Haley Spechler, Dublin Internship

Interned at Brown Thomas, a luxury department store, in the buying department, Spring 2014

Internship: For my internship, I worked in the buying department for Brown Thomas, a luxury department store that was exclusive to Ireland.

I Learned: I certainly learned to be more independent.  I had to rely on myself to navigate around a foreign city, book weekend trips to visit other cities, and still manage to find dinner for myself every night!  Being abroad alone in a new city taught me that no matter where I am, I can manage and stand on my own two feet.

Hardest Part: I think that the hardest part of living abroad for so long is always being an outsider.  I felt as though social norms were different in each place I visited, and it was hard to keep up with all of them and still be polite!

Best Part: The best part of my experience was being immersed in the Irish culture, which is warm and welcoming.  The best part of Ireland is certainly its people, and I loved speaking with tons of different Irish people, both adults and teens, about their lives in Ireland.  Turns out, they are just about the same as us, but everyone is much less angry!

My Tip: Bring a raincoat!