English & Surfing Information pack
Firstly, we would like to thank you for choosing Donegal English Language School for your English and Surfing holiday. We look forward to welcoming you. Please find below further information on your stay and recommendations on what to pack.
What to bring
As much as we love our green country the weather can be unpredictable so we recommend the following items:
- Three antigen tests
- Water Bottle – It is possible to drink the water from the taps in Ireland
- Waterproof jacket
- Robey for changing at the beach
- Two swim suits/trunks
- Three pin adaptor (for charging phone lap top etc)
- Lock for your suitcase
- Photocopy of passport to be kept separate to your passport (in case of loss)
- One towel. A towel is provided but it is recommended to take an extra towel
- Warm clothes i.e. jumpers, jackets
- A white t shirt/baseball hat (for drawing/spraying graffiti on)
- Pocket money approx. €50 per week (maybe a little more if you want to buy some presents
- Damage deposit of €50 per person in cash (see below)*
For Class & School
- A copybook and pens
- A device – some classes are digital so please bring a phone/laptop
There are hairdryers on campus. They are located in the coordinator room.
What to Expect – Surfing
About our Surf Centre
We offer quality coaching with experienced, qualified, local surfers. Our aim is to ensure your surfing skills progress in a fun and safe environment. We believe we can help you achieve your surfing goals by keeping groups small and providing personal attention to each student. Regular feedback is always given to students to ensure progression. We have a range of different boards for you to try, so you can progress
- all sizes of boards from 5’11 up to 9 foot
- 5/3 mm wetsuits and 3mm boots provided. Gloves, and hoods can be provided on request.
- When you change into the wetsuit at the centre please put all your clothes and personal items into your backpack.
Please note that your wetsuit can often be wet when putting it on, they are washed daily
- 4 surf spots within a short driving distance
- surf shop with 10% discount exclusive to Donegal English Language School students. (does not include Surf Co, own brand t-shirts and hoodies sale items).
Our lessons are broken into two categories
Beginners: This is an introduction course to surfing. We work on the correct techniques to position on the board, paddle, getting through the waves and stand up. At this level our goal is to get you surfing the white water on your own, with a basic knowledge of currents, etiquette and technique. Ratio of students to instructor 1:8 max. We use a range of beginner soft boards from 7 foot to 9 foot.
Intermediate: Students focus on surfing techniques such as effective paddling, wave knowledge and selection, take off and bottom turning, trimming and duck diving. The courses also focus on surfing etiquette. We use video analysis to correct faults when appropriate. Ratio of students to instructor 1:8 max. We use a range of Torq intermediate soft top boards from 5’11 to 7’6
Advanced: We are happy to welcome advanced surfers. For students who are advanced level please note that we only offer tuition up to intermediate level. Ratio of students to instructor 1:8 max. We use a range of Torq intermediate soft top boards from 5’11 to 7’6.
General Information
Contact
School Address: West End Bundoran, Co Donegal F94 X997
Contact Number: 00353 719 84 12 88 /00353 862722495
Arrival is anytime after 3 pm.
Local area maps
Allergies
We cater for all allergies. Due to an increasing volume of students with nut allergies, we do not allow nuts on campus.
Homestay
Hosts want you to be a member of the family. They will appreciate your efforts to integrate, your active participation in their life and activities. Your smile, your gratitude and enthusiasm will be the best reward for the hosts efforts and encourage the success of your stay.
You must always pay your share during an extra-curricular activity with your host. Please use your own mobile or an international calling card when using the hosts phone
If not within 10 minutes walking distance, the host will bring you to school each morning and the school bus or host will take you home every evening. You will have a warm lunch Monday to Friday at the school, a packed lunch on Saturdays and on Sundays you will have lunch with your host.
On Tuesdays and Saturday, Homestay students will partake in evening activities on campus, during these evenings you will have dinner on campus and return to your host afterwards. On Friday evening, you can have free time to go into town. If you wish for your son/daughter not to go into the town centre unaccompanied, please contact us.
As we are 3 hours and twenty-five minutes by bus from Dublin airport, students who are staying in homestay and have an early departure (before 2 pm) may be asked to stay on the residential campus the night before. We will notify you on the Friday before departure if you will be moving into residential accommodation. If this is the case, the host will drop you to the residential centre @ 9.15 am on Saturday morning before the excursion with your bags. You will be allocated your room on return from the excursion.
***Damage deposit
Junior Students, please note a damage deposit of €50 per person is due in cash on arrival. This is refunded on departure, on the condition that no damages have been made.
