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Spanish mature student with clear ideas and objectives persuading a new career path in Business Development.

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I'm studying computer science and hoping to go to UCD next year. I'm looking forward to this trip and meeting new people along the way.

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First day running the Hotel on my own.
Despite the morning looks quiet enough, we had a few domestic "issues" around, nothing major but I had to get that sorted. few indications to the cleaners staff to make sure the place was spotless.

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I completed my art portfolio and hope to go to NCAD next year. Im looking forward to working abroad and meeting new people. 

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I’m doing the art portfolio preparation course in hopes to go to ncad next year. I’m so happy to have been given this opportunity and look forward to experiencing it with everyone

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Currently in level 5 computer science. I hope to go to TUD next year. I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity.

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I’m hoping to go to Carlow next year to do a law course for 3 years. I’m so happy I was given this opportunity. I’ve already started packing. Can’t wait !!

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I am currently doing Nutritional, Dietetics and Food Science and I hope to study either in the UK or in Dublin in this vocational course. I am super grateful and excited for this opportunity to go on this mobility and gain new experiences!

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I'm taking Computer Network and Cyber Security. I'm looking forward to this program and hope to get on well with everyone!

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I've been studying psychology for 4 years, and hope to continue at uni next year. I'm very excited to go to Spain!

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First of all, I'm really looking forward to the Erasmus+ program and my work placement. We were picked up by a big bus and was dropped off right across our accomodation, which was very handy. The accomodation was located at the centre of everything we need. Shops and plazas were just a few minutes away and my work placement was a 10 minute walking distance.

Day 2 was our induction day and we were accompanied by the Europeana staff to our work placement. On the afternoon we were given a tour around the centre and was given tips on the best local foods to have. For Ice-cream it's the 'Casa Mira' and then we tried the 'locas', which is a puff pastry.

We got to see a Flamenco show and it was all very exciting and fun!

For the rest of the days we would go to our work placements which is only a few minutes away from the accomodation and we get the afternoon free. There was a boat tour, also a walking distance of 20-25 mins to the port. We also visited Frigiliana which is situated at the top of the mountains and we also went to Nerja to see the beach. Some of us, including myself when for a kayaking activity which is a 25 minute walk form Nerja.

During these time the streets were busy as they are preparing for the Semana Santa.

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After the landing at the airport, we went to our accommodation and met Ana who showed us around the building that we’re staying in. It is a very nice place with good facilities and the rooms were nice and spacious with wardrobes and a fridge

Then we went to supermercado dia to buy groceries and thankfully the staff let us bring the trolley to the accommodation as it was quite heavy.

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Reyanna and I had decided to explore Malaga for the evening and familiarise ourselves with the beautiful city. We met up with Leticiana to eat dinner at Picasso Tapas Bar where we had ordered a share of

- Fritura Malagueña
- Patatas ali-oli
- Chicken
They were absolutely delicious and the price was affordable and worth it between the three of us.

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Disfruta nuestra gran variedad de tapas auténticos, paella española, carne a la parilla, el típico pescado frito malagueño y especialidades internacionales.

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Day has arrived! We are leaving the rainy Emerald Island to meet the sunny Spain.
Despite this Erasmus was “a last hour event”
I am as excited as the rest of my colleagues from college with the funny fact of being an international student on my own country jokes about my “language barrier” still remains eventually on their conversations.

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Leaving the rain behind and meeting the sun again.

At our arrival to the airport we were collected by bus that brought us to the very modern residential student accommodation right at the heart of Malaga where Ana meet us and gave us a short introduction to the premises.

We quickly unpacked our things went to the nearest supermarket to get our food for the next few days. We all went to same supermarket and a few of us team-up to geg the shopping haul for an economic and reasonable price. As a curious thing to highlight, one of my colleagues came to ask me if they could find baked beans in Spain 🤦🏻‍♀️. The answer to this question was obviously a big “NO” specially on a very local supermarket.

While doing the shopping I heard Niamh and Reyanna talking about going out for dinner, so I followed them.

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It will be forbidden your return to Malaga if you at least not try once the typical “pescaito frito”. I have to say it is not the best on the city but very recommendable and was handy for us as it was close enough to our residential student’s accommodation.

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9:00   Induction
10:00 Introduction to our new working role
14:30 Back to the premises
15:00 eat
15:30 shower
16:07 heading out to explore
17:15 Malaga’s Tour
18:20 Back to the student’s accommodation
19:00 - 21:00 Assignments time.
21:30 BED TIME.

As you all could see Induction day was a bit busy for everyone.
After the induction the representatives of Europeanera led us to our correspondent work places.

