Week One Recap
It’s only been one week in Dublin, and I already feel like time is running out! There is simply too much to experience, even with a two-month timeframe. I arrived at the Dublin airport early Monday morning, completely jet-lagged, depleted, and drowsy from anxiety. I had planned to take the Aircoach Bus to the UCD Campus, where I am staying this summer, but as soon as I landed, I decided to make things easier and hail a taxi. This ended up being a great choice as my driver, Robert, gave me such a warm welcome to Ireland, including lots of recommendations for things to do during my time home. The traffic was overwhelming, but I felt a bit better, sitting in the front passenger seat, and knowing that I already had one person on my team here.
Later that day, I joined a Campus Tour, despite the exhaustion, and met a handful of students in the program. The campus seemed very overwhelming and confusing on the first day, but thankfully, I would get a handle on it quite quickly in the coming days. On Tuesday, we had our first full orientation, where everyone introduced themselves, and the program leaders talked about the opportunities and amenities available to us as Summer at UCD students! We also took a group trip to the grocery store, where I got to know my roommates more closely. I’m becoming a pro at mental math Euro to Dollar conversion, but I’m still working on grams to ounces!
Wednesday was an unexpected learning day. We took a small field trip to a local GAA chapter, where we listened to a presentation about the importance of Irish games to their culture and how it differed from American sports culture. Afterwards, we got to go outside to try some of them for ourselves. Well, “we”, except for me, who hit their head so hard on the bus, walking down the stairs, that they had to get a taxi home and lie down for the rest of the day. Lesson learned- duck!
On Thursday, I practiced the commute to my internship location, which was long but surprisingly easy and comfortable. I purposely got lost in the neighborhood, popping in and out of dead ends and cafes. I eventually wandered back towards the city center around St. Stephen’s Green, where I visited the Museum of Literature Ireland and did some urban sketching outside. I’ve loved documenting the Georgian style architecture here!
Friday was an exciting excursion to Glendalough, a monastic site in Wicklow, and Kilkenny, a picturesque town known for its medieval past and hurling. This visit made me excited to take more trips around the country during my time here. Finally, on Saturday, I tried a full Irish breakfast at a local cafe before heading to the Chester Beatty Library and admiring the manuscripts.
Assessing the Built Environment
My internship placement this summer is likely in the architecture industry, which includes design, planning, preservation, and construction. I am specifically looking for experience in historic preservation and urban planning, fields that lie between the architecture and non-profit worlds. I hope to develop a more nuanced understanding of buildings as living memories for communities rather than just physical structures.
In order to be successful in the architecture field, there are three areas of skill I found most relevant. The first is in observation and documentation. In architecture, it is very important to be detail-oriented and notice what other people do not. It is important to analyze space, form, and context. The second is in visual and verbal communication. Architects are the middle point between contractors and clients. Good architects work with clients through every step of the process, often checking in about expectations and realities for the project. They must therefore be able to both express their ideas in a visually accessible way to clients and verbally distill them as well. The third skillset is in technical abilities; proficiency in drawing and rendering software such as AutoCAD, Revit, Sketchup, and the Adobe Creative Suite is key for the execution of complex ideas.
I also considered the skills needed for non-profit management, as that is such a big part of historic preservation work. Financial knowledge, relationship building, and understanding of the law and relevant policies are all important to secure funding and establish a reliable non-profit.
In Dublin, architects have to be particularly aware of policies around housing and sustainability, especially as the population continues to increase both in the city center and surrounding suburbs. Cultural awareness is also particularly important because of how connected the community is with its history and regional differences. I am not yet sure how non-profit management will differ in Ireland versus the United States, but I am hoping to get a glimpse into that world during my internship!
Looking Ahead…
I can’t wait to start my internship on Tuesday! I am eager to apply my academic knowledge and learn more about the professional world, but I am also nervous to find out exactly what projects I will be working on since I’ve had such minimal communication with the firm so far. Wish me luck!