Laundry
Laundry is included in the programme for students staying a minimum of two weeks. We collect the laundry every Thursday/Friday and it is returned to the students every Friday/Saturday.
Internet Access
There is free WIFI at the school. We also have WIFI at the residential accommodation Most homestays have WIFI.
Safe
There is a safe in the coordinators room in each house for the residential students to put their valuables and money in. Their ID and money will be placed here on day of arrival. They will have weekly access to their money. We recommend that the students place their money here.
Mobile Phone Usage
Please note that in order to encourage English language use and a more interactive language learning experience, phone use is restricted to 5.15 pm – 10.00 pm during the week for residential students. Students are allowed to use their phones on Fridays and at the weekends. Occasionally during the week, students will use their phones for some class room activities. Students in host families will not have their phones during the day 9.00 am – 5.15 pm approximately, Monday to Thursday.
For any emergencies, please contact 00353 86 272 2495.
Bank Holidays
On Bank holiday Mondays (17 March, 18 March, 18 April, 2 May, 6 June,& 31 October 2022), there will be no English classes, students are offered an excursion/activity in place). On 1 August, the school is open as normal.
Residential
Surfers Bay
Surfers Bay is the main residential centre. The centre offers 21 bedrooms, a large dining area/games room, a large communal room. The bedrooms are 2/3 and 5 bedroom and centre sleeps 50. The centre is within 10 minutes walk of the language school and three minutes walk of the sea. The students will have their breakfast in the house, lunch and dinner is at the language school.
Portbeg
Portbeg residential centre is within three minutes’ walk of the school. Students are housed in four bedroom houses with 8 – 11 students per house and one coordinator. The students will have their breakfast in the house, lunch and dinner is at the language school. Portbeg opens from the end of June to the middle of August.
Covid Guidelines
Covid 19
We HIGHLY recommend all students to come to Ireland fully vaccinated. Students must take an antigen test before arrival and only come into the country if this test is negative.
All students should bring at least 3 antigen tests with them to Ireland in case of a suspected case of Covid 19. If a student has Covid 19 symptoms they should remain in their room alone and take the antigen test brought with them from their home country.
If a student tests positive for Covid 19 while with us, they will remain in isolation in their host family until they test negative. The same rule applies to host families, if a member of the host family tests positive for Covid 19, the student must remain in the same host family and continue to attend school unless they test positive.
The above is based on Irish government HSE guidelines and these are the guidelines that we will be following. You can see up to date information from the HSE here: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/close-contact/
Medical Care
Post Covid, there are significant wait times of up to two weeks at the local doctor surgery, should a student need to go to the doctor, we will be recommending that they use an online service. This will be covered through your insurance. If you don’t have insurance cover, it is compulsory to have one in place or please contact us for further details on the guardme policy.
Inbound Travel
Travellers to Ireland are not required to show proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or a negative PCR test result upon arrival.
Outbound Travel
Please check the criteria needed to re-enter your country. If you are unvaccinated, you may require a lateral flow test to re-enter. This costs €35 and must be booked in advance for the Saturday morning before departure. Please ensure that you let us know if your son/daughter requires this test and that they have adequate funds to pay for it. Please note that if your son/daugther does not meet the criteria to re-enter to their country, this is the responsibility of the parent.
Important Travel Documents
Here is important information when travelling to Ireland with children under 18. Please click here.
Please ensure that your son/daughter/student is travelling with the necessary documents.
There have been some significant delays at different stages at Dublin airport over the last few months, for this reason we will be bringing students to the airport a minimum of 3.5 hours in advance of their flight. The current recommendation from Dublin airport is 2.5 hours(June 2022). Please notify the student travelling that there will be a lengthy wait at the airport. If for any reason a student misses their flight due to reasons outside of DELS control, you will need to rebook another flight and recoup this cost from your insurance, we will do our best to help the student find accommodation and transfers (subject to availability) but, this will incur a cost.
Transfers
Insurance
It is compulsory to have a European Health Insurance Card. This is free for all European countries and will cover any doctor or hospital appointments in the case of any medical issues. It is also compulsory for all clients to have travel insurance. For all non-European Citizens please take out private medical and travel insurance.
You must also have sufficient cover in case you /your child becomes ill in Ireland. This should cover the following: flights, airport transfers, accommodation including food, a parent travelling to Ireland to collect the student (if a minor). Please contact us for the Guard me policy which outlines the cover they offer, if your own insurance policy covers the same then please send us proof of this insurance or we can register you / your child for a cost of 40€ for a stay of up to four weeks for the Guard me policy.
