Why Do We Emigrate?

For some strange reason, I've been thinking about the title of this entry. "Why did I emigrate?" I ask myself over and over again. The practical reasons are simple to understand: I met an Irish girl. I brought her home to the States. There, I lost my job. We had a daughter. I was living in the San Francisco Bay area, and the 82 Recession was horrible. So I had to move somewhere. And why not Ireland after all?

But the practical doesn't always explain the impractical, or the sub-conscious hand that pushes us ever onward. Hence that question: "Why did I emigrate?" I'm curious. And I started to draw some conclusions on the childhood up-bringing that made this tumbleweed blow so far East.

My father was an airline pilot. The photograph above is a United Air Lines DC-6, one of the many types of aircraft that he was rated for. His love of flying took us all over the United States. Over a ten year period Mom, Dad, my sister Cindy, and I lived in Chicago, Seattle, New York, Florida, back to Chicago again, then onto California - and meanwhile, I went to college and lived in Bloomington Illinois, Michigan, and Los Angeles. To my reckoning, and from 1964 to 1974 (and excluding my college years) I lived in four different states and in 8 homes, while attending 8 different schools.

That's a lot of travel. And I found it affected me in many ways.

I felt rootless. Since those days, I constantly ask myself, "Where is home?" Home, as they say, is where you hang your hat, or where your heart and family are. But for me, that's never been quite the case. Home to me is the smell of Mom's cherry pie wafting through our Seattle home way back in 1960. That's a long time ago. Mom isn't with us anymore, and the house - while still there - contains other people and other types of cooking smells. So finding my version of 'home' is impossible.

Moving and Moving and Moving

Moving so many times had other effects on me: while I made friends quickly, I knew that I was going to lose them. Unlike many transplants like me, my commitment and loyalty to those friends was more than 100 percent. I wanted and needed their friendship. Because I was a stranger, I wanted to be liked instantly. I did everything that I could to fit in and to deserve friendship. And when I left, I was always devastated. Even more so when my letters back to them went un-answered.

I grew up to be a cameleon: a fellow who could change his spots almost instantly. A guy who always fit in - but not quite. It is a discomfiting, uncertain feeling. A scary feeling. A feeling of never belonging to anything.

But what is most interesting is this: this sort of background also makes you want to move again and again and again. You're never quite ready to settle down. You want to experience other things on an almost constant basis: "What's around the next horizon? Will it be as beautiful as what I've already seen? Will the people be as intersting? Will they accept me and befriend me?"

For a long, long time I thought I was one of the only people in the world to feel this way. And then a friend of mine suggested that I was much like a child brought up in the military: a Military Brat. That clicked with me. In the airlines, the children of airline pilots are called Airline Brats, and for the same reason: we are powerless to control our destinies. Instead, we are the subject to the whims of airline seniority, or a new city with a chance of a promotion to Captain or a different airplane type.

I finally found a blog devoted to these types of rootless, tumbling people: http://bratblog.brightwellpublishing.net/. Written by a woman who was the daughter of a career Army officer, it explains a lot to me about my own penchant for risking everything on a whim. It also explains to me why I never thought twice about moving to Ireland and becoming a lifetime immigrant. It also tells me that while I've settled here and am happy here, Ireland has never quite been my home.

It tells me why I've been able to make a go of it here, yet also why I continue to miss a home that probably doesn't exist anymore.

So tell me. If you're considering a move to Ireland - or anywhere outside of the United States - do you have a similar background? Are you a tumbleweed who revels in your own rootlessness? Who enjoys the challenge of trying new places and people, and that desires to push the envelope by now trying a completely different culture?

I'd appreciate your posts. I'm really interested if there are other people out there who are as puzzled as I am when I ask myself the question: "Why did I move to Ireland?"

Staying Put in Ireland

First, my apologies for being Absent Without Leave. Things have been a bit crazy for the past 6 weeks or so, and are going to get even crazier over the next 2 months. I fly to Boston on business on the 3rd August; my day job provides no let up (thank God - it helps to make a bit of money just now); I have a screenplay due in 2 months (and haven't started it); and I'm messing with a new novel. The fact that I've relocated to Trim in County Meath has only compounded things a bit.

