Aaron O’Malley got exactly what he was looking for on his Rian J1 Graduate Visa. Prior to the start of his visa, Aaron hoped to develop a career in Marketing, meet new people, and immerse himself in American culture. By adopting an outgoing attitude and saying yes to new experiences, he did just that. Aaron saw the J1 graduate visa as a way to “get out of the house” and broaden his horizons. Looking for independence and invaluable professional experience, he notes the visa was an “opportunity that I couldn’t pass up”. He wanted a change of pace from small town Ireland and to get a taste of all the US has to offer.

Aaron’s personal and professional development started as early as his visa application process with support from Rian. “I definitely felt supported by Rian, it was all new to me. Rian showed me how to do the employer research, helped me with my resume and advised me on networking tactics, which was all extremely helpful”. He explained that the process of obtaining a visa required a lot of organization to stay on top of deadlines and forms. Aaron took these organizational skills and applied them to help him find an apartment, build community, and find a job in Boston.

Boston offered the perfect chance for Aaron to live in a big city but one that was still approachable. He told us, “I like Boston because even though it's in America, it still feels close to home which helped boost my spirits when adjusting to living abroad”. He grounded himself quickly within the Irish community in Boston, living in Adams Village in Dorchester. “We chose Adams Village because it was a tight knit Irish community and it was near the T, it made the transition to Boston more seamless.” He reminisced that visiting local Irish establishments like Greenhills bakery felt like home away from home. 

One of the hardest parts of transitioning to Boston was the cold weather. “I was made aware of the snow but I thought it couldn’t be much colder than Ireland, but when I got over here it was much colder, that was hard to adjust to, I definitely prefer New England during the Summer”.

While feeling at home within the Irish community in Boston, Aaron also made a concerted effort to branch out and meet new people in Boston. Outside of work, Aaron joined both volleyball and dodgeball teams that were close by. Through these activities, he was able to meet new people and make a lot of friends. He says, “I wanted to branch outside of the Irish community and I made a lot of American friends, we went to Costco every weekend!” 

Aaron notes that no week for him was the same. Saying yes to new experiences helped him to make lasting friendships and partake in new adventures while in the US. 

Speaking of adventures, Aaron made the most of his time in Boston while still traveling around the US. In Boston, he tried to go to as many events as possible including Flo Rida and Kesha concerts. Every Sunday he participated in Tea Dances in Savin Hill and loved Roxy’s Arcade in Cambridge. He also took advantage of his time in the US by traveling to Nashville, New York twice, and Los Angeles three times! He emphasized, “I am really taking advantage of being able to travel around…flights here are super accessible and it's easier to travel than back home”. One of his favorite trips was for a music festival in LA. 

Upon arrival in Boston, Aaron was able to secure a job placement very quickly. He told us, “I found my job on Indeed within two weeks, I was very lucky”. Aaron’s been “having a blast” as the digital sales coordinator for the Boston Textile Company. As the first person to do extensive marketing for the company, Aaron became a jack of all trades. “I am wearing about ten different hats, I have dabbled into all aspects of digital marketing like editing the website, communicating with influencers, managing social media and I was able to teach my company.”

 Aaron has done some learning as well within a new client base. He imagined he would work in business to consumer marketing but ended up in business-to-business marketing instead. Although he never expected to end up there, he is so happy he did.

In reflecting upon his J1 visa as it nears its end, Aaron explored his personal and professional growth with us. He said the visa helped to “break a lot of bad habits. I don’t procrastinate anymore; the American hustle culture is different to Ireland and has made me more efficient”. He said he is now more open to new experiences and has made so many new friends in so many ways. 

Professionally, he explained “The experience has really built my resume, I was able to generate $250,000 through marketing and I am very proud of that achievement.” His position helped to expand his professional horizons, and he will take his new skills back home to find a new role. 

Aaron’s advice to future J1s is to say yes to everything! “Put yourself out there, you never know where any opportunity can lead”. In the remainder of his visa, Aaron hopes to stay more local and take some time to explore New England. Rian is so glad Aaron enjoyed his time on the J1 Graduate visa, and we wish him the best of luck back home in Ireland!