I am studying in DkIT since two months now.

 

              

     

      This institute is a Regional Technical College located in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, halfway between Dublin and Belfast.

DkIT was established in 1970 by the president Denis Cummins.

It’s mission is «  to provide the community with quality third level education and services, relevant to the economic social and cultural development of the region in the national and international context. It aims to promote personal responsibility among all its students and enhance the professionalism of all its members in a supportive, inclusive and productive environment. »

DkIT welcomes more than 5000 students per year, and most notably strangers students as Erasmus as I am. This year, there are 450 International students and 150 Erasmus exchange students at DkIT.

In my classroom, there are Erasmus from France, Spain, Czech Republic, Germany, Bulgaria, India and China. 

DkIT employed more than 600 academic staff, as teachers, cookers, the administration staff, and much more.

The Institute has four schools, and each of them propose a wide range of programmes and consist of a number of departments.

Here are the four schools at DkIT and their departments :

·         School of Business and Humanities

·         Department of Business Studies

·         Department of Humanities

·         Department of Management and Financial Studies

·         Section of Hospitality Studies

·         School of Engineering

·         Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

·         Department of Construction and Surveying

·         Department of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering

·         School of Informatics and Creative Arts

·         Department of Computing and Mathematics

·         Section of Creative Media

·         Section of Music

·         School of Health and Science

·         Department of Applied Sciences

·         Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies

·         Section of Midwifery

 

Since two months I am a student of the Business ans Humanities school, in the department of Business Studies. I have six classes : Consumer Psychology, Management Behaviour Studies, Marketing, Management Accounting English and Quantitative Techniques.

 

 

DkIT offers various student services like counselling by experts , career and placement opportunities, Disability and Student Qualitry services, Health services, sports and creative activities & many more.

Let me detail some of the facilities available at DkIT :

Introduction :

The aim of this report is to describe three different facilities available to students in DkIT. It is based on the life of students in the university. It draws on what students can do at DkIT thanks to the available facilities in addition to their studies.

 

Sport facilities :

DkIT has a large amount of sport facilities and offers many activities. There is a mixed sport room with a wide range of sport equipments.

Students have to pay a few euros to have a unlimited access to the room. It is interesting that it is very cheap compared to the leisure centre in the town centre of Dundalk.

Student can also ask for private tuitions with a coach but they tend to consider that the cost is too expensive.

In addition, DkIT facilities include five pitches and a gym where students can play several team games such as volleyball, rugby, gaelic football, soccers, basketball and other sports such as zumba, pilates, piloxing, kickboxing…

For all these sports, lessons are offered and the registrations are not very expensive. Furthermore, students can pay a flat rate which give them an unlimited access to several sports.

On the whole, the available sports were felt to be cheap and a very good opportunity to play sports by students.

Sports and societies :

The sports ans society office plays a pivotal role in the life of the Institute. Join a Sport Club, trying out a new activity or getting involved in a society could change your life. For many students it gives the opportunity to :

• Meet friends with similar interest
• Try things you've never had a chance to do before
• Participate at your own level
• Take a relaxing break from study

DkIT offers one of the most extensive ranges of clubs and societies in Ireland as well as various student based activity classes during the year. 

Below is a list of the clubs and societies that we have at DkIT:

African Society
Airsoft Club
Archery Club
Asian Society
Athletics Club
Badminton Club
Bowling Club
Break-dancing Society
Camogie Club
Chess Club
Christian Union Society
Circus Arts Society
Cricket Club
Console Gaming Society
Cinema-Filming Society
DJ Society
Erasmus Student Network
Equestrian
Fencing Club
Fit 4 Life
Film Making/Media Society
Fianna Fail
Fresher’s Gaelic Football Club
Go Karting Society
Golf Club
Gospel Choir Society
Hill Walking Club
Hip Hop Club
Hurling Club
Irish Dancing
Kenpo Karate Club
Kick-Boxing Club
Laptop Music Production
LGBT Society
Ladies Gaelic Football Club
Macre na Feirme
Mature Students Society
Men's Basketball
Mens Soccer Club
Mens Rugby Club
Ogra Sinn Fein
Paint balling Club
Photography Society
Poker Society
Pool Club
Salsa
Surf Club
Table Tennis Club
Traditional Music Society
Veterinary Nursing
Volleyball Club
Women’s Rugby Club
Womens’ Basketball Club
Women’s Soccer Club
Young Civil Engineers Society
Young Surveyors Society
Yoga Club
Zumba Society, Piloxing

The sports in red are the one I do each week. I made an article to describe exactly what are thes sports.

Students services :

There are a bank and a shop in the same area of DkIT, and they are really useful and practical.

The shop offers students an extensive collection of stationary such as books, papers, and all students need in their pencilcase, but also the newspapers, and some snacks.

Furthermore, opposite the shop, students can withdraw cash thanks to the bank. They can even withdraw just 10€, and it is really practical to have some cash to buy food and drink in the cafeteria.

The library :

The library at DkIT Institute of Technology is located in the Dr T.K. Whitaker building. In this facility there are about 400 study spaces, over 50,000 books and journals and access to a range of online databases.

There are 100 PCs for project and research work with a wireless internet access on the two floors of the library. There are also a large amount of films on DVD and music CDs.

