• Francesco's diary

• Martina and Valentina's diary

• Martina and Sofia's diary

FRANCESCO’S DIARY

25th March 2017

Dear Diary,

we still are at home in Italy but I’d like to start writing about my feelings, what I did and what I’ll do to get ready for the school trip to Ireland.
I’m really looking forward to this journey, because I’ve never been abroad (without considering that I was born in Germany…) and my biggest dream was going to an English country to learn and speak this beautiful language.Yesterday morning at school we received the Irish'-students' profile and I knew that Joseph is going to be “my Irish boy”: that’s a fantastic news.
This morning I took courage and I called Joseph on his mobile phone. At first it was difficult for me to talk to him, because that was the first time I spoke with an English person, but then I asked some questions about his life and he did as well; I think we have already become friends! Now I’m so excited that I’d already like to be there.

Bye for now

Francesco

26th March 2017

Dear Diary,

we only have to wait three days before our trip and I’m very happy. I think our holiday to Ireland or to call it better our “Cultural exchange”, will be a great success and unless I feel bad or I go to the hospital, it will be the best trip I’ve never had. This evening I started making my suitcase: I put into it my t-shirts, two pairs of jeans, some medicines and I took my courage and my congeniality as well. You should know that I surfed the internet to have a look at the weather forecast and I saw that just from the 29th of March to the 5th of April it will always be rainy in Cork. This news isn’t reassuring at all.
I’m sorry but I’m a bit tired now; it has been a hard day…

I hope to write you tomorrow

Francesco

27th March 2017

Good afternoon Diary,

This has really been a hard-working day but I’m satisfied: I’ve just finished preparing my suitcase and I’ve only to think about the gifts for my future Irish family. As you should know my Italian schoolmates and I have to take something from our house (such as sweets, typical Italian food, or nice clothes) and we’ll give it to our host family; that’s nice!I’ll probably take “Baci Perugina”, Irish people love them and a piece of Parmigiano cheese as well; that’s it! I hope Joseph will like them!!

See you tomorrow

Francesco

28th March 2017

Dear Diary,

how are you? Have you started preparing yourself and greeting the others yet? Tomorrow we are going to go to Ireland; have you ever travelled by plane? This will be the first time that I’ll travel by plane and I’m a bit worried about that. At school we had a discussion between our teacher and my classmates about what we’ll have to do at the airport and during the trip; actually I didn’t pay attention so much because I was very tired: last night I didn’t sleep at all!!
I hope I’ll sleep this night: tomorrow will be a great day!

Bye, see you

Francesco

29th March 2017

Dear Diary,

This morning I got up at 6 o’clock in the morning and I prepared the last things to put in my suitcase, I went to school and then go! We left Marcallo at 7.30 p.m. and then we had the take-off from “Linate airport”. During the journey, I slept all the time to charge my batteries because I was very tired and a bit worried as well. When the airplane landed, we took our things and then we started travelling by bus. It has been the hardest journey I’ve never had and even now I’m not feeling so well…
However, I knew my new Irish family and the first thing I thought when I met them was: “Yes Francesco, now you’re at home!” I cannot describe how I am feeling now, because the family who hold Christian and me is really kind and they can understand very easily our problems and what we are thinking about. In my new family there is Joseph, “my Irish boy”; sometimes he’s so shy that he doesn’t speak with us at all.
Martin, Joseph’s father is really nice and he always makes sure that we are happy and we feel well, but he speaks very fast and it’s difficult to understand. Eileen, Joseph’s mother is...how can I say... fantastic, yes!! Joseph has a brother of 9 too; his name’s Benjamin and he’s friendly and outgoing as well; I really like him! At first Eileen showed us their house: two big bathrooms, a huge living room, two enormous bedrooms for us, a great kitchen and a garden too; that’s amazing! Actually I’m a bit sad because when Joseph will come to Italy he will stay in my little flat… Sorry Joseph!
After that, we went to our bedroom and we prepared us for dinner; I made my bed and put my t-shirts and jeans in the wardrobe. We had dinner at 7.30 p.m. and no one can believe me, we ate spaghetti with ragù! We were very excited.
During the meal we talked a lot about our life and Martin told me that it’s quite difficult to find work in Macroom, because it’s a little town without good opportunities…
However, Martin found work in a company as a secretary and Eileen as well.
Benjamin was really happy to see Italian guests and he invited us to play with his “X-box” at “FIFA 2017”.
Luckily we went to bed early, at about 9.30 p.m. ; I was really tired!
I hope that I'll sleep well this night

