This is not the end, this is just the beginning

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!

Dingle and others

I was supposed to write this post a while back, but I was busy cause of work and last weekend I did a brief trip to Finland to a christening of my best friend's baby. So because of all this, I'm only now writing this.

Anyhow, over a week ago a friend of mine from Sligo times came to visit me with her boyfriend from Finland. Altogether we spent two days together in Galway and after that we traveled to Dingle, Co. Kerry, in Southern Ireland together.

The first two days I just showed my friends around in Galway. I showed them some of the best places in Galway, like Salthill and The Claddagh. It was cool being in Ireland with my friend again, after all, it was the thing that made us friends in the first place. So yeah, there was definitely some nostalgia involved as well. My friend had also booked an express tour to the Cliffs of Moher for her and her boyfriend, since you can't leave Ireland without seeing the Cliffs. Originally, I wasn't supposed to join them on that tour since I had just been at the Cliffs myself. But since the weather had been dreadful the last time, I figured I might as well join my friends on that tour. And I'm glad I did. The weather was quite ideal during our visit. It wasn't raining and it wasn't even that windy. And the visibility was great!

The Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher

Group photo!

While my friends were here, I even got to see some of Galway's nightlife. The last time I was in Galway with my friend, I had been on antibiotics, so we really couldn't go out then. So out we went. On the first night, we went to a pub by the Eyre Square. It was a nice place, with friendly staff and good cocktails. And the prices weren't that bad either. The next day, after the Cliffs of Moher tour, we went out to an actual night club. The place went to was called Carbon Night Club. Maybe we went there on a bad night or something, since I had heard good things about this place, yet, it was a bit of a disappointment. The place itself was quite cool and the prices weren't too bad. But the music.. This always seems to be a problem with night clubs in Ireland, it seems. The music was horrible remixes or some hipster shit we had never heard before. It only got good way after midnight. So yeah, definitely not as good a night club as I had thought, but oh well, I guess it could have been worse.

The next morning, it was time to head for Dingle. We were faced with over 5 hours of sitting on a bus. Dingle is a lovely place, so it is such a pity that the connections there are so bad.

Anyways, the bus ride turned out to be not so bad and it went by quite fast. But when we got to Dingle, we were faced with a problem. We couldn't find our B&B. And after quite a bit of wandering around and asking around, it finally dawned on us; the location on google maps does not match to the actual location of the B&B. It was weird. And very frustrating. But finally we got to our accommodation. The accommodation was quite nice, though the room we had was quite chilly. After getting some rest we decided it was time to get a first glimpse of Dingle and get something to eat. What surprised me, was that Dingle is actually even more touristy than Dublin is. Dingle is such a small place, so when a small place like that gets that many tourists, well, apparently that's what happens. It was kinda hard to find anything genuine there, and we were wondering how do the locals tolerate it all. And thing that shocked us the most were the prices, especially on food. They were some of the most expensive ones I've seen in all of Ireland, even more expensive than in Dublin. So in that sense, the loveliness of Dingle and the great things I had heard about the place hadn't really dawned on me yet. In all honesty, the place felt like a bit of a disappointment. Especially after all the travelling we've done just to get there.

The next morning it was so lovely to notice how the weather had pretty much gave up on us. It was storming outside. The wind was super strong an it was raining as well. There were even storm warnings all over the country. This meant that for example a tour to Blasket Island on a bout that were supposed to do today would be impossible due to the bad weather. But luckily, we found an alternative. A local taxi company also did tours around Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula. So we did that tour instead. And it was definitely worth it. Because the landscapes.. Wow. Just fucking wow! You literally didn't care anymore that the weather was crap, the landscapes were so amazing. And our guide was excellent as well. He was telling all sorts of stories about the surrounding area, its history and all that. And on top of that, he was perfectly bilingual in both English and Irish. So yeah, when he spoke some Irish to some government worker who was taking care of one of the attractions we saw on the tour, that was pretty damn awesome! Because to this date, I haven't met a single Irish person, who had been perfectly bilingual like that. Good at Irish, yes. But bilingual, no. But then again, Dingle is a part of the Gaealtacht, areas in Ireland where Irish is spoken on a daily basis, so I shouldn't have been to surprised about it. But since words cannot describe the beauty of the landscapes we saw, I'll just let the photos do all the talking.