But Trim is lovely! A walking town, and with Trim Castle at its heart (the same castle that was used in the film Braveheart), it's a magical place which fills my soul with goodness.

How-and-ever. That's me. So what about you?

Today, I received a post on this Blog from a woman who has just returned to Ireland from what I can only assume was an extended period abroad. She states 'Now all I have to do is stay put!'

It's difficult, that. And she's not the only one. I have a close friend - an Irish fella - who has lived in the States for 10 years. He's moving back to Ireland this coming November. And he's worried about it. "What happens if I don't fit in?" he asks. "What happens if I can't stand the place anymore? I feel like a man without a country. I belong in Ireland, but I also belong in the States, my new home."

Oh, how well I understand that feeling! - of belonging, but not quite so. So what do you do to 'stay put', as my post-lady asks? What do you do to feel a part of the place again.

I'm not exactly sure. But I have one idea: simply breathe.

The Wonder of Irish Solitude

Last week I had a business trip to County Mayo. I visited Westport, and for 2 days I stood on an open field in the rain, watching as a crew of refurbishers put up a series of electric poles. I've been contracted to help a company with a website, and the owner - a big Mayo fella who used to be a lighthouse keeper but now owns the company - stood beside me as it began to softly rain. "Ah," he says to me. "Isn't it a wonder. Breathe that air. You can believe in angels in this weather."

Angels? From a guy as big and as tough as the solid wooden poles he was erecting? And yet, that was the case. He believes in angels and so, I suspect, does the entire population of Westport because of their soft and open nature, and the goodness that I met so many times while I was there.

The next morning, I woke up early. I wandered down toward the old Harbour, and there I beheld the sunrise. Croagh Patrick, the legendary pilgrimage site, rose hundreds of feet through a horizon of cloud scud, and for a long while I stood at the sea and beheld its glory as the sun finally painted it in the warmth of the rising sun. For a long time, I just stood there: hearing the whispers of the far-off cormorants hunting for breakfast; the gentle breath of a breeze on my balding pate. And in that instance, I felt part of the place. As if the angels of the Mountain were welcoming me home after a long journey.

How do you Stay Put in Ireland? Perhaps one of the answers is this: listen to the angels. They sing to us with a song of welcome.

Lonely in Ireland - What Ex-Pats Rarely Discuss

When expatriates get together to discuss their moves abroad - or when people ask me questions regarding a move to Ireland - those subsequent conversations usually stick to facts: how do I move there? How to I get a job? What should I bring?

What is often unstated, and unasked, is the emotional impact of moving to a country and culture far away from your own. Recently, on http://www.expatexchange.ie/, I saw the following cry for help:

"I have lived in Portlaoise for the last year and am wondering if there are any other expats around. I am from California and would like to know if there are other US citizens or people from other countries interested in chatting about life in Ireland. There is an expat group that meets monthly in Dublin, but the timing and distance makes it hard to get to the meet-ups...maybe if there are a few people interested we can start up some sort of group for the midlands. I've been really homesick lately and would like to hear from anyone else who is nervously facing down another Irish winter. "

Living abroad combines a sense of adventure with a sense of being a 'fish out of water'. Being an expatriate for any length of time is a roller-coaster of emotion: moving from the 'highs' of experiencing the excitement and joy of a completely different culture and adapting to it, to the 'lows' of sadness and even despair, because you may be far away from friends, family, loved ones and a culture and nation that you love.

And anyway, you can't get Bisquick over here. And suddenly, that becomes a huge problem! Or at least it seems like it... When that happens, the world seems grey and grim indeed. Colours aren't as bright, and the journey of moving to a new country can seem not only daunting, but soul destroying.

What to Do?
So what do you do when those 'lows' get too low? And it's important to recognise that you're low, and to take appropriate action: Lows can - and do - lead to depression. Over the years, I've experienced this darkness of despair, and know other expats who have felt the same way.

