Ms. Anrafa Said Ali, documentation teacher at the agricultural high school of St Germain En Laye (SGL) completed a teaching mobility internship in Ireland from April 8 to 11, 2019 within the framework of Erasmus for staff. Eager to go on training to learn from our Irish neighbors and compare her professional knowledge with that of another European country, Anrafa played the interview game upon her return to France.
How did you organize your Erasmus internship in Ireland?
Since the Saint Germain high school has been part of the Ile de France consortium for the Erasmus program, staff have the possibility, on a voluntary basis, of carrying out different kinds of mobility in Europe. In consultation with Mr. Hup, English teacher and international cooperation referent for the high school, I opted for mobility to train myself and improve my skills in my professional field: documentation.
Christophe made my life easier by listing the documents to send to the administration while completing my files. The same goes for accommodation and the reception structure, it's turnkey. I thank him by the way. My biggest job was to buy a plane ticket! The Erasmus grant covers the entire financial part of my training. Mr. Martin, the assistant director, whom I also thank, accepted my absence for my training. Thanks to them, I was going to become Irish for a few days.
Did you have any concerns about this mobility?
Not really, I traveled before but I admit that there I had a few small fears. Just on arrival: find my accommodation, a hostel in the city center. I narrowly miss the bus from Cork airport to the city center. The next one is in an hour. I put the hostel address on a piece of paper and ask people I meet if another bus can get me there. I find it hard to understand what they are saying so I smile and say thank you. I walk over to the taxis, hand the address to a driver, and ask if he could estimate the cost of the trip. Between 16 and 17 euros he told me. It ended up costing me 20 euros but at least I quickly got to my destination. I was able to take possession of my room, put down my big backpack, eat and rest at last!
How did your internship go?/u>
I discoveredThe Cork English Academy which welcomes foreigners who want to improve their English skills. But for me, first of all, we conduct discussions in English concerning our professional practices. I learn how they professionally work in terms of documentation, I explain mine to them. Then we are introduced to the school reading policy. Students can access a self-service library where everyone can drop off and freely borrow books. For more precise requests, there is another background where the books are classified by reading level: each color corresponds to a level of difficulty. Students can consult a printed leaflet and borrow the desired work by posting a deposit of € 10 which they recover upon return. I also received training, thanks to the partner network of my host structure. The first, at the municipal library, focused on the operation of a 3D printer. A very successful activity that helps bring new audiences to the library. The second took place on the Cork University Campus. It is a huge wooded area made up of several sets including a bookstore, an exhibition gallery, the buildings dedicated to the courtyards, and even a church! The university library is a huge building on four levels, it is diversified in its activities and is conceived as a place of life and not simply as a working and reading space. Professionally I learnt a lot from this place. Some areas are designed for relaxation activities: it is possible to consume food, drink, speak aloud or even use your phone. But in the rooms dedicated to work, the atmosphere is studious, you could almost hear a fly flies. I am trained in professional practices concerning the loans of books, their software ... The staff are friendly and benevolent, it is a pity that time goes by so quickly …
Have you had the opportunity to take cultural tours in Ireland?
Yes, despite the changing weather and rainy episodes. I was able to enjoy the streets of Cork, it is very colorful in places, and I met friendly people, ready to strike up a conversation and come to help me when needed. I was a little dreading being faced with a very heavy accent, but eventually I was able to follow the conversations well. I was able to communicate but had to be constantly focused, which was a bit tiring. At the end of the day, I had a harder time talking, but the people I met were quick to repeat and rephrase when they felt I was starting to drop out.
I chatted with a lot of foreigners, but even the Irish didn’t have as heavy an accent as I might have feared. Well, some did, but I only came into contact with them indirectly. During an exhibition retracing the history of Cork to which I was able to attend, I listened to recorded testimonies of people of a certain age: the intonation, the way of pronouncing the words, the expressions…, everything was so far removed from what I used to hear that I wouldn’t have been able to understand a traitorous word without the transcription!
What have you personally and professionally learned with this mobility?
Professionally, I have learned a lot about the way my Irish counterparts operate, including new forms of organization which give me ideas for the future to integrate them into my own professional activity.
On a personal level, I have met some great people that I keep in touch with through social media. I just wish I had time to visit more things and discover the county, especially the west coast which is apparently worth a visit. So it made me want to go back, but this time on a personal level.
Finally, would you recommend doing an Erasmus?
My Erasmus + experience has been very intense and fruitful both personally and professionally. I recommend all of my colleagues to do this at least once if they have the opportunity. It is very enriching.
Thank you Anrafa for your testimony and the photos of your Erasmus
C HUP, SGL international cooperation referent
