Wow, it’s the second day, and I’m already lost for words on where to begin. When the plane landed in Ireland, I expected to be hit with a sudden sense of isolation. I was prepared for everything to be utterly unfamiliar to me. After experiencing a day or so here thus far, I couldn’t be more wrong. I’m surprised about how familiar the city of Dublin feels. While Dublin’s logistics and cultural operations differ from the United States, walking around certain parts of the capital of the Republic of Ireland slightly reminds me of Chicago and New York. Navigating the streets has become a comedy show for the group. It has been a challenge adjusting to the different rules of the road. Customs like driving on the left side of the road, entering a bus from the left side, and getting used to the crossing signals are all examples of how crossing a street in Dublin isn’t as easy as crossing one in Oakland. Times of running across the street have become a laughable moment for the group as we learn to play a real-life game of “Crossy Road.”

The two historical tours were a perfect illustration of how the history of Dublin has played an integral role in Ireland that we see today. Irish history has been characterized by strength and rebellion. The history of Ireland seeking independence from British rule has primarily influenced the culture of Dublin today. As a business consultant, there would be no way for me to properly understand the decisions and operations without understanding the cultural foundation of the city. For example, now that I understand the historical potato famine in Ireland, I can better understand why FoodCloud represents more than just a not-for-profit food security company.

One of the most exciting things that I learned today was that the Trinity College food court had a bar/pub for students! In Irish culture, pubs and bars are embraced and are seen as a normalized social activity. It would be crazy to imagine a bar on the bottom of the Cathedral of Learning for students to visit during the middle of the day casually!