Week 2 in Dublin has brought a sense of comfort as I’ve started to settle into the rhythm of life at UCD. I’ve made the usual runs to Tesco, Aldi, and SuperValu to pick up everyday essentials, and I’ve noticed that my roommates and I have evolved from casually eating out whenever hunger strikes to cooking at all hours of the day whenever we need a protein fix. I can tell you that Aldi is the best store hands down, especially when it comes to getting the value out of what you pay for. While it may not have much beyond groceries, that tends to be exactly what my roommates and I need most of the time anyway.
After a full week of coursework and internship work(mostly) last week, it was refreshing to venture beyond the UCD campus and experience the energy of the city in a more relaxing and personal way. I want to emphasize how truly grateful I am for so many things since coming to Dublin, and I often notice those little snippets even more when I am abroad than back in the US. But what I really want to talk about is how grateful I was to be able to have a study abroad experience celebrating the birthday of one of our fellow students on the trip, especially one I am living with: Nathaniel Falcon. This past weekend, Nathaniel turned 19 years old and my fellow roommates and I ventured with him to explore more of the city as a whole. We headed to Drury street, a lively stretch known for its energetic mix of cafes, pubs, and local shops. Being tucked away behind Stephen’s Green, it’s a pocket of Dublin that feels both modern and historic. We spent that evening surrounded by laughter, good food, and the kind of candid conversation that happens only when you’re fully present and away from the typical weekend routine that happens back in the states. What made the weekend even more special was unexpectedly reconnecting with another Bucknell student during the celebration. It was my friend Peter, who isn’t a part of the Bucknell in Dublin program but is here for a similar internship experience at a magazine company. Back at Bucknell, we play rugby together and see each other regularly, so it was a meaningful and familiar connection in a new setting far away from rural Pennsylvania. Hopefully, while I am here, I can see him more often and connect up with his friends again as we did last weekend. Aside from that, I also bought Nathaniel a delicious cake that my roommates and I could all share once the night had subsided!
After wrapping up Thursday and Friday night in the city, we spent Saturday exploring Kilkenny, including a visit to the stunning Kilkenny Castle and its beautiful surroundings. We also made our way to the Wicklow Mountains, where we walked through a historic graveyard that reflected centuries of Irish tradition.
After a weekend full of exploring downtown Dublin and taking a trip to Kilkenny, my internship at Think Biosolution has finally started to pick up. As I mentioned in my first blog, things got off to a bit of a slow start since I didn’t begin working in the office until Friday. However, it is much clearer now what I will be doing as a Business Consultant intern for them. On Friday, I conducted a competitor analysis looking at all of the different AI voice agents and what key features differentiate them from one another. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I started to evaluate different programs that could be used to create interactive onboarding materials for users of the Voice Agent and new employees.
After all that has occurred since my last blog post, I can confidently say that I’m looking forward to going to Galway this weekend and continuing to explore Ireland with the friends I’ve grown even closer to. Whether it’s reconnecting with familiar faces like Peter or sharing new experiences with some of my roommates like Nathaniel, these connections have made Dublin feel more like my home away from home!
One of the main streets in Kilkenny where Tourists and Locals come to dine, shop, and sightsee
Kilkenny Castle, a historic landmark known for its stunning architecture and rich Irish history
A site of a historical artifact seen by many people at the national museum of Ireland
Yours truly, posing with a handcrafted sword and shield spotted at a pop-up in Kilkenny — didn’t make the purchase, but couldn’t resist the photo op