An experience abroad and a far greater gift

It is a life changing experience, living abroad. Coming to a new place, intrigue and wanderlust take over as you immerse yourself within the unique culture and customs that define this “new place.” However Dublin was not one of these places, and this statement is not to be misconstrued as rude criticism. For throughout my three-month stay within this city I have come to realise a true value in Dublin, which in no small part has contributed to the success of my internship. This internship has built a substantial foundation and networking base for my professional career. The opportunity to live in Dublin City was a blessing, but the nature and experience of my internship was a far greater gift.
The city of Dublin or county rather, encompasses diverse urban and suburban landscapes while supporting a vibrant social structure. However these are commonalities shared with most westernized cities, and has become a sort of standard for life. The true value of and in Dublin has come from the unique qualities the city holds, which can be both blatant and subtle to the average pedestrian. Some of the more blatant or apparent aspects within Dublin can be found within the low-rise architecture; with the vivid and elaborate door/entrances, unique dry rock siding, and wide arrangement of greenery be it roof moss , wall vines, or the world renown Irish grass. The lack of street signs, turning any given walk into an adventure, and the iron gates adorn each house. In addition the use of the Gaelic language throughout the city, a trait that magnifies as one moves away from the city centre.
Yet there are also more subtle and inconspicuous qualities within Dublin that revolve around the unique neighbourhoods sprinkled across central Dublin. Harcourt Street and Road bring a career orientated ambiance to Dublin 2, with companies like Ernston Young and law firms like Mason Hayes Curran, and perpetuate the professional drive of the Irish work force. While the greater Rathmines area sparks the vibrant art and music scene within the city. St Stephens Green and the surrounding area set a foreign friendly environment and just north is the Scholarly or educational hotbed of Dublin, due to Trinity College and many museums. To put this in perspective or relate it to my professional purpose, the environment one surrounds themselves with perpetuates their motivation, innovation, and efficiency. Success begins with the bed one sleeps in, and my success
On the first day of my internship, my boss told me that this was a job and nothing else. From that day on I treated it as such, and I dealt the same level of diligence within work to each and every project I was tasked with. Seeing the success of the company around me, with new mergers and business acquisitions, drove my own ambition. Having to familiarise myself with new legislation made each day an intellectual struggle. While the abundance of tedious projects tested my ability to allocate time and plan my workload. However the most challenging and rewarding part of my internship or job rather was the freedom that I was given. We, my flatmate and I, pulled the finished project together; accomplished through the deliberation and collaboration with business contacts throughout many different fields, in addition to the accumulation and utilisation of company resources.
My job required efficiency and commended innovation, to which I supplied plenty of. I am not a boastful person, but I must say that my personal work ethic has grown exponentially over my tenure here. The contacts that I have made within this short three months will bring me a wealth of opportunities throughout my lifetime. I owe all of what I have accomplished over these past few months to my program Global Experiences, and all the people within it who’ve fostered my professional progress.