“I had lots of lonely moments, but luckily I had my flatmate to get me through them.”

“I even get nervous when locals greet me with 'how are you' - I struggle with natural replies.”

“Practical daily guidance matters more than pure mental support - knowing what to do on day one would have changed everything.”

“I couldn't ask my friends back home or my family, because they don't know what I'm currently dealing with.”

“At Smurfit I do feel like the Irish students kind of keep to themselves. Not unfriendly - just… separate.”

“It's only one year… so a deep friendship cannot last a long period. That's what a local told me once.”

“The city is actually really beautiful and people are genuinely kind. It just takes a few weeks before it starts to feel that way.”

“Finding your people is the whole game. Once you do, everything else - the weather, the prices, the paperwork - becomes manageable.”