July 12th, 2019

Still trying to process this past week. This week has been emotionally draining and I haven’t even said goodbye to everyone yet. Presentations on Wednesday were amazing and I couldn’t think of a better way to end this program. It was amazing to see everyone coming out of their shells and sharing such personal information. It just proves how close we’ve become and how the past 8 weeks have affected us. I didn’t really understand it in the moment and I’m still not sure I fully understand what the 7 sessions did for us. But clearly something happened because all 8 of us shared thought-provoking things that amazed me. The internship component of this experience was great, but I honestly don’t think that work experience was the biggest thing I took out of this program. I am still finding it difficult to put it all into words but I still have a lot of processing to do. This whole week has been a high and a low and I have too many emotions going on to think clearly at the moment. 

My last week of work was good, I finally had some more tasks to do so it went a little faster than previous weeks. I was also able to interact with my coworkers a lot more which was nice, I only wish I had been able to do that earlier in the program. One of the most important things to me when having an experience like this, is how it ends. If I don’t feel like I get a proper exit, the way I view thewhole experience can be effected. My last day of work couldn’t have gone any better. Everyone just happened to come back to the office right as I was about to leave and it was a great send off. I think teamwork and collaboration was the NACE skill I used the most this week as I tried to solidify relationships with my coworkers. I think beyond professional skills, learning to make connections with co-workers is just as important. 

Overall this experience has been amazing, it was just the right mixture of things I expected and things I didn’t. I know that I’ll continue to learn things from this experience as I move forward in my career and process all that has happened in these past 8 beautiful weeks. Ireland is amazing and traveling is amazing. I have no regrets and I feel incredibly lucky to have had this experience and have had the opportunity to meet so many incredible people along the way. This is only the beginning and I can’t wait to see how this adventure will help shape me in the future.

The end. 

July 6th, 2019

This work week brought me a lot closer to my coworkers and was a great way to wrap up my second to last week here. Because of the office dynamic and the busy time of year, there are rarely a lot of people in our office on a daily basis. The beginning of this week just happened to be when everyone was in the office and led to a lot of “team time”. Monday we had a staff meeting which was really interesting to sit in on, as they discussed the future of the company and the work that was going to be done in the coming months. The dynamic of this office continues to surprise me, as they work together no matter where each person is working from. July and August is when a lot of people go on holiday so coordinating the shifting of workloads was really interesting and almost made me thankful that I’m going home in a week. I’m sure they’ll all get everything done, but from my perspective it all just seemed very stressful. In addition, the content team is taking on more social accounts that they’ll have to manage, just as one member goes away for a three week holiday. They had a meeting at a local coffee shop to plan how they were going to manage it all. It also gave them a chance to converse more freely, without bosses listening in. This was the first time that I really felt like part of the team and was able to connect with my co-workers. This used the NACE teamwork skill as I built connections with everyone outside of the office. Hearing the office drama is how you know “you’re in” and that’s something that I’ve observed in just about every job I’ve had. 

In terms of actual work, I’ve been doing more basic tasks, as most people are swamped with work as everyone heads on holiday. I’m still trying to get the most out of the experience by observing and going to meetings. It’s hard as an intern because I want to be helpful, but I also have to make sure that I’m getting the best experience I can, and I think that’s one of the things that I’ve struggled with the most. 

In the living situation side of things, the group dynamic is ever-changing. Friend groups are shifting, even with one week left. Some moments I know I’m going to miss this experience and living with these people, but other times, I’m more eager to get home. One week left, and my goals are to get through the remainder of the work for this class and make the most of the time here, which is proving to be a delicate balance. 

June 30th, 2019

The end of this week brought much productivity and allowed me the time to finally finish my other online class! It feels like such a weight has been lifted, just having that piece done. These past 6 weeks have not been easy but I definitely believe it is/will be worth it when I get home and can just relax for the rest of the summer. People tell me all the time that I am crazy for doing so much, but it’s all about choosing which discomfort you want. I would rather be super busy now and graduate with two degrees in four years, rather than try to go back to college later on, or not be able to get a well-paying job after college. So it’s little moments like this where I can give myself a full month off, where it all feels like it’s worth it. 

This work week was pretty uneventful, and consisted of generally the same work that I’ve been doing. I was able to get into more of the video making side of things this week, which I’ve realized interests me a whole lot more than the articles and website stuff I’ve been doing. I think the NACE skill I used most was digital technology. I’ve used this skill a lot over the weeks but I think this week it was different because I was focusing more on video creation rather than the website end, as I had been doing before. So even within the digital technology skill I was expanding my skills. 

These blog posts have helped me start to carve out what I want my final presentation to be about. I’m a huge fan of TED talks and love how well put together they are, so I feel a lot of pressure to do this really well and find a topic that tells a story. I’m finding that even through constructing my presentation, I’m still learning so much about this experience and myself.

