Before coming to Dublin for my internship in economic research, I assumed communication would not be a major hurdle. After all, Ireland and the United States both speak English, and both are considered relatively lower context cultures. But as I quickly learned, language is only the surface, it is the cultural rhythm, tone, and even some greater context beneath that makes all the difference. Working with my supervisor at Trinity College Dublin, I began to notice how differently communication flowed. Irish professionals in the academic environment, while direct in some ways, tend to favor subtlety, understating, and politeness in everyday interactions. Feedback, for example, is not blunt at all.
Over time, I started picking up on these indirect cues. If something was said to be “grand,” it didn’t always mean “excellent” it might just mean “fine” or even “barely acceptable,” depending on the tone. Learning to read not just the words, but the tone and facial expression that came with them, became an important part of daily communication. It wasn’t that people were avoiding honesty, it’s that they were just approaching it more sensitively than what I was used to.
Another major difference I encountered was the role of humor and informality. The Irish love to joke and even use sarcasm in meetings. Even small talk was different. In the United States, especially in the work environment, it feels that we move quickly to the agenda. In Dublin, meetings tend to start with a few minutes of catching up, trading stories, or talking about sports or weekend plans. Early on, I worried I was wasting time or being inefficient, but I came to see that these moments were not really just filler. They were part of the meeting, adding a sort of relationship context, something that carries weight even in a lower context culture like Ireland.
Of course, not every week was smooth. There were a few miscommunications that stood out. Aside from misreading feedback, I also had to adjust my email tone. In my first week, I sent emails that were meant to be efficient, whereas later, I would ask how things were and tell my supervisor how I was doing. This seemed also as a result of getting to know my supervisor and others better. In a hybrid work environment, these contexts are even harder to navigate. Without face to face interactions, misreading intent becomes easier.
Even email silence threw me off at first. I would send something and expect a response within a few hours, like we often do in the United States. But in Ireland, the pace can be more relaxed, and “no response” doesn’t necessarily mean “something’s wrong.” I learned to be more patient, follow up in a reminding fashion if needed, and avoid jumping to conclusions. What I took away from all of this is that clear communication is not just about being direct. Sometimes, especially in different cultural environments, it means listening more carefully, paying attention to what is not being said, and matching the communication style of those around you. Adapting to a new environment means learning to slow down, reflect, and sometimes say less.
These shifts may seem small, but they have impacted how I write, speak, and connect, both within the research environment and with others. I have become more deliberate and aware of tones, more tuned in to context, and better at expressing myself. In the end, this experience has not just made me a better communicator abroad, its given me skills in adapting to tones and context.
The picture is from my trip to Bray with friends this weekend. The town was so hard to get to. We made our way down the so called Amalfi Coast of Ireland. We had to get a bus to the near coast first, which landed us in Blackrock. This is a very nice shore town on the outskirts of Dublin. There we boarded a train using our Dublin transportation leap cards. These trains are called the Dart and it hugs the coast, making the views amazing. The whole commute took about an hour and some change. The beaches all around Dublin were packed, as were the trains and roads to get to them. This is because the weather over the weekend was absolutely perfect. The sun was out and the weather was at around eighty degrees. The beaches of Ireland are beautiful, but rarely used because of the raining, cold weather. Bray was a very nice town and the water was not even that cold. It was a very refreshing day and we got to get the famous ninety nine ice cream that comes with a flake.