Today we had our first meeting with Erin McLaughlin the Ireland Site Director for All People Be Happy!! The biggest thing I prepared for our first meeting was a set of questions regarding Carrigart and the way their local government is involved in daily life and hope for growth. Along with other questions from other groups, I began to learn more about how the towns connect much deeper with each other rather with the county they are a part of. From here, my group plans to continue our research and prepare to focus on the personal anecdotes the people in Ireland are able to share with us when we arrive.
Later, we had a lunch discussion with Pitt Business EIR Joe Pietropola. He spoke with us about his own past and his path to his present. He was very honest in his conversations about not only his troubles but also his successes. He helped convey that sometimes true growth is not linear and can happen in spots of life. He has helped me think about my own future and how much change I can prepare for, even after college and within the workforce!!