Manuel's unforgettable Education Internship in Dublin

I completed my internship abroad as part of my Master’s in Education. Normally, it is recommended to start planning at least a year before going abroad. However, since I had already completed all other requirements for my Master's degree, I looked for quicker alternatives online. Ireland emerged as a suitable destination because it is part of the EU and offers Erasmus funding for students without much bureaucratic effort. After some research, I came across the service provider StudentsGoAbroad. This German company advertises that it helps students find the right internship placement.

After an initial inquiry, I had a free consultation, where I was given an overview of my internship options. Originally, I had considered working as a Language Assistant in a school in Ireland, but StudentsGoAbroad did not offer such positions. Instead, one of the suggested placements was as an Education Assistant at an NGO in Dublin. This NGO operates in the field of Circular Economy and Sustainability and offers workshops on these topics to primary and secondary schools in the Dublin area. Since this sounded like a great alternative to a traditional school internship, I decided to apply.

It only took one week to receive a confirmation from the NGO. At this point, StudentsGoAbroad referred me to their partner organization in Ireland, which also arranged accommodation with a host family for the duration of my internship. I decided to take advantage of this option.

My flight from Hamburg to Dublin (my first flight ever!) arrived on a Saturday evening. I reached my host family around 8:00 PM, feeling quite exhausted. My host mother, Janice, showed me my room, and we had a chat in the kitchen. During our conversation, she told me a lot about her family and the daily routines in their household. This was particularly interesting to me because, apart from the address and a phone number, I knew nothing about my host family beforehand.

I was very lucky with my host family. Janice was extremely kind and accommodating, and her two daughters, aged 20 and 25, were also very friendly. My room was cozy and clean, so I felt comfortable from the first evening. Since I arrived on a Saturday and my internship didn’t start until Monday, I used Sunday to explore Dublin and visit a few sights.

Since I had specified "self-catering" when choosing my host family, I was responsible for my own meals. That’s why I also went grocery shopping on Sunday. One thing I will miss after returning to Germany is that most shops in Ireland are open on Sundays.

Dublin is a beautiful city with a great mix of historic and modern architecture. Already on my first day, I noticed that Irish people are much more open than most Germans and enjoy small talk with strangers. In the early evening, while waiting for a bus, an elderly man approached me out of nowhere and asked how I was doing and what I was doing in Dublin. When he heard that I wasn’t from Ireland, he asked where I was from, why I was here, and how long I would stay. We ended up having a really nice conversation. Conversations like this happened several more times during my stay, and I always found them very enjoyable.

My internship was full-time and unpaid. I worked from Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, in the NGO’s Education Department. My tasks included setting up the workshop room (arranging chairs and tables), preparing materials, and assisting during the workshops. In the beginning, I mainly supported students during the activity phase. Later on, I was allowed to conduct parts of the workshops myself, while my colleagues observed and provided support if needed.

The work environment was outstanding, and I was warmly welcomed by everyone. Our lunch break lasted an hour and was usually spent with colleagues in the break room. This was a great opportunity to connect with others and meet employees from different departments whom I wouldn’t have interacted with otherwise.

The NGO gave its employees and interns a lot of freedom for independent work, and there was little time pressure, which made the experience very enjoyable.

When no workshops were scheduled, we used the time to work on a new project focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will launch in March 2025. This project is being developed in collaboration with the Irish Ministry of Education and the Research Ireland Association and has received a significant amount of funding. Being involved in such a high-profile project as an intern was an amazing experience.

While working on the SDG project, I also noticed that the hierarchies within the NGO were very flat. Even as an intern, I was included in the development of the workshops, and at one point, my department head even changed part of a workshop based on my suggestion.

Sometimes, there were social events with colleagues after work. The absolute highlight for me was the Christmas party. The center closed early, and the sports and social committee organized fun activities, including an office-chair basketball tournament. Afterward, most colleagues went to a pub, where an entire floor, including a karaoke room, had been booked.

My leisure time was very diverse. During an "International Meetup" in my first week, I met someone from Mexico who had already been living in Dublin for almost a year. I went out partying and hiking with him and his friends several times—the Dublin Mountains offer many beautiful hiking trails. I also had friends from Germany visit me on three weekends, and together, we explored the country. We visited places like Dalkey and Howth, both easily accessible from Dublin. Howth is a small harbor town on a peninsula right next to Dublin. The short cliff walk directly by the sea was simply stunning, and after the hike, you can end the evening in one of the many charming (fish) restaurants in Howth. One weekend, a friend and I rented a car and drove to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher on Ireland’s west coast. In general, my highlights during the internship were Ireland’s breathtaking and diverse nature and landscapes.

Of course, I also visited a few pubs in and around Dublin. As a tourist, it's worth venturing outside the city center, where you can find pubs that are more authentic and less tourist-oriented. This is evident in both the clientele and the prices, which are significantly higher in the tourist pubs of the Temple Bar district. One downside was that my host family lived very far outside the city, and it took me about 45 minutes by bus to reach the city center. Because of this, I mostly went out on weekends since, after commuting home from work, I didn’t always feel like spending nearly two hours on a round trip by bus.

From a financial perspective, the Erasmus+ grant was a huge help. Dublin is one of the most expensive cities in Europe, and my accommodation with the host family alone cost nearly €750 per month, which took up a significant portion of my budget. I highly recommend saving up a sufficient financial cushion before going abroad.

All in all, my internship abroad was a wonderful and enriching experience. I had a very warm and welcoming host family where I felt comfortable, got to know the incredibly friendly and open Irish people, and thoroughly enjoyed working at my internship.

On a personal level, this experience helped me grow. As someone who hasn’t traveled much, the idea of going to a completely new country, where I knew no one and had to work, was initially intimidating. However, I came out of this experience stronger, realizing that I can adapt well to unfamiliar settings, make friends, and manage everyday life successfully.

Longer stays in a different culture are also incredibly enriching, as they allow you to experience new ways of life and challenge things you previously considered "normal" out of habit—offering fresh perspectives. I highly encourage everyone to take advantage of such an opportunity if they get the chance!