Time sure has flown by. I can't believe that today is already the last day of my internship. These past three months have gone by so fast. But you know what they say, time just flies by when you're having a blast. And that's exactly what I've done. I've learnt a lot about myself, about the work I do, about Ireland, about other people and even made some new friends on the way.
This internship has been an amazing experience. Sure, sometimes it has been a bit tough. After all, working almost 9 hours per day and then commuting for 2,5 h on a daily basis, it hasn't always been easy. I am not a morning person, far from it, so waking up at 5.30 am took some getting used to. But I can say that it has all been worth it. It had been fantastic to live in Galway and to work in Ennis. Ennis is a nice little town, I do like it a lot. But Galway just has my heart, there's no way around it. And this way I got to know both Galway and Ennis instead of just one town.
The whole reason for this internship in Ireland was to see if I would have what it takes to work in Ireland and if I would be adapted to the different work environment of Ireland. And well, I can say without a doubt that yes, I have what it takes. And I've definitely gotten adapted to the work environment here. Working in English was so much easier than I would have thought. I am well aware that I am good at English. But still, working in a language other than your mother tongue, it would be different. And I had no idea how different it would be. But all my concerns were for nothing. Never have I had any language barrier situations with customers that for example they haven't understood me. There have been a couple of situations where the customers have had such a thick accent that I didn't fully understand them on the first try. But even those situations have always been solved with me politely asking them to repeat what they said. Sometimes I've had problems with the Irish names, cause let's face it, those are not the easiest ones. Some of them are spelled and pronounced so differently, that if you have never heard the name before, there's no way you would know how to spell or pronounce it. But what I like it here is that even though sometimes I feel slightly inadequate if I for example don't fully understand someone with a strong accent or if I take more time in getting a weird Irish name correctly, it doesn't matter. No one is holding that against me here. People understand it and are okay with it. So basically, it is just the perfectionist in me that's holding it against me. And well, when my problems with the language are something as little and kinda insignificant as not knowing how to spell a name you've never heard before or not understanding a thick accent that not even some native English-speakers would fully understand, you could say I'm doing pretty damn well and that I have absolutely nothing to worry about.
As for the work I do. I've really loved it. Customer service in Ireland is so different from Finland. It's so warm and genuinely friendly This is one positive stereotype about Ireland that is very much true. The friendliness of the people is something I have never seen before. People also do so much more chitchat and small talk. Which, even though we don't do small talk or that much chitchat in Finland, is something I love. This has really been Irish hospitality at its finest, and even though I'm not Irish, I've managed to pull it off. The customers here are so much nicer than the ones I've met in Finland. Of course, I met a lot of nice customers in Finland. But here, even the rudest ones I've met, they've been nothing compared to the dicks I've met in Finland. And once again, it really does come down to people. The people are one of the reasons why I know I just can't stay in Finland and why I dislike it and people are one of the reasons why I love Ireland so much.
Even though I'm not Irish and that I'm a foreigner, I've never gotten any negative remarks about it, let alone faced any racism whatsoever. People have always been delighted and positive when they find out that I'm from Finland. And even though there has been some situations where I really am "the foreigner", for example chatting with someone with a really thick accent or having to ask to spell some names several times, I still haven't received any complaints, people haven't been rude or anything like that.
Working here has definitely shown me that doing this line of work, receptionist, waitressing etc. and doing that in Ireland is what I love and is what I want to do in the future. It's my passion. And it is my dream job and it will be my career. I loved this work already in Finland, I knew that this is exactly what I want to do in the future. But in Ireland, the same work just feels even better and I love it even more. It's nice to know that I have sorta found my calling.
These past three months have been amazing. And of course I'm a little sad to leave Ashford Court Hotel and the people I've met there, but at the same time, I'm also extremely excited. As it's hinted in the headline, this isn't the end. Far from it! This is just the beginning. For weeks I have been anxious about the fact that I might have to go back to Finland in September. But good news! I never ever have to live in Finland again, unless I want it myself. All the time spent in sending job applications has paid off. Starting September, I will be the new food & beverage assistant at Galway Bay Hotel. I don't have to go back to Finland! I get to stay in Ireland! I get to stay in Galway! I have literally gotten everything I have ever wanted. I can finally start my life in Ireland. I can do what I have dreamed of doing for so long. I get to do the work I love in a country and city I love. It is such an overwhelming feeling that it still feels a little unreal. Did it really happen or am I just dreaming? But it did happen and I guess the only con in getting all of your dreams to come true is that you just have to find new dreams. But safe to say, I think I can live with that <3 Now I'm off to apartment hunting, enjoying some much needed time off and then on Saturday, it's time for me to go to work. YAY!
