Dublin – Escape from Reality

In April 2026 I spent a week in Dublin. The reason for this pleasant escape was an Erasmus professional development course organised by Europass Teacher Academy. I applied because I wanted to strengthen my English skills in real life situations (That’s why I chose to write this blog in English as well) and see how teaching is done elsewhere in Europe. Thinking outside the box probably describes my goal best. And… I would be lying if I claimed that a week off from my everyday work hadn’t been very much needed.

Sunday, April 12

“Are you able to assist the crew if needed?”

The flight from Helsinki-Vantaa to Dublin departed early on Sunday morning. My seat was located at the emergency exit. Before take-off, a flight attendant asked if I would be able to assist the crew if necessary. The question surprised me, and I had to think for a moment. Then I remembered: I’m a vocational teacher. What couldn’t I handle, really?

Monday, April 13

Make mistakes!

The first day of the course. Thanks to Google Maps (my most loyal travel companion), I once again found my way to the right address. Into a green-toned classroom walked a group of slightly nervous colleagues from Poland, Spain, France and Italy. As the only Finn, I carried the honour of the North on my shoulders.

Our trainer’s name was Patrick O’Hare. He began the course by explaining the most crucial thing we would need all week: how the espresso machine works. This immediately won the Finnish participant’s heart.
Then he wrote the rules of the classroom on the board. There was only one: Make mistakes!

We were given question cards, and as U2 played in the background, we walked around the classroom. When the music stopped, we teamed up with the nearest person and started a conversation based on the questions. On the timetable, this was called “Icebreakers & Getting to know you activities”.
In the afternoon we explored food cultures from different countries.

We had been asked to bring along something typical food from our home country. I’m quite sure I wasn’t the first (nor the last) Finn to bring a single bag of salmiakki to Europass Teacher Academy… The Italian table, on the other hand, was overflowing with delicious food. Perhaps stereotypes aren’t just stereotypes after all.

In the evening we joined a guided walking tour in central Dublin. Our guide told us about the city’s rich history, which is still very visible in the architecture and atmosphere. We also visited the statue of Oscar Wilde, who is lying very comfortably on a rock. His quotes are carved into stones nearby. The most famous one is probably: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

Tuesday, April 14

Focus on fluency

I’m sure we all came prepared to present our own institutions — but that never actually happened. Instead, we talked, played games, competed in quizzes and improvised. Our Irish trainer constantly mixed the groups, listened carefully and offered practical tips for speaking English fluently.

We also learned about hurling, Ireland’s very own national sport, which the Irish take extremely seriously (and passionately). In the evening, we went together to a pub to listen to live music — a traditional Irish music session — and to get to know each other better over a pint or two.

Wednesday, April 15

“The universe is whispering that…”

On Wednesday, we became fortune tellers. Our trainer gave us Tarot cards, and in pairs we practised descriptive language in English. Who would have guessed?
“I’m sensing that…”
“The universe is whispering that…”
“There’s an energy around you that…”
These phrases soon became running jokes that are still very much alive in our WhatsApp group.

After the course day, a few of my fellow participants and I went for a walk around the Trinity College campus. Founded in 1592, Trinity College is Ireland’s oldest and most prestigious university. Its beautiful and historic campus feels like a peaceful time capsule — quite an achievement considering it sits right in the centre of busy Dublin.

In the invitation letter, we had been advised to bring dancing shoes. On Wednesday evening, we finally discovered why: it was time to learn Irish dancing. Before the class began, our dance teacher personally shook hands with every single participant, asked where we were from and welcomed us individually.

At the beginning of the lesson, I wasn’t sure if my steps were going in the right direction. Then I realised: it didn’t really matter. Just move! We had an incredibly fun — and sweaty — evening.

Thursday, April 16

Learning excursion

Thursday was dedicated to a full-day visit to the EPIC Museum, an interactive museum in Dublin that tells the stories of Irish emigrants around the world. The experience was powerful and, at times, deeply moving.
One of the greatest tragedies in Irish history was the famine of 1845–1852, during which Ireland’s population was halved due to starvation, disease and emigration. Ireland gained independence in 1922. Life was initially very poor, but from the 1990s the country started to grow quickly. Today, Ireland is a wealthy country with a high standard of living. Irish ancestry can even be found in the White House: presidents such as John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama and Joe Biden have Irish roots. This was new information for me.

After the course day, five of us took a train to Howth, a fishing village on Ireland’s east coast. We wanted to see the green, dramatic cliffs from those classic Irish postcard views. Once we arrived, the weather turned dangerously stormy, and unfortunately we couldn’t complete the full walk. Luckily, we still managed to take some beautiful photos.

Friday, April 17

Bringing it all together

On Friday, we talked in small groups about our museum visit and practised topic-related vocabulary, such as famine, deportation, hatred and coffin ship — words we don’t use every day.

In the afternoon, we wrote letters to one of our course mates, describing positive observations we had made about them during the week. I received a wonderful description of myself: “Warm like a reindeer. Open to new experiences. Growth mindset.”

The day concluded with a formal certificate ceremony and celebratory drinks. Sláinte!

Saturday, April 18

Russborough House and Glendalough

On the final day of our course, we had “Cultural activities” and travelled by bus to Russborough. We visited the historic Russborough House, famous for its architecture, beautiful ceilings and impressive art collection. After that, we continued to Glendalough, a stunning valley in County Wicklow, home to an important monastic site.

The most unforgettable moment of the trip happened when a car suddenly caught fire right in front of us in the Wicklow Mountains. Thankfully, the driver managed to get out in time and no one was hurt. Due to strong winds, the surrounding ground also caught fire. Mountain Rescue arrived quickly, but traffic was stopped for quite a long time.

What stayed with me?

I was deeply impressed by Irish humour and the way people made us feel welcome. The sense of psychological safety in the classroom was almost tangible. Being “the student” again and listening to teaching in a foreign language was eye-opening — brains really do need frequent breaks!

I gained new ideas for group-building activities and pedagogy for teaching in a foreign language. I learned a great deal of practical English and built meaningful connections with colleagues from all over Europe. We had many good discussions, and despite cultural differences, I realised that teachers everywhere struggle with very similar challenges.

Travelling alone meant I had to use English all the time. — there was no chance to switch back to my own language. And yes, my original goal was achieved: I truly learned to think outside the box.

Thank you, Emerald Isle! 💚

Kirjoittaja: WinNovan sosiaali- ja terveysalan lehtori Laura Kause