CP Abroad With Mary McMahon

Mary McMahon, Group Strategy Director“I want to go home to Dublin, but I don’t want to leave Boston.” This was the conundrum of my 5-year-old daughter as our time in Boston on the CP Abroad Program came to a close. After a month of hot American summer, immersing ourselves in everything Boston has to offer, I pretty much felt the same! 

As a company that truly believes in integration, Connelly Partners offers all employees the opportunity to live and work from one of its office locations in Dublin, Boston, or Vancouver. During this time, you work side by side with colleagues from that office, who you usually only ever see on screens. At the same time, you are able to completely immerse yourself in the culture and explore everything these cities have to offer. 

My role at CP has allowed me to visit our Boston office a number of times over the past few years, but this opportunity to spend an extended period of time there made it possible for my family to come along too. I worked from the office in Boston’s South End, which is HUGE and always takes a bit of navigation to find my way around. 

While I work with some Boston clients already and have met many of my colleagues virtually, there’s nothing like meeting in person. I learned how invaluable face-to-face meetings are for building relationships and fostering creativity. While in Boston, I noticed that the stop-start “no you go, no you go” nature of conversations on Zoom was replaced with free-flowing comradery and ideas, leading to even more focused and productive conversations. 

After office hours, I dusted off my old rugby trainers, donned a baseball cap, and joined the company softball team on the field for games. It was a fun way to meet more of my CP Boston colleagues and immerse myself more in the company culture. 

Outside of work, I found that Boston had so much to offer me and my family – every evening, we explored the city and beyond. Some highlights include seeing the Red Sox play at Fenway Park, visiting the New England Aquarium, and even a trip to New York City. The general buzz and energy of the Italian North End we were staying in is an atmosphere that I’ll always remember. And how could I forget the roof deck on the condo?