These first two days in Ireland have been so exciting as I try to take in everything and absorb as much information and culture as possible. Our first morning we were taken on a short but beautiful summit hike, and I was amazed by the number of people out for walks and runs along the steep trail. I have noticed a general kindness towards tourists that I didn’t expect. We were told that Irish people love to talk to visitors, but since people back home don’t generally enjoy tourists, I was still surprised by the friendly attitude. Following this hike our group went to explore and have breafast in a small fishing village called Howth, where we saw a seal peaking out from the water to say hello! Following a brief orientation at Griffith College we were able to check in and rest before our welcome dinner. While walking around, one thing that took me by surprise was the style of policing in Ireland. The police force here does not carry guns and are only armed with a baton and pepper spray. Clearly this was a major culture shock, and police in the United States are heavily armed with tazers, guns, and more.

This morning was a historical walking tour of Dublin which was highly educational and still entertaining. Our tour guide Darragh was fantastic and did a great job of keeping the group engaged. The understanding of historical context has been helpful to better comprehend modern relationships, especially in terms of their impact of business. For example, learning of the relationship between England and Ireland, the rebellion and fight for independence, and the conflict brought about by Brexit, all have helped me to better understand current Irish economy and trade. It has also helped to explain why Ireland would empathize so strongly with a country like Ukraine, which is struggling for independence. As a person engaged in business, nuances such as these can make a major impact in successful negotiations. If uneducated, I may walk into a meeting in Ireland and discuss deals my company has accomplished with a company from Russia. However, if I have researched the history of Ireland, and the modern implications this history has, I will be able to handle meetings and relationships in a more appropriate way. In addition to our historic walking tour, we were taken on a bus tour of the city in which we discussed some more current issues and developments and were able to see some landmarks around the city.

So far on this trip I have been surviving off of copious amounts of coffee, but hope to try a true Irish Guinness tonight at a pub reccomended by our tour guide called Stags Head, and will make sure to update tomorrow on how it was!