Irish Adventures

It’s been a little over three weeks since I first arrived in Ireland, and I couldn’t have imagined having a better time. When I first arrived in Dublin, my initial reaction was that my surroundings looked pretty similar to those in America. However, as I went around more, I noticed that Ireland is a very green and beautiful country. I was also pleasantly surprised by how environmentally friendly Dublin and UCD (which is the university we have been staying at) is.

On our first few days while we trying to figure out how to get around everywhere, my roommate and I both walked and took the bus. It was interesting to see how efficient and extensive the bus system was. Contrary to the United States, many people here end up relying heavily on public transport since it is so advanced. Although having such an extensive public transport system is a good thing, it did lead to me having a couple of frustrating experiences getting lost because I would take the bus in the wrong direction and then end up in an area I didn’t recognise. So, I wish I would have prepared more by researching how to use the different forms of transportation here.

I found it really helpful to have researched Ireland’s cultures and customs beforehand so that I knew how to behave appropriately. On my third day here, I went to the interview for my internship, where it felt like we were having more of a conversation than a full on interview, which I definitely preferred. When doing research for the course, I remember reading that Irish business practices are relatively relaxed and informal in comparison to American practices, and this definitely reflected during my interview, so it was useful that I was prepared for that.