I’ll start off by making yet another bold statement: this has been by far my best week in Boston and one of my best weeks in the last year. I can’t believe how much I have done and achieved in the last week and the great memories that will come of it. If I had to go home now, I would be completely satisfied with my internship and experience in Boston, it was really that good. But I am glad I am still here!
I’ll start off with work and really, it was far from sitting in front of a computer. This week was the Liberty Mutual Senior Forum, taking place at the fantastic Park Plaza Hotel in downtown Boston. All interns who are going into their senior year of university were brought in from all over the US and we came together for various workshops and fun events. Taking place over three days, we had the pleasure of hearing some of Liberty Mutual’s top people speak to us about the benefits of working with Liberty and some of the goals they have achieved and ways in which we can do the same. There was of course the obligatory “team building” something I am usually not a fan of. But when my team builds a bike, performs a rap (lead by the rap master MC Graham Gunderson, with the rest of being "Flava Flav" style hype men) and wins $25 each, who am I to complain! This was considered one of the smaller prizes, with iPad 2’s and $250 being won throughout the event. As well as seminars, we took in lunch at Fire and Ice, dinner at the fantastic Maggianos (felt like and look liked Tony Soprano after it) and the hilarious Boston Duck Tour, all thanks to Liberty Mutual.
The event was extra special as it gave all of us interns a chance to interact with one another, something us Scottish interns had no trouble with. Socializing is our strong point and the event was the definition of work hard, play hard. I had a fantastic time meeting everyone and hope to keep in contact with them. I was a bit skeptical about it at first if truth be told, especially with the huge personalities that were in the room. It maybe goes to show my growing confidence out here that I was able to look past my initial concerns and just get stuck in and enjoy it. I was sad to see it finish.
Outside of the event, we had two birthdays to celebrate. The first was our American friend Alexandra and then fellow Scot, Stuart. Both birthdays were great occasions and we celebrated in style. It was great to see everyone out together properly for the first time since we got here. With a few weeks left, I am sure this will not stop there. Alex and I also managed to get up after our Friday night partying and join fellow Liberty Mutual interns Rob and Alvin on a trip to Six Flags theme park. Despite the massive queues and sore heads, we braved the Superman and Batman coasters and came off feeling ten times better (or worse, judging on how we looked). I had a blast.
The next few weeks are going to be busy ones, with me taking on three projects now. I really hope that due to me being so busy that it doesn’t make the time go quicker. I love Boston, it’s as simple as that.
Stuart, Rhea, Rudi and I have some great things to look forward to in the next few weeks, with Global Scot Helen Sayles very generously setting up not one, but two sporting events: another Red Sox game and a New England Patriots NFL game. Being the sports junkie that I am, I am ridiculously excited for it.
Well, that concludes my best week yet. Really enjoying reading the blogs and keep them coming.
Until next time Saltire Universe
Stay classy,
Mack