This final week was very bittersweet. Part of me feels as though it is time to go home, relax before school starts and finally see my family and friends but another big part will miss this city and the people I met here so much. I tried to balance having fun and soaking up the last few days while also saying my goodbyes and doing all of my ‘lasts’. We spent a lot of time this week trying new food and making an event out of every night. We went to a fancy train car Chinese bar and restaurant, an Italian wine bar and restaurant, a beer garden, and of course an Irish pub for our last few dinners in the city. One night we visited a few of our favorite pubs from the trip to say goodbye and reminisce over a couple of beers about the amazing times we’ve had here.

I didn’t realize when I got here just how close you could get to people in such a short amount of time. Being thrown into a foreign country and environment really brings you together and I have found two lifelong best friends from my time in Dublin. Something I never really expected to happen. I can’t wait to experience more life with them and continue to talk about our time in Dublin, where we met for years to come. The memories we made really have changed me and made me appreciate the little things more and more. Even just going to work every day, getting a coffee in the city, or having a really friendly interaction, it all made my stay what it was and I wouldn’t change it for anything. As I was leaving the city on my way to the airport today I could point out spots and specific memories that were made on different streets, in pubs, or just in front of the river. I can’t wait to visit Dublin again, maybe even live here one day and make it my home again. It’s made me appreciate cultural differences, the experiences of others, and how valuable travel and putting yourself in new situations are. It helps you grow and learn more than you ever could from just sticking to your own perspective and familiarities.

I’ll be continuing my time in Europe for a few more days, exploring a few islands in Greece and Athens and I hope to learn a few more lessons along the way. Although this trip has been long and somewhat difficult at times, I have absolutely no regrets.

Success in Ireland isn’t necessarily reliant upon performance or statistics that show you have the best most hard-working spirit or technique. In Dublin, I’ve noticed that respect goes a long way. This isn’t always earned by finishing assignments on time or doing your job well, although that does help, it is more about forming relationships and showing empathy in the workplace. So success in Ireland I would say if having good relationships with your coworkers and being a reliable employee. When people respect you on a personal level, it seems, then the rest comes easily because people know they can trust you on more than just a work level.

In my internship and in the marketing industry an effective employee is communicative but also creative. You have to be able to take direction while also making it your own and using the skills you’ve acquired to come up with material that will work and can be used. There is a lot of flexibility in the marketing industry and so an effective employee in this field is someone who can quickly change direction, can get through obstacles quickly, and isn’t deterred by a change in plans because it is an ever-changing field since it revolves around people and what they want.

In America, success is not too different however it is more heavily based on actual performance and numbers. The faster and more efficiently you work, the more praise you receive sometimes. This often brings up a more competitive attitude and creates a cut-throat environment to be the best even if it means sacrificing personal relationships. In Ireland, however, the difference is that working with that kind of attitude is not always rewarded and respect for others and your work matters more in a lot of situations. The behaviors of a more effective employee in Dublin are as a team, or a collaboration, a way to help others, whereas in America it feels as though it is a more individual or personal gain behind every action. I’ve learned to value these qualities a bit more after working in this kind of workplace and I want to work on integrating them in my future positions.