Pre-Departure

I imagine anyone reading this, besides my old roommate Jenny perhaps, would be wondering the origin of the blog title, so I feel like a disclaimer is in order. Though they are incredibly fitting, they are not my own words. It is actually the first line of the song Rocky Road To Dublin by The High Kings that I have adopted as the theme song to my summer. Naturally, after first hearing the song posted on my Facebook wall by my friend Doug, I became immediately obsessed with the band. It was short-lived, however, because I soon discovered the band would be touring Irish festivals in the United States all the while I was in Dublin. That's life I guess.

I made the decision to keep a blog while I am abroad this summer, not only to keep my family and friends updated but also to always have something I can look at to remind me of this fabulous adventure I am getting ready to embark on. For those of you that didn’t know, I am spending eight weeks this summer abroad in Dublin, Ireland. I will be interning with a production company known as Cambell Ryan Entertainment. My official job title is ‘Production Assistant,’ and I am to provide ‘all around film/video production assistance. Sounds promising, I know, but I have been assured I will not be spending my days getting coffee. While even getting coffee all summer wouldn’t be so bad since I am in Ireland, it is still an internship, so I do hope to learn a lot and gain experience I can use to further myself in a film career. Yes, film. The dream is still alive. Penn State sent me a very exciting email that still has me beaming to this day. I was accepted into the film major. Finally, I can get away from gen eds. Finally, I can take classes I’m really interested in. Finally, I can get in there and get my hands dirty. But why wait until the fall when I can jump in this summer?

I have always had a desire to travel abroad. Who hasn’t? But I also wanted to be more than a tourist. I wanted to spend some time living abroad, get immersed in a different culture. What drew me to Global Experiences, the program I am going through, were their internship placements rather than just class placements. Job experience abroad rather than studying abroad is something that could set me apart from other similar applicants vying for the same position as I am in the future. And there was a discount for Penn State students going to Dublin, so really it was fate.

It is surreal really. I am excited and nervous, but mostly, I still can’t believe it is actually happening. I flip through my passport constantly, but it still just seems like a toy. I have talked with my roommate, booked my flight, ordered power adaptor plugs, and google-mapped my walk from my flat to my internship but it still feels like I am just bidding my time until I head back to the Ranch for the summer to be a camp counselor.

The Ranch. That’ll be the hardest thing to leave behind this summer. Not a summer has passed since I was eight years old that I was not there. What started as the most fun week of my summer became the most fun summer job I could ask for. It was more than just fun games and adventures. It was the people that made those summers so memorable. It was both campers and staff that made my summers so special. Without them, it leaves me a little worried about this summer. Granted, I’ll be in Europe where there will be plenty of new experiences to be had, memories to be made, and friendships to be formed. There is no doubt in my mind that this summer will hold its fair share of magic, but the Ranch has become a part of me, and to not be there for camp leaves me with a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.

But enough melodrama! That is not what this blog is about. It is about everything and anything new; new places, new jobs, new coworkers, new friends, new food, and new stories. I was once a girl who was uncomfortable with change, but I’ve become a girl who thrives on it. Right now, new sounds exciting. New sounds intriguing. New sounds like something I’ll want to look back on in the future.