June 23rd, 2019

This week was a short one for me, as my parents came to visit and I was able to take some time off of work (more on that later). We went up to Belfast, and got to see the Giant’s Causeway, which maybe it’s just me, but I found that to be more impressive than the Cliffs of Moher. We also spent some time here in Dublin and it was fun to do more of the “touristy” stuff with them, that I hadn’t had a chance to do yet. Also being able to go to a pub with my dad was great and give him his proper father’s day celebration that I had missed out on the week before. Overall a great visit, and I got to see more of Ireland, which is always a plus. 

I had asked my boss the week before via email if it would be okay if I took a few days off of work to be with my parents during their visit, to which she simply replied, “of course”. Such a simple response to an email that I had drafted multiple times and almost considered not sending. I’m not sure if that’s the American in me or just my personality but I hated asking for time off, even though it’s perfectly normal. I got about the same response from everyone else in the office when I asked if they would be okay with me taking Thursday and Monday off, although they took it more as an announcement rather than me asking, as they didn’t think they had an power to tell me no. Because of this, I think the NACE skill I used this week was the career management. While simply asking for a day off wasn’t necessarily a career altering question, it was a good lesson in asking for what you want. 

I say this every week, but I still can’t believe how fast time is flying by. Ireland feels so much like home now, that I feel like I’ve lived here for years…

June 18th, 2019

To wrap up week 4, Kat and I decided to take a very last minute trip to Amsterdam for the weekend. After being with everyone the weekend before we both felt like we needed a little escape. It was really nice to step out of the daily grind and go exploring on our own. This was a cultural difference that after a few weekend trips, I still haven’t gotten used to. Being able to hop from one country to another with minimal advance planning is so different from the US and is a nice change of pace. We encountered a few issues upon arriving in Amsterdam after waking up at 3:30 AM for our flight. But one 60 euro (!) taxi ride later, we had arrived. It was an awesome weekend exploring the beautiful city and meeting tons of new people at our hostel. Overall a great weekend that reminded me that it’s all worth it. 

At work, I was able to explore more of the video side of content creation which was super interesting. I enjoy making travel videos on my own time, so working on these Tourism Ireland videos was really fun for me. This brought me back to the technology NACE skill and I further worked on improving that skill throughout this project. I’ve also been doing a bit of research and using the more creative side of my brain to come up with new ideas for their Instagram and community page.

My high point for this week was definitely the weekend travel to Amsterdam. My low was still struggling a bit with my mood and staying positive. I have another project for my online class coming up, which is creating a bit more discomfort than I would like. However, my parents are coming to visit this week which will simultaneously allow me to explore more of Ireland and not give me time to do my homework. But, I must trust that it will all get done, as it always does. And with that, we are over halfway done with the program, which sounds crazy, but as I’ve mentioned, it also seems like I’ve been here forever. 1 week closer to my proper summer.

June 11th, 2019

Only a few days left until we’re officially half way done, which comes with mixed emotions. This week I’ve been struggling between many different feelings, peace and happiness mixed with feeling tired and wanting alone time, mixed in with a little homesickness. At this point I’m craving a proper summer, complete with me sitting by a pool basking in the sun. However, due to Ireland’s 60 degree weather and my busy schedule, my reality is far from that. But, I am in Ireland and doing an internship that is teaching me so much. I have the opportunity to travel, meet new people and get great business experience. Week 3 ended with a trip to Galway, the Cliffs of Moher and many pubs. But I didn’t feel like I was fully able to enjoy all that with my emotions playing tug-of-war. However, I’m letting these emotions come and go and allowing myself to just be in the moment. 

In the office, this week I have had more independence and have been working on more of a long term project. I’ve been struggling because I feel like I should be working faster through this project, and I’m not. I’ve been reassured that the project is no rush and that I can work at my own pace, but the American in me still feels self-conscious about it. I think the NACE skill I used most this week was leadership, and having to take control of pacing myself. I am almost done with the project but have definitely strengthened my skills working with the software as a result. 

Something that I want to try to work on is taking time for myself, but not too much. Finding a balance between hanging out with friends and having personal time. I hope to travel this coming weekend and end week 4 on a good note. It can be hard sometimes to allow myself to feel a little down, especially when I am in the middle of such an amazing experience but I know myself, and I know that allowing myself to feel down for a little bit will allow me to enjoy the rest of the time more. I’ll get my “proper” summer in 4 weeks when I get home, and I know the minute I get there, I’ll be wishing I was right back here. So I’m going to take it all in and feel all the feelings, because soon enough I’ll be sitting poolside basking in the sun…

June 2nd, 2019

It is hard to believe that I have already completed my second full work week here. I am finding that as I get more comfortable with my surroundings both at work and at home, time seems to be going faster.I know that it will only speed up and before I know it, I’ll be heading home. 