We headed to LD Convento Cister Hotel where a very well spoken and educated Antonio received us.

First day here, he introduced me to the staff and to the business, explaining how he is greeting the guests to the arrival and to departure of them all.

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Stunning cathedral we saw yesterday :)

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One of the most conquered city of Spain due to her brilliant geographical location, natural port of porphyry copper and silver deposites. Where most mixed cultures and traditions have being mixed over the centuries. For this city has pass Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Visigoths and finally but not last Muslims of whom most remained culture and customs are remaining, not only so but the “mudejar” architecture can be still seen around the city.

After this tour with the lovely Patricia, I head off back to the residential student’s accommodation. On the way back I could still see the Moroccan ambient in all the little herbal shops, with all the spices for food and different tea.

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Once upon a time there was a Spanish girl that moved to Ireland in search of a better life, and she found it, but with the pass of the years her Spanish essence unconsciously and unnoticeably went dormant.

Last night at the Flamenco show that Spanish girl was found again, and every now and then the her hands were clapping to the rhythm of the flamenco dancer tapping. Soon she realised after the first “olé” how forgotten her roots were.

Enjoyed the very minute of the show and recorded and took pics of everything like a real English speaking tourist.

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To start the ‘official’ first day of being in Malaga, we had an induction meeting where we met the staff of Europeana in our accommodation. They gave us a small tal and each of them brought us to our work placements, mine being the school.

When we had arrived at the school, we had a tour around and met a few teachers and children. Despite the language barrier, the teachers were very nice and accommodating and we even took part of the class as ‘students’ where we learnt about nature science.

Afterwards, we had met our tour guide Patricia who had toured us around Malaga and told us the story and history of the beautiful city.

Reyanna and I had decided to try the famous “Casa Mira” which is absolutely delicious.

I was truly mesmerized and astonished with how beautiful Malaga was and I couldn’t wait to spend the three weeks with amazing experiences.

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I had tried the Blanco y Negro that I was recommended and it was delicious! It was a sort of slushed coffee with a choice of ice cream (I chose the basic chocolate （＾ω＾）). I hope to come back and try other flavours and it was also worth the price!

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During the tour, we had heard the story of the tortas locas and this had sparked my interest in trying one.

Once the tour was done, before going to Casa Mira, I had gone try the loca and I must say it was not too bad. It was sort of a pastry dish with what I think is a custard in the middle. Although I also have to mention that it is a bit too sweet for me to eat so I had only eaten about a quarter to half and saved the rest for later.

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During work, we were assigned to our classes and teachers. We went through a brief induction of what we would be doing and kindly told us that if we ever needed help to not be shy to approach someone.  I was assigned to 5th class and the teacher was super nice!

After work, I had done some assignments and I was invited by Reyanna and Eva to go to the beach to visit and relax. We had stopped by Martonella to have gelato and I loved the flavor that I had chosen; Dulche de leche y Banan. It was definitely one of my favorite flavours ever and I had wished that we had this back in Ireland.

We had then gone to the Flamenco show and it was amazing! I had enjoyed throughout the show and I was very impressed as well.

After the show, Reyanna and I had decided to head back to the accommodation and cook our dinner (which is like breakfast). It was quite warm so we went up to the rooftop to eat there (making sure to not to make a mess) and we enjoyed ourselves before we headed to bed.

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The view from our accommodation rooftop!
You can even hear the band practicing for the parades before the big start.

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Leticia, Eva and I had gone around 8am in the morning to have breakfast at La Malagueña. We had to have churros here and it was mouth-watering! On top of that, the churros were big and filling and the chocolate wasn’t too sweet which I loved! I definitely recommend to come here if you want to try churros.

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Louise visiting LD Convento Cister 02/04

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Louise visiting LD Convento Cister 02/04

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Weekend gone and another week starts. Louise knocked the doors at LD convento Cister the only way to enter the enchanted boutique style accommodation.
Six imposing rooms are part of the avant-garde atmosphere of this privileged space. Each of them decorated with a different style and identified with the name of one of the founding nuns of the CISTER CONVENT, a Catholic religious order, which was established in Malaga in 1546 and to whom this beautiful establishment owes its name.

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The city is getting ready for Easter week all the “cofradías” are opening the doors during the morning to let the public inside to admire  the images and why not get a picture of them.

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The most famous bar in in Malaga, where I could enjoy the nicest Moscatel I have ever tried. Its name comes from the figure of "Pimpi", a popular character from Malaga and his name it derives from the English term "pimp" , alluding to the character of that profession that formerly took foreign sailors who arrived at the port to places where they could please their needs.

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The 2nd week went bu so fast and I tried a lot of other delicious delicacies.

