Another week down, and countless memories made. Time is moving fast, and I am trying to soak in every experience while I am here. Every week seems to bring something new, whether it is through my internship, exploring a different part of Ireland, or spending time with the amazing people I have met along the way. It is hard to believe how quickly the weeks are passing, but I am doing my best to appreciate every moment.
This week, I tried to spend more time on campus. I spend most of my days at work or exploring the city, so I do not always get the chance to hang out with my friends or the other students studying abroad. On Tuesday, I went to trivia with my friends at the UCD Clubhouse. It was a lot of fun, and I was surprised by how many random facts I actually knew. My group got over half of the questions correct, which I think is pretty impressive. It was a great way to relax after work and spend time with people I have gotten to know over the past few weeks.
On Thursday, I went to karaoke and met someone who is from Pittsburgh! We spent a while talking about the city, our favorite places back home, and what brought us both to Dublin. It reminded me how small the world can feel and how easy it is to connect with people when you share common experiences.
Then, on Friday, my friends and I visited one of Dublin’s most famous pubs, The Hairy Lemon. It was beautiful inside and had so much character. One of my favorite parts was learning about the tradition where visitors sign a bill from their home country’s currency and pin it to the wall. Looking around and seeing bills from countries all over the world made me realize just how many people have visited before us. Reading the notes people left made the experience even more special. I plan on going back before I leave Dublin so I can leave my own mark.
This weekend, my friends and I traveled outside of Dublin to Galway. We left bright and early on Saturday. Even the train ride there was beautiful, with rolling green fields and small towns passing by the window. As soon as we arrived, we spent the morning and afternoon shopping along one of the most beautiful streets I have ever seen. The streets were filled with colorful buildings, local shops, musicians performing, and so much energy. My friend and I visited as many stores as possible and picked up plenty of souvenirs to remember our trip. After walking around for hours, we checked into our hotel to relax before heading back out for the evening.
That night, I grabbed dinner from a local food truck before we went to a pub called The King’s Head. The atmosphere was incredible. They have live music every night, and everyone in the pub was singing along and enjoying themselves. It was one of those moments where I forgot about everything else and simply enjoyed being present.
The next morning, we woke up at 6:00 a.m. so we could visit the famous Cliffs of Moher before heading back to Dublin. The drive there was breathtaking, with narrow, winding roads and incredible scenery the entire way. After about an hour and a half, we arrived. Although the walking trail along the cliffs was closed, we were still able to admire the incredible landscape that draws so many visitors to Ireland every year. Standing there and looking out over the ocean was something I will never forget. Pictures simply do not capture how massive and beautiful the cliffs really are. We spent some time taking pictures, enjoying the scenery, and appreciating how lucky we were to experience such an iconic place before making our way back to Galway to catch our train.
After such an amazing weekend, I am excited to continue learning at my internship. Looking back on my time in Dublin so far, I have realized how much I have grown both personally and professionally.
One of the biggest transferable skills I have strengthened is communication. Working in a professional environment has taught me how to communicate clearly with coworkers, ask thoughtful questions, and collaborate with others when solving problems. I have also developed stronger analytical thinking and conflict-resolution skills. Much of my work involves analyzing invoices and financial statements, which requires a high level of attention to detail. I have learned how to carefully identify discrepancies, think critically about what the financial information means, and work through issues to resolve any inconsistencies I find. These experiences have shown me that being successful in accounting is about much more than simply working with numbers. It requires patience, critical thinking, and the ability to communicate findings effectively.
In terms of technical skills, I have gained valuable experience with Microsoft Excel and bookkeeping. Before this internship, I had classroom experience with both, but working with real financial data has been completely different. I have become much more confident using Excel to organize information, review financial records, and complete accounting tasks efficiently. I have also learned more about bookkeeping procedures and how important accuracy is when working with financial documents. These are skills that I know will continue to benefit me throughout my education and future career.
Living and working in another country has also strengthened my global competencies. Every day, I interact with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Whether I am collaborating with coworkers, meeting other study abroad students, or talking with locals while exploring Ireland, I have learned the importance of being adaptable, open-minded, and willing to learn from others. Experiencing a new culture firsthand has made me more confident navigating unfamiliar situations and communicating with people whose experiences are different from my own. As I continue my time in Dublin, I look forward to making even more memories while continuing to grow both personally and professionally.
