In Retrospect

Wow. What a summer. I am writing this entry on my last day at my internship, only two days before I leave Dublin and Ireland for home, and I don't know when I'll return to this beautiful (but dreadfully rainy) island.

And what can I say about my summer. I find myself at this point, and I'm almost speechless in a way. How can one make others comprehend the feelings they have at the end of such a monumental and life-changing summer. How can I convey that this was the best summer of my LIFE and what that really, truly means? I guess I can't, I guess I have to wait for one of you to experience something as wholeheartedly as I have this summer for you to realize it. Experiences like this are truly once in a lifetime and are real gifts. If you had had such life altering experiences in your life, I congratulate you. If you have yet to "rock your world" quite literally...may I suggest going to Ireland at the drop of a hat? ;)

When it comes down to it, I'm a very sappy person. I'm very sentimental and I'm very cliche. I've come to accept this, because trying to not be is very exhausting, and it's more fun to be a "wear your heart on your sleeve" kind of person. I think that you live life in a very pure and compelling way if you just let everything affect you. It may be good sometimes and bad others, but at least you can say you're living.

With that, this summer has been wonderful and it has been awful. Things have happened to me and I've done things I've never thought possible of myself. If you are curious, I've written about a few of my experiences in Ireland throughout this blog. Overall though, everything I've done, every mistake I've made has been completely, totally, utterly WORTH IT.

This ending is so entirely bittersweet I can't determine which I want to do: stay or go. I'm going to miss everyone I've met in Ireland and Europe, but things have been happening back home that I'm anxious to get back to. This waiting period is almost killing me. Thinking about it, I've used up every resource I got my hands on in this trip, and this trip is over for me. I do love Ireland, but since my internship is over and I have nothing more to be here for, I'm ready for the next stage of my life. I'm looking forward to my classes that start in two weeks, going back to work and actually making money instead of spending it, my future trip to France, and what I do next in my life. I also miss all of my wonderful friends and family back home that have helped me get through the rocky times in my first time away from home.

I'd like to end with the last paragraph of my final paper for my Professional Writing class:
"This summer has been a whirlwind of traveling, adjusting to a new country, and trying desperately to make an impression on the Irish publishing world. Through trial and error and lots of pitfalls, I have come to find a little niche in this country and in this industry that made my internship a very good experience for me. Although the company and maybe even the country were not ideal for me, I learned so much about myself, about publishing, and about Ireland that undoubtedly will contribute positively to my life. I do not see myself following my feet to Ireland for a professional future in book publishing, but in retrospect, I wouldn’t change a thing about my summer. It truly was the best summer of my life, and through the good and the bad, it helped shape who I am and am on the road to becoming."

I think that sums it up nicely.

note: this blog will not end with my summer in Ireland. Please keep reading for continued adventures in my mildly entertaining life.