We’re halfway done with the program and each week keeps going by faster and faster! Per usual, I had a great week in Dublin and Barcelona! At AllGo, my colleague Jonathan and I moved up to level 2 compliance checks which involve emailing clients directly to confirm any missing information. My 4 years of customer service experience came in handy during these tasks. I fully felt comfortable interacting with clients as our supervisor provided us with a template to get the ball rolling! Another change to my placement this week is a new intern, Gustavo joining our team! We are thrilled to have his help on our team as we can meet our deadlines with ease! It’s so helpful to work in a supportive team environment with peers who motivate and guide one another. I’m feeling settled, yet pushed at AllGo! I know how to complete my tasks and I feel comfortable in this environment, but I still have to perform well and push myself to meet our daily and weekly goals. I look forward to moving up to more advanced tasks in the future and I am so happy to be here! We are still have technical difficulties with the software, but I have gotten used to these interruptions. I appreciate the flexibility of this placement, but it is quite difficult to focus with frequent interruptions. This is a hurdle I’m working to overcome by focussing on level 2 compliance checks that do not require the use of this software.
This Tuesday, I went back to Blackrock with friends from Colorado State and I had such a fun time! We had a picnic, walked along the water, and (of course) took lots of pictures. I’m so glad I went into this program with random roommates because I have met so many people through my roommate, Faith who also goes to Colorado State. At first I was quite nervous to live with 3 girls I had never met before, but we all mesh together so well. I’m so thankful for all the beautiful friendships I have made during my short stay here so far!
On Friday night, I flew to Barcelona with Liv where we met up with Shwetha at the hostel! This time, I packed shower shoes and more than one pair of socks (to hopefully avoid a case of foot fungus)! I also started packing 2 days in advance and felt well prepared for our weekend trip.
Our trip flew by so fast and I had the best time! On our first day, we woke up early to visit visited Casa Batlló and La Pedrera – Casa Milà. Both attractions were astounding to view in person and filled with rich history and unique architecture. I liked the self-guided structure of the ours in which we could individually listen to a recording describing the history while viewing everything at our own pace. Then, we got brunch at a café and had empanadas. The highlight of our first day was our trip to the beach! It was nearly 90 °F, so the ocean was perfectly warm! Even though I (still) can’t swim, I had fun dipping my toes in the water and soaking up the sun. One cultural difference I took note of at the beach was the constant presence of vendors selling drinks, blankets, cigarettes, etc. Some vendors were more persistent than others, but we eventually got used to shaking our head no or waving off the endless sea of vendors. I understand the beach we visited was known as a tourist spot and another beach further away is less touristy. I still had a great time as my friends and I enjoyed snacks and the water for several hours. After the beach, we got dinner and then took time to rest before going out!
On our second and final day, we checked out of the hostel and did a lot of shopping! We found a massive vintage shop filled with a wide selection of clothing, jewellery, and bags! I got a Levi’s mini skirt for only 25 Euro that was so excited about. After a few hours of shopping, we headed to Park Güell. This tour was also self-paced and had no time limit! Per the photos below, it was beautiful to see! After a lot of walking around in the heat, we got a well-needed dinner. We went to a tapas restaurant and shared empanadas, calamari, bread, and more! Everything was so delicious and it was so fun have an authentic tapas experience. We ended our night by going out and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset on the beach! After a long walk from the beach to the hotel we got our belongings and headed to the airport.
Barcelona has by far been my favourite trip so far and I would love to go back and do more sight seeing, eating, and trips to the beach! I’m so thankful to already live in Europe where we can easily travel to other countries. This is my first time in Europe, so I’m taking advantage of the convenience our location by going on as many weekend trips as I can! The next international trip I have planned is to Amsterdam the weekend of the Fourth of July and I can’t wait! Next weekend, I’m going to my first Boiler Room set in Belfast with my friends Liv and Eliza! I have a lot of fun outings to look forward to and I couldn’t be happier to be here!
Internship Reflection: Adaptability & Flexiblity
In my experience with both Moop and AllGo, I have struggled with more independence and less structure in the workplace. Sometimes receiving vague directions left me to navigate the uncertainty myself and/or ask clarifying questions. Though I don’t have any American corporate experience to draw from, I’ve also noticed a slightly less friendly working environment. Americans are stereotyped as being overly-friendly, and I would have to agree. Walking by someone without smiling or nodding in acknowledgement can be viewed as rude in certain environments back home. Jonathan recounted the time he smiled at a colleague and received a confused expression in return. My co-workers at AllGo are friendly and kind, but not nearly as friendly as my past American co-workers. So now, I don’t feel pressured to smile at everyone I walk past and it is slightly freeing. Friendliness can be a strength, but I also think it can get excessive and ingenuine at times.
Reading other Dublin IIP blogs, I have also observed a more relaxed environment that is in stark contrast to the hustle culture of many American cities. Though we still have weekly goals to hit as a team, there is not a lot pressure and rushing around the workplace. I find fast-paced environments to be stressful and overstimulating, but incredibly motivating. Relaxed environments leave me with less external pressure to push myself. This creates a new challenge, but also an opportunity for self-growth. I am learning more about myself and how I can hold myself accountable in the workplace. I take short breaks to on a walk or grab a snack when I feel myself losing focus and I always listen to upbeat music while I work. This has definitely been a learning curve, but I’m already adjusting and improving my self-discipline and focus.
I’m so thankful for this opportunity to immerse myself in another culture and gain a new perspective on the way of life. I am not facing any significant struggles assimilating into the Irish work culture and I feel fully supported by the KYB team and supervisors at AllGo!
This has been my favourite week yet and I’m thrilled to see what the future brings!
