It was finally time for our class to visit the RTÉ Television Station in Dublin. We headed out first thing in the morning by bus, where we met Sean and went straight to the station. Upon arrival, we were introduced to a staff member who guided us behind the scenes for a look at how news broadcasting works. It was fascinating to see what goes on behind the cameras to get the news out to the public.
Before we got to watch a live taping, we met the news anchor, Karen, who would be presenting the 1 o’clock news. She walked us through the studio, showing us where each camera was positioned and pointing out the monitor that displayed all of her lines. Even though I’m not a broadcasting or multimedia major, I felt the pressure during the live airing—it was intense! I kept thinking something might go wrong, but of course, the team was so experienced and professional that they handled everything smoothly. Still, I could feel the countdown ticking in my chest. It gave me a new appreciation for the high-stakes environment of live television.
Overall, I really enjoyed seeing the behind-the-scenes process of news reporting, especially in a foreign country like Ireland. It was eye-opening to compare the differences between how international news is reported in Europe versus in the U.S.
Now, this is where the fun really began. After our visit to the RTÉ station, I decided to explore a bit on my own and ended up at a Mexican restaurant—my first meal in Dublin! Later that evening, around five, we met up with an instructor who taught us how to do traditional Irish dancing. It was such a cool and funny experience. Irish dancing felt ancient yet so unique, and having the chance to participate was truly a pleasure. It even reminded me of a quinceañera rehearsal—I could almost picture us preparing for someone’s big 15th birthday celebration, which made the whole thing even more hilarious and fun.
Overall, visiting the RTÉ station and learning Irish dancing were two of the highlights of the trip. I’m so grateful for this incredible opportunity—it’s an experience I’ll carry with me for a long time.