The next day was a Bank Holiday so we had the day off and were free to do what we wanted. I took it easy and stayed near home and got to know the Rathmines area. Some of the girls wanted phones and were wanting my €10 euro phone I had gotten back in January. However, stores were closed so it didn’t work out for them to get one. The rest of the day was spent hanging out and trying to do nothing, preparing for a long week ahead of just class at UCD.
We woke up early in the morning and had to figure out the best way to get to UCD from our house. We had not discovered where the bus stop to take us there was so we opted for the LUAS instead. It dropped us off about 20 minutes away from the campus so we had to make a bit of a hike and then walk all the way to the other side of campus. We were met with a breakfast in the café of the Quinn School of Business, then we went into a classroom and had an orientation meeting. We also received nice drawstring bags and portable mugs (great something else that I have to load into my already overstuffed, overweight suitcases!). We got an overview of what we were in for, for the next eight weeks and then we had our first class of four hours of Irish history. Luckily we received a few breaks along with a lunch break to give us some rest. By the end of the day I was ready to jump into bed for a few days. After we made it home, we were able to discover the more efficient way of public transportation with the bus, we all made dinner and then got ready and went to a pub which is just two blocks away for a pint. The pub, Portobello’s, was alright but we were essentially the only ones there and were extremely loud for the few that were there. Tired from the day, we decided to go back home and go to sleep early to wake up for another round of classes.
Wednesday brought a meeting from our internship coordinators who explained the differences between Irish and American workplaces and how we should prepare for our interviews. The meeting made me nervous, but also genuinely excited to start working. After the meeting, we had class, then lunch and then all headed on the city bus for a field trip to the National History Museum. As interesting as the museum was, I was more excited about its neighbor, the Leinster House where I am interning for the summer so as we passed by the gates leading to my soon-to-be second home, I was ready to walk in and start working. However, I had my interview to get ready for the next day so I went home and started preparing. When I got my placement it turned out that the TD or representative I was working for had connections with my family in Mayo, as he himself is from there. Honestly, I was not surprised at that point in my time in Ireland. I feel as though sometimes everyone on this island is connected. Well it turned out that after having talked with my cousin that he had spoken to the relations in Mayo and they made a phone call to my boss and had warned them I was coming. Oh Jay-sus it is going to be an interesting summer.
I woke up the next morning, picked out one of my many black dresses, put on my suit jacket and walked out the door ready for my interview. We had class the whole morning and then everyone had their interviews in the afternoon so we were all let go early. Mine was actually in the middle of class so I had to miss part of it so I could make sure to be on time for my interview. I had been to the Dail or Leinster House before when my relative’s friend took me in, but this time it was a bit different circumstances. I walked up and presented myself to security, I was told to sit down and then waited for someone to come get me. I chugged probably a bottle of water in that time and cleared my throat a thousand times. I was nervous, but when Conor, the TD assistant came to get me, I was less and less nervous. He was extremely friendly and was not as overly intimidating as I thought. Overall I had tea with John the TD and Conor and thought things had gone well and was ready to start work. As I walked out of the Dail, I was ready for it all to begin and to learn all that I could. When I got home, I was the first one back and was ready to tell everyone about how things had gone. However, I took a nap and woke up to find out that everyone else’s for the most part had gone well. Everyone except for my friend Marissa and I are in business, so some of the jobs to me did not seem too appealing, but I was glad everyone had had good interviews. We decided to go out that night to a pub down the street called Whelan’s, which is quite famous and is in the movie P.S. I Love You, and several people from the program were also there. I met a few people, but I couldn’t help missing the Irish, I felt as though I had only been surrounded by only Americans. So I went and met a few lads who were from the North and came down to see a band that had been playing that night. They were nice enough, but then our house headed home since we had another day of classes to battle through.
We headed back to UCD the next day for more class in the morning. We had a field trip in the afternoon so we were free to do what we wanted for lunch, so my house went to Grafton St., had some sandwiches. Our trip that afternoon was to, of course, the Leinster House. Everyone was amazed that that was where I was going to be interning for the summer. Since it was a Friday, not many people were there, but we took a tour and learned the history of the place. Our tour guide was also knowledgeable enough to inform us that the University of Notre Dame was located in Boston!! I didn’t know that since I had been gone ND had relocated. Oh well, I’ll have to update the man if I see him around work soon. That night we were ready to celebrate a bit and still had not really met anyone in our program, so we had a group of guys from our program come over before we went out. Before we went, my friend from SMC was still in Ireland traveling with the family, so she came over to see the house and meet my roommates, saying good-bye to her was hard since it was the last of the many. However, I got back to my new friends and one of the guys, suggested that we go around and say our names and a fun fact. We got to know each other better and even one of the guys was an internet priest, can’t really beat that fun fact. All of us then went down the street to a pub called the Bleeding Horse, which my relative had told me was a good time. The whole lot of Americans took up a room and we simply talked and got to know one another.
The next morning, Saturday, was our last day to wake up way too early to head to class. We again had class all morning and then in the afternoon we watched a documentary and had to write an analysis on it. The whole day had accumulated into one and I was beat when I finished writing. We made it home, but there was no time to rest because we got ready and then went to watch the USA-England soccer match. We also then went around various pubs in Dublin. The next day I stayed in bed for most of it and decided I could not do much else, I did make it to Tesco for a few groceries, but was ready to call it a night by six. However, I was roused back up by Kat and Marissa and went to the boy’s house to watch a movie. Some of them started work on Monday so they were off to bed early. I passed out in bed after a long week.
Most of us had the next day, Monday, off too so I went into town and tried to get my visa extended. I stood in line for almost an hour only to get to the man and be told that my letter from UCD had to be addressed to them. I then had to get out of line and try another day. On my way home, I ran into Marissa, Kat, and three boys from our program. They were on their way to Dublin Castle and I went with them for a tour. We had about half an hour to spare so we went across the street to a place called Queen of Tarts, which is small, but homey and made the best scones and tarts. We then went on the tour, when we were done I headed off and met my roommate from Maynooth, Brid. She needed a dress for her brother’s wedding so we went around with her friend Jackie, looking at loads of different shops and also went for a bit of dinner. It was great to spend time with her, but needed to head home. For those who didn’t start work, we were preparing for the next day, making sure our clothes were pressed and we knew where we were going.
I woke up in the morning and was just a little nervous, but ready to start the day. My morning commute might be one of the best. I walk out my door, walk down one main street and then cross my way over to Harcourt Street, one of the nicest streets in Dublin as it is lined with a row of Georgian buildings on both sides, it is then a straight shot to St. Stephen’s Green which I cut through the gardens and over the bridge to make my way to Kildare Street where the Dail is located. Altogether it takes me about 20 minutes to get to work. On my first day, I had to wait for Margaret, the secretary and person through which all things go in the office. She showed me the ropes of the place and helped me get my bearings for the first day. Even though I had not done a lot the first day, I was tired from the day and took it easy that night.
The next day was a busy day at work, but I was ready for the challenge. It was another day that left me tired and ready for bed. However, I went out with my housemates to this huge beer garden, called Dicey’s located on Harcourt, which is on my way to work. The place was massive and seemed to be a favorite for Irish students. Eventually we went home and went to bed for the final day of work that week. Work was good the next day and was excitingly busy with great matters of politics taking place, ending with a press conference outside the Dail, but I was not patient enough to wait for it at the end of the day after waiting already for 30 minutes. That night we celebrated the end of our first work week by going to a pub called Copper’s also located on Harcourt. The place was pretty dull when we first got there and it picked up a bit by the end, we all went home and then woke up for our UCD trip to Galway!
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