Francesco

30th March 2017

Hi my dear,
I slept very well last night and I felt like I was at my home!
This has been a hard-work day; infact we went sightseeing in some countries really far from Macroom and we spent 1.30h to go there to our first destination: the "SKIBBEREEN HERITAGE CENTRE".
This is a museum in memory of the "Great Famine", which afflicted the majority of the population in Ireland. The guide told us that before the "Blight" (illness that infected the potatoes, the principal food for everybody in Ireland), everyone lived in tiny houses made of mud and hay.
In each hut, lived over 20 people and with them there was always a pig: they fed this pig with the potatoes they didn't eat and when it became really fat, they usually sold it, so that they could pay the rent.
The Great Famine started in 1845, when potatoes started to be ill. Although this was a big problem for Irish people, that year no one died. Only a year later, in 1846, people were very hungry because of the lack of food and started selling their clothes to have potatoes. Because of the cold and wet weather in this country, some of them died and the "Irish immigration" all over the world started.
The English government gave a paid but stressful and hard work to his Irish citizens, who at first were happy and satisfied because now they could buy something but they had to wear light clothes and then they didn't receive any money.
If you went here you could see dead people in the streets and everywhere; so mass graves were built to put and hide Irish who were dead.
Luckily for the population in this town, a "Soupe kitchen" opened in Skibbereen during this period, a place where poor people (most of the citizens) could go and eat something, just to survive. In 1847 the banking crisis happened, a disaster for the British economy and the government always checked every type of food that went to Ireland because, after, Irish will would have had to pay for that. In the same year, the "Blight" finished because the weather changed: it was dry and sunny so there were no more problems; this was what English people thought. Therefore English people went away and left Ireland without potatoes seeds. The soup kitchen closed after that and people started to die.
In 1850, over a million of people died and there was the biggest immigration that the world has never seen.
The Great Famine is called "The big silence" too, because after it, no one spoke about this famine and no one wrote songs and poems.
At 13.30, we had lunch and I ate all of my packed lunch; Irish cuisine is really good! My teachers took us to visit the “BALTIMORE’S CASTLE”, an ancient construction built by the Normans in 1250.
Actually, since 1600 no one has lived there until 1997, when a woman bought this castle and repaired it: a new roof made of wood was built.
In 1631, pirates from Algeria took away one hundred of Irish and sold them as slaves.
You should know that pirates needed an international value that was made of silver and the American dollar took inspiration from their value.
At 5.30 p.m. we came back home and we spent the evening with our family.

See you

Francesco

31th March 2017

Good Friday Diary,
are you happy that the week is going to finish? I’m really looking forward to stay all the time with my family, because if the weather is good, we’ll go sightseeing; I’m sure we’ll have a great week-end!!
This morning we got up really early: at 7 o’clock. I started my day tired... We ate hot milk and cereals and at 8.20 a.m. we left our house.
Then we went to Cork city by coach, where first of all we visited the great Cork’s Cathedral, a wonderful and really high church of Anglican worship.
We walked around this city for a few minutes, after that we took the bus to go to the “Cork Heritage Centre”, a museum where there’s the history of Irish immigration during the centuries.
We listened to some information about the life condition of the passengers and we discovered that the prisoners who were took to Australia were mistreated…
We learnt a lot about the shipwrecks of big ships such us the “Titanic”, the “Lusitania”, the “Nevada”, “The Surprise” and we received a piece of paper as well: everyone was a different person who travelled on that ships and we had to find out more about him.
This visit has been really interesting!!
We ate and then we continued our trip, next destination: “the Cork’s Prison” that opened in 1824. Thanks to audio guides, we saw all the building and we understood that if you stole only, for example, tatters from rich families you would go to prison for a few months! After visiting this gaol, I started thinking: God really loves us, because we live in the best time ever: there are no wars and human beings are more clever and shouldn't repeat the “past” errors.
At 3.30 p.m. we came back and we stayed with our family.
Before dinner time, we asked them if they would like us to cook “spaghetti alla carbonara” and we did it!! They were so great!
I’m so happy now, because I wasn’t able to cook until this evening: Christian taught me everything about cooking spaghetti!
I hope tomorrow will be a great and sunny day, bye!

