Internship abroad: iphofen meets ireland
Unthinkable now, but still possible before lockdown and border closures: an internship abroad. Marie wintzheimer from iphofen still had the opportunity to do so. She worked in ireland. Not for the first time, the 20-year-old was immersed in a different culture. When she was in tenth grade, she lived with a host family in france for three months and went to school there. Marie likes to live abroad for a longer period of time. "Only then can you really get to know the foreign culture and develop personally." She is now in her fifth semester of cultural studies at the university in passau. Wintzheimer worked for three months at the german-irish chamber of commerce in dublin, the capital of ireland.
Insights into the irish working world
Wintzheimer was in the accounting department of the german business representative office in ireland. On her very first day, she learned that dressing smartly in the office is very important. It’s not quite as relaxed as it is in germany: "jeans and a dark sweater are not enough." It started at nine in the morning and lasted until five in the evening. She was able to apply a lot of theory from her studies, but the interns also had to work out some things for themselves: "my boss placed a lot of value on independence and that was a good thing too." The hierarchy at work is somewhat more pronounced in ireland than in germany. Questions were always answered gladly, but only by the right contact person.
Marie liked the fact that the interns got an insight into all areas: "at the chamber’s rough audit, which takes place every three to four years in a different country, my boss explained to me, for example, how everything works and what needs to be taken into account." In the process, she was able to gain valuable experience for her later professional life. Once a week, each intern worked at the front desk, interacting with customers, making phone calls, and receiving visitors. Especially in the process, their business english had improved.
In the pubs all are welcome
After work, she went to the pub with the other interns. "The irish really do drink a lot of alcohol, that’s no prejudice, especially guinness. Everyone in ireland must have drunk the beer", confirms marie. Irish pubs are not comparable with german bars. Many pubs are open at noon and sell food as well as drinks. "Even during the week, the pubs are usually well-filled. The irenians often go there after work. You see people in suits, sweatpants or all dressed up. Everyone is welcome in the pub, young or old", marie tells.
Breathtaking walks on cliffs in the nature of ireland
She especially likes the fact that many pubs have a band or a guitarist playing live. Walking from pub to pub in dublin’s temple bar district, you’re immersed in a different musical world each time. Music plays a major role in ireland, and there is also a lot of music on the strabe. In general, the irish are by nature more relaxed and easy-going than the germans. "If the bus doesn’t come every ten minutes as planned, but a little later, that’s normal, no one is surprised", wintzheimer observed.
On weekends marie had time for trips to the countryside. They visited small fishing towns like cobh with steep streets and colorful houses, the art city of galway, known for its nightlife with numerous pubs, and belfast. In belfast, she saw how strong the division between brits and irish still is. Above all, she was impressed by the beautiful nature in ireland. At the sea, you can stand above breathtakingly high cliffs and hike along them. A fond memory in times of corona.
Cultural studies
An internship or semester abroad is compulsory in the cultural studies program. The course itself is a mixture of a typical business administration course, which includes subjects for a particular cultural area and a general education component. In the general education part, students can choose, for example, between sociology, art history, politics or geography. As a result, the course offers a wide range of career opportunities.Source: cmu