Luckily,by the time we got back to Dingle from our tour, the weather had improved a little. This meant that we would be able to take part in a dolphin tour to go see the mascot of Dingle, the dolphin named Fungi. I never expected to be able to see dolphins in Ireland of all places, so doing this tour felt even cooler in that sense. The tour itself, even though it was supposed to be sightseeing in the Dingle Bay as well, not just the dolphin, was okay. We did get to see the dolphin and it was pretty damn cool! But other than that, there was no guide or anything who would have told us anything about the surrounding area, which kinda sucked. Sure, I was satisfied with just seeing the dolphin, since I had never seen one in nature before, but still, I felt like something was missing from the tour. They could have done a better job at it. But then again, I didn't hear any complaints, people were very happy just seeing the dolphin. And the landscapes in the Dingle Bay were beautiful as well. So I guess you don't really need anything else.

Somewhere in the Dingle Bay

Somewhere in the Dingle Bay

Somewhere in the Dingle Bay

Yes, I did manage to snap a photo of the dolphin! A bad photo, but still!

Fungi

Fungi

On our last day in Dingle, we decided just to go shopping and stay in Dingle. It was quite nice, even if I didn't buy anything. And we went out to eat at a couple of cafes and restaurants. The food in Dingle was expensive and the quality most of the time didn't meet the price, but we did manage to find a cool pub, where we had dinner. It was a lovely and cosy place, a proper Irish pub. And the food and service there was nice too. And compared to the rest of Dingle, the prices weren't as high either.
The next day it was time for my friends to head for Dublin, where they'd stay for two days before returning to Finland, and time for me to head back home to Galway. Almost 6 hours on a bus. So after that, it felt so good to be home.

At the moment I don't have much time for anything else, besides work. I was supposed to write a work related post some time ago, but I simply didn't have the time. So all I can say is that I'm working and I love the work I do. At the moment, I am also sending in job applications and I have even been called to two job interviews in Galway. So who knows, maybe I'll actually get lucky and I'll be able to stay in Ireland after all!
And next weekend I'll be visiting my first home in Ireland, Sligo. I'm going for the Fleadh Cheoil, the biggest festival of traditional Irish music in the world. And it's held in Sligo. So it'll be great not only go back to Sligo after being away for so long but also see the town buzzing with life and tourists. But I will most definitely write more about it next week.

Work hard, play hard

I know it's been quite a while since my last blog post, but I am back to writing. Again. And since the previous post was mainly about work, this will be strictly about free time and spending time with an old friend.
Last week I had my first visitor to Ireland. A friend of mine all the way from Austria came to visit me in Ireland. I met her when she was studying in Joensuu as an Erasmus student and we hadn't seen each other since she left Finland in December 2013. So yes, it was a happy reunion after almost two long years! My friend had heard all the great things I have said about Ireland and she wanted to see and experience it all herself. And her coming to Ireland and me showing her around in this wonderful country was the best way to do it. This was also the first time for me to show one of my friends around in Ireland.

