So far, my first week in Dublin has been a memorable one. I first arrived in Dublin at 10:00 A.M. and met up with my Aunt and Uncle from Tyrone, where we had breakfast together. Then, we made our way to University College Dublin (UCD) for me to check in. I arrived at UCD around 2 P.M., where I met with the team from EUSA and the individual responsible for my placement. After that, I moved into my dorm, said goodbye to my aunt and uncle, and met the other three guys I share my apartment with. The next day, we had orientation, where I had the opportunity to meet many new people from different backgrounds who were doing their internships in a field other than mine. Then, on Wednesday, we had the privilege of learning and playing Gaelic Games just north of Dublin, where my favorite game turned out to be Gaelic Football. After spending a Friday off hanging out with my roommates, we took an excursion to Glendalough and Kilkenny.

We first arrived in Glendalough where two of my roommates and I agreed that we would go on a hike and try and get a nice view from the mountains to the lakes below, after an hour hike up the hill we finally got to the top where we were above both lakes and you could see everything. We then began to panic as we realized we didn’t have much time to make it down the mountain. However, after picking up the pace, we managed to make our way down and got onto the bus, heading towards Kilkenny. After being on the bus for around 1 1/2 hours, we got to Kilkenny. Kilkenny was an amazing historical place with great culture and a great environment. We ended up getting something to eat in Kilkenny, then visited the castle, and finally headed back to the UCD campus.

Now that I have discussed what happened during my first week in Dublin, I would like to mention that I am here for a government internship with a Teachta Dála (TD), which is akin to a representative in the United States House of Representatives. I would consider this industry to be government, but especially representative, as the people directly elect a TD, and it is their job to represent the people in the lower house of the Irish Parliament. Now, for the key strengths and skills required to succeed in this field, I would say that you need to be a great listener, good at conveying thoughts and ideas, and confident enough to articulate your beliefs.

The first strength you must have is the ability to listen. After all, the primary purpose of a TD is to serve the population that elected them, and with this, you must listen to the people, understand their thoughts, and address their concerns. This brings me to the second skill you need, and that is communication (especially clear and concise communication). You must be able to convey your point clearly, without overcomplicating the subject matter, which can become particularly challenging when discussing politics and government. The last ability you need is to be strong and confident in what you believe in. You must stand up for your people and their concerns; if you simply sit in silence and let things pass, you are misrepresenting the people who elected you. If you struggle to advocate for your constituents, you are not only providing them a disservice but also decreasing the chance that you will be reelected, and rightfully so. 

The most critical competencies necessary for success are cultural awareness, networking, and adaptability. Although the United States and Ireland are alike in many ways, there are still so many cultural differences between the US and Ireland that you have to acknowledge the differences and possibly see issues in a different light because of these cultural differences. Another essential competency is the ability to network. Networking allows you to connect with colleagues and others to help you achieve your goals and gain more support for specific initiatives. In this field, you also need to be able to adapt to the constant changes that occur across the political landscape and government. From changing political views and landscapes to the technology used, if you fail or struggle to adapt, it will be nearly impossible to perform your job to the highest extent. Many other competencies would help you succeed in this field, especially coming from Ireland, but I would say these three are the most valuable.