As I finish my fourth week living and working in Ireland, I’ve had time to really take in the differences between life here and back home. While I’ve adjusted fairly well, there have definitely been moments that have pushed me to adapt both personally and professionally. One of the first things I noticed, especially outside of work, is the slower pace of everyday life. Things just move a little more calmly here. People take their time with meals, conversations, and even errands. Coming from a fast-paced, task-oriented environment in the U.S., this shift was a little frustrating at first. The way I am used to doing things is to get them done as fast as possible so that I can move onto the next task and check that off the bucket list. For example when waiting for the bus we were waiting on the highway and there was not a single car that would go by that was going faster than 60 miles an hour. This was shocking to us because there are some back roads that people will drive faster on in the states then people here were driving on the highway. 

In the workplace, the biggest adjustment for me has been the informality in professional communication. Back home conversations at work tend to be more focused on tasks, and small talk is usually kept to a minimum, especially with supervisors. But at Irish Insolvency Solutions, it’s common to spend several minutes chatting about weekend plans or family life before even touching on a work topic. At first, I thought I might be wasting time or being unprofessional, but I quickly learned this is just part of the culture. These personal conversations actually help build trust and make the office feel more collaborative. It’s taught me that getting to know people yu work with and connecting with them on a more personal level can streamline a business process and make everything work more collaboratively. 

Another thing I’ve had to adjust to is the level of independence I’m given at work. My supervisor often gives me a task with minimal instructions and expects me to figure things out or refer to previous documents and templates. At first, I felt unsure and a bit anxious. I didn’t want to do anything wrong. But over time, I’ve learned to trust myself more and use the tools I’ve been given to work through challenges. I’ve also become more comfortable asking questions or checking in after I’ve attempted a task, rather than waiting to be told exactly what to do. That shift has helped me grow more confident and independent. Lastly I have learned that making mistakes is just another part of the job and that it happens all the time so to just know that they will happen and learn from them has helped me be less anxious when completing tasks. 

All in all Dublin is a very different place when compared to the United States whether that is due to the speed at which things are done, the relaxed life at work, or the independence and trust given to me in my role. They are all things that are very important to figure out and get a new perspective on so that I can take these experiences and apply them to my life going forward. 

This week in Dublin has definitely been the best weather we have had so far since being here. The prior 3 weeks have had on and off rain nearly everyday with it being in the mid to low 60’s everyday as well. However this week has been sunny almost everyday and in the mid to high 70’s which has been very nice. This led to me and my roommates doing more things outside throughout the week such as throwing the frisbee, going for runs, or sitting outside while eating. This has been great because it allows for us to be out more with other people and it has led to many more random encounters with other people on the program and also Irish people. For example when throwing the frisbee ion a field last night we saw a dog running toward us with a tennis racket and tennis ball in his mouth. This was very funny and when talking to the owner, who was an older gentleman, he showed us all the dogs tricks and told us his life story. We ended up having a very nice conversation with him and his dog was very funny. Without the weather being as nice as it was we wouldn’t be out as much to have encounters like that.