            At this point I am starting to become more comfortable with the CMS system and how to use it, which has allowed me to take on new tasks. I am still doing a lot of backlog and updating old articles, but given my increased knowledge, I am able to complete more of the process on my own. It has also become less nerve wracking because there are several proofing steps in place to ensure that my work is being looked over multiple times before actually publishing it to the live website page. 

            Another difference that I encountered this week was the office dynamic. In most offices everyone comes to work every day and staff meetings can be held every so often, so it is easy to communicate with everyone. However, as I mentioned last week, Maxmedia is very different. About half of the office works remotely and comes into the office once a month. This week I got to experience a staff meeting with the content team. A conference call made sense, until you take into account that half of the call was sitting in the same room. The delay from the voices talking in the room to what I was hearing on the phone was atrocious. None the less, they make it work. This major difference was super interesting to me and further explains how this office is able to stay productive when many of its intricate members are scattered across Europe. 

            This experience really forced me to use the teamwork/collaboration NACE skill. It also showed me how the office uses this skill on a daily basis. Through the Slack system I mentioned last week, everyone is even able to have off topic discussions, as they would if we were all sitting in the office together. I think the balance and passion for work is what makes this team work, and I am excited to learn more about it from them. Teamwork is obviously a part of almost every job and any chance to improve my skills in that area is great experience. 

            My high point of this week was how it ended. Friday morning I hopped on a plane to head over to London. I stayed there for the weekend with family and used it as an opportunity to step away and get some work done. I am also taking an online class through my university this summer and was finding it really difficult to get work done at home due to the great social atmosphere. So a quick trip over to London allowed me to get ahead on some work and have a nice change of scenery. After the much needed recharge, I am ready to take on week 3!

May 28th, 2019

I arrived in Ireland exactly 12 days ago. Today I completed my 6^th day of my internship with Maxmedia. Part of me feels like I just got here, while another part of me feels like I’ve been doing this for months. My experience thus far with my internship has been mostly positive, but also filled with a lot of adjusting and learning. That can sometimes be a little painful and stressful, but that’s how I know that there is growth happening. 

Maxmedia is a small content creation agency based in County Dublin in the small coastal village of Dalky. Everyone has been very friendly and welcoming and the open, modern office set up has allowed me to really feel like part of the group quickly. My first few days were mostly spent intaking information and getting set up with all the necessary accounts and such. A lot of the staff work from home or even from the UK, which makes the office dynamic very interesting. They use the application, Slack, which acts as a sort of internal messaging system that allows everyone to stay connected whether we’re right across the room or in a different country. Getting to know how the office works is almost as important as figuring out what work I am doing. 

Last summer I interned with Geokon Inc. back in the US which was a vastly different experience. My role focused mainly on the overall marketing strategy and research for a company-wide rebrand. This industry was mainly business to business marketing which gave me really great experience. In contrast, Maxmedia is consumer marketing based and creates content for other companies. Their main focus is creating content for Tourism Ireland’s website which helps customers to plan trips to Ireland. They do this using a content management system (CMS) called Sitecore to manage this as well as systems such as Trello to keep track of their production process. My duties thus far have included finding images for social media and updating backlog articles. I’ve only been working with Sitecore for a few days but, I already can feel myself becoming more comfortable with the platform. Once I got over the initial fear of accidentally messing up Tourism Irelands website, I was able to start working with the system and actually mess up Tourism Irelands website!… just kidding, but I did have to email tech support today. 

One of the biggest differences I was able to identify this week was between business to business marketing and consumer based marketing. This is unlike anything I’ve done before, and especially at the international level, there are really important aspects that I had never considered before. One of the biggest ones is all the stuff that we can’t talk about. The audience for this content is world-wide so it’s really important to understand world news so that we aren’t saying something that offends or creates controversy. In order to effectively market Ireland, there’s a lot of things that cannot be mentioned. It’s also really important to take into account the cultural differences that exist around the world. For example, drinking alcohol in Ireland is very much part of the culture, however in France, discussion about drinking is frowned upon. Many differences like this require extreme caution and thoughtfulness when creating content. 

One of my real high points thus far was this morning when I finally conquered my commute and arrived to work 15 minutes early! I really didn’t think it was going to be so difficult but the bus system in Dublin can be very difficult to master. A low point for me happens every morning as I struggle to get out of bed at 6:30 am. Getting sleep has proven to be difficult when living in such a social environment. 

The NACE skill that I used most this past week was professionalism and work ethic. Coming into a new environment with people who didn’t know me, it was really important to prove myself and let them know that I am serious about this internship. Communication and punctuality are key in getting this point across and I’ve been paying extra attention to those this past week as I try to make the best impression I can. Obviously, I’ll need to continue exercising this skill throughout my time here, but especially in these first few weeks. 

I’m starting to get over the initial fears and beginning to feel more comfortable in my placement. I’m excited to seewhere this summer will take me and what I’ll be able to gain professionally from this internship.