I met up with my friend in Dublin and stayed there for one night. Even though I'm not that big a fan of Dublin and I am a firm believer that compared to the rest of the country, Dublin is nothing. But still, regardless of my occasional negative views of the city, I still believe that it is a city worth seeing. I just don't think it is the best place in the country, quite far from it, actually.
Since we only had very little time to spend in Dublin, I figured I'd show my friend a couple of the local attractions and then just walk her around the city centre, so that she would get a feel of the place. On the first night I took my friend to see the Trinity College and its gorgeous campus. It felt very nostalgic to be there again, since I hadn't seen the place since the first time I was in Dublin in March 2014. Anyhoo, the Trinity College is a cool place. The campus is huge and beautiful. My school looks so institutional-like in comparison.
The next day it was time to check out St. Patrick's Cathedral. This was a place even I had missed, even though this was my 4th visit to Dublin. The cathedral was a cool building. We didn't go inside, just took a couple of photos of it and that was about it. After the cathedral it was time to head for the Kilmainham Gaol. Now this place is one of my personal favorite attractions in Dublin. The place is interesting, so much history of Ireland in one place, the guides are always good and really know their stuff when it comes to the place and history of Ireland and on top of that, the admission is only €2 for a student. Even though this was my second time visiting Kilmainham, the place was just as interesting as it was the last time. And even my friend liked the place, even though she wasn't that familiar with the history of Ireland.
All in all, my friend liked Dublin. Even though even she admitted that the rest of the country must be even better. I for one didn't like Dublin that much this time. Dublin during high season, packed with people, especially tourists, it just isn't my cup of tea. People are not even nearly as friendly as they are in the rest of the country and well, especially tourists, they can be rude and really inconsiderate of other people. But at least the cafés and restaurants in Dublin are quite cool. So yeah, I would say that Dublin is definitely better during spring or winter, when there aren't quite that many tourists in the city. Which I know sounds a bit weird, coming from a tourism student. But that's just how it is.

The Trinity College

Campus of Trinity College

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Kilmainham Gaol

After our brief visit to Dublin, it was time to head for Galway. The first night in Galway was mainly spent on walking around the city centre, the shop street, Latin Quarter etc. The next day it was time for a proper tour around the city. I showed my friend The Claddagh and Salthill. The weather wasn't ideal for the tour, but at least it wasn't raining. Claddagh and Salthill are my favorite places in Galway and I got the impression my friend really liked those places too. Especially Salthill and the ocean.

Sofia, the unofficial nature photographer..

The Claddagh

Salthill Beach 

Salthill

Since one does not simply leave Ireland without seeing the Cliffs of Moher, the next day we did a tour to the Cliffs of Moher and to the Burren. But on this day, weather definitely wasn't on our side. It was raining the entire day, which itself isn't that pleasant. Especially on a tour like this. Our clothes were  get damper and damper as the day went on. But we thought that by the time we would reach the Cliffs, maybe the weather would change for the better. But boy, how wrong were we.. It was literally storming when we got to the Cliffs. It was really windy and the rain was like whip lashes. In other words, the weather couldn't have been crappier. Still, we went up to the Cliffs, but we survived about 20 minutes. Then we couldn't take it anymore, we had to go back inside. We could barely see a thing. It seemed that me and Ireland were having a bit of a trouble in paradise. It sucked that the weather was like that on our visit to the Cliffs, since this was the place that my friend was looking forward to see the most. So I felt really bad for her. Talk about bad luck. But regardless of the shitty weather, I did manage to get a couple of decent shots of our Cliffs of Moher & Burren tour. And well, the photos of the Cliffs look fairly interesting, especially when I compared them to the ones I took on my first visit there.

Poulnabrone Dolmen

The Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher

In comparison, here is a photo I took of The Cliffs of Moher
on my first trip there in spring 2014. Quite a difference, huh.

Once we got back home from the tour, I don't think a hot shower, dry clothes and a hot cup of tea had ever felt better. But our day wasn't done just yet. Since Galway Film Fleadh was still going on, we wanted to see at least one movie as a part of this film festival. Originally we were supposed to go see an Irish movie called Pursuit. But look at that, the tickets were sold out, so we had to choose another movie. But it all turned out alright. We chose a movie called Bloodsucking Bastards and that movie turned out to be a great one. It was fucking hilarious and quite original. All in all, we weren't disappointed at all anymore that we had to go see this one instead of the Irish movie. And well, the producer of this movie was originally from the South of Ireland, so yeah, I guess that counts for something. If you get a chance, do go see this movie. It is a really good one. I for one haven't laughed that much at a movie since I watched the Wolf of Wall Street.

