Hola from Barcelona! My time in Dublin has come to a close and it’s a bittersweet feeling. In some ways, I am excited to return to the comfort and familiarity of the U.S, but on the other hand, I will greatly miss Ireland and the amazing people I have met here. I feel though that I accomplished and saw a lot during my time there–from Galway and the Cliffs of Moher, to the lively neighborhoods of the city centre. I loved every second of it and have so much appreciation for this beautiful country.
My last week in Dublin included revisiting some of my favorite places in Dublin and spending as much time as possible with the friends I have made here. I was exhausted by the end but it was definitely worthwhile to make the most of my remaining time.
After the program’s end date my roommate and I decided to make a trip to Barcelona before heading home to the U.S. The trip so far has been met with some highs and lows. I’ll start with the bad news. To start, we nearly missed our flight due to me being stuck in a Ryanair customer service line for about an hour and a half. This caused us to have to run with our suitcases from security to our gate to make the final boarding call. To follow, later that day my roommate Anna was pickpocketed and had her phone, ID, and credit card stolen. While this situation was stressful and more than unfortunate, she handled herself very well. We went to the police station the next day to file a report and got gelato to help keep us in good spirits.
Some of the highlights however, have included seeing the works of famous architect Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi was one of the main reasons I wanted to come to Barcelona. There is something about his work that I find so captivating. We visited his famous Casa Batllo and toured the interior, getting to see the intricacies of Gaudi’s design. Later on in this trip we plan to visit his most notable work, La Sagrada Familia, as well as Park Guell.
We have also been enjoying the food scene in Barcelona. You can’t go wrong with some good tapas, for which Spanish are renowned. The first night, I had what I would rate as the best plate of mussels I’ve ever had. We also made sure to visit Barcelona’s largest marketplace, La Boqueria, where we enjoyed some delicious empanadas and fresh fruit juices. It’s been hot in Barcelona, especially compared to the Dublin weather we were used to, which calls for lots of gelato stops (not complaining though). I can’t wait to try more food in my remaining time here.
When reflecting on the definition of success in a professional sense, I believe that in Ireland, the concept of success isn’t as clear cut as we may think of it in the U.S. In the United States, we place a lot of value on advancement and promotion at work and equating that to how successful someone is. We also place a high amount of significance on recognition, especially in the form of awards, publications, public approval, etc. What stands out to me the most though, is that U.S culture has a tendency to equate success with how much money someone makes.
This is not to say that the Irish do not care about these things, because they do still hold weight in Irish culture as well. However, I believe the Irish, more so than the U.S, tend to place emphasis on personal growth, relationships, and fulfillment in measuring success. Having a healthy work-life balance is very important as well as finding job satisfaction, motivation, and even happiness in your work. The Irish also place importance on building strong relationships with colleagues, which is something I definitely experienced at my internship. Success in the workplace is also viewed more as a collective, team effort rather than being credited to only a select few individuals.
Everyone has their own definition of success, shaped by their goals and personal experiences, but the culture which we grow up in undoubtedly influences how we perceive success. For myself, I place a lot of value on feeling fulfilled by my work, and this is what I hope to find in my future career.
Looking back on my time abroad, Dublin will always have a special place in my heart. This is definitely not the end for me and Ireland. I’m excited to see what the future will bring. On to my next adventure…
Goodbye (for now), Dublin.