I only had three days of work placement and the other 2 days was a day off for the Semana Santa. There's parades everyday at around 5pm until the next morning. This made travelling around the city a little difficult but there are always alleyway  that is free of the parade.

The boat trip was very relaxing and cold once you get to the open sea. There was nothing to do on the boat but enjoy the view and the breeze!

We got to eat in the famous El Pimpi where Antonio Banderas is a partner of this restaurant and his apartment suite is just located outside the restaurant. Personally, the food is nothing especial. I ordered the Roasted ciabatta with pickles and mustard mayo, which is very simple. The others tried the croquettes, which in my opinion was a little salty and heavy. For dessert we passed by a cheesecake shop called La Tarta De La Madre De Cris and I got myself a Queso y Brownie Tarta, which was very nice and it's not too sweet.

We grabbed breakfast at The Cereal Boom and it's a very stylish little café. It's decorated with different types of cereal boxes and pop tarts along the windows and panels. You can also purchase the cereals on display if it's something you like. The price is reasonable and I got the Black Bowl (smoothie bowl) with a cappuccino.

We went back to Nerja to do a kayaking tour, however due to strong wind it was cancelled so we decided to go to Cueva De Nerja which is a cave known for having the largest stalactite in the world. To get to the Cave we walked for almost 1 hour to enjoy the view. Through our journey, we saw the Aqueduct Eagle, which means "Bridge of the Eagle". This is a four stories of brick tiers that are shaped as a hotseshow-shaped archways.
The cave is a 45 minute excursion and this was discovered by group of young locals who were kn a late-night walk searching for bats. We purchased a ticket for €20 to see the Cave, museum and a train that will bring us down to the centre. We had lunch at the Bamboo near the beach and the food there was very delicious. I ordered Seafood pasta and it includes prawns, clams and muscles. For dessert we went to Heladeria Tropi Sol and we orders 2 types of ice creams, which was a sweet one (Ferero Roche) and a fruit one. They were massive but we all shared it and run back to catch our bus to go home.

In one of our days off, we went to a seafood restaurant near the beach, Restaurante Casa Paco which is located in Torremolinos. We had to take a train to La Colina and it's only roughly 20mins ride. The food was exquisite and we ordered Grilled Razor clams, Variety of fried seafood, anchovies and a few others.

For the remaining of the days I just rested and  I just stayed in the accomodation, we also watch movies in the theater room.

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Cute photo of eva and laila admiring art in the modern contemporary art museum by the port.

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Me and laila were assigned a project to make a PowerPoint on Sonia Delauney, a well known artist, to present to a class and help them create art work inspired by Sonias style.

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The first week was a blur of colour and music, Familiarizing ourselves with the city happened naturally. Everyone was so welcoming and eager to help whenever we had a any questions, whether it was about the parades that processed through the streets at all times of the day or wondering where was best for food. The tour of the city was extremely helpful and insightful, we saw so many stunning tourist attractions as well as more local hidden gems.

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We did a hike yesterday to the Alcazaba. It was so hot (30°!) but it was so worth it. Amazing ancient structure with stunning views of the city 😍

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A famous piece from the Picasso museum but it isn't the the original, the original is in New York while this is a replica but it's just as amazing!

Although the Picasso museum is small it's still an amazing experience in Malaga.

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An interesting statue we saw on the day trip to Nerja. It has stone from all the different places that are inscribed on it.

There are places from all over Europe represented.

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Second time returning to this amazing Asian restaurant called KimchiBowl located in the town. It has amazing food and such lovely staff. It was difficult to get to the second time due to the crazy crowds and parades during Semana Santa but once again definitely worth it 🫶🏼 (we will probably be returning for a 3rd time 😂)

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The views from the top of Nerja were incredible, the walk is worth it.

Fabulous spot for photos.

The whitewashed walls of the entire place echo Greece- fitting for the Mediterranean- the plants that adorn the streets range from money plants and aloe veras to some I have never seen before.

The flowers and greenery perfectly complement the crisp walls and patterned cobblestones.

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The children in the school the girls and I were placed in are so kind and affectionate. They draw us drawings everyday. They’re all so creative and chatty however it is quite a struggle to communicate due to the language barrier. But luckily in subjects like maths and art we can help without the need for clear communication. They’re so fun to work with and we come home with new artwork just like this ^ everyday.

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Delicious lunch we had after our day of work in the school. Staff were so kind but the service was really slow due to rush hour which is expected from a small café.

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Tried the famous Casa Aranda Churros. They sadly were closing when we arrived but lucky they let us get some churros to go. They were very different from the churros I’ve had before but so yum!

