From Guadalajara to Galway – a successful story

Students from all over the world come to Galway Business and English School to improve their English and enjoy the rich Irish culture, but not too many can say their main aim is to boost the career of their rock band.

Two years ago, that’s exactly what two brothers from Mexico did. As their rock band, Bardon, was getting plenty of interest from countries such as Poland, Switzerland, and Spain, Guillermo and Caesar Lara Franco decided to cross the Atlantic to try out a new life.

The only complication was that their drummer decided to stay in Mexico. But, just a few days after arriving, they met a new drummer from Brazil in a Galway gym!

The brothers loved Galway, and Galway loved them, so much that they are still here more than two years later! 

From language study to a business degree

After studying English for one year, they have decided to take on another challenge.

All our students could choose to study an undergraduate degree in business in Galway Business School if they wish to further their education to a university level. So did Guillermo and Caesar. They moved from studying English at Galway Business and English School to studying a business degree at the Galway Business School, which is also located at our stunning premises by the sea in Salthill.

Living and studying in Galway has allowed them to explore Europe in their free time and play gigs across Ireland, Switzerland, and Spain. And Guillermo, who came to Galway with a high level of English (C1), has become such a popular figure at Galway Business and English School that the school management even offered him a part-time job.

Guillermo and Caesar, who are from Guadalajara, had already lived in Canada for a year. But after analysing the streaming data for their music, they realised that most of their fans were in Europe.

So they decided to make a big change by moving to Galway!

“Most of our audience was in Poland,” says Guillermo. “It wasn’t a huge surprise, because the name of the band is Polish, even though we had three Mexicans in the band!

“We started to think about places to live in Europe. We had already taken French classes when we lived in Montreal, which is in the French-speaking part of Canada. So we looked at the idea of coming to Ireland. Our drummer had other commitments in Mexico and he decided not to come with us.”

They had considered studying music in Dublin, but a chance encounter with an agent in Mexico changed their minds. He told them that Galway was a more relaxing city than Dublin and that they would love the pace of life.  

“The agent told us that Dublin was a bigger city, that the rent was cheaper in Galway, and that Galway is more of a cultural city than Dublin. After talking to him, we decided to come to Galway. We have loved living here,” says Guillermo. 

Galway Business and English School's connection to Mexico

They also discovered that David Niland,director of Galway Business and English School, is the Honorary Consul of Mexico in the West of Ireland. Therehas always been a wonderful connection between Mexico and Galway Business and English School, with Mexican culturalcelebrations taking place throughout the year. 

An honorary consul is a lay representative of a government inanother country and acts to assist and protect its citizens. The agreement alsofacilitates trade and friendship between the two countries. A consul works in avoluntary capacity and David is one of 30 international consuls in the wholecountry. He has jurisdiction in Galway, Clare, Mayo, Donegal and Leitrim.

Both Guillermo (bass) andCaesar (guitar and vocals) began studying English at Galway Business and English School, but they admittedthat their main reason for coming to Galway was to promote their rock band.

It did not take them long to find adrummer, Thiago Paiva from Brazil. He was not lacking in confidence when heapproached them in the gym.

“After three or four days in Galway, wedecided to look for a drummer. We posted an advertisement on Facebook. We hadresponses from a few Irish guys. We had three of them, but they were not thetype of drummer we were looking for,” says Guillermo.

“Then we went to the gym one day. Thiagocame up to us and told us he had seen the ad. He was also studying English inGalway. My girlfriend said he looked just like Lemmy from Motorhead. He fittedright in and he has been with us for two years now!”

Guillermo and Caesar both madegood friends at our language school. He says it was no problem when they livedtogether, studied together, and played music together. Caesar has since got hisown place.

“We came here with a high level ofEnglish and we have made good friends for life in Galway. My brother and I havea good relationship, we respect each other and work together, and we used tohave a recording studio in Mexico together,” he says. 

Expanding his studies with a business degree

Guillermo dropped out of a university course in Mexico, but he has loved life in Galway and his new family at Galway Business and English School so much that he decided to enrol for a Bachelor of Business course at the Galway Business School. This decision not only introduced him to new peers, business professionals and expert lecturers, but also allowed him to extend his stay in Ireland.

Our Bachelor of Business if a three-year undergraduate programme designed to give you a clearly structured, yet innovative education in business. The degree provides learners with a solid foundation for success in their future careers.

Read more here.

The business degree programme has opened new doors for our Mexican students as they meet other learners from all over the world focusing on getting a higher education in business in Ireland. 

Guillermo says the time he spent at the language school really helped with his transition to studying Business at its Galway Business School. He really enjoyed interacting with students from other countries at Galway Business and English School, but says that improving his English really helped his transition to the business course. 

"It helps to have a good level of English before going to the Business School. The Bachelor is three years with an option of a fourth year. The English school is more relaxed, and fun, whereas we have to work hard at the business school and our lecturers really take a keen interest in our business plans and want them to succeed," he says. 

He says that the school has been really good to the band. Directors Celestine Rowland and David Niland have allowed Bardon to rehearse in the school, to shoot a video on the roof, and they are planning to record an album at Galway Business and English School outside school hours.

Who knows? The school could soon have huge rock stars!

“It is good to follow yourdreams,” says Guillermo. “Even though we came here with a good level ofEnglish, we are not native speakers and we never will be. It’s always good tohave someone to help you improve or to correct you.

“Even though we are Mexicans and thethird guy is Brazilian, we call ourselves an Irish band. We have been on the gofor four years, two years in Mexico and two here in Ireland. Music has been mylife since as long as I can remember.”

Guillermo and Caesar are examining theprospect of opening up a shop to sell leather goods in Galway. Their lecturers atGalway Business School are very impressed by their dedication and passion, both for their band andfor developing a new business in the city.

“We used to have a leather goods shop inGuadalajara,” says Guillermo. “I am surprised that people in Ireland don’t wearmuch leather. They don’t realise you can buy high quality leather jackets whichare light and waterproof. There’s a market here that we can exploit. We useboth the band and the leather goods business for all the activities we have atthe business school.”

Guillermo admits that life in Galway ismuch different to his experiences growing up in the much bigger city ofGuadalajara. But he loves the change and the passion Galway people have formusic.

“I come from a really big city and Ireally enjoy the peace and quiet of Galway, although sometimes I feel that it’sway too small. But we love it here!”

--  * A digital journalistbased in Galway, Ireland, Ciaran Tierney won the Irish Current Affairs andPolitics Blog of the Year award. Find him on Facebook  or Twitter here.Visit his website here - CiaranTierney.com.