Update: I’m in Ireland! We arrived yesterday which was a day full of sleep deprived adventures. Today was our first full day in Dublin which has consisted of a walking tour and a bus tour of the city. It was interesting to learn about the historical events that have made Ireland what it is today, especially after a full night of sleep. So far, I have been surprised by the confusion of cars driving on the opposite side of the road. Looking right, then left will definitely take some getting used to. 

In terms of what I learned today, there were a lot of interesting details of Irish history that I was unaware of. For example, I didn’t realize how much The Potato Famine affected Ireland’s population. Between people fleeing the country and people starving, Ireland lost millions of its residents for which they have yet to recover from. I think learning about the history of a country is important from a business standpoint in order to fully understand the culture. For one thing, it is respectful to show interest in someone’s culture and it can help to build a relationship with potential clients/colleagues. In addition, it can help in understanding the values of a company as well as how they came to be. 

The most interesting thing I’ve learned today was that the famous Aristocrat, Lord Edward, was well known for being very good looking and being married to a French princess. They were somewhat of a “celebrity couple”. Lord Edward was shot and killed at a young age, and forty years later, the man who shot him was buried directly next to his grave.

After an exciting first day of fun facts and woodsy detours, I look forward to what the next two weeks will bring!