Today is the day I leave for Dublin, and I should finish packing instead of writing this. My name is Ronan Cullen. I am from Somerset, Pennsylvania. I am 20 years old and an American and Irish dual citizen. This will be my seventh or eighth time going to Ireland, but I have never stayed for 8 weeks before. I am a big fan of nature and enjoy going on hikes and skiing when I have the time. I am a Pitt-Johnstown student (the largest Pitt branch campus), and I am in my third and final year at Pitt. I am a political science major in the Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science National Honor Society. My interests within the political sphere are mainly in international relations, policy making, and studying conflicts across the world, but especially within Africa and the Middle East. I am unsure whether I will continue my schooling after I graduate from Pitt, with options like law school and graduate school, or if I will just keep my bachelor’s degree. Luckily, this internship has a chance to solidify this decision, and could help me decide what career to hone in on.
I chose the PITT International Internship Program in Dublin for many reasons. While I am a dual citizen and still have very close family in Ireland, I would not say that they were the main reasons I chose the program. I always had an interest in possibly working in Ireland in the future, either working in an embassy or a consulate office. When I saw a chance that I could get some experience and have the opportunity to learn more about Ireland and European government, I had to take the chance, and thankfully, everything worked out.
From this experience, I plan to learn how to adapt to living abroad and learning to embrace such an exceptional experience. I would also like to go see more historical sites within Dublin, like Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin Castle, St Patrick’s Cathedral, and many more. When I am not doing all of that, I would also like to spend as much time as I can with my family who lives in Ireland, because I really only see them once a year. I want to get a lot out of this experience, but learning to live abroad, seeing historical sites, and visiting family are my top three.
Besides personal, there are many things that I can get academically from this experience. First, as a political science major, it can be hard to focus on certain things and honestly know what is going on in depth all around the world. So academically, I want to see what they prioritize or what they focus on when looking at politics around the world, and viewing it from a different lens. Another thing I can get out of this experience is being hands-on with the government. Many people agree that you can learn so much about something, but nothing can compete with hands-on experience. The opportunity I have to know about the Irish government from the opportunity I have been given is unmatched, and it would be very hard to get an equivalent within the United States.
Professionally, the main thing I want to get from this experience is work experience and opportunity. There is nothing like learning by doing something hands-on, which applies to what I hope to achieve professionally. Opportunity is the next biggest thing I hope to get from this experience. I do not know what I am doing every day, but the opportunity that can arise from this experience could make a tremendous difference. Taking this internship opens up a series of opportunities that will continue to spread from this internship, and I feel that later down the line, it can alter my future. Lastly, I will add this to my resume. I would like to work in the political or law sphere, and this internship could make a significant difference.
Overall, I am looking forward to this experience and would be mad at myself if I did not take this opportunity. I am a little nervous and anxious about what will happen, but I feel everyone experiences this to a degree. My flight leaves later tonight, and then I will be in Ireland, and I look forward to seeing what’s ahead.
I look forward to continuing to keep posting these blogs during my time in Dublin, and getting the opportunity to talk about everything I am doing for 8 weeks in Ireland.
