A couple years ago, first time internship in Irland with KulturLife:
When my friend and I arrived in Cork we were overwhelmed by the town and pretty nervous. At least I was. It was my first time abroad without my family, so for a shy person like me it was pretty big. Our host family was the best you could ask for. They even had a cute big dog that we adored very much. They welcomed us with open arms and treated us like family. That was what I wished for before I went on the trip because I was pretty scared about what would come and if I could manage that. Our host mum is a very good cook! We got a lot of great food. Our room was awesome too and the bed was very comfortable. We had a little dresser with a mirror so we could get easily ready in the morning for work.
The first week we went to a college. The feeling of going to college was awesome. It was a lot of fun because we were a class with all kinds of different nationalities. We even went to a bar together one night.
In the second week we were introduced to our workplace. It was called Saville. It was a luxury store for men to buy suits for weddings or for a casual look. They have brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss. I loved working there. Everyone was so nice to me. Yes, of course I did a lot of cleaning, but also got to help customers a bit. I didn’t mind the cleaning. I also worked at 45, which was the store next door. I folded clothes or looked after the shop when someone of the stuff had to go to the next shop. My job there was folding clothes, cleaning and sometimes talking to customers.
My roommate and I also walked around the city together. We did some shopping and took some pictures. We even went to Dublin and explored the city. We even made a new friend when we went to college. The three of us are still very good friends, even though we don’t see each other at the moment. Cork brought us together and we are very thankful for that.
Second time in Irland with KulturLife:
The second time was different. I had grown up a lot since the last time. I finished school and started working as an apprentice in a company. When I heard that we could go to Ireland I immediately told the company I worked for that I want to go. They gave me permission and the next thing I knew I was at the airport off to my next adventure. I was still a bit sad because this time I was on my own and I must say I missed my friends from last time.
This time I worked for 4 weeks instead of three like last time. But I was privileged to work in the same shop as last time. This was something I was happy about. This time we were 4 girls in the host mum’s house. Our host mum was really sweet and I prefer to call her host grandma. The food was okay. She tried her best. I really liked her house and the neighbourhood it was very friendly and peaceful there. A lot of nature was good to go for a walk, which I did a few days.
Going back to the same workplace as last time felt good. A few familiar faces and many new ones. Some recognized me, some didn’t. But they were all nice and those that recognized me where very happy to see me again. This time I did less cleaning. I was given more responsibility, such as buying material from the shop nearby or helping other workers with folding or explaining, when they came from another country and didn’t understand much. I also made a new friend there. We worked together and did some things together, but not too much. I was alone most of the time. I felt a little bit sad because I really wanted to share the memories like I did last time, but I was also proud of myself for doing these things on my own.
This time I walked through the whole city. I went to places where I hadn’t been to last time. Like to St Fin Barrels or to another church where you go to the top to see the whole city below. I even found my favourite spot. A place where you could sit in the grass and watch the sunsets and the city from above. I went on a trip to the Cliffs of Moher. It was pretty awesome walking along the cliffs with the breathtaking view. On the tour we also visited a stone desert which was also breathtaking. We took a break in a small town with an old tower. It was a very sweet trip. I was sad when I left because I had known that I would probably not do that again.
I am so thankful for both times. It was so much more than I can describe. I would recommend anyone to go and do it. Get the experience of working abroad. It is something you wouldn’t want to miss for the world. And for me to be able to do it twice is just amazing and an opportunity I will be forever grateful for. I will never forget this experience. These two trips made me grow up and showed me that there is much more than what we see. That the little things in life are the most important. That we should cherish them because we don’t remember everything, but the little things and I like to think, that I will come back sometime in a few years to see what has changed since the last time.
I love you Ireland. Thank you for welcoming me twice and for the best and most beautiful memories I could have. I will always cherish them in my heart.
My tips for going to Cork are:
- Wander around the city.
- Visit the Cliffs of Moher.
- Go to a pub.
- Eat out at least 3 times.
- Visit Dublin.
- Visit the Zoo in the city nearby.
- Also go to the movies, it’s awesome there.
Until next time!
Lara
