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Sophia Redmond, January 2025

TY Student

Starting as a TY student, I remember every one of my teachers telling me that same golden piece of advice: “You will get as much out of this transition year as you put into it”.

And so, I set out to learn, discover and see as much as possible. With the help of my parents and the team at Transition Spain, within a few weeks of attending a Meet & Greet conference, I found myself landing in Granada.

In all honesty, being the 15-year-old girl I was, I initially felt like a bundle of nerves at the thought that I had flown alone to a foreign country for the very first time. That being said, it did not take long for me to realise that this couldn’t have been further from the truth.

For the entirety of my three-week stay, I was surrounded by the very welcoming team and teachers. They were always kind, focused, and ready to help — really making for the tight-knit and friendly learning environment I needed. I found their organisation and communication skills, in both English and Spanish, second to none.

I can also say I came back to Ireland not only closer to Spanish fluency, but also with those who I would now consider some of my closest friends.

In my opinion, learning a language is not solely about speaking the words or conjugating the verbs correctly. It is also about discovering the culture of the country, getting to know the people, and understanding its ways of life. I believe that Transition Spain offers each of these to the fullest.

I particularly liked the structure of a typical day, with classes in the mornings and organised activities in the afternoons and on weekends. We were taught in a very native immersive style, covering vocabulary, grammar and various tips and tricks for listening and orals.

I can confidently say that my level of Spanish improved massively. I now find myself listening to Spanish podcasts and shows at times — something I could not even imagine previously trying!

To list some of the activities, there were debating events with local secondary schools, as well as numerous educational visits — namely to La Cámara de Comercio de Granada, and the infamous Alhambra palace and Albaicín. Spain’s beautiful architecture and rich history made for an interesting trip full of memorable moments.

We also attended sporting events, watching Granada’s basketball and football teams live.

To complete the immersive experience, students would stay with hand-picked host families, who were just as lovely as the team themselves, and took care of us as one of their own. Being part of a Spanish family with children’s daily life truly allowed for that additional level of exposure.

My experience in Spain truly made my Transition Year complete! I feel I have matured so much — academically, socially, and as a person in general. I am very glad I took that extra leap of faith to go, and would recommend anyone to do the same.

I have learnt that you truly don’t know how much there is for you to discover until you go out into the world with an open mind, ready to learn.

Granada will always have a special place in my heart, almost like my second home, filled with beautiful memories. I most definitely would go back in a heartbeat, and I’m very happy to say that next summer, before I head into sixth year, I will get the chance to.

¡Hasta pronto, A Coruña!