I have officially been in Ireland for one week! It feels so good to be back in this beautiful country and I cannot wait to start exploring! I chose to fly in a few days earlier than the rest of the people in my program with The Intern Group. I arrived in Dublin on Tuesday after a very long journey from Michigan. My flight had several delays and two layovers in Philadelphia and London. I missed my flight from London to Dublin and had to wait a few more hours to get on the next flight, so I was grateful to finally arrive in Dublin later that day.
The following morning I took a train from Dublin to Tralee and then caught a bus from Tralee to Dingle. This is a pretty coastal city on the western side of Ireland and is a place I have wanted to visit since hearing about it when I studied abroad in Galway this past Fall. I spent three days in Dingle exploring the city and enjoying the gorgeous weather, which is so rare in Ireland! I went on a sea safari where I saw Fungie, the famous bottlenose dolphin who has stayed in the Dingle area for several decades, as well as, seals, and puffins! We explored a sea cave and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the Blasket Islands and Slea Head. During my couple days there I also rented a bike and went around the peninsula where I found the most gorgeous beach! I spent the day there relaxing and soaking in the sun, though the water was waaaay too cold to get in.
On Saturday I made my way back to Dublin and met up with my program manager and the other participants in The Intern Group. We all went out for welcome drinks and met up with some of the other interns who have been in Dublin for a few weeks now – everyone was super nice! On Sunday the entire group went to the nearby town of Dalkey and we hiked up Killiney Hill. The scenery at the peak was breathtaking! It seems everywhere you go in this country you are surrounded by so much natural beauty. Today I was able to get more acquainted with Dublin by taking a walking tour which was super helpful. I also attended an orientation which helped prepare me for what to expect from my internship which starts tomorrow!
So far I have had a great first week in Ireland. I am loving Dublin and excited to start my internship at the Dyslexia Association this week. I’m looking forward to the next six weeks and sharing my adventures on this blog :) Thanks for reading!!