Amy Beam (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) is a communications student. She was a PR intern with Rachel Dalton Communications in Summer 2015.
My name is Kelly-Ann and I am an art student hailing from the glorious and almighty frozen tundra known as Canada. I did an internship in Ireland this spring with an animation distribution company called Monster Entertainment.
by Hanna Sise. Photo courtesy of Avenley Horner.
On June 19, 2010, my life changed forever. As I boarded the Iberia airbus from Chicago O’Hare to Madrid Barajas, I took a deep breath knowing adventure awaited. Sevilla was my final destination. After arriving in the breathtaking Spanish city, I knocked on the door of a stranger. This woman, Esperanza, was to be my host mother for the next two weeks.
As I navigated my way through the foreign streets, jet lag, and much different food than I was used to, my eyes opened to the wonder of this amazing country. For the first time in my seventeen years, I was seeing something other than myself. Being used to living in this bubble that others created for me, I was finally able to see that there was life outside of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. And that was it: I was officially hooked.
by Perrin Thompson
When I considered writing a reflection on my time as an intern in Dublin, I thought it would be easy. However, when I sat down (multiple times) to gather my thoughts and begin telling my story, I realized how difficult it was to put what I had experienced into words. How could I convey what a life changing experience I had? How many amazing friendships I had formed? How much I had grown personally and professionally? And how much I had learned about myself being immersed in a foreign culture?
by Christine Loughlin
Setting the Scene
As a kid, I used to wake up on a Sunday morning to the smell of bacon frying and the gentle sounds of Irish traditional music. “Low lie the Fields of Athenry…!” Listening to the stories told to me about my great- great grandmother’s journey from Ireland to America filled me with admiration for this strong woman. My Claddagh ring that I wear every day grounds me to my Irish roots through its tale of love and loyalty. Memories and stories like these as well as small, yet meaningful, pieces of Irish culture have been artfully woven into my life ever since I can remember. It helps, too, that Boston is a place where shamrocks and all things Irish are far from scant!
If you’re reading this, you already know you’d like to go overseas. Perhaps, you’ve always dreamed of living in a foreign country. Maybe, you’ve studied abroad before and you’re trying to go abroad a second time. Whatever your story, you just know an experience abroad is in your future.
The questions is, where?
Our answer: Dublin.
No, not the one in Ohio or California. We’re talking Ireland. The Emerald Isle.
So, why should you intern abroad in Dublin?
Dandelions are my favorite flower. They grow where they aren’t supposed to. Kids blow on the tiny white puffs as they squeeze their eyes tight making a wish and hoping whatever they hope for will reach the stars.
In a couple days, I jet off for Dublin for a three-month internship with Extreme Ireland. I’m ready for my time abroad, but I have some nerves.
My eyes followed the dashed white lines of the pavement until it became a blur. I searched for something new to focus on. Street lights. People. Cars. Trees. We were en route to the Florida Keys from Michigan, a 37 hour adventure.
We’ve been going on trips like this since before I can remember, making our way around North America by car. It’s a lot more affordable for a family of six and I preferred it. I never slept. Green Day filled my ears as Ohio mornings turned into Tennessee nights, as open fields became mountains.
This is when my love of travel started.
All it took was a list.
This list came out of a “dark” time in my life, a time where I, ever so melodramatically, thought my life was falling apart. Everything I knew about myself had been shattered, leaving me questioning where I was going and what I wanted to do with my life. I had just changed my major after questioning if that was the right choice. I trusted my heart and leaned on my faith in the unknown. I had absolutely no idea where my life was headed; all I knew was that I needed a new start.
Do you know what your education is worth?
I had a crisis midway through college, one I’m sure many of you have had. I realized my college education would mean nothing once I’m in the “real world.”
Now, hold on. College wasn’t a complete waste of time – it was a load of fun, first of all. I’m just saying a college education is useless by itself. In the end, it’s just a piece of paper saying I received a degree in history. And all that meant was that I took about 10 classes in the subject – hardly making me a “historian.”
The hard truth is no one is going to hire you as an events manager just because you received a 4.0 GPA and “planned events” for the culture club. An education has to be complemented with practical experience.