Most of you already had the pleasure to meet Ms Gracie Boylan in person, but for those who haven’t got the chance yet – here she is:
Hi all!
My name is Gracie Boylan and I’m this year’s English language assistant from Ireland! I’m from down south in Cork city. I have been in Salzburg now for a year and I love it. It’s so different to Ireland, even the schools and school system are completely different. Here schools seem more progressive and the teachers work more alongside the students rather than simply lecturing them which I really like. Schools in Ireland are more antiquated and old-fashioned.
I studied Modern languages and linguistics in college, Spanish, German, Irish and Basque to be specific. Irish, also called ‚Gaeilge‘ is our national language, even though more people speak English than Irish. I’ve been asked a lot if this is like a dialect, like the one spoken here in Austria but it’s not. It’s a celtic language that everyone has to learn in school but it’s only spoken daily in some parts of the country.
I love travelling and learning about other cultures and countries. I have also spent a year studying in Bilbao in the north of Spain. I adore Spain, I think I left some of my soul there if I’m honest. In my spare time I read a lot, I used to play tennis for years but I haven’t found anyone in Salzburg to play with me yet.
But my real love is hiking. That was one of the big reasons I chose Austria instead of Germany. I adore the mountains. They are right on our doorstep here, it’s incredible. I also love the café culture here and the cuisine. I’m passionate about animals and the environment and this passion turned me vegetarian at the age of 11. I’m a people person and an extrovert and I love spending time amongst friends and family. I’m super excited to be here at Caritas this year and I hope to share some of our Irish culture with you.
Gracie
Thanks a lot Gracie for being with us, spreading enthusiasm and positivity and for sharing your thoughts!
I guess – this one’s especially for you!