It was a truly enriching experience, both academically and personally, as it allowed us to practice languages, learn about each other’s cultures, and improve our communication skills in a very practical way.

• Job interview simulation: In the second session, we did a role-play of a job interview in both Spanish and English. We took turns acting as interviewers and interviewees, practicing formal vocabulary and useful interview structures.

In contrast, in Ireland the weather is usually colder and rainier, so it's more difficult to spend time outside. Because of that, people often stay indoors, or they go to the pub, which is a very important social space in Irish culture. It’s not just for drinking. It’s a place to meet friends, listen to music, and relax after a long day.

It was interesting to see how climate influences social habits in each country. Even though the environments are different, we all enjoy spending time with our friends and taking breaks from studying, just in different ways.

My Spanish classmate and I shared some ideas about what they can do when they come to Spain, since many of them are interested in visiting or studying here in the future.

They also told us about the places they have already visited in Spain and shared their experiences, which gave us a chance to talk about different cities, regions, and cultural highlights. They almost have been in more places than me!

One of the most interesting parts of the exchange was discovering both the similarities and differences between Spanish and Irish cultures.

Similarities

• Student life: We both shared concerns about academic pressure, managing time, and thinking about future career opportunities.

• Interest in sustainability: Both Irish and Spanish students showed think the same about sustainability, that we need to produce in a sustainable way, manage residuos.

• Importance of social life: In both cultures, spending time with friends and family is essential, and we talked a lot about how we spend our free time. We were agree of enjoying spending time outside or with friends.

Differences

• Traditions and holidays: We talked about typical celebrations. While Spaniards have well-known festivals like Semana Santa or La Feria, Irish students shared details about St. Patrick’s Day, which they celebrate with cultural pride and lots of community events, not just the parties we often imagine.

• Weather and daily routines: Unsurprisingly, the Irish weather was a big topic! They were surprised by how late we eat dinner in Spain, while we found it curious that they usually eat dinner around 6 or 7 p.m. and go to bed earlier.

• Communication styles: Spanish students tend to speak more informally and use gestures a lot, while Irish students were more polite and formal in their communication. For example we talk about what we do when we meet someone, we share that is very usual in Spain to give two kisses in the cheek and they just keep distance and say hi. But to the close friends it is usual in both countries to give a hug.

The questions and answers mainly revolved around general information such as language skills, previous job experiences, academic background, and personal strengths.

We also talked about our future career goals and how we could contribute to the companies or organizations we were “applying” to.

Although it was a simulated situation, it felt realistic and gave us a great opportunity to practice thinking quickly and communicating confidently in both Spanish and English. Overall, it was a very useful exercise that helped us improve our formal speaking skills and get more comfortable with professional interviews.

• Improve my speaking skills in both English and formal Spanish.

• Lose the fear of speaking with native speakers.

• Develop intercultural awareness and empathy.

• Understand the importance of clear communication in international settings—something crucial for our future careers.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  I felt quite comfortable from the beginning. The atmosphere was respectful and collaborative. It was also fun and gave me a break from traditional academic tasks.