Course & Training  6-11/7/2025
Dublin, Ireland

We’re looking forward to meeting the rest of our colleagues tomorrow  and just like that, with this sense of anticipation, the first day of the program came to an end!

Of course, the presentation of the local delicacies was not missing. Every dish was delicious, and we were thrilled to see our kourkoubinia become a favorite among the crowd. They disappeared in no time!

We walked quite a lot, passing by the famous Temple Bar and the renowned Wall of Fame, dedicated to Irish music and legendary performers. Our tour ended across from Trinity College, the oldest university in Ireland, known for its iconic library. It was truly a delightful walk through the heart of Dublin. Afterward, on our guide’s recommendation, we tried the classic fish and chips from a historic local shop, and finally returned to the hotel having experienced a very inspiring, educational, and fulfilling day in the Irish capital.

Our day began, as usual, with a classic breakfast. Right after that, we headed to the venue where our seminar took place.

We started the day with an informative video about Ireland’s Eye, the island we would be visiting the next day. Then, we participated in the hot air balloon activity. An activity based on prioritizing items in a survival scenario. Its goal was to develop critical thinking and the ability to view a situation from multiple perspectives.

During the break, we had the chance to visit a nearby Heroes’ Monument, close to the seminar venue. The monument was located in a beautiful park, with a cross-shaped fountain at its center, an impressive sculpture in the background dedicated to freedom fighters, and benches all around. People were peacefully reading, thinking, or using their phones, all in a space that radiated calm and respect. The atmosphere felt almost sacred, reminding us of the importance of honoring those who sacrificed for freedom.

As the fifth day of our Erasmus adventure began, we were all in great spirits. After all, today was our first real excursion! We had breakfast, then walked down to the main road to catch the bus that would take us to the train station.
The weather wasn’t ideal as it was quite cloudy, but it didn’t affect our good mood or excitement for the trip. At the station, we met up with the rest of the group and boarded the train heading to Howth, a picturesque fishing village by the sea. It promised to be a special day filled with nature and birdwatching.
During the train ride, we admired the scenery: charming white houses with grey rooftops, neat gardens full of colorful flowers. All looking very similar but incredibly lovely.
After about half an hour, we arrived at the village and to our surprise, the weather had completely changed! We were greeted by warm sunshine and a bright blue sky. It was the perfect setting for the experience that lay ahead.

Disembarking was done with care, as the island had no dock or any artificial modifications and due to the low tide. We stepped onto the natural rocky shore and began our exploration. A small stone tower stood nearby, Martello Tower, filled with nesting birds. Just behind the tower were one or two beaches where seals usually go to sunbathe. Deeper into the island, we encountered lush, dense greenery that made us feel like we were on the set of a survival TV show!

After quite a bit of hiking through thick vegetation, we returned to the spot where we had disembarked and waited for the boat to pick us up, as the return trips ran every hour. When the boat arrived, we boarded again but this time one meter away of the first because of the tide which got higher. Nevertheless, we were still full of joy and awe from what we had seen not knowing that one more surprise was waiting for us.
On the way back, the boat passed very close to a cluster of rocks where countless seabirds, both adults and chicks, stood proudly. The view was simply breathtaking and unforgettable. It was a unique experience, truly one-of-a-kind for many of us who were lucky to witness it.

Back in Howth, we had some free time before returning to Dublin, so a group of 5–6 of us decided to explore the surrounding area. That turned out to be an excellent idea, as we discovered several beautiful hiking trails leading up the hill behind the village. We chose one of medium difficulty and began our climb, passing other hikers along the way.
The trail was stunning, revealing spectacular views of the town and sea below. We couldn’t resist taking panoramic photos to preserve these precious memories.
At one point, we reached a more adventurous path along the edge of a hill. Below us stretched the calm, glistening ocean, reflecting the afternoon sun. In the distance, we could just make out a lighthouse on a cape, but it was too far to reach, and we were already a bit tired.

Back in the morning, none of us could have imagined just how magical this excursion would be, filled with nature, birds, breathtaking views, and peaceful moments that touched our hearts and filled our minds with joy. It was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and meaningful experiences of the whole program!

In the morning, we set off together with the programme coordinator, who happened to be staying in the same building complex as us, and headed to the train station where we would meet the rest of the group and travel together to the town of Skerries.

Once we arrived, we made our way to the Skerries Mills. While waiting for our guided tour to begin, we had the chance to taste some of the traditional products made there.There were both sweet and savory scones made from their own flour, which we could enjoy with butter or local jams. Absolutely delicious! There were also other baked goods to accompany our coffee, and bags of flour available for purchase. We stepped outside into the beautiful garden to enjoy the scenery, with the windmills visible in the distance. That’s what we had come for, to see them up close and learn about their history.

Our guide, who had been working at the mill for many years, spoke to us about traditional bread-making in Ireland. He even showed us a historical documentary video from the 1900s.
The tour continued with a walk through the history of the mill and the windmills. We saw the old machinery used in flour production, millstones, tools, and the watermill mechanism.

