Week Three Summary
As I spend more time in Dublin, I am starting to notice more differences between the various neighborhoods, which previously all blended together. This weekend, I explored more of the inner city, north of the River Liffey. I saw the spire, of course, but also a great outdoor market where I bought tons of grapes, tomatoes, and apples for only five euros! The vibe on that side of Dublin is certainly different, being more raw than the polished areas in the South. I also noticed many restaurants of various cuisines, and a larger variety of languages spoken on the streets. I didn’t know how multicultural Dublin was until I arrived here. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the city and forming new thoughts on it.
This past weekend, I also visited a traditional Irish pub with a few friends. It was very beautiful and historical inside, and being a Saturday night, it was packed. I had conversations with a few strangers, and it all felt very welcoming and familiar. It made me wonder why America doesn’t have more ‘public living-room’ type of spaces. It also made me feel more homesick, on the other hand, thinking about how much I miss my partner. Still, we have developed a routine of playing a video game together on most weekday evenings to stay connected. It is nice to share an online space when we cannot do it in person.
On a more serious note, I have been trying my best to keep up with current events back home, and reading about the protests in Los Angeles has been quite stressful. Moreso than ever, I feel helpless to change the political climate in my country, and I hate to sit back and watch everything unfold across the ocean here in Ireland. However, instead of mindlessly worrying about it, I have decided to take steps to further educate myself via reading on American politics, history, economics, and foreign affairs. If I cannot engage with my local community, I can at least better myself now to be better prepared when I return to take action.
Problem Solving With Incomplete Information
I am in a unique position with my internship because of the size of the firm I am working for. The firm consists of three people, one of whom has not been around during my internship so far. The other two are married! Since I effectively have two supervisors who are opposites in some ways, the direction for my work can be a bit varied and confusing.
My first supervisor is very ideas-driven, so instructions from her are big picture or conceptual. On one hand, this gives me the freedom to tailor my tasks for skills I am most focused on developing. On the other hand, the lack of direction can feel overwhelming, especially at the beginning stages of an internship.
My other supervisor is a lot more practical and detail-driven. His instructions are significantly more focused. While I do appreciate the concrete task assignments, I am often working on more technical aspects of our projects, and I end up needing to get clarification and research online.
No matter the task I have at work, I always approach uncertainty the same way. Both of my supervisors have cultivated a very welcoming and accommodating environment in the office, so I am very comfortable asking them as many questions as I need to complete my task well. In general, I try to answer questions by looking online first. If I cannot find an answer, I write down my question and wait until I have a few before going up to one of my supervisors. That way, I am learning but also respecting their time and the work they have to get done while I am here.
Looking Ahead…
I am so excited for the upcoming week, because my partner is coming to visit me all the way from Pittsburgh on Sunday! We will be together for ten days, including a long weekend in Budapest. I have been channeling that energy into creating Dublin and Budapest itineraries, including activities for him while I am away at work, since I am clearly the Irish expert between the two of us!
I am also excited about the upcoming projects at work. It seems like I will be helping with the masterplanning of a large rural property, which the client would like to develop into mountain-resort-inspired grounds. I will most likely be using SketchUp, which I am definitely more comfortable with than this new-to-me MicroStation software.
Wish me luck!