Arriving in Dublin, I was initially nervous as I had been anxiously awaiting the arrival. I simply wanted to get to UCD and begin the classes and internship as I couldn’t wait to know exactly what was occurring. Part of that had to do with the fact that we would be in a different country and would be needing to adjust to the culture of both living here and working here. Since I have foreign parents, I was aware that the European environment and culture would be different in the United States and I was eager to explore those differences. When I arrived at my internship I was shocked to face the differences of the culture in the office. I felt a sense of calm. I was greeted kindly by my advisor along with the other office members who welcomed me with open arms. I walked in in my fitted suit dressed with the assumption of needing to be dressed business formal and being ready to work tirelessly all day which tends to be the working culture in the United States. This made me feel relaxed and ready to help the company, Financefair, in any way I could. I was guided with patience and was given breaks to make sure I was recharging throughout the day. Midday, I then had lunch with my advisor for an hour and a half. An hour and a half! This was shocking to me as I initially had the impression that I would be sneaking in a bit in between doing my work. This time with my advisor allowed me to understand more of the relaxed work culture within Dublin and the feeling of comfort starting my first internship. I was then also told I would not be expected to come into the office on Friday but rather work for home. This was a complete shock to me. I observed a major difference between the United States and Dublin as it didn’t feel as much of a “go go go” mentality. As much as I appreciate that mentality and the hard work and perseverance that comes with that, the sense of calm and flexibility within my abroad internship was something I truly respected as well. People assure that they are able to have a strong work life balance, and you could tell every member of the company was happy and motivated to be there. My first day of internship really allowed me to fully understand the different environments within different cultures. I am grateful for this experience and am extremely excited to continue exploring.