Francesco

1st April 2017

Oh my darling,
I’m feeling good and I’m really grateful to my family, because this is the best “Irish day” I’ve ever had! Our family wanted the best for us, therefore they took us to the “Factory of Toy Soldiers”, not so far from Macroom. When we arrived at this factory I became agape, actually I didn’t know what to say, because it was quite old and it was starting being crumbling… but then when I saw what the people were doing (they were making and painting statuettes), I became more optimistic and we started working.
Christian and I really enjoyed working with metal (you should know that these little soldiers are made of metal!) and we made a beautiful man of Napoleon’s time. I did a great job, and when I’ll come back to Italy I’ll show It to my parents.
We got out from there at about 2 o’clock p.m. and I was so hungry that I could eat the entire world, but it’s better not!
I asked Eileen where were we going to go, she answered: “Clonakilty”. She told me that it is a little nice town near the Ocean and that we’ll go to the “Plastic Factory Town”. After 1.30h of travel we were there, we started just having a look around and we saw lots of plastic that reproduced the nearby cities, they were unique and amazing!! I took lots of pictures of the wonderful landscape and of the little towns below me, of course! It was really windy but sunny so a perfect weather for travelling and staying outdoor!
Our day wasn’t finished yet, infact we went to the seaside of the Atlantic Ocean and I played on the beach with Benjamin, Joseph, Christian, Patrick and me. This was the first time I met Patrick and I knew that he will be my guest with Joseph next month: they’ll come to Italy!!
Until the sun was shining in the sky we stayed there and we played, played and we played a lot!
At 7 p.m. we were at home and we had an easy and fast dinner: we were tired.

See you tomorrow

Francesco

2nd April 2017

Good night diary,
It has been a hard day therefore I’m so tired and I’ve only a few minutes to describe this wonderful Sunday, after that I’ll go to bed.
At 9.30 a.m., we had our breakfast: Eileen offered me scrambled eggs and toasted bread with butter and orange juice; I accepted.
Then I started eating…
Oh my God, it was the best breakfast I’ve never had, it was so good!! I thought that it wouldn’t be so healthy but it doesn’t matter: we are in Ireland… Christian simply had his cup of tea with cookies and they were very good as well.
We went to the Holy Mass at 10 o’clock with all the family; they are very catholic. Well, actually, If I must be honest, I understood just ten words during the celebration, the priest talked really fast…
When the Holy Mass finished we took our car and a friend of Joseph called “Conor” and we went to Cork. After only three quarters of an hour, we arrived at the bowling and we started the game. Actually, I had never played bowling before and at first I found it quite difficult, but thanks to Christian, who explained me the rules, I won the first prize!! It was incredible!
All the bowling players were very hungry, therefore we looked for a fast food and we found “Captain America”. I ordered a great hamburger with cheese, bacon and chips; it wasn’t so healthy, I know, but it was really good!
We were in the centre of Cork, so we went shopping and we saw all the typical Irish shops of this country. Christian enjoyed a lot this part of our journey, infact it was his biggest ambition; actually, I’ve never liked going shopping but I didn’t care…
At 3.30h p.m. Benjamin needed to go to his football match that was about 2 hours far from Cork city, so Martin had to take him there. After we went to a café and we drank refreshing orange juice.
Conor as well asked to go home, because he had to finish his homework; we took him home and we knew his three brothers: Kira, Diggery and Darragh. We played football a lot and a type of volleyball; we had fun!!
When the clouds hid the sun, we came back home and we went to bed; what a hard day!
Tomorrow we will go to Bunratty Castle, 2hrs of travel…

Bye Diary

3rd April 2017

Dear Diary,

we are on our the sixth day in Ireland and I’m a bit sad because on Wednesday we’ll come back home. It could seem strange but I’d really like to stay and maybe live here; when I talked to Christian and I told him this dream, he said: “What are you talking about Francy, I wouldn't stay here another day! You are mad!”
However, today it was a great day and we went to “Bunratty Castle”; it has been built in 1421 by an Irish family. Four hundred years later, in 1824 they’ve abandoned it since 1954, when a British couple who was interested in Middle Ages, restored the castle: they built an oak roof and took many ancient things from all over the Europe. All the objects we saw today were the original.
Then we visited all the castle and we also climbed up to the top of this one; I was a bit scared then!
Our guide was really good and I enjoyed a lot this trip.
Our guide wanted to show us the “Bunratty Castle’s Park”, wasn’t it? Therefore we saw the park and we did some activities; I preferred more the part when we saw the “Fairies’ wood”, because I really like Irish legends…
We had lunch for half an hour and after that, because of the rain, we went to the gift shop and I bought some presents for my family.
Now I’ve to play football with Benjamin; see you!!

Francesco

4th April 2017

Hi Diary,

today we went to the “Crag Caves”, that found place in a city near Killarney. This is the tenth longest cave all over Ireland and it’s wonderful. Caroline, our guide, told us that the “lime stone” is a particular type of stone that is porous and soluble. Half of Ireland’s surface is made of lime stone. Before 1988 it wasn’t easy to enter into the cave, because of the lack of possible revenue: infact the only way to enter was theough an underground lake; after that stairs of about 76 steps have been built. Actually in 1983 a team of scientists visited the cave. Caroline explained us that when drops of water fall from the roof, they form stalactites, which are made of lime. Instead, stalagmites “come” from the floor and they’re made of water as well. This two types of stones are called: “Drop Stones”. Sometimes it could happen that there’s a river which erodes the cave; here we have the “Flow Stones”.
During this visit I couldn’t believe what I was seeing: the view was so exciting and the environment was incredible!!
At 1.30 p.m. we ate our meal and we visited the “Muckross Palace” actually I think it wasn’t a palace but it looked like it!
The meaning of "Muckross" is “The pig’s peninsula”, because millions of years ago there lived pigs…
In 1861 Queen “Victoria” visited this palace, which was been built in 1843. After about 170 years, in 2012, the last owner of this house died.
Before 1970 there was no electricity in the palace: a big problem!
After this trip we went shopping and I bought some sweets for my family and a sweatshirt as well.

