Why did you decide to intern with Global Experiences in Ireland?
Sarah: I have always enjoyed traveling and Ireland was always on my list of places to go. When the opportunity arose to find an internship for school, I turned to Global Experiences to fulfill that requirement. They had many different options and Ireland was where I wanted to intern. With Global Experiences placed me with a hotel that taught me so much about the hotel industry.
Describe your day to day activities as an intern.
Sarah: Day to day activities as an intern consisted of checking guests in and out of the hotel, answering questions from guests, and making sure the price of rooms were competitive with others in the area. On days I did not work, I explored the city. There were a few times I was able to travel to other cities with a few of the other interns. The times I got to travel made interning more memorable.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Sarah: During my time in Ireland, I got the hand-on experience that I wanted and learned more about the hospitality industry. It has impacted my future by giving me the experience that not many people have. Interning abroad helped academically by fulfilling the intern requirement and also by helping me understand more about my profession. Looking back on my experience it has helped me professionally because it shows the willingness to travel and understand more about a different culture. It helped me understand more about not only Irish culture, but how people travel. Traveling to Ireland made me more independent and adventurous. Going to Dublin was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I would highly recommend interning abroad.
Highlights: The highlight of working in Dublin was the opportunity to put what I learned in college into action. Getting to learn about the industry in Ireland made me realize that hospitality is something that I thrive in and enjoy! The hotel I interned at was very helpful and patient and wanted to teach.
Being in Ireland was a dream come true! I was able to go to a country I always wanted to go and travel. Being able to see Dublin and the rest of Ireland made the opportunity worth it. The friends I made while there will always be in my life. There are a few reunions in the works and all the interns try to stay in touch.
Morning: Depending on if I was working a particular day, I would start the day of figuring out where I wanted to go. On days I would work, I would hop on the bus and travel to work. On most days I would take an early bus and go for coffee at one of the coffee shops near work. It was nice because each place was unique and had something I liked. On the days where I did not have to be at work, I would explore the city. On some days there were interns that would get together and hang out.
Afternoon: During the afternoons at work, there would be check-ins and questions about what to do in the city. It was always fun to meet guests because they were from different parts of the world. The afternoon shift was great because I got to work with amazing people and learn how to run the front desk. When not working I was able to “truly see” Dublin. The first few weeks I would try to get myself lost just to find new places to go. There were many things to see and I was up for an adventure.
Evening: A typical evening would consist of chilling out with my roommates, cooking dinner, and having a wonderful time abroad. There were a few nights where a group of the interns and I would go out to dinner and sometimes go to different happy hours around town. One night I remember going to a comedy night at a club and had a blast. It was a small setting and the comedians got everyone in the crowd involved in the show. Finding new places to eat and chill out were always fun!