“I’d like to keep shopping please” is a direct quote from an Irish shoplifter I encountered last night at Tesco. One of my first experiences here in Ireland involved watching two grocery store employees bust a woman trying to leave the store with a backpack and bag full of attempted-to-be-stolen groceries. I calmly waited in line and watched the events unfold before me, while JJ and Raghu immediately ran to another aisle and hid. Quite an experience to witness, and even more interesting that this occurred on our first night here.

More importantly, Dublin is beautiful. I’ve never been to Ireland, so I didn’t know much of what to expect. So far, we’ve seen lots of rich history, magnificent buildings, and great food all within walking distance of StayCity. Through our tours today, we learned a lot about the complicated relationship Ireland has with Britain. A long history of colonization, war, and more has greatly impacted both Irish government and overall culture as it is today. I think this is important to be aware of because part of the island of Ireland (Northern Ireland) is still a part of the UK, and it’s important to know the distinction between the two. Additionally, from a business standpoint, it’s imperative we know the history of Ireland as it seems to be a very important part of their culture. 

Something I found interesting, is that Dublin, despite being a city right on the coast of the Dublin Bay, did not have seafood as a major part of their diet until fairly recently. We learned that they stuck mainly to beef and pork, which surprised me given that a large part of the population is Catholic and does not eat meat on Fridays during Lent. Looking forward to more cultural experiences and seeing more of the city!