Testimonials

My son arraived in Dublin September 2019, accompanied by a friend and a cousin, each of them to study different accademic year in differents schools, but they three under the care of JLHL for a full scholar year. Since the very moment they putted their feets in Tipperary, they experienced like ants through the body, so much curiosity and nervourness, all with a mixture of confusión, because some friends had told them that it was going to be like “holidays”. Soon my son learned that things for each one were a unique experience, different from the others and from what he had heard from friends. And that he realised, not only because each child is unique, but also because he felt he had arrived to a unique new family and a home which embraced him at his arrival- home that was different from anyother’s - because his host family, carefully selected and involved, had “brothers and sisters” with similar hobbies and ages to my son; a “father, mother, grandparents”, a beautiful house and garden, a room for himself, etc. So, when he met other foreing students that were not happy, he realized how fortunate he was for being in the right environment. Everything in JLHL family was generously shared with my child: food, house, sports, excursions, etc, etc. That made the experience for him with JLHL so different and new for the months coming. As the first month passed, my son and us got to know the Irish teaching system, which we found just a bit different from ours, and very nice to learn and understand. JLHL explained everything to us. We visited the school and met every teacher. The accademic advice was permanent, and JLHL was constantly in contact with school’s, my son, and us in Spain. Study, exams and practical work were fully acomplished. My son happily understood it was an intense year, not just holidays. So this important aspect of the experience was just as easy as if my son were studing in Spain, which means he will be able to incorporate easily to the Spanish system, now that he has come back. Nontheless he not only studied, but also could go on excursions during weekends with the family to see the Irish countryside. The area of Tipperary is rural and calm, where to have a deep contact with environment. As the months went on, my son started to know and to love his Irish family, and the environment of his Irish family, their routines, the school, mates, sports, reading books, way of doing things…. He became part of the Irish live. In Autumm season, days started to shorten and some days were a bit difficult because he missed things from Spain, but in thouse occasions, JLHL was just in the right place and in the right moment to chear him up. When Christmas arrived, had happened the imposible: my son just fully enjoyed soccer, hurling, Irish football, Irish food, Irish hair cut, Irish sweets, and Irish tv and books, Irish timetable and rules, and Irish parents and brothers and sister … so he began to think and to dream in English, and most funny, to have Irish-Tipperary accent. When Christmas break came along, I remember it was a bit hard for my son to go back to Ireland. But, again, after two days, he just became part of his Irish live again. In this moment- middle of the academic year- is when the respect, love and many new sentiments arrised, creating a beautiful bond between my son and his Irish family, and us, in Spain, thanks to photos, whatsaaps and permanent contact with JLHL. Finally, when COVID-19 imposed restrictions in Ireland, JLHL coordinated everything for my son to study at home with a teacher in his family and rural environment. My son was helped with homework and online classes. Because the rural area of Tipperary, my son could also enjoy outside and relax walks in spite of the lockdown. When school time finished, he came back to Spain in a perfect coordinated flight back with JLHL. JLHL family and school’s selection is so important and determines the experience is so good. We all understood why JLHL took monhts before going to Ireland in achieving the best school and family for our child. The JLHL profesional way of working is what makes you the right experience to have, to live… and later, to tell and remember. So, now that the year is over, I just can think to myself, that during 9 months in Ireland my teenager son matured so much and it was so important that in that process my son was cared by JLHL, the perfect organization to be beside him. Human values are the “leitmotive” of JLHL, so the experience was not all and only about the learning of English, but also the learning of the language through subjects in Irish school, Irish jokes, Irish customs, Irish values as a comunity, Irish family meetings and family surroundings. This year has been not just a matter of learning English language, but also a matter of learning the language at the same time of gaining independence, responsability, and tolerance. I strongly recomend Just Like Home Languages.