Social Work Internship
The project where I interned focused on helping migrants with any questions they might have, promoting their integration, and supporting migrant communities and groups. During my three-month internship in Ireland, I successfully supported the social worker who was the sole provider for the project. We organized events and workshops together, attended meetings, and worked well as a team. I had a lot of freedom to implement my own ideas and plans, and outside of the internship, I had enough flexibility and time to explore the city and the country.
My language skills definitely improved, as I communicated extensively in English, not only during my internship but also in our accommodation with ten other roommates. Furthermore, as part of my internship, I accompanied a Ukrainian group to an English course several times, which allowed me to further improve my language skills. My English was already very good before, but what has definitely changed is that I've gained much more confidence and fluency in speaking, which I can now put to very good use in my work with international clients in Germany.
I've also been able to develop professionally. I organized and led two workshops myself, which gave me some completely new experiences. I also regularly lead workshops in Germany, but these two workshops were different because I came into contact with groups of people I would never have worked with otherwise, and they required a completely new approach and communication style.
As is so often the case in the social sector, my internship placement struggled with underfunding and a shortage of staff. My experience in Dublin has taught me to appreciate structure, funding opportunities, team building, supervision, and staff meetings. Thanks to my internship supervisor's open and supportive approach, the regular reflection sessions with her, and the diverse events within the project, I was able to learn a great deal despite the obstacles. I also had the opportunity to participate in several training courses and workshops and earn certificates. The internship showed me that I'm well-suited to social work, that I'm able to maintain professional distance while still expressing emotions, and that I can easily imagine working in the field of migration. Even though I have some critical views, I'm very satisfied with my internship and grateful that I was able to work there for three months.
Preparation
I recommend having time and patience for the preparation. I spent a whole year preparing for my stay abroad and faced some hurdles. I contacted more than 40 different organizations in various countries and only received a positive response from my internship provider.
Finding accommodation was also difficult. Above all, you have to lower your expectations and adjust your budget accordingly. In the end, we lived in a house with 12 people, sharing a kitchen and bathroom, for almost €1400 per month. Despite this, I'm very happy with this house because the community here is fantastic! We do things together several times a week: barbecues, baking, brunches, game afternoons, and so on.
In the planning and preparation phase, it was really helpful to keep lists of everything that had already been organized and what still needed to be organized: subletting the apartment, insurance, accommodation in Ireland, flights, etc. This gave us a pretty good overview. The DAAD insurance was a great option. I'm still not sure if my current insurance wouldn't have covered everything anyway, but it's very advantageous to have everything in one package with the DAAD insurance and to know for sure that it's specifically designed for Erasmus+ stays and internships.
It's important to know that the Erasmus+ grant, especially in a big city like Dublin, doesn't cover all the costs. Additional funding is definitely necessary.
Chronic Illness
I also have an anxiety disorder and wouldn't have wanted to go abroad alone. This meant we had the added coordination effort of my boyfriend also planning an Erasmus internship. We were lucky to both find placements in the same city and country, but even two months before our departure, I wasn't sure if everything would work out. Before leaving, I also put together a small emergency anxiety kit for my fanny pack, including strong smells and fidget rings. Even though I rarely needed these things, it felt good to have a safety net for panic attacks. And even when my boyfriend wasn't around during my anxiety attacks, I always managed to get through them. Especially since you're never truly alone – I received a lot of support from my internship supervisor and our friends in the house, and one of our housemates even had an anxiety disorder herself, which allowed us to share our experiences and support each other.
I was also very supportive of the Erasmus team. Life in Ireland
Ireland surprised me in that Dublin isn't as polished as I'm used to seeing in other European places. The people here are warm and welcoming, and we quickly grew fond of them. Just like Ireland itself – with all its quirks and idiosyncrasies, but also its stunning scenery, pleasant weather (yesterday it was 38°C in Germany, 19°C here), and the sea!
It's wonderful to be here with my boyfriend and to experience this special time together. Every other weekend, we take a weekend trip to a different city in Ireland and occasionally rent a car to visit places like the Cliffs of Moher or national parks. Actually, a lot is also easily accessible by train. On the one hand, it's nice to be returning to our organized, clean home soon. On the other hand, we'd love to stay here much longer to see everything and spend more time with our friends here.
In Dublin, the Leap Card for public transport is definitely worthwhile, but honestly, we prefer taking the train and the commuter rail to the double-decker buses, which are often overcrowded and delayed in the city's hectic traffic.
Positive Conclusion
Otherwise, my only advice is not to miss the opportunity to go abroad with Erasmus. Traveling as a pair helped me a lot – that way you can share the costs and feel less anxious. And I personally learned that even if my fears come true, nothing bad will happen to me, and I'm strong and stable enough to travel. A longer stay abroad involves a lot of planning, is expensive, and a leap into the unknown. But it's definitely worth it, and I would do it exactly the same way again. I'm very grateful that Erasmus offers the possibility of receiving financial support.