The next day it was time for another tour. This time Connemara and Kylemore Abbey tour. And after yesterday, Ireland definitely owed us one. And apparently, Ireland always pays its debts, since the weather for this tour was great. Especially at the Kylemore Abbey, the weather couldn't have been better. We got some amazing shots of the Abbey by the lake. And it was a nice change not having to be in damp or wet clothes the entire day. We also got to see some of the landscapes of the Connemara National Park. In this sense, I was a little disappointed. I would have liked to see more of Connemara, since it was a place even I hadn't seen before, even though I've done travelling around Ireland. But oh well, I guess you can't pack everything on a day tour like this. I am still glad I got to see at least a small part of Connemara and my friend liked this tour as well, which was the main thing. After all, it was her first visit to Ireland and I wanted her to see as much as possible during her stay.
Once we got back to Galway, we even got to see some of street performers, which are an everyday thing in Galway. The name of the performer was Super Scott. And the main reason we even stopped to see his act was his Scottish accent. But his act turned out to be really cool. He was juggling things like knives, which was cool. And he was funny as well. All in all, it was a great end to the day.

Somewhere in the Connemara

Somewhere in the Connemara

The Kylemore Abbey

The Kylemore Abbey

With my friend at Kylemore Abbey

Victorian gardens at Kylemore Abbey

Somewhere near Kylemore

Somewhere in the Connemara

Somewhere in the Connemara

The street performer Super Scott

It was great seeing my friend after almost two years. It was cool to show someone who has never been to Ireland before around this wonderful country. My friend enjoyed her stay and said that she would surely come back. I can't really blame her. Ireland usually has that effect on people. I know it had that on me.
Sadly this was the last full day we got to spend together. Next day I had to get back to work. We did get to spend some time together in the evening, after I got back home from work. The next day my friend headed for Dublin and back home to Austria. But I'm happy she enjoyed here time here and that she would want to come back here in the future. 

One week of internship behind me and I already love it. I was born for this!

My first week of internship is now behind me. And I can honestly say I've liked every minute of it. Everybody at work is so friendly, warm and welcoming, it really makes me feel like I'm actually a part of the team, not just some foreign intern. Even though it has been only a week, it seems that I was born to do this line of work in Ireland. I know I've only worked here for one week, but already I can say I'm a far better customer servant than I ever was in Finland. Hell, I already overheard the comment "She was nice, wasn't she? Exactly what a receptionist should be like." from a lovely Irish couple. Hearing a comment like that this soon and from the Irish customers, it really warms my heart.

Of course during my first day, I felt a bit lost. It was a new place and I was working in English for the first time in my life. But in the end, working in English feels quite natural to me. I haven't had a single situation where for a example a customer didn't understand what I was trying to say. Of course, since this is Ireland after all, I've had some situations involving heavy accents. Even though I have lived in Ireland before and got somewhat used to the variety of accents this country has, I still find myself not completely understanding some of the heaviest accents. In situations like these, I always feel very self conscious and kinda inadequate, since I feel a bit stupid that even though the other person is speaking English, I don't fully understand. But, the fact that this does happen to other native English speakers too and even to the Irish, makes me feel better. And well, the situations even with the heaviest accents are usually the kind that I simply have to ask the other person to repeat himself once, and that's it. So yeah, I definitely shouldn't feel too bad about it. But I am a perfectionist when it comes to languages (especially English) so what can you do. I know that after a while, understanding even the heaviest accents will become easier. And I know that my problems with the accents are kinda silly, perhaps even a bit petty and definitely nothing I should worry about. After all, it is mostly in my head, being a perfectionist and all, since not once have I received any negative feedback about my English skills. Only positive.

