Sunday, June 5, 2011

A New Day, A New Adventure

Well Lovely Followers, this does seem to be a recurring theme now doesn't it? I say I will do better about posting, and yet here I find myself again, a full week later, catching up with you all. But as it seems, this may be the case for quite awhile, at least as long as I am in Ireland, just because my days throughout the week are extremely busy with work and such, and the weekends are when all the fun stuff happens...so let's hop right to it, shall we?

I really do feel as if this one post could encompass about a million different mini-posts just because this past week has been full of so many new realizations and adventures that I have had quite the time trying to process it all....
Let's start with work...It has been truly incredible. I honestly look forward to going every single day, for the simple fact that I never quite know what I will be doing next or what new project awaits me. That being said, it is definitely not...oh how do I describe this?....it's not all "kicks and giggles" if you know what I mean. I guess what I am really trying to say is that having just very recently learned that most international student-interns do not get the same type of incredible job opportunity as I have been allowed, and as honored as I feel to have been deemed "worthy" of such, that doesn't mean that there aren't times that I have to wonder what in the world I have gotten myself into. I say this because I work under the most talented and (in Ireland/UK) the most noted production company I have ever had the opportunity to encounter, much less learn from, and along with that the expectation for me as their intern is high. Extremely high. Don't get me wrong, I take great pride in the successes I have achieved thus far (definitely nothing close to what I would have been able to do in the States), it's just that being under the pressure of major companies to fulfill their demands is well, to say the least, challenging. This past week was the epitome of just that. As with most creative fields one day you could easily find yourself sitting around the office one day searching for something, anything!, to do, and the very next running (literally) in order to knock out one project after the next trying to make deadlines. But as frazzled as I find myself trying to keep up with the chaos, I also cannot help but find myself sometimes more frustrated by the fact that there are some things that I simply don't know yet. I know this sounds sort of silly, but really. There is nothing that can make me more mad with myself than when something is asked of me that I simply do not how to do. OR if I have to ask a million questions.....It is definitely during those times of ignorance that I just have to ask myself "What in the world am I doing here?". Being "THAT" intern is not how I work - I always know the answer, and am always there to please....but not this week. This week was about humility and observance of the fact that (shockingly) I do not know everything. But alas, as with most of the life lessons that I am constantly journeying through, I know that there is indeed a purpose. However, in the midst of this "inner-turmoil" of sorts what is an even greater realization is the fact that my bosses don't seem to be phased by this. They somehow (and for some strange reason that I cannot understand) have this tremendous faith in me that I am baffled to understand. And just like that, the projects I have been assigned this next week are as follows:
*Co-Coordinate Production/Web Cast for Microsoft featuring their yearly conference based here in Dublin (it may be 8 hours long, but I'm sure you could find something entertaining about watching it. I mean I have to, haha)
*Edit 5 information-based productions distributed by Pfizer to all public schools in Ireland concerning the needs/provisions of students with chronic illnesses...asthma, epilepsy, juvenile diabetes, ect.)
*Co-edit promotional video/commercial for Ireland's airline, Aer Lingus, to commemorate their 75th Anniversary.
.....yes, this could potentially be the longest 4-day work week of my life.

So I say "4-day" work week, because this week is what Europeans call a "Bank Holiday" (they fall on different days for each country).....it's not really to celebrate anything in-particular, just a time to be off of work, and as will be the case here tomorrow, enjoy Dublin culture through a wide variety of festivities across the city. That being the case, I have taken the opportunity to book myself two day trips so that I can somewhat separate myself from such "festivities" (or openly accepted all-day-long intoxication as I like to call it) in order to have a "real" vacation. So, this past Saturday (or yesterday) I took a trip to Blarney and Cork (the Southwestern portion of Ireland) and had an absolutely wonderful time. Living in Dublin, one definitely gets a good dose of the Irish culture, but nothing compares to being in Ireland's country side....for me, that is where the true culture lies. Everything here is so much more vibrant and beautiful....things taste, smell, and "feel" different, and I am in constant awe of the majesty of the landscapes here. And then tomorrow, I will find myself on the road again. This time to Gallway, or Western Ireland, to see more specifically the Cliffs of Moher on the western coast. I am so excited, and will be sure to post pictures...which I am actually getting alot better at. So yes, all of these activities should be fun, and no worries, you all will be the first to know how it goes ;)

But let's see, perhaps a little update on me specifically (as if this whole blog isn't)....I have started I new hobby this past week - Running. If you have known me for any amount of time you also know how much I loathe such a sport. I have never been any good at it (really, I am as slow as they come....like, fat kids can beat me), and as such I have always chosen sports in which I could sprint (swimming and tennis) because I guess that's just how I'm wired. And not to mention that running being the one athletic area that I couldn't at least ever become "decent" at, I left my ambition to do so a long time ago. But then I got here, and something strange happened. I dunno, I just got this urge to go running one day last week, and have been doing so ever since. Who knows how long it will last.....as you have probably picked up on, I tend to get frustrated by things I don't succeed at right away. But we'll see. I am enjoying it for now, and am really enjoying the fact that I have noticeably lost a few pounds already, and feel great! Here's hoping that I can stick with it....ya never know, I could come home a regular "skinny-minnie", though I highly doubt it.

But I suppose that is all for now. I am hoping (yes, hoping) to write more tomorrow once I return from Gallway about that trip as well as more about my excursion from yesterday, but until such time, here is a sneak peek at what a wonderful day I had yesterday....

Grace & Peace,
AJ

Beautiful, just beautiful
I think this is my absolute favorite from yesterday

"Land of 40 Greens"

Blarney Castle

Cork 
Rock of Cashel

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