The weather is always changing, which allows us to see lots of rainbows (another topic of discussion concerning the weather). Coming from France, I honestly thought adapting to life in Ireland would be easy. I mean, it’s still Europe. How different could it really be? Turns out, quite a lot, but not in the dramatic “culture shock” way I imagined. The biggest surprises didn’t come from my classes or even speaking English, but from the small everyday habits that make Irish life feel uniquely Irish. Whether it’s people casually chatting to strangers like it’s the most normal thing in the world, or the fact that the weather is basically a daily personality trait.
"Hello! How are you?"
"Uhhh...fine, thank you?"
Why are people asking me how i am when I'm just trying to buy a blanket? This was basically my first thought during my first day in Ireland. I remember being genuinely confused when the cashier asked me how I was doing when I was just trying to buy a blanket. But you quickly realize that it is part of the everyday life here. In Ireland, people naturally chat, even during the most ordinary moments, and it feels completely normal. In France, on the other hand, it’s quite rare for a cashier or restaurant employee to ask personal questions that have nothing to do with what you’re ordering or buying. At first, I didn’t know if I was supposed to give a real answer or just smile and move on. Now, I’ve learned that it’s simply a small way of being friendly, and honestly, it makes daily life warmer. Thankfully, my buddy at the MIC Pizza Night gave me the perfect tip: don’t overthink it. Just smile and answer “Good, how are you?” or simply “Good, thank you,” and move on like a local.
Small talk seems to be at the centre of every encounter. Once you’ve survived people asking how you are, you can be pretty sure that the next thing that follows is the one and only topic: The weather. If you are not sure about how you should start a conversation, just talk about the weather outside. It’s raining? Perfect, you can be sure that Irish people have something to say about that. When someone says “it’s a lovely day” it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s sunny or warm but just that it is not raining outside so don’t get your expectations too high before looking at the weather. In France, it’s just a way to make small talk and move on when you don’t know what to talk about, here it gets so much attention because the weather changes constantly and it becomes a shared experience that connects everyone.
What makes it even more surprising is how natural this friendliness feels here. In Ireland, it’s completely normal for someone you’ve never met to smile at you, start a conversation, or even help you without being asked. Coming from France, this took me a bit of time to get used to, because we grow up learning a kind of unspoken rule: stranger = danger. If someone randomly talks to you in the street, your first instinct is often to wonder what they want. In Ireland, it’s usually much simpler, people are just being nice. During a day in Galway my friends and I were observing what we thought was a seagull eating an eel, when an old man arrived and started to explain to us the different type of bird and that it was not a seagull but a cormorant and that on the way we could also see swans. In France I wouldn’t have been able to have this type of conversation without thinking “what does he want?”. The same day when we left a pub, a group of random middle-aged men started waving at us and saying “goodbye love” which could have been scary anywhere else but in Ireland and that’s the first thing we discussed with my French friend when we were outside the pub.
Over time, I realised that this openness creates a really comforting atmosphere, especially as an international student. It makes you feel less alone, and it turns small everyday moments into opportunities to feel part of the local community.
And this relaxed friendliness doesn’t stop with strangers. It also applies to university life. One thing that surprised me at MIC was how informal and approachable teachers can be compared to France. In France, writing an email to a professor can feel like writing a formal letter, and you usually have to be very careful with the wording. Here, lecturers are often more casual and encouraging, and it feels much easier to ask questions or request help without feeling like you are bothering them. Even small things, like being able to speak more freely in class or address teachers in a more relaxed way, made a big difference for me. It creates an environment where you feel supported, and where it’s normal to interact without having the impression of bothering someone. I still have to admit that writing an email here is still difficult for me to say “hello + name”, so I just say “hello” at the beginning and I think I still am a bit too formal for Ireland but my teachers in France would be horrified if I wrote an E-mail to them with their first name.
To sum it all up, Ireland has felt like a genuinely safe and welcoming place to live in. People are not only friendly, but also incredibly respectful, and one thing I still find funny is how often everyone says “sorry” — even when they did absolutely nothing wrong. Whether it’s in a shop, on the street, or on campus, people seem naturally kind and always ready to help. As an international student, that makes a huge difference, because you never feel judged for being new or different. So far, everyone I’ve met has been curious in thebest way: they ask where you’re from, they want to learn about your culture, and most importantly, they never make you feel embarrassed about your accent. Instead of being something stressful, speaking English here has become part of the experience, and honestly, it’s one of the reasons Ireland already feels a little like home.
By Blanche Rocher, France
