We started the day late, or I as I say it was time for me to sleep in until noon. We first went back to DCU and met with Professor Doyle again. This time the lecture was about the impact of the Internet on Irish mass media. Again, he was very engaging and kept my attention. I have to admit I did get a tad sleepy during our previous visit, but this time I was a-ok. He told us that people just got broadband Internet and because of the slow dial-up its just easier to pick up a paper. And with this too, they have twitter and facebook accounts, buts there are not as attached and up to date with all news outlets as we are in the US.
It was really nice to have a photo day today. We first met with photo agency and PR group Photocall. All three of the guys that spoke gave us some really great advice. One said to not let anything get in out way, and go for every opportunity that comes our way, the other said that the book is your best friend and read all you can to be ahead everyone else.
We also were able to met with Paul Kelly, a photographer tat shots commercial assignments as well portraits with both film and digital. It was great to see all of his work and be on a more one-on-one basis with him. It was easy to get more information out of him than it would have been with 25 people. I really like his images, and hope to be in his position some day. He was really gracious to make up a contest between us, the photo kids, where we win a limited edition copy of one of his images. It’s a really great opportunity to show him my work and to see how I measure up to the rest of the photo group.
The day ended great with karaoke at the Legal Eagle, and then a nice walk home in the misty air walking across the bridge.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Day four in the best CITY ever.
Once again I had an amazing day in Dublin. I am really excited for next week because of the locals telling me the towns are better than the city and I’m already having an amazing time.
In the morning we met with reporter for the Irish Times for breakfast before we went on our way to the US Embassy. She had a lot of great information about the differences between the US and Irish reporting styles. She also explained a lot about how much the digital media has changed from when she started. She said that when she started she had to call down her articles to be printed and now she has five emails and a twitter account.
My time to shine came next. I got the opportunity to be the photographer for the embassy visit. We were only allowed to take in one camera, and I was chosen for the job. I was really nervous because the photos that I took are the only ones that we will have to remember the visit. It was really intimidating because they pushed me through security ahead of everyone, and then gave me specific instructions on what not to do… and then I had to show my passport again to a Marine guard once we were in the building. I was very honored to photograph the visit and have the opportunity to build my portfolio which such great content.
We met with Professor Helena Sheehan at Dublin City College for a lecture about Irish TV drama. It was really funny to hear her talk about how bad the reality shows are and that the dramas/soap operas do not represent Irish culture at all. She was really engaging even though she may have been nervous about the lecture.
After the DCU visit we came back and had a group meeting, which was followed by photo uploading and editing to send off to the school, Post Gazette and Trib. It was really exciting to work collectively in a timely manner. It truly felt like I was in the newsroom working on breaking news.
AND then the fun times commenced. Our group, the bandits and I, went out to O’Shays again to get some food, and a pint, then it was off to the only sports bar that would let us watch the Pens game. It was a great night with great people, and amazing drinks. It was a long day followed by the best night so far, and I do know I said it before, but they just keep getting better.
In the morning we met with reporter for the Irish Times for breakfast before we went on our way to the US Embassy. She had a lot of great information about the differences between the US and Irish reporting styles. She also explained a lot about how much the digital media has changed from when she started. She said that when she started she had to call down her articles to be printed and now she has five emails and a twitter account.
My time to shine came next. I got the opportunity to be the photographer for the embassy visit. We were only allowed to take in one camera, and I was chosen for the job. I was really nervous because the photos that I took are the only ones that we will have to remember the visit. It was really intimidating because they pushed me through security ahead of everyone, and then gave me specific instructions on what not to do… and then I had to show my passport again to a Marine guard once we were in the building. I was very honored to photograph the visit and have the opportunity to build my portfolio which such great content.
We met with Professor Helena Sheehan at Dublin City College for a lecture about Irish TV drama. It was really funny to hear her talk about how bad the reality shows are and that the dramas/soap operas do not represent Irish culture at all. She was really engaging even though she may have been nervous about the lecture.
After the DCU visit we came back and had a group meeting, which was followed by photo uploading and editing to send off to the school, Post Gazette and Trib. It was really exciting to work collectively in a timely manner. It truly felt like I was in the newsroom working on breaking news.
