(Evening Sunset)
Adjustment is always challenging, especially when being in a foreign country. You are thrown into a completely new culture and forced to assimilate quickly. Luckily, there is no language barrier in Ireland unlike many other European countries. This, coupled with the fact that I have traveled to Dublin before, made me feel confident in my abilities of transitioning to everyday Irish culture. However, as the sun begins to set on our fourth night here, the confidence has quickly dwindled away. This style of travel is something that I have never experienced before. Instead of vacationing, I am actually living in a foreign country. It is a completely different experience. I am not spending my days sightseeing or eating at Rick Steve’s recommended restaurants. Instead, I am going about my day as if was a local. I had to come to terms with the fact that this major change is going to take some time to get used to.
Compared to Bucknell, UCD’s campus, the place we are staying, is massive. There are roughly 38,000 undergraduate students. I have been trying to go on runs around campus and the surrounding area in order to become more familiar with my surroundings. During one of my runs, I stumbled upon a rugby pitch. Previously, I played rugby back at Bucknell. Ireland has a very strong rugby team and I remember watching them last semester play at this year’s Rugby World Cup. Seeing the Irish Rugby crest sparked a nostalgic memory for me of my days back on the pitch.
(Rugby Pitch)
In addition to running, I have been trying to explore campus for dining options other than just the campus village. A new spot that I really enjoy, Gather and Gather, has great coffee and a wide selection of pastries, and pasta dishes. Going to different spots for food on campus has allowed me to immerse myself more with the student population at UCD and feel more comfortable while here.
(Hip Place to Eat on Campus)
The company that I am interning for, Bill Moss Data, focuses on using analytics to help enhance businesses sales efficiency. During my first day at the office, I was introduced to Dara, a Data specialist, Aisling, the AI and Data Director, and fellow intern Mike, from UC Boulder. Mike and I learned about the different projects we would be working on for the summer. These projects deal with data cleaning and database matching.
First Day of Work
Touring EPIC (The Irish Emigration Museum) was great for learning about Irish history. The museum provided an interactive experience dedicated to the history of Irish emigration. It offers a look at the global impact of Irish emigrants. One fact that surprised me was how popular hurling was in Argentina. This was a result of Irish Argentine immigrants introduced hurling in the country in 1887. The two photographs below were both taken outside the museum. The first was of the giant 3D (EPIC) sign and the other was of a pup I met named Toby. Getting a photograph of Toby caused me to spark up a conversation with his owner, a local Dubliner. We had a great conversation about how cute Toby was and shared some laughs about the inconsistent weather that day.
Toby the pup
My final picture was taken at the Lombard, a pub located near the Irish Emigration Museum. At this pub, I was able to converse with another local gentleman, Chef. Him, the bartender, and I discussed the upcoming rugby match on Sunday. Dublin is playing Kilkenny in the Leinster final. Meeting Toby’s owner and the two gentlemen at the pub reassured me how warm and friendly Irish people are. Despite being a foreigner, the Irish welcome everyone to participate in their culture. Even though I still feel that I am adjusting, to my internship, the campus, and life in general, it is reassuring to know how inclusive the Irish actually are.
