Around three days before I landed on Ibiza last June, a new friend of mine said to me: “You know how they say in life 'shit happens'? Well, sometimes magic happens, too.” I never forgot these words. It has been a long minute now since I returned home from my first season on Ibiza, and I am still trying to wrap my head around all that I experienced. Out of the multitude of event reviews that I had to write over the season as an Ibiza Spotlight intern, this one is easily the most difficult one. How do I wrap up nearly three and half months of shenanigans into one meaningful piece?
“You know how they say in life 'shit happens'? Well, sometimes magic happens, too.”
Well, as someone who can now call himself a veteran with a season under his belt, perhaps the best I can do is impart some of the wisdom I gained from my experience. So, for all you prospective Ibiza Spotlight interns and virgin seasonal-workers, here is a bit of what you can expect during your time on the White Isle.
Being exposed to more music than you could possibly imagine
This one probably goes without saying, but living on Ibiza for an entire season means that you are going to be listening to oodles of music on the regular, and it will be glorious. Few places in the world integrate music to such an influential degree as to have an impactful effect on their culture. Ibiza is certainly one of them. Take advantage of this opportunity because seldom do such chances come around.
Everyone has his or her own musical preferences, but living on the White Isle provides such a golden opportunity to expand one's musical horizons. Open your mind and peel back your ears because whether you are in Amnesia, on the West End, at the beach or out in the streets of Ibiza Town, not to mention at work, you never know when you will hear an absolute-bona-fide tune – or more emphatically, a CHOON.
Discovering that Ibiza is essentially one big treasure map
You remember how excited you would get as a kid at the thought of going on a treasure hunt? Searching for something hidden and unknown evoked a feeling of wonder that is often left behind later in life. Well, on Ibiza you can get that feeling almost every day if you want because a trove of hidden gems to discover awaits you. Once you know what to look for, you find yourself on a quest, trying to find out precisely who it is you need to ask for help to find where the treasures are.
Now, of course, the kinds of reward I am talking about here are not actually chests of gold or anything tangible that will make you financially rich. No, they are the greater kind, the priceless ones, such as those hidden secrets that only the locals or those who have been on the island long enough know about. Think old and abandoned clubs, secret caves and other natural phenomena that are seldom experienced by most people. Heck, even trying to find some of the afterparties is often an expedition in and of itself. Fortunately for you prospective interns, a certain shaven-headed and bearded boss in the office happens to be an expert in all of the island's mysterious secrets.
Remembering how huge the world really is
For a tiny little island in the Mediterranean, Ibiza is quite the diverse and cosmopolitan paradise. It is not an exaggeration when I say that people from all over the world come to visit and reside on the White Isle. Think about that for a second: people from myriad nations and cultures get together in one concentrated location to have a phenomenal dance. Only a minute amount of places in the world can make claim to this, and Ibiza ranks high among them.
Living on the White Isle is an opportunity not only to party with people from different backgrounds but also to learn from them and about their respective cultures. Using your broken Spanish to converse with others is certainly challenging, even more so when it is the only common language between you and your Italian landlady, but successfully doing so makes it all the more worthwhile. Being in a place abounding with people from different countries serves as a stark reminder of how big this earth actually is, how much you can learn and how many ways one has to navigate it.
Learning a lot about passion from people who are passionate
One of the most prominent takeaways from my season was re-learning to live life with passion. Aside from meeting people from every corner of the earth, I met many who were extremely passionate and zealous, not only about work but also about life itself. Being from the U.S, I am accustomed to a heavy emphasis on the work culture above anything else. While it is not necessarily a bad thing, far from it, many people tend to get so caught up with their work that they sometimes forget to stop and simply smell the roses—or in Ibiza's case, all the wild rosemary.
There is something to be said about being around those who have such a burning fire inside of them. It is both refreshing and infectious in the best possible way. They remind you that life is short, so there is no need or time to worry about the petty things. They remind you that when your stress levels are through the roof, all you need is a good ol' fashioned boogie to shake the blues. Most importantly, they remind you to stay true to yourself because if you are not going to be you, who else will?
Experiencing a season that will be what you make of it
At the end of the day, your season will be what you make of it. Meet as many people as you can and take advantage of every opportunity that arises. If there were ever a time to be like Jim Carrey in his 2008 film Yes Man, this would be it. When you arrive, start a bucket list and add to it as the season goes on, but remember to keep your schedule flexible, too, so that you can go with the flow at times as well. With so much to see and experience, make sure to do your best to get as much done as you possibly can!
Wrapping it up...
Honestly, I have countless more memories and lessons that I have learnt from my endless summer over on the White Isle, but I think these are a great place to start. Everyone will have his or her own experience and journey. For potential interns, it is up to you write your own story.
Hopefully, I will be back on the White Isle sooner rather than later, but realistically the trip over the pond is a bit of a trek so I cannot say for sure. Regardless, Ibiza will always hold a special place in my life, as the memories and bonds I have made there are unforgettable. Of course, adjusting to 'normalcy' is and has been a bit of a struggle, especially after being used to living in what seemed like a constant state of pure bliss. I take the chance to remind myself about the importance of not yearning for and living in the past, though.
Instead, I take the lessons I have learned and look forward. While lows are an inevitable part of life, those lows are actually what makes the highs so thrilling. That is one more lesson from Ibiza that I will remember. For even when times are not so good, I will always be reminded that in life, shit happens, but that's okay because magic happens, too.
If the idea of writing and living in the world's party capital is for you, why not become an intern and write for us. We are looking for bright and fun people to join our crew for summer 2018. Head here for more details.
