Well,
2015 is about to end and it’s been a 1 year and 3 months for me in Ireland and has been the most memorable time of my life. Its been a roller- coaster ride, being through tough phases as well!
Phase #1: Life @ UCD (contd…)
For the most part of the year 2015, I was (still) a student at University College Dublin, but I also got a took up a part-time task to teach first-year engineering students how to program a computer! It was a challenging task, though fun at times :) and gets me enough lunch money.
A view of UCD Upper Lake, just across Engineering school
Phase #2: Exploring Dublin and Ireland
Although, my studies got intensive as analysing huge chunks of Data wasn’t easy (Computer Science isn’t a cakewalk), I took a bit of time off on weekends to explore lovely places across Ireland, apart from evening strolls in Dublin. My favourite walks in Dublin are across the river Liffey, Dún Laoghaire and Howth Pier.
The Quays along the river Liffey, Dublin
Love the evening stroll in Dún Laoghaire during summers, beating the heat with Teddys Ice- Cream. Further, I walked into The Forty Foot, for a pint or two (It’s one of the cheapest pubs I know with a view)
Dún Laoghaire, Co.Dublin
One of the most amazing trips I had in Ireland was to the County Donegal, which is in the north west of Ireland and is a very ‘Irish’ place.
Bunbeg Wreck, Co. Donegal
St. Patrick’s Day
You can’t skip this holiday if you’re in Ireland on 17th March. St Patrick’s Day supposed to be a religious and cultural festival in Ireland, more of which is now a good craic and plenty of booze. Every public building lights up green on the day, and people wear green clothes on the day.
Phase #3: Entering into Corporate World!
I was fortunate enough to secure a job-offer right after my studies. I thought of steering my career a different direction, in the razor sharp world of Financial Services (I miss messing around with Data sometimes :-( ). I’ve joined EY (formerly Ernst & Young) in Dublin, where I collaborate with some of the smartest people in the finance industry on some of the trickiest assignments. It’s a bit tough for me to ace in there, being from an ‘irrelevant’ background, but I’ll make my way soon!
Ieva and I
It is not always about financial reports and excel spreadsheets in the office, there’s a bit of craic as well. I’ve made a few friends at work, we do have lunches together and hang around.
Say hello to Ieva on the left!
Ieva and I joined EY in September. Ieva loves to take selfies, lift heavy weights, run 10k races and eat all ‘nutritious’ food. She’s always happy to give health advice and motivation to join the gym over a cuppa 83% fat-free smoothie!
According to Ieva:
I have the pleasure of meeting Saransh Agarwal ( a very popular surname in Indian so he tells me ) and he is a really nice, friendly and witty guy. We met in work during the start of our graduate contracts and will be stuck with each other for the next 3 years we have participated in run in the dark back in November . Saransh always has some interesting facts or comments and is surprisingly good at the Irish language (or at least he knows all luas stops both in English and in Irish ) I look forward to our many more lunch breaks and selfies.
Phase #4: Graduating from University
Recently, I graduated with an honours masters degree in Computer Science, though I can’t read what my ‘Latin’ degree says! It has been a good year, analysing huge amounts of Data and (trying) to make some meaning out of it.
Phase #5: Still decoding ‘Irish’
Although it’s been a good while for me in Ireland, particularly Dublin, Still I wonder why few things happen.
- Things are either ‘grand’ or ‘shite’.
- You never go out for ‘one’ pint.
- What’s the craic? = How are you?
- What’s the story? = How are you?
- Cheers = Thank You (weird)
- You are obliged to thank the bus driver as you get off the bus.
- People take their ‘tea’ very seriously.
- ‘Shift’ and ‘Ride’ have a completely different meaning in Ireland.
- You’ll have trouble pronouncing these names: Aoife, Caoimhe, Saoirse, Róisín, Bláithín, Niamh, Grainne, Caoimhín, Eoghan, Tadhg, Siobhan, …
- Sadly, there are no summers in Ireland.
Autumn @ St Stephen’s Green, Dublin
PS: Can’t stop myself from sharing this lovely picture I took of Christmas lights on Grafton Street a few days back.
Christmas lights on Grafton Street in Dublin
Love ❤ from Dublin,
Saransh :-)