Wednesday was my second day of internship, where I had quite a few of my first in Ireland.
After the internship, I walked around the city with my fellow intern, who had a few errands to run. I stopped by a super cute Asian grocery store, where it was hidden inside a boba shop. It felt like a dream come true because I had never expected encountering an Asian grocery store in Ireland. The fact that it was also hidden away seems unique and different from the states. In the States, stores would all be putting themselves out there to attract customers, but this store hid itself inside a boba shop, which was an unexpected change. After I got my snacks, we went to a tailor in the busy city of Dublin, and it surprised me how discrete this place felt. It was on the three floors of a building, where each floor was a different store, and on the third floor, with slightly slanted stairs, there was the tailor. I never thought I would have to go to a tailor in Ireland, but it felt very different from what I would have experienced in the States.
The decorations of the Asian Grocery Store! (Asia Market)
After we left the tailor, it started to rain a few droplets. It reminded him that he lost his umbrella, so we went on another errand. While we scrolled through the city to find him an umbrella, we found a souvenir store. This was the first souvenir store I’ve explored in Ireland, and something caught my eye! Before coming to Ireland, a friend told me about wanting an Ireland sheep keychain for her birthday gift! It was an interesting request, but I didn’t know where to find it. At the souvenir shop, I found the perfect gift for her! I got my friend her sheep, and my fellow intern got his umbrella:)
The sheep I saw at the store and will be taking back to the States for my friend:)
After that, we parted ways, and I met Kayla! We sat in this beautiful park while looking at the different birds coming by. It was my first time seeing many of these birds because they are only in Ireland and not the United States. We watched many different birds come by alongside many ducks and swans swimming in the lake. The birds in the States would be so scared of people, but somehow, the bird pigeons in Ireland seem to have the energy of Europeans minding their business, not being scared of humans. We witnessed a pigeon sitting on the ground in front of multiple people with no fear of us; I was surprised because this would rarely happen in the States.
The pigeon that decided to sit down in front of everyone!
After it was time, Kayla and I walked from the park to the The Little Kitchen for our Welcome Dinner! Ireland is a very walkable place, different from the norms in the United States. We walked over to meet the entire group, and although it was a small space, it helped everyone bond with each other through the food. My favorite part of the event was the Crème Brûlée! It was my first time having one, and it was notable how we were all guessing what the orange tomato-like veggie was. We still don’t know for sure, but it was a great addition to the dish alongside the cranberry sherbet. It’s a fantastic way to end my day! It was my first time experiencing many different cultures in Ireland, and I hope I get to learn more about this beautiful country in the coming weeks!
The Crème Brûlée at The Little Kitchen!