The stereotypical Irish are drunkards. In the past 6 days driving Dublin – Galway – Dingle – Belfast I’ve experienced nothing but exceptionally kind and helpful, intelligent, multilingual, and funny Irish. Haven’t experienced a single drunk, although I’m sure there’s one here somewhere. Certainly there is no shortage of pubs, but that is true in my home town as well.
Travel is educational, even for the educated and well-traveled among us. Who knew that driving South to North in Ireland would involve currency and language changes? I should have, but didn’t. The change in measurement systems is most critical when reading speed limit signs! Love the country, but the people even more.
Ireland played a key role in the Industrial Revolution. Despite the recent world-wide recession that hit Ireland as hard as the rest of us, the country continues to add strength in manufacturing operations.
Leave your comfort zone and get out to see how others do it. There’s certainly a few that do it better than you. The belief that “we do it well enough” is just as wrong as “Irish are drunkards” and just as limiting.
Don’t let false rumors get in the way of wonderfully successful visits, introductions to brilliant folks who may do it a bit differently than you, and to your own successful future.
A stereotype is just that, and a lie is just that. The truth is yours to discover.