As for this blog, I have no idea whether I will keep on writing or not. So for now, peace out!
This internship has been an amazing experience. Sure, sometimes it has been a bit tough. After all, working almost 9 hours per day and then commuting for 2,5 h on a daily basis, it hasn't always been easy. I am not a morning person, far from it, so waking up at 5.30 am took some getting used to. But I can say that it has all been worth it. It had been fantastic to live in Galway and to work in Ennis. Ennis is a nice little town, I do like it a lot. But Galway just has my heart, there's no way around it. And this way I got to know both Galway and Ennis instead of just one town.
The whole reason for this internship in Ireland was to see if I would have what it takes to work in Ireland and if I would be adapted to the different work environment of Ireland. And well, I can say without a doubt that yes, I have what it takes. And I've definitely gotten adapted to the work environment here. Working in English was so much easier than I would have thought. I am well aware that I am good at English. But still, working in a language other than your mother tongue, it would be different. And I had no idea how different it would be. But all my concerns were for nothing. Never have I had any language barrier situations with customers that for example they haven't understood me. There have been a couple of situations where the customers have had such a thick accent that I didn't fully understand them on the first try. But even those situations have always been solved with me politely asking them to repeat what they said. Sometimes I've had problems with the Irish names, cause let's face it, those are not the easiest ones. Some of them are spelled and pronounced so differently, that if you have never heard the name before, there's no way you would know how to spell or pronounce it. But what I like it here is that even though sometimes I feel slightly inadequate if I for example don't fully understand someone with a strong accent or if I take more time in getting a weird Irish name correctly, it doesn't matter. No one is holding that against me here. People understand it and are okay with it. So basically, it is just the perfectionist in me that's holding it against me. And well, when my problems with the language are something as little and kinda insignificant as not knowing how to spell a name you've never heard before or not understanding a thick accent that not even some native English-speakers would fully understand, you could say I'm doing pretty damn well and that I have absolutely nothing to worry about.
As for the work I do. I've really loved it. Customer service in Ireland is so different from Finland. It's so warm and genuinely friendly This is one positive stereotype about Ireland that is very much true. The friendliness of the people is something I have never seen before. People also do so much more chitchat and small talk. Which, even though we don't do small talk or that much chitchat in Finland, is something I love. This has really been Irish hospitality at its finest, and even though I'm not Irish, I've managed to pull it off. The customers here are so much nicer than the ones I've met in Finland. Of course, I met a lot of nice customers in Finland. But here, even the rudest ones I've met, they've been nothing compared to the dicks I've met in Finland. And once again, it really does come down to people. The people are one of the reasons why I know I just can't stay in Finland and why I dislike it and people are one of the reasons why I love Ireland so much.
Even though I'm not Irish and that I'm a foreigner, I've never gotten any negative remarks about it, let alone faced any racism whatsoever. People have always been delighted and positive when they find out that I'm from Finland. And even though there has been some situations where I really am "the foreigner", for example chatting with someone with a really thick accent or having to ask to spell some names several times, I still haven't received any complaints, people haven't been rude or anything like that.
Working here has definitely shown me that doing this line of work, receptionist, waitressing etc. and doing that in Ireland is what I love and is what I want to do in the future. It's my passion. And it is my dream job and it will be my career. I loved this work already in Finland, I knew that this is exactly what I want to do in the future. But in Ireland, the same work just feels even better and I love it even more. It's nice to know that I have sorta found my calling.
These past three months have been amazing. And of course I'm a little sad to leave Ashford Court Hotel and the people I've met there, but at the same time, I'm also extremely excited. As it's hinted in the headline, this isn't the end. Far from it! This is just the beginning. For weeks I have been anxious about the fact that I might have to go back to Finland in September. But good news! I never ever have to live in Finland again, unless I want it myself. All the time spent in sending job applications has paid off. Starting September, I will be the new food & beverage assistant at Galway Bay Hotel. I don't have to go back to Finland! I get to stay in Ireland! I get to stay in Galway! I have literally gotten everything I have ever wanted. I can finally start my life in Ireland. I can do what I have dreamed of doing for so long. I get to do the work I love in a country and city I love. It is such an overwhelming feeling that it still feels a little unreal. Did it really happen or am I just dreaming? But it did happen and I guess the only con in getting all of your dreams to come true is that you just have to find new dreams. But safe to say, I think I can live with that <3 Now I'm off to apartment hunting, enjoying some much needed time off and then on Saturday, it's time for me to go to work. YAY!
As for this blog, I have no idea whether I will keep on writing or not. So for now, peace out!
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