Gaeltacht advice?

Cnwlsh1

Im going to cholaiste chiarain in july and had a few questions?

What should i bring and also what i cant bring, am i able to bring books? I know we cant have phones, cigarettes the like, and can we bring cameras or not?

Also do we have to do sport like football and hurling? Because i dont really like sports that much but id do them if i had to.

Also im kind of nervous because id be staying in a house full of other lads and i dont want them to be uncomfortable because im gay and ya know how some lads are, so im not sure if i should tell them or not.

Any replies are appreciated thanks bbz

blobcat

Yes, you can bring books and cameras are fine to bring too. I think anything but phones, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs are allowed in most cases. Although when i went, the bean an tí had no problem with us using our phones in the house, it was only at the college that you couldn't be seen using them. They could be completely banned in your case though.

I don't know about Colaiste Chiaran specifically but yes, they usually make you do sport at the gaeltacht.. where I was they timetabled an hour a day for sport (football, basketball, hockey, table tennis) which I hated, but there'll usually be at least one other person who doesn't like sport who you could sit and watch with instead (once nobody notices that you aren't playing)

I've never been in your position so I don't know how guys in your house would react to you being gay, but I think in most cases they wouldn't care and would just treat you the same as anyone else.

It's usually not great for the first couple of days because nobody knows each other and you miss home, (well at least I did) but after the first week you should be fine! Just be friendly and talk to everyone, even random people not in your house or classes, it's good to know as many people as possible so you're never left without someone to talk to/sit beside.

Good luck! It can be pretty scary going for the first time but you always get to know people and get used to the whole routine quite quickly.

Rhedyn

I would get your parents to phone the college and find out exactly what is allowed.
It should be in the contract they signed anyhow- read it yourself.
AFAIK you are allowed to have phones, how else would you be able to phone home.

There was a documentary on television a few years ago (Bean an Tí) where camera phones were confiscated in case kids were taking naked photos of each other LOL, but nowadays you can't get a phone without a camera so I don't think it's feasible to do that anymore.

All the colleges have their own rules, some are super strict - like in Ros Muc, but Coláiste Chiarán is not one of the strictest colleges.

As for being Gay. I assume you don't introduce yourself and "hey I'm John and I'm Gay" . I can't see that being a problem at all, with your fellow students or the hosting family, or the lads you will share a room with (houses will be either all girls or all boys). Remember you are going to Conamara not Alabama.