I landed in Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday night and I have spent my time since sharing photos of Ireland with family, sharing my favorite memories from the trip, and reaching out to friends I made along the way in Dublin.

Plus3 Ireland was such an amazing opportunity, and I’m so appreciative that I took the chance to step out of my comfort zone and join this program to wrap up my time as a student at Pitt. It’s really difficult to pick a favorite day or activity, but I think I have narrowed it down to three: Croke Park, the Kilkenny/Wicklow trip, and the Cliffs of Moher. At Croke Park, I enjoyed learning about the events leading up to a match and the basics of Gaelic soccer and hurling. The stadium had intense history, and I liked hearing about the players’ pregame rituals. The Cliffs of Moher was one of my most anticipated parts of the trip, and they didn’t disappoint! The views were incredible, and I love telling people about them. The Kilkenny/Wicklow trip was also so special to me, as we were able to fit so much into one day and I got to spend it with my friends.

In just two weeks, I learned so much about myself. This was my first time abroad, and I was nervous to see if I could thrive around people I barely knew in a city over 3,000 miles from home. I think this trip taught me that I am more independent than I thought, and I had an easier time adapting to a new place than I expected. Two skills that stuck out to me this trip were curiosity and networking. The companies we toured, such as Google and Thinkhouse, relied so heavily on innovation and pushing boundaries. Constantly asking questions and seeking innovation help companies evolve and grow. We had so many networking opportunities this trip, and I was able to take away small changes I can make to my approaches to strengthen my networking, such as the ones I have pointed out in my previous post about Rob Cullen.

I can’t thank Pitt Business, Meade, and Phil enough for this opportunity! Until next time, Ireland! 🙂