During my master’s degree, I had the opportunity to do two internships. One at the end of the first year, one at the end of my studies. I always wished to live abroad during my bachelor, but I realized during my first year of masters, that there was a big gap between what I wanted and what I was able to do. The idea of being abroad for so long was still quite scary, so I completed my internship in my own country, in France, but in a region that I didn't know at all. It was the first step. The first experience out of my "daily routine". The first experience that made me realize that I was able to live alone, in a place I didn't know.
During this internship, I knew. I knew that I had to go abroad for the second internship. It was my last opportunity. And what an opportunity! Even if my internship in Ireland was not paid a lot of money, I was lucky to have an Erasmus grant plus a grant from my region, each month. I was living in Dublin, which is an expensive city, but thanks to my little wage and my grants, I could live decently. I feel extremely grateful towards the Erasmus+ programme because all this would have been impossible to live without the grants I got.
I was working in one of the biggest tour operator in Ireland. The company was multicultural: both the employees and interns were coming from all over Europe. In my team, there were two French girls (including myself), three German girls (including our manager), one Italian girl and one Dutch girl. The work was interesting and never boring - there was always something to do. I never felt as comfortable in a company. I guess I was lucky to find a company like this for an internship. I just loved working in English with people of different cultures.
During my free time, I could travel across Ireland, which is a wonderful country. Each month, I planned a weekend trip with other interns or with my boyfriend, who visited me twice. In April, I went to Galway and Connemara; in May, to Northern Ireland and more precisely Belfast; in June, to Killarney; in July, to Cork; and finally, in August, to Sligo. I remember the breath-taking landscapes – I have never seen such beautiful views in my whole life. The Cliffs of Moher, the Giants' Causeway, Killarney National Park... I can still feel my excitement, my happiness. But now nostalgia is more powerful than excitement.
There are so many places to discover in Ireland that I could write a list! But if you are still hesitating to go to Ireland, you should definitely go there. That's not a legend – Irish people are the most welcoming, polite and nice people I met. People are ready to help you, they are patient and there is always someone willing to talk to you inside the train. The weather is quite fresh, but it's not always raining, this is a myth! And let's be honest: rain is always a reason to have a drink in an Irish pub!
But the landscapes are one of the reasons why you should visit Ireland. The best way would be to do a road trip across the country, because it would be a pity to miss a part of the country. To me, the Wild Atlantic Way is where you feel the true Ireland. When we were driving in Connemara, there was nothing. Just nature. Unspoiled and beautiful nature. A sheep or two here and there, no other cars. This feeling was amazing. And it's only one spot in this beautiful country.
I came back to France at the end of August 2017. It's been a bit more than a year since I said "goodbye" to Ireland. But I know that our story is not over. It's not a "goodbye" but a "see you again".
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