking forward to going to Carcassonne.

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Gone out for a walk at night after leaving a nice restaurant the nigjt city is quitet in some areas and seems safe in most areas

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I’m doing my work placement in Le Soler, a small village just outside Perpignan. It actually reminds me a bit of the town I’m from in Ireland ,quiet, not much going on, but there’s something familiar in that.

There’s a bakery near the centre I’ve been going to now and then—nothing fancy, but they do a solid pain au chocolat, and it’s always warm in the mornings. The smell of bread kind of follows you down the street.

It’s not a busy place, and that’s probably a good thing. It gives me time to focus on the placement without distractions, and I’ve been enjoying the slower pace more than I expected.

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Visited the ancient city of Carcassone today.

The old town was very touristy (added to by me being a tourist too!) - lots of little shops and cafes etc but I felt it was too commercial. I much preferred Collioure.

Went by train and watched the countryside roll by!

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Reality bites!

Had a couple of meetings in Canet with Mme Abbott on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Then I worked from home. I was lucky enough to get a swim in on Wednesday - some days it is too windy and rough.

I feel I have made some progress on SketchUp, so that's good!

I will find out if anything I've done is of any help to my tutor on Monday.....

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Canet Beach on a calm day

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Sean from BIFE invited us to join him for dinner this evening and we went to Casa Sansa in the old town. Food was good, there was a very nice ambience and good company! Thank you Sean.

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We spent the day by the sea with a group of friends, and it truly felt like the most relaxing and sunniest day of the season. From the moment we arrived, the vibe was perfect—easygoing and carefree.

We started with a delicious brunch, followed by a refreshing swim in the sea. The sun was warm but not too hot, perfect for lying on the beach and soaking it all in. Later, we chilled at a beach bar, sipping drinks and enjoying the calm atmosphere.

It genuinely felt like a proper Sunday—slow, peaceful, and filled with good company. We made the most of every moment.

But as always, Monday is just around the corner, and it's time to head back to work...

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My time in France has been absolutely amazing… well, almost amazing. Let’s just say it wouldn’t be a proper adventure without a little drama, right?

Somewhere between chasing sunsets and sipping espresso, I managed to get hit with a horrible case of food poisoning. Note to future self: in France, try not to get sick — unless you enjoy waiting six hours to see a doctor while trying not to die (slightly dramatic, but you get the point).

Thankfully, two days later I was back on my feet and determined not to waste another precious second lying in bed. I mean, come on — a whole month in France? That’s not an opportunity you let slip away between naps and crackers.

Returning to work after my little illness intermission was actually heartwarming. My colleagues welcomed me back with smiles — and even better — with real French croissants. Not the kind you find at your local supermarket. I’m talking buttery, flaky masterpieces that basically melt in your mouth and ruin all other croissants for life. You have to try them.

Now that half of the trip has already flown by, I’m starting to feel a little emotional every time I think about the departure day. France is just… magical. I already wish I could rewind and relive every single day.

But hey, there’s still time — and plenty more croissants to be eaten.