Hansa-Berufskolleg Jahrbuch 2017/2018

64 statements and invoices to complete the folder of a client. In case the com- pany is being controlled by the authori- ties this documentation will be neces- sary. The following three weeks I had to do a lot of different tasks in the office and in the clients´ office as well. I had to check if the invoices for the client’s folders were keyed in our system. In case something was missing I had to edit the missing information. I also had to check the receipts of purchases and sales. Two times a week Charles and I went to see one of the company´s clients, Dairyglen, a company that sells ice- cream products. Due to a pending au- dit I had a lot of cool tasks to do there. I had to do the cost allocation in the cost element of the previous months. After that I worked on the client´s profit and loss accounts and the balance sheet. The internship was a good chance to improve my English skills and I had a good view into the daily routines of an accountant and auditor in Ireland. I really enjoyed my work at F&M Ac- countants because they had trust in my skills and gave me a lot of responsibil- ity. So I had the chance of improving my accounting skills and broadening my general knowledge. It was also a good way to experience the daily rou- tines of a bookkeeping company abroad in general. As to the atmosphere at Irish compa- nies I have made the experience that business in Ireland is more family based and the employees are far more relaxed. They don’t get stressed so fast. Here and there I got the feeling that they are a bit idle and shiftless. My most outstanding experience was that the Irish people were very friendly and open-minded. They normally call you by your first name, even when they are superior. In Germany, I work at a big company with more than 1,700 employees, so it was a good experi- ence to work in a smaller unit. All in all, I would say that whenever you will have the chance of taking part in an internship overseas, be coura- geous and take this chance! It is the best way to improve your language skills and to get to know the culture and the people while you are working and living there over a manageable period of four weeks. (Jan Mol)