Getting used to life in Dublin has been much easier than I anticipated. Adjusting to the cultural differences hasn’t been too difficult since it is more similar to the United States than other European countries. It also helps that we are in a big group of American students on this program, so we aren’t all on our own. One of the first things I noticed is that people are very friendly and do not mind offering advice or directions to American tourists or students. All of the locals act as unofficial “tour guides”. The local Irish people also seem interested in Americans, and I have already been asked many questions about my family, school, and even American politics. As far as the professional environment, everybody seems equally as friendly and helpful. I am interning at a tax consulting firm called Kilbride Tax Consulting over the summer. My confirmation “interview” turned out to be an hour long meet and greet where I got to know my bosses on a personal level over a cup of tea. It was much less formal than any job interview I’ve had in the United States and my company did a great job of making me feel comfortable right away in the workplace. We also discussed my particular career interest of public accounting and how my experience this summer can prepare me for my future career goals. I am excited to start work and continue to explore Dublin in the coming weeks.