As for the work I do. During breakfast I do waitressing and after that, I work in the reception or do some little things around the hotel, like cleaning, occasionally work in the bar of the hotel etc. The atmosphere of the place is very warm and welcoming, and the service here is incredible. So personal and warm. Even though I have only worked here for a short time, I have actually spent about 10 minutes on several occasions on checking in the guest to the hotel. This certainly is something that wouldn't happen in Finland. I am surprised how natural this kind of service environment feels to me. After all, Finns are not to keen on small talk or chitchat. Yet, it all feels so natural and right to. I really was born in the wrong country it seems.
One of the reasons I applied for an internship in Ireland was to see would I have what it takes to work in Ireland. And well, already I can say that I so do. The working environment and the customer service environment suits me better, than the Finnish one. It's friendlier, warmer and more genuine. And the working environment is more relaxed and everything isn't as tightly regulated as in Finland, which suits me well. I love this line of work even more than I did in Finland. I truly get the feeling that this is what I'm meant to do in the future, right here in Ireland. Working here feels right.  And living here, oh boy, it feels so damn right and good.

My first week has gone surprisingly well, a lot better than I would have thought, actually. But for example on Thursday, I slept in. The alarm clock on my phone didn't ring, so instead of waking up at 5.25, I woke up at 7 am. Needless to say that was incredibly embarrassing. Especially when it happened during my first week. This is how I make a good first impression.. But after calling my boss in the morning, it was all good. He told me not to worry and just take the day off. I could make up that one missed day over the weekend. Originally I was supposed to have both Saturday and Sunday off. This really is a downer of commuting to work long, like I do. If I do happen to sleep in, like on Thursday, it is gonna mean I'll lose the entire day. But other than, I can say that it is so worth it. This way I'll get to see two cities in Ireland, not just one. And well, living in Galway, it's so damn awesome.
So by a coincidence, I ended up having a surprise day off on Thursday. And I actually had a lovely day, walking around Galway, doing some shopping, just taking in the beauty of the city and having a nice lunch. And of course, I took some photos:

A thing I have learnt about tourism-related jobs in Ireland. Apparently, most of these jobs require no degree here. Or at least most of the people who do these jobs, don't have that. And well, let's just say that I'm really struggling to gather up all the willpower I have that instead of going back to Finland in September, I don't just apply for a job here and stay in Ireland. But I know myself well enough. I know that the longer I stay in Ireland, the harder it gets. Already, the thought of going back to Finland kinda disgusts me. Don't get me wrong, of course I miss my friends and family. But everything else.. I don't  belong in Finland, I never did. I belong in Ireland. Why should I go back to a country that just isn't home and that doesn't feel right to me? Being torn between two countries like this isn't easy. On the other hand, I know I should do the right thing. Return to Finland, finish my studies and then apply for a job in Ireland. But the heart wants what it wants. Because I know that nothing would make me happier than being able to stay here. And kinda forcing myself to go back to Finland, it kills me a little inside. So we'll see what happens. I know that most likely, I am at least gonna try my luck with the job search here in Galway. Even if I don't get lucky, it will all still be good practice for the future.

I can't write too much about Ennis, the town where I'm working in, yet. I've seen some of the town, but I haven't had the time to properly take a look around town, to see some sights or even visit any of the restaurants, cafés, shops or bars in town. But I will do that as soon as I can, and then I will tell more about it. But from the first look, Ennis seems like a lovely little town. And working at a hotel in Ennis has been great. So all in all, no complaints whatsoever.

To sum it all up, at this very moment, I'm feeling very happy. Living in Galway is amazing and I really like my internship place and the work I do there. So far, this internship has been an amazing experience, and I know it's only gonna get better. I can't really say anything else, except Ireland is love, Ireland is home. And that feeling is only getting stronger each day.
This was a bit of a long post and I probably was rambling a bit, so bear with me. But I think I covered the most important things about my first week and my first impressions of the internship. I will tell more about my internship experiences in later posts. Since my days at work are quite long due to long commuting, I most likely won't be posting as often as I would like. But I am gonna try to do at least one post within the next week or two. So till then, bye!