So far, I love being in Dublin. My phone storage is already getting too full with photos from just the first week! This includes photos of the University College Dublin campus, views from a hike at Glendalough, the cute streets of Kilkenny, and the iconic Guinness Storehouse. I’ve learned it’s true that everything here is green. I’ve also learned the hard way that you definitely need to bring a raincoat with you everywhere you go, even if the weather app says it won’t rain. It probably still will, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
On Friday we got up bright and early at 8:00 a.m. to go to Glendalough for a group trip. We did a scenic hiking trail and I got some great photos along the way. After that, we got back on the bus to drive to Kilkenny where I got to explore some local shops, walk through the town, and visit the Kilkenny Castle. I thought the castle was very cool, but one of the EUSA staff members who is from Ireland, Helen, told me that Trim Castle is by far much better, so I will definitely have to see it for myself.
This past weekend I spent time exploring the city center more. One of the main shopping centers is called Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, and it’s a big mall filled with a mix of familiar and new shops. I was surprised to see so many U.S. brands like H&M, Skechers, and even Starbucks. One store that made me do a double-take was when I saw a “TK Maxx” instead of TJ. Other than that, there were a lot of fun local shops too. One of my favorites was “Golden Discs,” a store full of vinyl records, and another entirely devoted to rubber ducks. It has been fun noticing the similarities and differences between the shopping culture here and back home.
Today (Monday) was a bank holiday in Ireland, which means all of us had the day off. I visited the Guinness Storehouse museum and I loved it. I took way too many photos throughout the exhibit and learned all about the four ingredients it takes to make a Guinness: water, barley, hops, and yeast. One display that really stuck with me was an old advertisement featuring a fish on a bicycle with the caption, “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.” It was really clever, and the fish on a bicycle looked so ridiculous that I will definitely always remember it.
Tomorrow I want to head back to the city center. By St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre is St. Stephen’s Green Park, and I saw a lot of people there lying on the grass just relaxing on towels, reading, and enjoying the weather. Hopefully, I will get to do that tomorrow myself if it doesn’t rain too much.
On Wednesday, I start my internship placement at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). It’s one of Ireland’s leading institutions for modern and contemporary art. While I’m still not sure what my exact role will be, in the interview they emphasized making this experience about things I want to learn. They mentioned projects such as helping them complete a website redesign and working on their Smartify app integration. So, I would say I’m working in the technology industry with a focus on UX Design. I’m really excited to start as this role allows for the intersection of technology, user experience, and the arts. To be successful in this industry, it’s important to have strong technical abilities, in my case specifically in areas such as web development, user interface design, and digital content management systems. I also think communication and collaboration will be a key skill as I will be making design changes based on feedback I receive from the marketing teams. In addition, problem-solving and adaptability are always important in technological roles as they usually involve troubleshooting systems and coming up with unique solutions to a problem.
People in Ireland care a lot about their history and culture, more than other countries. At a museum like IMMA, I think that sensitivity to historical context is very important. Furthermore, IMMA is known for having exhibits on controversial topics, so it’s important to understand how to present digital content in a way that is inclusive, accessible, and culturally aware. Overall, success in this industry, and especially in a host country like Ireland, requires blending technical knowledge with cultural awareness and a commitment to public engagement.
