The first few days of Dublin have been so exciting and filled with new experiences. Getting off the plane, I was really nervous but I quickly felt right at home as soon as I moved in and met my roommates. The first thing we did was go grocery shopping, and we made delicious penne a la vodka with chicken cutlet for dinner. This is the first time I’ve been responsible for cooking my own meals, and it’s been fun getting ingredients and planning everything out. On Sunday, we went shopping in Dublin and I loved walking around and seeing the city. However, I definitely underestimated how cold and rainy it would be. I’m not used to having to always bring a sweater with me in the summer! The first day of my internship was great, aside from the commute which I really struggled with. It was over an hour, and I had to change buses. I was really stressed about it but I made it on time! I think this trip will teach me navigation skills, which will be really beneficial to me. I’ve always had a hard time navigating public transportation but luckily the bus system has been relatively easy to adapt to in Dublin. My internship is at the criminal courts of justice, working with a solicitor. When I walked in, I had to go through a metal detector and have my bag checked. I was surprised by how big and official the building was, with both lawyers and people up for trial walking around everywhere. I met my supervisor who was so nice and welcoming and immediately went into a courtroom. It was really cool to see how they do it, and I was surprised to see how quickly they move through cases. In under an hour, over 100 people were tried for offences such as fights, possession, or car accidents. Then, I got to sit in and watch a trial for a murder case which was so interesting. I loved being able to see how the courts operate here and how my supervisor gets his clients. For example, we were standing together this morning and a man walked up to him and said he was involved in a bar fight and needed a lawyer. Immediately, my supervisor wrote down his details and took him on. I didn’t know that getting a criminal defense lawyer was that simple. I’ve also loved getting lunch with my supervisor the past two days, and hearing him talk about his experiences with the law, life, and education here in Ireland. He even gave me some pub recommendations. Overall, I’ve had a great experience so far and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip holds!
Walking around the pretty streets of Dublin
Inside the Criminal Courts of Justice, each room is a different court.
Night at the pub!
Found my last name at the EPIC museum
I love all the flower shops on the street!
