"It definitely helped professionally as it introduced me to more of an actual career setting which I hadn't experienced before. It made me more of an outgoing person."-Brandon, University of Michigan

"I loved my life in Ireland so much I came back! I'm already back in Ireland on another work permit. I only went home for five months!"-Allison, University of California, Berkeley

"Yes it changed me A LOT! I went through the interview experience and I am now very confident. I improved my CV, and I made many different friends. I learned new words, slang and the cultural differences between Americans and the Irish. It was the first time I lived on my own, and had to deal with finding a place to live. I also was forced to learn how to cook!!! I miss Ireland."-Katia, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

"I got to experience working as a waiter and meeting lots of Irish people. Many of those I worked with were from outside Ireland and we all got along very well and became good friends. After my time in Ireland, I did a tour around northern Europe. I can say traveling is addicting. The more you travel the easier it becomes. The world shrinks when you travel so it makes it more feasible to go to another place and another."-Hugh, Muskingum College

"It was amazing! I loved every minute of it. Without a doubt my time in Ireland had a very positive effect on me. It made me a more responsible person with a more open mind and made me want to travela lot more.It gave me more responsibility and made me a more knowledgeable person while also introducing me to many different types of people and situations that helped me grow as a person."-Evan, Vanderbilt University

"The summer I spent working in Ireland was a good one. It was stressful at first, trying to find a job. And since I didn't know anyone at first, it was a bit lonely. But once I got my job, it was a great experience. The work environment in Ireland is completely different to work environments in the US. The atmosphere is much more laid back. It was a lot of fun talking to customers in the shop where I worked, and to the other employees. Culturally, Ireland is very similar to America. In talking to people who live in Ireland, the subtle cultural differences are brought to light.
Though I studied abroad in college, working in Ireland was a much more "grown up" experience. It forced me to be much more independent and flexible. Not everything ran totally smoothly, so I learned to just roll with whatever life deals. I'm now out of college and have my first real job. In interviews, potential employers were all very impressed that I'd spent a summer working in a different country. I have no more travel plans for the near future since my Irish fianc is moving to America in the next few months. "-Holly, Thomas More College

"Ireland was awesome I miss it! It had a very positive effect on me. It fuelled my hunger for travel and learning about other cultures. It helped me to be confident in myself and grow independently."-Elizabeth, San Diego State University

"I came back home a completely different person. I learned to be more confident in myself knowing that I could survive in another place. I also had a greater excitement for life in general after being exposed to just a bit of what all there is available for me. I'm interviewing for Med schools, and practically every person I talk to is blown away by the experiences I had in Ireland... thus, professionally it is a goldmine for me! And personally too. Like I said before, I am a much more confident and excited person than I was before!"-Andrew, Lee University