Abby Versaggi, Programmatic Media Specialist
Like many others around my age, I did not go abroad in college due to COVID. A part of me always wondered what the experience would have been like as everyone had always said you most likely only get to experience it once in your life, and how special it was for them.
Well somehow I got lucky enough to work at a company that offers an abroad program, so it all worked out!
Wanting to maximize this opportunity, I first headed to Zermatt, Switzerland to get in 5 days of skiing in one of the most beautiful places I’d ever seen. The constant fresh air and wide open mountain views of the Matterhorn were the perfect reminder of the importance of slowing down and being fully present in a way that’s hard to find in our fast-paced world.
After taking my checked bag, carry-on, personal item, ski bag, and boot bag on 3 trains back to Zurich during rush hour, I flew to Dublin to get ready for my month working abroad. Despite everyone’s horrified look when I told them I was staying in Temple Bar, it was the perfect place to be fully in the mix for the month.
The first thing I learned in Dublin was how genuine and friendly the Irish people are, and how excited they were to share their culture with me (and how excited they were to hear I lived in Southie). I quickly adjusted to my new home for the month and settled into my routine of going to the CP Dublin office, located in a beautiful area of the city. I felt incredibly welcomed by my coworkers, who I had only ever interacted with online. I learned so much from them, from new words to the places I had to visit. I also was pleasantly surprised when they told me they all eat lunch together in the kitchen every day.
Despite the crazy weather, I checked off a bucket list item of golfing in Ireland, embarked on amazing cliff walks, went on the duck boat adjacent – the Viking Splash tour, and of course drank a lot of Guinness. I was also lucky enough to have many of my friends and family come visit which really allowed me to play tour guide and share the experience with them.
I was also able to read a bit of James Joyce’s Ulysses with PJ Murphy, who runs Sweny’s Pharmacy, the famous shop featured in the book. In addition to having read the novel over 80 times, PJ speaks 10 languages, and is a descendant of the famous Oscar Wilde. I somehow ran into him again at a pub later that day and ended up having a drink with him. If that doesn’t prove how welcoming and friendly people in Ireland are!
Living and working abroad gave me a new sense of independence that I had never experienced before. Having never lived on my own, let alone in a completely different country, navigating daily life in an unfamiliar environment pushed me outside of my comfort zone and challenged me to rely on myself in ways I never had before.
This experience was also a great reminder that the paths we think we missed are simply waiting to meet us later, in a way that feels even more aligned. Allowing myself to tailor my time abroad around what mattered most to me helped me build even more authentic, meaningful connections that I’ll continue to carry with me throughout my life.
