IRELAND

Athlone Institute of Technology

[lucietasca-blog]

Throughout my semester in Athlone, nothing really significant happened, it is a small town. But some other significant new happened this year in Ireland. Especially last month, the 17th of May, Mr. Enda Kenny, aged of 66 years old, Leader of the center-right party for fifteen years, he was elected prime minister, and announced his resignation. "I will retire as leader of Fine Gael effective from midnight tonight," He resigned first as the leader of his part: Fine Gael and then as a prime minister when a new politician has chosen; that happened the 2nd of June 2017. He already said in March that he will step down soon, and he made it official two weeks ago. At just over six years, Mr. Kenny’s tenure as prime minister is the longest in his party’s history. Mr. Kenny, a former teacher, has been praised in Europe for his role in stabilizing the Irish economy after the financial crash of 2008, when the government stepped in to absorb at least 40 billion euros in banking losses. Two candidates have so far declared an interest in becoming the next party leader and, by default, the next prime minister for the remainder of the government. Leo Varadkar, 38, may appear an unlikely front-runner in what is still regarded as a socially conservative, relatively homogeneous country. The Dublin-born son of an Indian immigrant father and Irish mother became the first openly gay cabinet minister, coming out in 2015, and has campaigned on issues such as same-sex marriage and liberalizing abortion laws. He was a doctor before winning a seat in 2007. His concurrent was Simon Coveney, 44, fits the more traditional profile of a Fine Gael leader. He was first elected to parliament in 1998 following the death of his father who had held the Cork South-Central seat before him. Simon Coveney has also been in charge of several portfolios including agriculture and defense. But Leo Vardkar was elected. Mr. Kenny said he would give his successor a "brief but appropriate" time to hold talks with parties and independents propping up the minority administration, "regarding provision of government for the future". This event was really important for Irish people, political events are always important there.

[lucietasca-blog]

On week-end in Athlone there is not so much things to do, so we find often an excuse to travel around. Last week-end we chose to go to London with my friend Jules, who is in Erasmus in Galway (1h30 of Athlone by car). London is not really far away from Dublin so we can spend only a week-end there, and it is cheap with Ryanair ( about 40€ to go and back).

During this week-end, we walked 40 kilometers, and visited all the most famous places in London: Buckingham Palace and his Changing of the Guard, Notting Hill, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, Big Ben, Westminster, Marble Arch, Camden Town, Covent Garden, London Eye... My favorite place is Camden Town. You can find lots of strange thing witch doesn’t exist somewhere else. You travel around the world in one hour thanks to all the different food trucks became from all the world. 

Erasmus it is also this kind of moment, travel around with your friend: discover and expand our playground. It is always a fantastic time to learn new cultural things from another country. Never stop to walk.

[lucietasca-blog]

ST PATRICK’S DAY:

St Patrick’s day is the national day in Ireland, they celebrate it the 17th March every year. First of all, a little bit of history: Saint Patrick is not Irish, He was born in Scotland in 393 and becomes a slave at the age of 16 in Ireland, after being captured on an island. After 6 years, he comes back in Scotland, but he will return to Ireland to build monasteries. The green color of St Patrick’s day appeared in 1798 at the same time as the clover became the symbol of nationalism, during the Irish rebellion. Before that, the St Patrick’s day was represented by blue.

But you can believe me, everybody is in green to celebrated this day. I spent St Patrick's Day in Dublin, Ireland's capital obliges for this day so important in this country. Everything is green, everything is joyous, people are happy and all disguised, the streets are full and everything is a good excuse to do a party. The only good weather was not part of it, but we can excuse it, it is not often present in Ireland. We were waiting two hours standing for the parade in the main street of Dublin: O’Connell street. But to be honest, was not my best part of the day, everybody expected more of the parade, it was not as amazing as you can imagine .After the parade, everyone joins the streets of Temple bar to share a beer. There are lots of tourists, I heard speak french all the day. 

It was a really good experience to share this amazing moment in the most popular place to celebrated it. We have been very lucky to be in Dublin for the national St Patrick’s day. I will keep this memory for a long time in my head. 

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GEOPOLITICS IN IRELAND:

Republic of Ireland is a parliamentary and a representative democratic republic which is counted as one of the 28 countries of the European Union. President of Ireland is elected by the population and he is the head of the state, however the head f the government is known as Taoiseach, indirectly elected. 

There are a number of political parties in the State, but two majeur parties dominate since a long time by Fine Gael and Fionna Fail (which is the leader one). The labour party has only been in power with a coalitions with the others two parties. 

The government consist of more than fifteen ministers, including the Taoiseach and the deputy leader of the government: Tanaiste. This part of the authority deals with the executive power. 

Legislative power is administered in the Oireachtad, Dail Eireann and the Seanad Eireann. The Supreme court is governed by the chief Justice who is at the head of judiciary.

Currently, the Ireland’s President is Michael D.Higgins at the head of the government since the 11th November 2011 and supports the Independent political party. Furthermore, during the same year, the Taoisearch has been elected and he is know as Enda Kenny, and he is at this place since the 9th of March. The 6th of March 2016 was the turn of the Tanaiste, currently known as Frances Fitzgerald and she supports the Fina Gael political party.

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Time to holidays equal time to go to Iceland for me, meet my lovely friends, Ines and Gaëlle who came from the same university as me in France, the ESDES Lyon Business School. 

First of all, I decided to spend one week of my Irish holidays in another country instead of back to France. I choose Iceland to have an opportunity to discover this country by another way, with my friends. 

I would like try to explain how amazing was my trip with these girls in this incredible country, but you couldn’t understand. It is a kind of thing that you have to live to understand. Plus, people are extremely open minded and ready to help you.

We spent two days in the Iceland’s capital: Reykjavik, to visit the Blue Lagoon, the Harpa Conference Centre, the Hallgrimskirkja Church, all the city and many coffee bars with the food speciality: soup of lamb. This city look likes a small mountain village with this colorful houses, oceanfront contrasted by some mountains. Iceland fighting against the globalisation, so there is not big international compagnies as McDonald's. And the living cost is more expensive, it is around two times the price in France: for example, a hot chocolate cost 6 euros. 

Then we left Reykjavik to Birfrost, my friend’s city. There is almost nothing between the both. The nature was conserved, no human’s track. That is why every landscape is beautiful, amazing. They change every day with lighting. Every day is a new show. 

Finally, I am very grateful to Ines and Gaëlle for this fantastic week, I have no word to describe how much was a great trip by your side. Thank you for everything.

[lucietasca-blog]

For this semester in Erasmus, I am in Athlone Institute of Technology.

Created in 1970, this university count up 6 000 students of over 53 nationalities, it is a really famous university in Ireland. The campus is big; there are a gym club and a beautiful gymnasium, a library and a large canteen for all tastes. There is also a special building for the student union, where you could play games, take a breath and find all information you need for your student life. The university offers a lot of different sport clubs, as basketball, badminton, dance, rugby…

I am in the year 2, in High Certificated in Business, and there three different subjects: Human Resource Management, Marketing Management in a Digital Age and one elective subject, I have chosen International Economics.  We have classes with Irish students, German students and several others nationalities. It is really interesting to be with these people on class, we have so many things to learn about them and their country. The Erasmus students are very close and there is always something to do together.

The town is located at two kilometres of the town. It is a little lovely place with the River Shannon. There are two malls and one cinema, several bars, two clubs and everything you need.  Athlone is in the middle of Ireland, between Dublin and Galway, and it is really easy to join in an other city. There are so many places to discover.