I hope not to be so tired tomorrow…

Francesco

5th April 2017

Hi Diary,

this is going to be the last time that I’ll write on your beautiful pages; sorry dear…
Today we took the coach at normal time (9 a.m.) to go to Dublin’s airport. During the trip our guide, Jynn proposed us many quizzes about Ireland and I won the first prize: I received two Easter eggs, they were so good!! Jynn explained us the history of the “Irish Independence” by seeing old monuments and places where British and Irish people fought. After that, we walked around the city, we went to the airport and we came back home…
This experience has been really interesting and useful to learn something about “Irish culture” and it was a fantastic way to practise and improve my English.
Actually after living in Macroom, I’d like to stay in Ireland all my life.
Now I’m really looking forward to see my guests from the 3rd of May; it will be a pleasure for my family to host such good boys!
I hope we will keep in touch with my new friends. my family and me will go to Ireland in two years time to meet them.

Francesco

 Martina and Valentina's diary

The weekend was one of the best days; we spent it with friend and family. We had so much fun!
On Saturday they took us to McDonald’s with Gloria and Giulia. We ate a delicious sandwich and they paid them for us. Then we saw the waterfalls. They are beautiful! Waterfalls create tranquillity and safety. The day was tiring but fun.
On Sunday we woke up late. We had breakfast, we got dressed and we went out with Gloria and Giulia and our friends.
We went on the hills, in the fields and in the town. Then we came home, where we played with blankets and listened to music…italian.
In the town the boys were playing football, Giulia and Valentina have seen a child. WE burst out laughing! Finally we ate pizza.

After this day we realized tht a great friendship was born between us.

Martina and Valentina

Martina and Sofia's diary

DAY 1

We arrived to Macroom yesterday. It’s a little town, near Cork. We flew from Milan to Dublin, then we went to Macroom by bus. This morning it was raining when we went to Skibbereen. There we visited a museum about the Irish history. In the afternoon, we visited the castle. It was built in 1215 and it was the home of the Normans. Now a lady, lives there from 8 years because she bought the ruins. It was a beautiful and interesting day. We hope it will be the same tomorrow.

About the museum…

It was interesting to know the history of a country like Ireland. It was very sad when the guide spoke about the many people who died during the famine. Many countries helped Ireland but other counties were not interested in it.

About the castle…

The history of the castle was very interesting but the roof and the floor were more modern than the castle

DAY 2

Today is the 31st of Marchand this morning we went to Cobh to visit the Titanic Museum. There after watching a video about Titanic, we did a group game where we answered to questions about the Titanic History. After lunch, we went to Cork to visit its gaol. There we listened to recordings about prisoners’ life and their “faults”. After, with the family, we went to Macroom for a walk in the park. It was a very interesting day and we hope it will be the same tomorrow.

About the museum of Titanic…

The Titanic museum was one of the most famous and interesting boats of the history. The part that we liked best was the game where we learned things about the Titanic.

About the gaol…

It was so beautiful to know something about the life of the prisoners but it was also sad because people were arrested for meaningless reasons. Furthermore, we listened to information about the people who built the prison.

Days 3 and 4

Yesterday was Saturday and we didn't have any school trip.
This morning our family and us went to Cork to do some shopping center. We went in a different shops of clothes. At 1:00 p. m. Approx, we went to Skibereen to visit the town. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed it.
On Sunday we went to the church of Macroom, where Daniel's mum got married. We had a pic-nic at the lake and we walked around it. T here was a big natural park with a lot of animals. We went home in the afternoon because we had a lot of guests. We cooked Italian pasta for our friends and the family.

Day 5

Today we had an interesting school trip, we went to Bunratty castle. There the guide explained us the different rooms and their history. We visited the kitchen, the main hall and the two towers. We had lunch there and in the afternoon we “visited” the fairy world, it was built by them. At 3:30 p. m. we returned to Macroom by bus.

Day 6

This is the last day here, in Ireland. This we went to the Crag Cave, in Killarney. We visited the cave and we saw the stalactites and stalagmites. The guide said to us a legend of a princess who escaped with her “lover” to the cave. Then we did shopping.
It was the most beautiful school trip that we did during our middle school.
The family was kind, fantastic and very funny.
We will miss them.

torna in alto