So I have some news.. I’m going back to Scotland for a month…
Let me back up for a second though and explain why. Last fall, I spent just under a week on a tour up through the highlands and in Edinburgh and it was one of my favorite memories of study abroad. I felt so at peace and immediately wished I had spent more time there and started to plan a trip back in 2016.
At the same time I was beginning what I thought would be a relatively straight forward process of finding my second internship. Now I like to plan and it is no secret that I try to get things set up early when possible so as months ticked by and it seemed as though every open door I thought I had was being slammed shut either due to me not being a great fit or the dates I was available not being in line with the dates of the internship I was truly starting to worry. I remember vividly a few weeks ago when I was told a second time that I could have the position in the fall because my summer dates weren’t going to work out and I had to decline the offer. I immediately had gone home and was on the phone with my parents for a few minutes before breaking down wondering why it seemed like there was no light to look for.
Invermoriston | Inverness
I kept repeating to myself that it would all work out and at some point, an opportunity would come around and I would understand why, at the time, it didn’t seem like life was going my way. It wasn’t like I was without food, or a house, or friends.. I was simply looking for an internship and if all else failed, I would be able to make something work.
So on the days went and I tried to stay positive, looking forward to my birthday and a trip to Nashville that sat on the horizon. About a week ago, I was sitting in class and my teacher reminded us that there was only two weeks left of class. Typically I’d be excited that summer was just around the corner, but I know I was probably rolling my eyes and had a look of uncertainty on my face.. I mean I was STILL looking for something. So on the week went and an email showed up that there was still a few spots available for a study abroad intensive and that there was a co-op position or two available as well.
I almost deleted the email before reading it, but something caused me to read it and then send it to my parents saying.. ‘this could be fun’ almost as a joke, but with a bit of honesty behind it. When they both responded saying, get some more information and go for it if you want, I was almost shocked. I quickly fired off emailed to get the information necessary and within 24 hours was on the phone learning more about what would be involved and digesting the information.
Glencoe
After a phone call with the parents comparing a few potential options and some phone calls to applications that were still up in the air, I started to become more and more comfortable with the idea and within a 48 hour span, it went from being almost a passing email to a 99% sure thing.
While I had figured and was almost certain I would be working with sports or brands in some capacity.. probably in LA, New York or Nashville.. I couldn’t be more excited to be involved with Edinburgh Fringe & Drexel’s study abroad intensive. I will spend June & July working on logistics and planning for the study tour and spend the entire month of August in Scotland working on-site with Fringe and the study abroad group.
If you have traveled with me or read through any travel post on this blog, it is pretty clear I like to plan and organize and being able to apply those skills among many others couldn’t be a more perfect job. Have a conversation with me and it is also pretty clear that I have a plethora of Type-A personality traits (that I’m working on) and I tend to always be thinking about the next task. Studying abroad, and definitely my time in Scotland, was one of those times where I felt like I was always present. In talking with family and friends prior to saying the official yes, something that I was reminded of was simply how happy I was.
Source – Sean McCabe
With all the stress over the past months and constant trying to ‘get ahead’ it is only poetic that I seem to be heading back to one of the few places where I was simply able to enjoy the moment and simply be.
I will provide some updates along the way and, of course, share a newly minted guide to Scotland and Fringe when I return, but in the mean time.. I’m just going to focus on ‘being’ for the summer.
– AS.
p.s. – now I have some time to study for the GMAT too..