AND then the fun times commenced. Our group, the bandits and I, went out to O’Shays again to get some food, and a pint, then it was off to the only sports bar that would let us watch the Pens game. It was a great night with great people, and amazing drinks. It was a long day followed by the best night so far, and I do know I said it before, but they just keep getting better.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Dancing with the locals
I first have to say that tonight was THE best day of my life. After a great nap that followed the morning activities, I went along with 10 others to dinner in the rain (and yes, I now understand the “regular” weather in Ireland because all that I have been subjected to so far is pretty clouds and sun/ semi-overcast), then we went to the bar, O’Shea’s Pub, that we went to for dinner yesterday for a pint or two.
We stayed for a bit, had fun but then as the night went on people left in twos. By 11 or so there were 6 of us. During our festive time a house band of a guitar, banjo and an accordion. We attempted to dance and goof off, but when the local’s found out that we were from Pittsburgh, PA they were more than kind to introduce us to Irish dance and talk about the steel city. They even let a few of us sing a few American songs at the mic with them.
I was more than excited when an older man came up and invited me to learn the Irish jig, and them for him to come up later with a bunch of his fellow bar-mates and taught us set dancing. So, us Point Park students set danced our lives out with six of Dublin’s nicest folk.
The beginning of the day had a advertising and public relations focus. We first met with Gerry Davis who is the Chief Executive at the Public Relations Institute of Ireland. He had a lot of very interesting things to say about the ways that Irish PR is slowly coming up to what the US practice, like the use of digital media.
We then headed over Ogilvy & Mather with account planner, Jo Wood. She showed us a great video of the different things they worked on in 2009 and also gave us an interesting insight into the projects they are working on now, like the one for teen depression.
We stayed for a bit, had fun but then as the night went on people left in twos. By 11 or so there were 6 of us. During our festive time a house band of a guitar, banjo and an accordion. We attempted to dance and goof off, but when the local’s found out that we were from Pittsburgh, PA they were more than kind to introduce us to Irish dance and talk about the steel city. They even let a few of us sing a few American songs at the mic with them.
I was more than excited when an older man came up and invited me to learn the Irish jig, and them for him to come up later with a bunch of his fellow bar-mates and taught us set dancing. So, us Point Park students set danced our lives out with six of Dublin’s nicest folk.
The beginning of the day had a advertising and public relations focus. We first met with Gerry Davis who is the Chief Executive at the Public Relations Institute of Ireland. He had a lot of very interesting things to say about the ways that Irish PR is slowly coming up to what the US practice, like the use of digital media.
We then headed over Ogilvy & Mather with account planner, Jo Wood. She showed us a great video of the different things they worked on in 2009 and also gave us an interesting insight into the projects they are working on now, like the one for teen depression.
Monday, May 10, 2010
My pants are locked in the dryer with a side Irish politics
After starting off the day late… and I mean 15 minutes exactly. Not having a cell phone or iPod to keep with me is bad news bears (and yes it did cross my mind just now that I could just be simple and get a watch for my wrist.)
Our first activity of the day was meeting with Dr. Roderick Flynn at Dublin City University. He delivered a very engaging speech about the media in Dublin. I was very interested to find out that 1/3 of all newspapers in Ireland are from Britain on Sunday and that home delivery of papers is nonexistent. I was also shocked to learn that 55-60% of the population read papers on a daily basis and 90% on a weekly basis, which is a big difference to the percentage of those who do in the US.
Next was the big time business, a photo in the courtyard of us all in our green snazzy sweatshirts for the marketing department of our school and I was the paparazzo for the job.
The hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tour was AMAZING today. I was on the top of the bus the entire time and tried to take photos when my hands were furiously shaking from the crazy driving. Halfway through a bunch of us got off at a stop – St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It was amazing except for the fact that I saw a guy get sick all over the floor in one of the wings, and then it was the end of sight seeing for me. We got back on the bus, froze to death, saw where Ambassador Rooney lives, froze even more but never got off the top because it would have taken away from the experience and we were too cold to even move, then we got a preview of the Guinness factory which we will be going to THIS Saturday! We also learned that the Dublin zoo is the second oldest in the world, and the biggest exporter of Lions to Africa, and the home of the MGM lion in the opening credits, and then froze even more.
I then had the experience of locking my pants in the dryer after putting them in it to get the wrinkles out. I went to the front desk like an idiot to ask how to free my pants from the dryer and get some needed toilet paper.
My night consisted of going to RTE studios to be in the audience of The Frontline, live political show. I met a nice man from Dublin that has a restaurant chain of 60-some in all of Europe, Asia and Australia called Abrakebabra and is currently working on the business of selling ethanol conversion kits. I have to say it was very interesting to have a European ask me about Obama instead of the much-hated George Bush (but don’t worry, we got to him not soon after he asked my political standing.) The night went out with a bang when all of the panelists came out and sat in my row… and then I was awkwardly sitting between two guys that were going at it because the disagreed about how to fix the mortgage crisis.