Transfers
If opting for collection from Dublin airport
We are based 3 hours and 25 minutes by bus from Dublin airport. For this reason, we group transfers together. Typically, we have 2/3 buses at the airport on Sundays, this depends on arrival and departure times and number of students arriving.
The shared transfers are based on arrivals between 11 am – 6 pm and departures between 11 am – 6 pm. Students will typically have a 1 – 3 hour wait before the bus leaves the airport. These times may vary if there are flight delays, lost luggage by airlines etc.
Please also note that for departures, if you flight is before 1.30-2 pm, you will leave Bundoran around 4.30 am in the morning, this allows for adequate check in time at the airport (you need a minimum of three hours check in time in the summer) and then 3.25 hours to reach Dublin.
Collection: On entrance of arrivals in Terminal 1 please make your way over to the right. You will see a sign saying Meeting point. Under or around this sign will be a Donegal Language School representative waiting to meet you with a Donegal English Language School Sign(see below).
If you are flying into Terminal 2 (Aer Lingus) please make your way to the right and one of our representatives will be there to meet you.
They will have a sign showing the DELS LOGO
Airport sign will look like this:
Baggage: Each airline has individual baggage weight restrictions.
Please adhere to and leave room in your bag for presents going home. We have had experiences of students paying up to €100 for excess baggage and don’t wish to see this happening again. Excess baggage is the responsibility of the student.
Note:
We have noticed student’s bags being delayed by a few days, particularly in summer time. If this happens, the bags are typically dropped to the centre within 3 days. Before leaving, please ensure that you:
- Take a picture of your bag before leaving in case the bag does get lost
- Put your name and something distinguishable on your bag, so it is easily identifiable
- Carry a change of clothes and toothbrush in your carry-on bag.
If opting for collection from Knock airport
- Collection: On entrance of arrivals please make your way to arrivals. A DELS representative will be waiting to meet you with a Donegal English Language School Sign.
If opting for public bus from Dublin airport
There is a direct bus from Dublin airport to Ballyshannon every two hours. To arrive at the bus stop, walk out of arrivals from terminal 1 and cross the road, go through the tunnel and you will see a spar shop on your left, walk outside and to the left is the bus stop. Please go to zone noted beside Dublin Airport on this link. We then offer free transfers from Ballyshannon to Bundoran between 10.00 am and 8.00 pm daily. for transfers between 8-10 pm we can arrange a taxi for you. The taxi fee is around € 15 Transfers between 10pm and 10 am are very difficult and in most cases impossible as taxi drivers may not be working after 10 pm.
If we are collecting you from the bus in Ballyshannon, please send us an SMS to 0035 387 600 82 05 once you get on the bus in Dublin and then again when the bus reaches Enniskillen. It is really important that you do this as sometimes the bus is late and it ensures that our driver is not waiting a long time to collect you.
Boarding Cards
Please set your son/daughter up with the airline app and they can then check in online prior to arrival and departure. If you need boarding cards to be printed, please email activity@donegallanguageschool.com before 6 pm on Saturday evening.
Please note that the office email addresses are not manned after 5 pm on Friday evening and activity@donegallanguageschool.com is not manned after 6 pm on Saturday.
If travelling by car
- Please phone on 00353862722495 when you arrive in Sligo/Enniskillen (30 – 40 minutes before your arrival in Bundoran) so I can arrange for someone to meet you at the centre and show you the accommodation.
- The address of the camp is Surfers Bay, Bay View Avenue, Bundoran, Co Donegal, F94 EK7V.
Arrival is anytime from 3 pm onwards
Good Conduct
Students must not be disrespectful or act in a threatening manner to fellow students or staff of Donegal English Language School or any members of the community. This includes raising their voices, using foul words or foul gestures, broadcasting music with explicit lyrics, being argumentative towards others or being disruptive in class. Discrimination based on sexual preference, race, physical or mental ability, religion, age or ethnicity is not tolerated. Items which promote or encourage discrimination or illegal activity will be confiscated. Smoking and chewing gum is not permitted in the school buildings. Food and drinks are not permitted in classrooms.
The student is responsible for any damage he or she may cause to buildings, furniture, fittings, individuals, homestay property etc. while registered with DELS. Should a student behave in an unseemly and/or inappropriate manner that may bring the school or its agent into disrepute or cause damage to its reputation or standing in any way, either real or imagined, he or she will be asked to leave.