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Me and Laila are working on our PowerPoint project for the rest of the afternoon. It’s so handy having so much space for working in the accommodation.

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Our first day at work. When David and I finished work we decided to walk along the beach. We got to know each other better as we were pretty much strangers. We walked the entire length of this beach, continued onto the peer and sat and enjoyed the view and listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks.

While we were here we had some breakfast from the stalls on the seafront.

P.S I got very badly sunburnt from this walk, in future I’ll wear sunscreen 😂

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We all went for a tour around the city of Malaga with Louise. I’m not really a person who would be interested in history but the history on the Picasso statue was interesting. We all rubbed his hand to hope to become artists and his head to hope to become wealthy… or something along those lines. 😂

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A video from the flaminco dance 💃 I’m sure there legs were sore after that… I loved the outfits they were wearing and the guy on the guitar was pretty good… another great night out with everyone and Louise and her husband !

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A video I got of the Semana Santa parade. This week was extremely busy. The parade was really interesting to watch once… The people playing music were brilliant, the Nazarene robes look like the KKK outfits they looked a bit strange… Overall the parade was cool but i think one day is enough 😂 We got stuck in it so many times. We had to queue to cross a street. It turned a 10 minute walk into a half an hour walk but still I enjoyed it.

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Had to put this in…
Sala Gold was the main spot to go in Malaga for some drinks and dancing 💃
Many memories to take home… or not so many 🥴🤣

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More memories from Sala Gold !

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And more ! This time with the Donegal crowd with us aswell. The nightclub was filled with Irish ☘️

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Our trip to Frigiliana and Nerja !!! 🌴☀️

Frigiliana:
This was an amazing experience, I thoroughly enjoyed it, I would definitely visit it again. The views from the top were just incredible and the weather made them look 10x better.

When we arrived we all went to the pharmacy to get strepsils and lempsips etc… because we were all sick… sorry about that guys 🤣

We then got breakfast in this little cafe on the uphil towards the big white houses. It was delicious. I got pancakes with ice-cream and chocolate sauce… mmm it was amazing. 😋🍦🥞🤤

We took many pictures up the top of the mountain and all took a minute to enjoy the beautiful view. 😍 … and to take a breather from walking up the steep stairs 😅

Finally we had a look around at the shops and headed back to the bus to go to Nerja (Coast). 🌊☀️

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Photo Dump of Frigiliana ☀️😲

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Nerja:
The coast was fabulous ! I wasn’t the one the got sunburnt this time 😆

We walked along the coast line, we all had a good laugh with Louise and then went for food.

We ate in a restaurant overlooking the beach 🏝️ it was fab. The food wasn’t great but hey the view was good 😂

We went down after food and got in the sea 🌊 it was freezing but when we got out we dried off within seconds because it was like 30° 🥵

It was a beautiful part of Malaga. I’m really glad we got the opportunity to go on that trip, I enjoyed it thoroughly… 😁

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Photo dump from Nerja !!

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Boat Trip !!! ⛴️☀️

This was such a good experience, I will definitely be going on a boat again. I didn’t think I’d like it, I thought I might have got sea sick but no I was perfectly fine.

We all thought it was going to be so nice and warm but when the boat got going the wind was freezing 🥶 so I would definitely bring a jumper next time 😂.

They had music playing on the boat aswell and the captain and his crew were dancing which made the experience so much better.

Overall it was great craic, really beautiful views from the boat 🥰☀️

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Boat trip photo dump 🌊

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Dinner out at the kimichi bowl place. This was actually really nice. I’m a fussy eater but this was actually amazing and the staff were so friendly ! We were very well looked after when eating in this restaurant ! Would definitely go back again 😋

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This was the best ice cream I have ever eaten. It was near where we got the boat. Eva and I went for ice cream before going to the beach… it was a little pricy but definitely worth it. Most fluffiest, creamy ice cream I’ve ever tasted. 🍦😋

P.S. You can’t take Eva shopping anywhere, everything you look at she says “on the way back” and then we never go back !!! 😂 will definitely be a memory I won’t forget… I’ve been told it so many times 🤣

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Such colour fruit and vegetables in the local food market. We tried a bunch of new fruits, our favourite was the ‘sugar apple’ which looks kinda of like a mango with dints in it but it takes just like apple sauce on the inside!

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Laila and I are adding some finishing touches to the PowerPoint in the schools art room. We will present it to the class after break time :)

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Today I taught an English class for 40 minutes. I was teaching them about farm animals using pictures and speaking. I found that the children were really well behaved and easy to teach. They love getting involved and proved themselves hard workers. I’m told I will teach another English class next week which I’m looking forward to :)

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Another yummy after work lunch 😋

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One of the many stunning fountains I stumbled across while wondering the walk way down by the beach.

