I know, I know I have been MIA

Since my wonderful SB2k10 entry (SPRING BREAK 2010 for you slow people) a lot of things have happened. I have entered the working world. I do the tube commute (which is often too crowded) and often feel like I get back too late to actually do anything after work, and go to bed earlier than a tired Judy and Tom. I know, crazy right?

On Thurs and Fri I go to my internship at Gatehouse Group, which is a communications company and a events planning company. I attend a lot of client meetings which is good for formal interview experience and get to attend some pretty cool events through GASP. I like the Gatehouse environment because it is very personal and laid back. All of the associates have had experience in many different industries and I try to learn the most that I can from them. The focus of Gatehouse is internal communications and I am learning how integral communications can be to the function of a company. I think that the experience I am getting in this field will prepare me for future leadership/managerial positions

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I intern at HSBC in the Global Transaction Banking group doing internal communications type stuff. It is really interesting and I am learning a lot from the team that I work with. It is a team of 5 people on a floor of 200. When I get to work, I need to check in with a guide, reception, and then be picked up from floor 25 to go to floor 28. There are upwards of 40 floors in the building, many of them are similar. I just got a temporary key card today so I am hoping that it is set up by Thursday. Checking in everyday and waiting to be retrieved can be annoying. Also, if I leave my floor I can not get back in. This can be problematic with I meet with other members of the HSBC staff. Despite the size, I am really enjoying the experience that I am getting from working there. The building stuff will come in time.

It is a huge contrast between the five person office at Gatehouse and the 3000 person office at HSBC. I like my project at HSBC better because it involves more self-motivated tasks versus observation and intern tasks at Gatehouse.

Enough work, MORE PLAY. This weekend my roomates and I went to DUBLIN. We rented an apartment on the outskirts of the city. We went to an awesome viking museum, the Dublin Castle, and all the other major sites. Ireland has been hit really hard by the depression and it was evident there. A lot of the festivities from the St. Patricks Day festival were toned down and the city could be depressing at times. I went to the Guinness Storehouse as well, which had a cool museum and demonstration that was very interactive.

Otherwise, not much is new. I have been to a couple cool events for my internship so far and tomorrow I am having lunch with some Irish people for St. Patrick's day. I am trying to wear neutral colors so as not to offend anyone with any orange or look like a looney tune dressed in all green.

There is an adorable white bulldog who lives around the corner from me. I imagine that her name is Lulu but I do not know for sure. Every morning when I walk to the tube she is out on her stairs (she lives in a basement apartment on a side street) and I come and pet her and give her a good ear rubbing. It makes me really miss Penny :( But she is adorable and its nice to have some contact with a bully after so many years of doglessness.

Next weekend, I want to go on a planned day trip through BU to Bath and Avery. I am hoping we get tickets for it on time. I am also planning Easter break and debating what I should do after the program in terms of traveling. Otherwise, not much is going on here. I am an old geyser and it is 1145 so I am hitting the hay. Pop me an e-mail, I want to hear about your lives as well! Love and miss you all!

xoxo

Brookie