For what it's worth - and I'm no psychologist - here's what I've done in the past and present when Homesickness gets a little too much:

1. Go Home for a Visit - when I first moved here in '82, I didn't return to the United States for four whole years. I didn't go back for one simple reason: I was broke and couldn't afford it. And I missed my 'home' sorely. Back then, airfares were horrendously high. But now, things are different.

If you really miss home, and the world seems grey, for God's sake go back for a few days or a few weeks. A whole range of airlines now operate out of Ireland bound for the United States and North America: Aer Lingus, Continental, Delta, Air Canada... You can fly into Boston, Atlanta, Chicago... and from there, anywhere in the US. And prices are relatively cheap! So if you miss home, Go! Right now, not later! Go walk the streets where you lived. Go hug friends and family. Go to assure yourself that nothing has really changed back there, and that if it becomes truly hard, you really can change your mind and go home. You have that right! And I've found that by knowing I have a choice, living here is also my choice, and a choice that I make every day.

2. Talk About It - do you have a local friend or spouse that's empathetic to your needs and wants? If so, share your feelings of occasional loneliness and isolation with them. Find someone 'safe', and be truly honest with them. Tell them what you like about Ireland. But also tell them what you don't like, or are frustrated with. Being allowed the privilege of 'venting' truly helps.

3. Emerge Yourself in the Culture - a number of years ago, I met a Canadian who had moved here...and was miserable. He constantly complained about the country, and how much he missed home.

But was it any wonder? Turns out, as I got to know him more, that he never gave himself a chance. He never tried to make Irish friends. He never got out from his Dublin home to see the rest of the country and what it has to offer. He hung around only with other North Americans. In fact, I felt that he was living in a 'bubble'. So...what I always suggest is this: make some Irish friends! Get out into the culture of Ireland! Join some local clubs; volunteer for local organisations. Try your best to see the beauty that surrounds us here (when it's not raining, of course): the history and the hills, the fragrant colours of Ireland's hills and fields; the majesty of its mountains and cliffs. And critically, and a most welcome fact: the warmth of the people here.

Emigrating to any country is hard work, and can be emotionally quite stressful. A move of this type catalyses a roller-coaster of emotions. To survive - and emotionally prosper - in a new country, you need to devise a coping and support structure. You need to open your heart, and mind, and soul to what surrounds you. You need to recognise that you won't feel like a fish out of water forever. That as the days pass, you'll feel more and more comfortable in your new home. But that you will also suffer from the occasional day of greyness and seeming solitude when 'home' back wherever you come from looks so much better.

Hang in, is all I can say. Ireland is worth the effort.

For more information and stories about surviving Ireland, why not consider buying Tom's book, A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland? Simply click on that link.

Moving to Ireland

Don't Pack the Ark Until You Know What to Bring

Well, what'cha know. It seems that I'm getting some followers. Which means, of course, that it's only nice to reply! First, an apology: it's been over a week since my last post. Things at this end have been frantic for one reason for another. And bound to keep up that pace for a bit. So if I'm a bit short on advice, or not as quick to respond as I'd like to, forgive me...

But onward.

First, a question from Nick who asks: I do have a general question...I'm in my last year of law school in California, any insight on American lawyers finding jobs in Ireland? Anyway, thanks for the blog and keep up the good work.

Tom says: Ummmm...short answer to your short question is: unlikely. But that's just because I'm not a lawyer (I do know a couple of lawyer jokes, but that's not going to help at all!), and so don't have a handle on what's truly required. In my ignorance of all things 'law related' I'd suggest that you simply Google "lawyer/jobs/ireland' and see what happens. I just did it, and a whole lot of links came up. Mind you, I have no idea what they really mean!

Do remember, however, that a whole lot of US companies have offices and service centres in this country. (Go to http://www.idaireland.com/search-companies.xml for a list of ALL 'foreign' countries based in Ireland). I suspect that each of those US companies employs somebody or other regarding their corporate legal affairs, and the interplay between the US and Irish corporate bodies. Anyway, you might start there. My first 'real' job here was with a division of Hyster, the fork lift company. I weasled my way into their marketing department. If I can do it so can you.