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Amazing view of Malaga 😍😍

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We stayed in a student accommodation called Resa. Its located in central Malaga near everything we needed, I didn’t even have to use my bus card once. It was great as we all had our own individual rooms and space which also got cleaned every few days. The rooms were quite spacious with lots of storage, a bathroom and a fridge. We all shared a student kitchen. Couldn’t have asked for a better accommodation !

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On the first weekend we traveled to the town of frigiliana.  The views were amazing and the weather was perfect. The white buildings and narrow streets reminded me of Greece. Afterward we went to Nerja, a resort town along southern Spain's Costa del Sol. We spent our time there on the beach sunbathing and swimming - definitely my favourite day of the trip !

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On the first Sunday we went on a boat trip along Malaga bay - super relaxing with fantastic views, gets cold tho once it gets going .. should’ve brought a jacket 🥶🥶

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Views from the boat🤩

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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My work placement is a primary school just a ten minute walk from my accommodation. Even though there’s a language barrier, the teachers are super kind and helpful. I was put with the first classers which I was very happy about as I prefer working with younger children. All the kids are so sweet and funny and constantly make me laugh - a great way to start each day :)

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Some of the art I helped the kids do - they painted their initials in the style of the artist Sonia Delaunay

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Coco and I made a PowerPoint presentation for the kids on Sonia Delaunay’s life and work for a lesson in both art and english. We used simple English and lots of visuals so it’s easy for them to understand.

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One of my favorite activities was our visit to the magnificent Castillo de Gibralfaro. It sits on a high hill overlooking Malaga city and port. At first we walked through the beautiful courtyards and gardens with ornately decorated rooms leading off. Then we hiked up to the castle which overlooked the entire city. It was 32° and the views were breathtaking.

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Muelle 1 a bit of history (Family Visit day 1)

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Muelle 1 a bit of history (Family Visit day 1)

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After finishing my day at the work placement I head off with my family to the center of malaga and ended up at the Pier One. The port of Malaga has been a meeting point for ships from all over the world throughout history due to its strategic geographical location. Since Roman times, the port has gained importance due to its good climate and trade. In the Middle Ages, the port stimulated the growth of the city due to its proximity to North Africa. During the 16th century, the people of Malaga asked King Felipe II for a new port construction that began in 1588. In the 18th century, the wall that separated the port from the city was sold and traffic with America was opened. In 1817, the construction of the Farola was finished. After decades of instability and uncertainty, the port was expanded in 1876, and the Parque de Málaga was created. After the Civil War, the port grew gradually, and in the 21st century, Pier One became a historic center that brings the sea closer to the daily life of the people of Malaga.

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Laila and I did our presentation on Friday, the computer was a struggle to get working for the first while but once we emailed her a link it worked perfectly. The children were so well behaved and listened. I think it went really well :)

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On Friday morning the children were working on an art and religion project. Each week they draw a different stage of the death and resurrection of Christ. This was the previous weeks display and next week they’ll be starting a new religious story to draw.

I liked how this class wasn’t mandatory and the children who were from different religions or didn’t want to participate were allow stay in another class room and do music.

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Laila and I tired another poke bowl spot down by the beach while we watched the sun set. The food was amazing I hope I can find poke bowl places when I return to Ireland because it might be my favourite food now 🤤🙈

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Malaga is such an animal friendly place, you run into so many pets (especially dogs) while wondering through the town it love it !

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During Semana Santa, I had went out to watch the parade (while I was call with my grandmother (‘Lola’) as she wanted to watch as well. It was very crowded but I was really enjoying it and seeing the different brotherhoods. I actually thought I saw Antonio as I remembered which brotherhood he was from. Afterwards, I went to get a small snack from La Cheesequeria and I ordered a traditional and a pistachio cheesecake. The traditional was quite liquidy in my opinion however the pistachio was absolutely delicious! I will have to bring some home for my dad to try because it is his favourite flavour of all time.

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A beautiful representation of Good Friday

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A beautiful representation of Good Friday

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During my week at the school, I had gotten closer with the children despite the language barrier. We were quite shy with each other however whenever I saw that they needed help with maths or English, I had tried my best to help and accommodate them.

The teachers will really nice as well as they were making sure that we were okay and telling us that we can accommodate ourselves in the staff room if we wanted coffee.

When the school was off for a week during Holy Week, I had to make up my hits so I took the time to do a poster which I will be giving to the school and it is about healthy eating for kids and how it can be improved in their diet.

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This is the poster that I had done during Semana Santa