The weather on this day (May 9th, 2022), was very similar to what many would have expected—partly cloudy with some rain here and there. Even so, I’d say our first full day in Ireland has been an incredible one. Our itinerary included breakfast at Chorus Café, a walking tour around the heart of Dublin, lunch at Trinity College Dublin, and a bus tour to the outskirts of the city. From the day’s activities, there were several things that I learned and found to be particularly surprising. 

For one, it is worth noting that Guinness has had a great impact on the economy of Ireland since its inception in 1759. Although we did research on Irish companies during our pre-departure classes, I was not aware that the Guinness family/company has also influenced Ireland in other ways, in the sense that Guinness has aided in the restoration of many historical/religious buildings like St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the creation of green spaces such as Saint Anne’s Park. Speaking of which, the only reason we made a pit stop during the bus tour at Saint Anne’s Park was so that people could take a restroom break (which turned into a mini nature walk through the park grounds). Anyhow, going back to the topic of the look-and-feel of Ireland, it seems that Dublin is a bit smaller than it actually appears on a map. While that is different than what I expected, it means that our study abroad group can conveniently walk and/or use public transportation to get to any part of the city in very little time. 

Without a doubt, much of the day was spent on thorough and exciting tours where I learned about the past/present history and culture of Ireland. As an incoming business professional myself, I believe it’s important to understand the history and culture of the place I’m doing business (regardless of whether it is Pittsburgh, Dublin, or anywhere else) as it strongly influences the way in which a business is run in the short-term and the long-term. After all, business is all about creating and maintaining relationships, so having at least a basic understanding of others’ historical and cultural backgrounds can be extremely advantageous to that process. Although I have learned quite a bunch about the history and culture of Ireland thus far, there is much more coming soon and I cannot wait! 

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Oh, and one more thing. An interesting tidbit (1/?) I learned a superstition that coming across a lone magpie is considered bad luck, however, waving at it when you see only one is supposed to reverse the bad luck!