This week at AllGo, we launched our Green month campaign for July. A major cultural difference I have noticed is a prominence in green behaviour, as opposed to green washing. The U.S heavily uses air conditioning, has incredibly car-centric infrastructure, and widely uses single use plastic. In Dublin, I have never used a plastic bag or plastic straw. All straws are paper along with shopping bags. There is also a culture of reusable water bottles and reusable shopping bags. Though few paper straws are durable and often get soggy quickly, this minor inconvenience is a worthwhile sacrifice to benefit the environment. The walkable infrastructure, along with the widely accessible public transportation, makes Dublin a comfortable city to live in without a car for most destinations. In the Allgo office, every employee is given an AllGo branded reusable mug and water bottle in line with our no-single use plastic policy.
For Green Month, we are partnering with two environmental organizations: The Ocean Cleanup and the Great Bubble Barrier. Today we virtually met with Carla, marketing and communications director at the Great Bubble Barrier to learn about the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and future plans. It is both inspiring and reassuring to hear about new environmental innovations. In the face of legislation that is actively attacking environmental protections, it gives me a glimmer of hope to know that other countries like the Netherlands are still making positive contributions to the globe. The Great Bubble Barrier pumps air through perforated tubes to creates a bubble barrier. This bubble barrier captures pollution in the river without harming wildlife or ship passages.
For the month of July, AllGo will donate 10 Euro to The Ocean Cleanup and the Great Bubble Barrier for every Mastercard order placed. I’m so proud to be a part of an a company that values climate action and enacts company policies to support a mission of a cleaner Earth.
Learning to Slow Down
I don’t have any other work updates as we’re still working through compliance checks and completing the same tasks. It is exciting and motivating to see all the progress we are making as we inch closer to our monthly goal of 2,000 KYB verified companies. In the future, I look forward to progressing to more involved verification tasks and even helping out with marketing and operations for our Green Month campaign! In a world of chaos it is nice to sit down in a calm environment for 8 hours completing monotonous tasks. It was a rough adjustment at first, but I’m learning to slow down and lean into the simplicity of my work days. I instead focus on celebrating my time in Dublin by making fun plans outside of work to explore the city and go on weekend trips! Having a slow day at work makes me appreciate my post-work activities even more.
From my 4 years of customer service experience in fast-paced and loud environments I’m so used to running around all day and barely taking time to rest. But, at AllGo I get an hour long break and I work at a steady pace with no harsh external pressures . At first, I resisted the hour long break and worked all day to reach surpass our daily goal of verified companies. Now on week 5 of the program, I’m starting to feel exhausted and sluggish all day. With the back to back weekend trips, post-work adventures, and my 8+ mile daily walks my body is signalling to me that I need to slow down and rest. Now instead of walking 4 miles to work, I take the bus more often and I go on long walks after work. I also started taking breaks. Though I have trouble sitting still and relaxing for an hour during the work day, I have started to weaning myself into breaks by sitting outside for around 30 minutes and walking around the city for the remainder of my break. I’m learning to embrace the relaxed work culture at AllGo and prioritize self-care by giving myself rest and not pushing myself too hard physically.
Allgo Social: BrewDog
Thursday after work, we went to Brew Dog for drinks, dinner, and tote bag painting! It was a great opportunity to get to know more of my co-workers outside of the office. The tote bag painting was also fun and relaxing. I ended up winning first place for my tote bag and received a chocolate orange as a prize. I’m so thankful for Allgo for planning such a lovely night and creating a positive work environment in and outside of the workplace.
Weekend Travels: Galway & Belfast
This weekend I went on my first solo trip to Galway! Most of my friends have already been to Galway at least once and I’m trying to explore more of Ireland before the program ends. So, I booked a last minute train to Galway and spent the day there. I often don’t spend much time alone, so it was quite peaceful to enjoy my own company and be present with my thoughts for the first time in a while! I started my day off with breakfast at the Jungle Café before heading on the bus to the Cliffs of Moher. Due to the last minute nature of the trip and my lack of planning, I was not prepared for the rather unpleasant weather. As the rain started trickling in, I wasn’t alarmed as Ireland is super rainy normally. But, the rain picked up along with the wind to create a beautiful combination of frigid temperatures with rain drops slapping my face as furious gusts of wind almost blew my glasses off my face. Besides that minor inconvenience, the cliffs were still beautiful to see in person. I also stopped to watch a cow get milked to deepen my reconnection with nature. After I had enough of the lovely weather, I headed back into town to get food and board the train back to Dublin.
The next day, my friends and I went the Dublin pride parade and it was such a beautiful celebration of love. This was my first pride parade and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. An honourable mention I want to include is The George’s float full of drag queens and great music. The George is one of our favourite bars, so it was exciting to see their float!
After the parade, we got brunch and then Liv and I headed to the train for Belfast. Liv and I went to a Boiler Room Set and it was so fun! The music and the energy at the venue were next level. The following day, we went to the Belfast Castle and enjoyed the view while we sat and talked for a few hours. Then, we headed into the city to quickly get food before taking our train back to Dublin.
I had such a long and fun weekend full of travel! I’m so glad I ventured out alone to explore more of Ireland! Next week I look forward to enjoying the nice warm weather and going to Amsterdam next weekend.
Internship Reflection: Critical Reflection on Hard & Soft Skills
During my time in Dublin so far, I have noticed improved communication and team-work skills. Meeting with Irish AllGo workers who have a different backgrounds, humour, and communication styles was a hurdle I overcame by learning to speak up for myself when I’m seeking clarification. In the past, I was very quiet and docile in the workplace, but now I am comfortable advocating for myself and being honest about any confusion I may have. With the added independence and a lack of direct oversight in my role at AllGo, I’m learning to trust myself more and problem solve with my team or individually. When I approach companies with flagged leadership or complex management structures, I use my the KYB procedure document and my experience to decide if I will proceed with the verification or not. I’m also improving my teamwork skills by collaborating with my colleague, Jonathan to figure out ambiguous or complex company verifications.
As for hard skills, I have moderate proficiency with HubSpot as I use this software for most of my daily tasks including: emailing clients, performing compliance screenings, and analysing data. I am also learning about risk assessment by using AllGo’s policies and Irish laws and regulations to identify and respond to potential risks.
Internship Reflection: Critical Reflection on Cultural Competencies
Through my experience with AllGo I have gained several cultural competencies that have enhanced my ability to navigate cross-cultural situations. Living and working in a foreign country has pushed me out of my comfort zone by adapting to new cultural norms, work environments, and communication styles. To adapt, I have learned to be more open-minded, flexible, and outspoken to ask clarifying questions.
My interpersonal communication skills have also improved as I encounter interactions with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. I adjust my tone and stay aware of local slang and indirect communication. I now feel comfortable communicating across cultural differences in both a professional and casual context.