At this point (end of show), I have almost fallen asleep 7 times throughout the day, was on a live TV show in the middle of a mortgage fight, looked AWWkward on live television and froze like it was a blizzard in the steel city. Now its off for a few hours of sleep before off to another meeting... this time at an AD agency.
Our first activity of the day was meeting with Dr. Roderick Flynn at Dublin City University. He delivered a very engaging speech about the media in Dublin. I was very interested to find out that 1/3 of all newspapers in Ireland are from Britain on Sunday and that home delivery of papers is nonexistent. I was also shocked to learn that 55-60% of the population read papers on a daily basis and 90% on a weekly basis, which is a big difference to the percentage of those who do in the US.
Next was the big time business, a photo in the courtyard of us all in our green snazzy sweatshirts for the marketing department of our school and I was the paparazzo for the job.
The hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tour was AMAZING today. I was on the top of the bus the entire time and tried to take photos when my hands were furiously shaking from the crazy driving. Halfway through a bunch of us got off at a stop – St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It was amazing except for the fact that I saw a guy get sick all over the floor in one of the wings, and then it was the end of sight seeing for me. We got back on the bus, froze to death, saw where Ambassador Rooney lives, froze even more but never got off the top because it would have taken away from the experience and we were too cold to even move, then we got a preview of the Guinness factory which we will be going to THIS Saturday! We also learned that the Dublin zoo is the second oldest in the world, and the biggest exporter of Lions to Africa, and the home of the MGM lion in the opening credits, and then froze even more.
I then had the experience of locking my pants in the dryer after putting them in it to get the wrinkles out. I went to the front desk like an idiot to ask how to free my pants from the dryer and get some needed toilet paper.
My night consisted of going to RTE studios to be in the audience of The Frontline, live political show. I met a nice man from Dublin that has a restaurant chain of 60-some in all of Europe, Asia and Australia called Abrakebabra and is currently working on the business of selling ethanol conversion kits. I have to say it was very interesting to have a European ask me about Obama instead of the much-hated George Bush (but don’t worry, we got to him not soon after he asked my political standing.) The night went out with a bang when all of the panelists came out and sat in my row… and then I was awkwardly sitting between two guys that were going at it because the disagreed about how to fix the mortgage crisis.
At this point (end of show), I have almost fallen asleep 7 times throughout the day, was on a live TV show in the middle of a mortgage fight, looked AWWkward on live television and froze like it was a blizzard in the steel city. Now its off for a few hours of sleep before off to another meeting... this time at an AD agency.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Ireland: The beginning
Ireland – oh how I love thee. Other than the few Irish folk who have rush by and push me without any “sorry”, I have greatly enjoyed the trip so far. I now have a secure Internet connection, so I am all set other than not being able to call my mom to say Happy Mothers Day.
We started the day out in Dublin after a connecting flight to Philadelphia before setting off for the 7-hour flight to Ireland. Right out of the gate we went to Grafton Street, which is a major shopping district. I think I might have found my go-to area for breaks and scope out what I will my mom for mothers day – her request.
Next was a visit to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College. It was interesting, but the fact that a huge haze of sleepies was following me crowded my interest in the exhibit.
But on the other hand, on the way to Dublin Castle I awakened from the space-out coma and was amazed with the castle’s buildings and rooms. I love going to castles/estates that have been around for hundreds of years. In a past life I was around during the renaissance. I have to accept it and embrace my love for the wire skirts and uncomfortable corsets that make you pass out.
No just as a shower is approaching, I have received my cash dole from the amazing Rachel The Most Amazing Tour Guide to go by some breakfast groceries.
Then it’s off to my first true Ireland pub experience and a Guinness or two tonight at 7. I hope the sleepy haze does not follow me out of the shower!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Welcome!
This is the first of many posts, only the others will be closer to the day (May 8) that I will be on traveling to Ireland with my Exploring Irish Media class. I have a passion for travel and cannot wait to enjoy the last of my college career with others in the mass comm world... IN Ireland. Other than this trip, graduating is the reason that the month of May could not be coming any slower.
Thanks, and hope to have you here for the entire journey because this is the easiest way to hear from me due to the fact that I will not have the use of a cellular device.
Bethany
Thanks, and hope to have you here for the entire journey because this is the easiest way to hear from me due to the fact that I will not have the use of a cellular device.
Bethany
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