Walking through the golden fields of grain, we reached the first windmill. There, we went upstairs and learned how the power of wind was used to turn the mill and grind the flour.
Next, we visited a more modern windmill and watched another video that explained how its process differed, even though the goal,  producing flour, remained the same.

It was truly a unique experience! We felt as if we had travelled back in time to when the mills were in full operation.

At the end of the tour, we took lots of beautiful photos and visited the gift shop for souvenirs.

On our way out, we passed the Cathedral, which was unfortunate closed, and the local cemetery, behind which stood a tower. From there, we walked down to the beach.

Later in the afternoon, we decided to visit Phoenix Park, located just outside the city.
It was a truly peaceful place, with vast green open spaces where people of all ages were jogging, walking, or spending time with their pets and children. We strolled through the park and eventually reached a small café, which unfortunately was closed.
We were amazed by the enormous trees, we looked so tiny standing next to them in our photos! We also spotted a large squirrel who seemed completely unfazed by our presence and continued wandering carefreely among the tree trunks.

And just like that, another day of our programme came to an end, full of wonderful images of nature: from lush green fields and a vibrant seaside town to an environmental park unlike any we have back home in Greece!

We woke up to our final day of the Erasmus+ programme and, after getting ready, we headed once more to the venue where the seminar had taken place all week.

There, we met the other participants and began the day’s activities, working in mixed international teams. One of the main tasks was related to the concept of "zero waste". We were asked to think of seven English words starting with the letter R, each related to waste reduction, and explain their meaning.
Throughout the activities, we made frequent use of Padlet, a digital platform where each group could post and share their thoughts and ideas.
After that, we watched a series of awareness-raising videos designed to strengthen environmental consciousness, very useful and inspiring for our students back home. Furthermore, we were informed about the steps of the project "Make a change to our school".

The seminar had officially ended, and we now had some free time to buy souvenirs and small gifts for our loved ones. However, and before that we decided to visit for one more time the park which is located just opposite of the seminar's building and to have a cup of chocolate.

We had saved one last important visit for the final day: the National Museum. Of course, we didn’t miss the chance to take photos at various spots around the city on our way to the museum.

It’s worth noting that this was the only museum with free entry. We had read online that museums in Dublin were free to the public, but in reality, most of them had rather high admission fees. This one, however, truly lived up to the promise of being free.

Later in the afternoon, after a bit of rest, we took one final ride on a public bus. This time choosing a different route to explore another side of the city. We rode it to the end of the line and then back, allowing us to discover quieter residential neighborhoods, far from the hustle and bustle of Dublin’s city center.

We observed peaceful, low-rise suburbs with green spaces, tidy homes, and an overall higher standard of living compared to the more urban area we had stayed in during the week. It gave us a glimpse into the everyday life of locals and made us feel more connected to the place.

With all our hearts, we offered our trainer a mug with Irish blessings as a keepsake of the beautiful moments we shared together.

With heartfelt farewells and the hope of future collaboration, we returned to our rooms to get some rest knowing that the next day would start early, as we had to pack our suitcases and prepare for our journey home.

The final day of our Erasmus+ adventure was dedicated to our return journey. We woke up quite early to have breakfast, as our taxi was scheduled to pick us up at 5:00 a.m. to take us to the airport.
Even at that early hour, the airport was already buzzing with activity.

We weighed our suitcases ourselves and printed and attached the baggage tags before placing them on the conveyor belt for check-in.
After passing through security, we had some time to explore the duty-free shops and grab a bite to eat before heading to the boarding area, where we waited patiently until it was time to board our flight.

The flight was smooth and lasted about four hours. By midday, we had landed safely at Thessaloniki’s "Macedonia" Airport.

Looking back on this journey, the overall experience was undoubtedly positive.
We accomplished many of the programme’s objectives, most notably, we improved our English through daily practice with fellow participants. Living in an English-speaking city also helped us develop greater fluency and confidence in real-life communication.

We also had the chance to get to know different cultures, as the other participants came from three different countries, along with our programme coordinator who was from Hungary, to visit places with breathtaking views and learn about their traditional customs.

Another benefit was that we enhanced our use of digital tools, and we became more confident in delivering presentations. From the first day onward, we were already presenting ourselves, our city, Thessaloniki, our village, Hortiatis, our school, GENIKO LIKIO HORTAITIA, our School's ERASMUS+ Programs and continued throughout the week with presentations about our goals, our viewpoints, and our concerns on environmental topics.

Erasmus+ offers students and teachers a unique experience. It’s far more than just a school trip.
It provides valuable opportunities for professional development, cultural exchange, and meaningful collaboration.

The programme empowers teachers to broaden their knowledge and skills, to be open minded, and to work together with colleagues from across Europe to share ideas and best practices.
With Erasmus+, you don’t just travel to new places. You meet people, you learn, and you experience the joy of connection and exchange.

Our journey to Dublin had all of that, and more, and we are truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of it!