During my first whole day In Ireland, my initial impression was that it didn’t feel much different than being in the United States. As far as appearance goes, the people looked generally the same, they were doing many of the same activities, and the buildings were similar to those in American cities. Overall, I was surprised that I didn’t feel like much of an outsider, especially since this is my first time being in Europe.

However as we walked around and listened to the tour guides, I noticed many differences. As a whole, Irish personalities were slightly different. I noticed that people were outgoing and nicer than I was used to because many people stopped and talked to us in the hotel lobby and on the streets. Pub culture also plays a big role in their lifestyle. Generally, I think it makes them more social people because even on a Sunday night many people were out and about. We also found out that relationships are important to Irish people, especially in business. Our tour guide informed us that often people will meet up and get to know each other and then later on they will discuss business. They build that foundation and get to know one another first. Money and business is secondary.

The tour guides helped us understand Irish people socially, but also historically. By looking at different buildings and talking about Irish history I was able to better understand the culture and business. First, they have a complicated relationship with UK because they once were governed and controlled by them. A part of Ireland, Northern Ireland, is even still controlled by them. We noticed crowns on many buildings and structures throughout the city, which represent the UK control of Ireland in the past. There are also many buildings, like the Dublin Castle, which revolts and significant historical events occurred. It is important to recognize these symbols and understand their past with the UK to understand their politics and how they do business. We also learned about significant historical figures, like Constantance Markievicz, Daniel O’Connel, and Oscar Wilde, who shaped Irish culture. These people, among others, have a large impact on their beliefs and values. This is crucial to understand when doing business.

History can also help explain current events and issues. For example Ireland is facing a housing crisis right now. The tour guides explained that rent is extremely expensive and housing is unaffordable for many. The wealth gap also continues to grow. These issues are influenced by the economy, which includes their history with the UK and Brexit. Looking around the city we saw some of the suburbs from when city housing first started expanding and providing affordable housing. Now there is an issue with this limited housing getting in the hands of wealthy companies. It is important to understand the struggles Irish people are facing when doing business and building relationships.

Today, we were given lots of information from our tour guides and I am still processing it all. I enjoyed taking a deeper dive into the culture and history of Dublin. I am excited to explore on my own and continue learning more about Ireland!