Clara swaps Cantabria for Coleraine College

Clara Llera Puertas enjoyed life on the north coast and her studies at Coleraine College so much she decided to stay for the whole academic year - despite the pandemic!

15-year old- Clara, from the Cantabria region in northern Spain, came to Coleraine as part of a cultural exchange programme as she wanted to experience life abroad and develop her English.

Coleraine College was a natural choice as the school has been hosting Spanish students for the last four years as part of the same programme.

Principal Richard Marsh, said: “We welcome students from any background and fully appreciate the diversity it brings. Clara is a great addition to our school community and has already done a presentation to her Form Group about what life is like for teenagers in Spain which was both informative and interesting.”

Clara was attracted to Northern Ireland because of its reputation for being friendly and beautiful landscapes.

She explained: “Northern Ireland is famous for its warm welcome and that was certainly the case for me with my host family and everyone at Coleraine College. As a result, I found it very easy to settle in, despite traveling alone for the first time. I also really love the scenery.”

Clara has also embraced the differences between life here and in her home country: “There are so many cultural differences but I find them interesting rather than a challenge. The houses here are very different to the ones at home and the food as well as when you eat. At home, we do not have dinner until 9pm or 10pm but here it is much earlier. That took a little getting used to at the beginning. And of course, there is the accent and the slang! “

In school, Clara was struck by the strict uniform and different approaches to the teaching of arts and humanities subjects as well as the fact that students in Spain study many more subjects than they do here for A Level.

Clara’s Form Tutor, Garrett O’Doherty, said: “Clara is a fantastic student who integrated effortlessly into life at Coleraine College. She has an excellent attitude towards her studies and with her already very well-developed English, she has impressed us all with her ability to learn and make progress despite being taught in her second language.

“We were delighted when she chose to return after Christmas although the pandemic means she is now, like everyone else, learning remotely. Even this, however, is something she has taken in her stride. She continues to produce work of the highest quality and remain positive.”