This week in Dublin was definitely eventful. Between work and everything we did over the weekend, I feel like I experienced a lot of “this is something I never thought I would be doing” moments.
Over the weekend, a group of us went to the Forty Foot, which is a swimming spot just outside of Dublin. Before coming here, I had never even heard of it, but apparently it is a pretty well-known place to swim, and people go there all year round. While we were there, we decided to go cliff jumping. I was honestly really excited to jump into the water, because I knew I would not have the chance to do it again anytime soon. Plus, this was the only “beach” day you are gonna get in Ireland, so you might as well take full advantage while being there. I was definitely a tiny bit nervous beforehand, mostly because I had no idea what to expect, but once I finally jumped it really wasn’t that bad. The worst part was the temperature of the water.
The Irish Sea is COLD. I am unsure of what the temperature of the water exactly was, but I do know that it was cold enough to make all of our bodies numb. We swam in the water for a while until some of us got tired of treading, so we got out and dried off. Then, we climbed over to this huge rock structure and relaxed there for a bit with everyone. It was honestly a really nice day, getting to relax and not have to think about the work week or anything.
We also went to the Guinness Storehouse this weekend, which I ended up enjoying way more than I thought I would. I expected it to just be a tour explaining how Guinness is made, but it was actually really interactive and engaging. There were exhibits about the brewing process, the history of the company, the advertising campaigns over the years, and Guinness’s connection to Dublin. One thing I really appreciated about the tour was that I learned a lot more about Irish culture while I was there. Before coming to Ireland, Guinness was honestly just something I associated with the country because everyone knows Guinness is “Irish.” I didn’t realize how significant it actually is to Ireland’s history and identity. It was interesting to see how something that started in Dublin became such a huge part of the country’s culture and international image.
As for my internship at Excel Recruitment, I had a pretty exciting milestone this week: I made my first reference call. In hindsight, it really was not that big of a deal, but it was the first time making a real call to someone that wasn’t in the office already, or expecting me to call them. Before I called them, I was definitely nervous becauseI wanted to make sure I was asking the right questions and handling everything professionally, while also being able to understand them on the other end of the line. Once I actually started the conversation, though, it went much smoother than I expected. It felt good to be trusted with that responsibility and to realize that I am becoming more comfortable in my role. Even though it was a small task, it was one of those moments where I could actually recognize my own growth since starting the internship.
At the same time, there are definitely still moments where I experience uncertainty at work. One of the biggest examples of this has been learning about Ireland’s retail industry. Since I grew up in the US, a lot of the stores and companies that candidates mention on their CVs mean absolutely nothing to me. Someone will mention that they worked at a certain retailer, and everyone else immediately understands what kind of store it is and the scale of the business. Meanwhile, I am sitting there trying to figure out whether it is the Irish equivalent of a local boutique or something more like Target.
At first, I found this a little frustrating because I felt like I was missing important context. However, I have started figuring out ways to navigate that uncertainty. Sometimes I can piece things together through context clues based on the candidate’s position and responsibilities. Other times, I will quickly look up the company online so I can understand what kind of store it is, how many locations it has, and how large its operations are. I think this has actually been one of the most valuable parts of interning abroad. Being in a different country means that there are going to be things I don’t immediately understand, but luckily the internet makes it really easy to adapt. Also, being willing to ask questions is another thing that I really started to use, even when it felt a little uncomfortable at times.
Overall, this week had a little bit of everything. I jumped into freezing water at the Forty Foot, learned more about Irish culture through the Guinness Storehouse, made my first reference call at my internship, and continued adjusting to working in a completely different environment than the one I am used to. Even though there are still moments where I have no idea what certain stores are or find myself Googling Irish retailers during the workday, I think those experiences are part of what makes this internship so valuable.