Should a student break other school rules or behave badly he/she may be withdrawn from activities until behaviour improves.
If gross misconduct occurs, i.e. bullying or breaking an Irish law (including drinking of alcohol, stealing or drug taking), the student will not be welcome to participate further in the course and will be removed immediately from the programme).
Parents must make arrangements for the students to leave the campus/homestay promptly/within 2 days.
Going out in the evening/Free Time
Students will be walked to town and allowed to go to the different shops, amusements or supermarkets for one evening per week. Students must go as part of a group. No student is allowed to go alone without prior permission from the coordinators. If you do not wish for your son/daughter to do this, please let us know in advance of their stay.
For residential students only – there will be free time on Sunday. Students are allowed to visit the town unaccompanied between 10 am – 4 pm. Students aged 11 will be accompanied, students aged 12 + will be allowed to go with their friends to the town unaccompanied . If you wish for your son/daughter not to go to the town centre unaccompanied, please contact us.
Excursions
Students will visit a place of cultural interest and have some free time shopping. Students aged 11 will stay with a coordinator at all times. Students 12+ will be allowed to go with their friends during the fee time for shopping unless otherwise stated by their parents.
What happens on my first day?
Arrivals for students are generally on a Sunday. All students are welcomed to and shown to their accommodation followed by a short introductory meeting. This meeting will go through the first day and any questions that may arise. On the first day of school, students take a test covering reading, writing, listening and speaking to ensure that they are placed in a level most suitable to them.
If the students have opted for one of the activity packages, their chosen sport takes place in the afternoon/morning depending on their age and level. Student Coordinators are on hand to help and assist all students through their first day.
Please click on the links to log on to facebook or instagram for regular updates on campus life @ DELS.
Parents hereby commit to undertaking full financial responsibilities if their son/daughter is dismissed early from the programme in the event of bad behaviour.
Looking forward to meeting you!
Kind regards, Team DELS.
Useful Surf Terms
Rip – current going out to sea.
Duck dive – going under the wave.
Turning on the rail – generating speed on a board by turning the board from one side to the other.
Pop up – going from lying down to upright position on the board in one movement.
Booties – neoprene shoes to keep you warm.
Wettie – neoprene wetsuit to keep you warm.
Rashy – coloured lycra shirt worn over your wettie to identify you.
Wax – sticky substance for rubbing on the board for grip.
Out the back – common term for the part of the ocean beyond the breaking waves i.e. “I got so smashed paddling out that I couldn’t make it out the back.”
Bomb – word used to describe a good wave. i.e. “I just got a bomb” or “There are a couple of bombs out the back.”
Reform – a wave that breaks out the back and then reforms close to the shore and breaks again, quite good for intermediate surfers.
Grommet/grom – name given to young surfers.
Glassy – name referring to the condition of the waves and/or ocean when there is no wind and the surface of the water takes on a glass like appearance i.e. “After the rain it just went super glassy and fun.”
Choppy – name referring to the texture of the water usually when it’s windy or big i.e. “The waves weren’t good today. It was too choppy.”
Messy – when waves are not lined up, opposite to clean.
Clean – when the waves are nice and lined up usually accompanied with offshore wind.
Offshore – when the wind blows from land to sea making the waves clean. This can also produce good barrels. Sometimes if the offshore is strong it can make it choppy.
Onshore – when the wind blows from the sea into the land making conditions messy and choppy and generally not that good for surfers. This can be fun sometimes.
Cross shore – when wind blows across the shore, different combinations can occur i.e. cross onshore, cross offshore.
Whitewash – referring to the wave after it has broken. Most beginners will start by catching the whitewash.
Green wave/unbroken wave – referring to the wave before it has broken
Righthander – a wave that breaks to the right (if you’re looking back to the beach).
Lefthander – a wave that breaks to the left (if you’re looking back to the beach).
Close out – a wave the breaks all at once offering no shoulder to surf, not good for surfers.
Goofy footer – a surfer that rides the wave with his/her right foot forward.
Regular/natural footer– surfer that rides with his/her left foot forward.
Weak – when waves have no power.
Strong – when waves have a lot of power. Currents and wind can also be referred to as strong.
Leggie/leash/legrope – the plastic cord that joins you to your surfboard, commonly worn on your back foot, essential piece of equipment when starting out.
Wipeout– when you fall off the wave.