As my time spent in Ireland is drawn to a close, it is clear that I have developed into a better person with newfound skills and a plethora of experiences to share. The eight weeks spent in Dublin was an experience that I did not see myself taking part in a year ago and one that I would not trade for anything.
Arriving in Ireland early in June, I was confronted with uncertainty and unknowns. I was dropped in a new place, with new people, starting a new job, and immersing myself in a new culture. At the time, all of these aspects were scary to think about and I was uncertain how the experience as a whole would turn out in the end. I don’t believe I expected to get as much out of the program than I did in the end. The new place I was put in was filled with beautiful landscapes, historic castles, ancient ruins, pubs and so much green. The people were some of the nicest, funniest and most accepting people I’ve ever met. The new job provided me with work experience in a new field and the opportunity to shadow my coworkers and learn how a true business operates. Lastly, the culture was deep rooted, interesting and filled to the brim with mythology, history and music. These unknowns became casual, daily experiences and the uncertainty of the trip is left in the past.
Starting my internship at Quantmatix was a step into a new world. Being an A.I. driven financial technology startup, I was excited going into the internship as the field was something I wanted to gain experience in. Arriving on the first day, curiosity of the difference in the work culture in Ireland was intriguing. Early on I discovered that the people here work to live and not live to work. People got their work done efficiently and effectively without staying countless hours late and pushing themselves too far. The priority in the work setting seemed to be focused on the needs of each individual. If someone wasn’t feeling well, then it was no problem to work from home. If you were headed out of the country for the weekend, schedule the earlier flight and just work as you travel for the day. This environment was surprisingly refreshing as the people seemed as if they genuinely cared about one another. As a Data Analyst intern, my role expanded each time I stepped into the office. I got experience researching and implementing solutions for backend metadata errors, took on tasks related to data cleaning and data preparation for analysis, and developed ideas for the improvement of data storage, collection, and sorting. All of these will act as building blocks for my future career path and the experience at my internship was great.
The best part of the trip was the weekly trips and excursions. Every monday the class would do a day trip in Dublin and experience everything from prison tours to museums. My favorite of all of the Monday day trips was the prison tour at Kilmainham Gaol. Walking through the old prison felt as if I had stepped into a portal into the past. It was so well kept that I was amazed there was a time that trees overtook the building and the roof collapsed in. The history behind every single cell was something I’ll remember for a long time. Each weekend we took longer day trips to castles, abbeys, mountains, forests, fjords and cathedrals. Every single Saturday I was learning more about the deep culture and history of the island of Ireland. The best weekends were the full weekends which were spent away for two nights. The first of these longer trips was to the west coast of Ireland, based in Galway, and the second was to Northern Ireland. Each trip brought us all closer together as we experienced all that Ireland has to offer.
Lastly, the course work in Ireland was interesting and interactive. Each monday was a class for Judging Justice where we had discussions on the differing legal frameworks and rulings of between the U.S. and Irish Supreme Courts. Discussions kept the class intriguing and I learned more than I’d expect out of a law class abroad.
Overall, I’d say that my experience abroad was nothing to be uncertain about. I developed into a better person since I came here, and I will be forever grateful for being able to experience Ireland this summer.
I really liked your reflection on this trip. I agree, I also didn’t expect that I would get as much out of this program as I did. I also really enjoyed learning about the culture and interacting with the people. I liked your point about Irish people, they are are truly so funny, accepting, and easy to talk to.