Food and drinks :

In DkIT there is a large amount of cafeterias, and places to eat and to drink. For example, there are several cafeterias all around the university, which offer a large amount of hot beverages (coffee, tea, milk…) and sweet and savoury such as sandwiches or fruits. In DkiT you can also find well-known brands such as starbucks coffee, costa coffee, and coffee dock. But in the main the prices were in these places felt to be rather expensive.

That is why students can ask for a loyalty card which gives them one free hot beverage after they stamped card nine times. Actually, the tenth hot beverage is free. This offer is valid in the majority of the cafeterias of Dkit.

 

Conclusion :

To sum up, DkiT is well-provided with leisure facilities for a town of its size and these are well-used by the students. Sports seems to be the leisure people appreciate most.

Perhaps DkIT should review the prices of the products in the cafeteria because even with the card, it is really expensive for students who have not a salary.

 

 

Here is a video we made with my marketing group to present DkIT to our australians and americans partners:

 

 

The purpose-built student apartments, for 550 students are a short walk from the main campus.  I live in Student Village, 5 minutes walk to the campus. Here is the accomodation :  

 

And is here the view I have from my window :

 

 Sources : 

http://www.dkit.ie

http://www.edwiseinternational.com/study-in-ireland/universities/dundalk_institute_of_technology_video.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dundalk_Institute_of_Technology 

         Yesterday, we decided, with Erasmus friends, to go to visit Blackrock, a beautiful little village not so far of Dundalk.

This one is a seaside village just to the south of Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. The village is in the townland of Haggardstown. The current population of the village is about 3,000.

 

 

         We walked along the sea during 4 kilometers.  There was a magnificent sunset ! The beach has a very gentle gradient and the sea retreats about 5 km at low tide. It’s an ideal way for promenade.

 

 

 

The landscapes were very colorful, as you can see on this pictures :

                                                       

           

 

Church of St Oliver Plunkett

Sources :

http://www.blackrockvillage.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44:aboutblackrockvillage&catid=94:about-blackrock&Itemid=80http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackrock,_County_Lout

I am born on the 14th of February, the Valentine's day, and also the day of the rugby match Ireland against France.

So I decided to go to Dublin by bus all the day with two friends.

We arrived at lunch time, so we decided to eat  a fish and chips in the center of Dublin. It was my first one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After eating, we walked along the city to discover it. Dublin is a very beautiful city, and the weather was great !

 

 

There were a lot of street spectacles. This atmosphere was unbelievable ! Musicians, dancers, singers everywhere!

 

 

Everybody in the street was celebrate something. Some was celebrate Valentine's Day :

 

And some others was here for the Rugby match. There were a lot of french people who came in Ireland specially for the match.

We decided to go to visit Temple Bar, and to sit in one of the bar of this area which was diffusing the match live.

 

Ireland won !!   18-11

The Dundalk University of Technology propose a lot of activities and sports. I decided to beneficit of this opportunity. So I made an inscription to the program "Fit 4 Life" which allow me to practise at will zumba, salsa, yoga, piloxing, pilates and the fitness center ! All weeks, I go to three of these sports.

 

• On Monday, I have made  ZUMBA !

 

Zumba is a dance fitness program created in 1990 by a Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto Beto Perez.

Zumba is a mix between many dances, such as hip-hop, salsa, samba, mambo, and aerobic elements !

A few years ago, Zumba became a very popular sport in more that 185 countries. Today, almost 15 million of people take lessons of this sport.

 

 

 

 

•  On Tuesday, I have made PILOXING !

 

Piloxing was created by the well-known Swedish dancer and trainer Viveca Jensen.

Piloxing is grouped of elements of dance, pilate, boxing and fitness. It’s a really complete program.

The goal of this sport is to trained the women physically and mentally to make them stronger. Today, the community of piloxing extends in more than 30 countries.

•  On Thursday, I have made YOGA !

 

The yoga is an approach of body-spirit. The yoga facilitates almost immediately the mental and muscular relaxation. A regular practice can relieve serious health problems and favor a better general health. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

Sources : www.piloxing.com

http://www.zumba.com/fr-FR/

http://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Therapies/Guide/Fiche.aspx?doc=yoga_th

Traditions and Customs in Ireland :

Irish blessings

Ireland is well-known for its Saints and Scholars, but also for its blessings.

Blessings are about welcoming, warmth and turning a negative situation into a positive one.

Example :

May the roads rise to meet you,
May the wind be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

May you be poor in misfortunes,
and rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness,
from this day forward,
May good luck be your friend,
In whatever you do,
And may trouble be always,
A stranger to you.

May you always have work for your hands to do,
May your pockets hold always a coin or two,
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane,
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain,
May the hand of a friend always be near you,
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that’s always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.

May the sun shine all day long, everything go right and nothing wrong. May those you love bring love back to you, and may all the wishes you wish come true.

May the friendships you make be those which endure and all of your Grey clouds be small ones for sure. And trusting in Him to Whom we all pray, may a song fill your heart every step of the way.

Wherever you go and whatever you do, May the luck of the Irish be there with you.

 

I wish healing upon you,
The healing of Mary with me,
Mary, Michael and Brighid,
Be with me all three.

Here is an other example of blessing with music. 

I noticed that the blessings were very present in Ireland : We can find blessings on all the typical gifts in shops such as Carroll’s. That is how I understood it was very symbolic and I would like to share this with you.