Now onto James's question. James (who became an Irish citizen through ancestry) is married to an American gal, and they plan on moving back to Ireland soon. He asks a question:

"My question is this... what sort of advice would you offer someone like me, as far as what to bring, what not to bring, etc. We will be renting a furnished place, so we are planning on packing very minimally. I have been informed that my wife shouldn't have any issues working since she is married to an Irish citizen. Do you know any info on this? I know we have to provide proof etc to get her a visa, but any addtl info would be helpful, as well as any other tidbits of info you might find useful. Thank you in advance for your help!"

My Answer: only bring along what is absolutely necessary. But DO make sure to bring:

* US Passport/US Birth Certificate

* PROOF from your Automobile Insurance company that you have driven at LEAST five years without an accident. Get that note on their letterhead, signed! You'll need it to get a 'No Claims Discount' from a car insurance company over here. By doing so, you can save up to 70 % on premiums. So don't forget it.

* Bring anything that's run on batteries, or via 'recharge' and that you want to use here. Laptops, cell phones, etc can be powered up using the 240 watts that we use over here via their charger (that charger should be able to convert from 240 to 110/120 - but look on the Charger! It should tell you!)

* If you bring said charger, but plug converters (see previous blog). They should be available at the airport. You can get them here but I think it'll cost less there.

* Bring CLOTHES, especially your good wife. Fashion here is DIFFERENT. It's European! She might not like it (but will hopefully get used to it). And clothing is - in general - less expensive in the US.

DON'T BRING!!!

Anything powered directly by 110 volt. So ditch, store, or give away: your hifi/radio/ boombox /iron/wild hand held mix master that you got for your wedding. Don't bring them because they won't work here UNLESS you buy a Transformer. And you don't want to do that. They are BEAST heavy, expensive, and horrible. I tried it: when I moved here, I brought along what then was a brand new Marantz Hi Fi component system. I LOVED the bloody thing. Then I went out and spent a fortune on a transformer that I couldn't afford.

The result? The Marantz was blown within a year, and I had to buy a new system - at extortionate prices. I should have given the thing to my sister then living in California. If I'd left it behind, she'd probably still be using it.

Hope that this helps, fellows! Onward!

For more advice on living in Ireland, you might consider a purchase of Tom Richards' book, A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Just click on that link!

Getting a Job in Ireland

UPDATE JANUARY 2017
Greetings all! This is by all accounts the most popular Post on this blog. Since its inception, it has received over 26,000 page views. But PLEASE NOTE that it was written in June 2009. Since that time, I have written many other Posts on this Blog focusing on Getting a Job in Ireland. Be sure to check out the Navigation Bar on the Right Hand Side of http://survivingireland.blogspot.com. Or simply click on the following for the latest news in this area:

Getting a Job and Living in Ireland: the Trump Effect (November 2016) includes the rules for acquiring a work permit for living and working in Ireland

Irish Construction Sector Ready for Take-Off (April 2016)

Getting a Job in Ireland 2016: It's Gonna be a Cracker of a Year (January 2016)

Getting a Job in Ireland - MORE! (December 2013)

My thanks.   Tom

And here is the original 2009 Post:
_________________________________________________________

Re-wind to 1982: a wet-behind-the-ears Yank climbs off a flight, Irish wife and new born daughter in tow. His first impressions are positive: 'Hey, it's raining, but it sure is pretty. This shouldn't be too hard,' he thinks to himself.
'I have a degree! I'm an American. I have skills and experience! Surely, I can find a job pretty quick...'
Then a torrent of rain smacked him in the face, as if God was telling the poor slob that nothing in Ireland is ever easy. And, folks, God was right.
Getting a job back in the '80s was hard. I was out of work for six months. Mind you, the Ireland of the early '80s was in recession. Unemployment was high - almost 20 percent as I remember. Long queues of people stood miserably outside the local dole office (unemployment office, for those of you with a US persuasion) waiting for their unemployment cheques. The world of Irish unemployment was bleak indeed, and the last thing it needed was an unemployed Yank to add to its troubles.
But...and here's the good part...six months after I got off the plane I had a job (okay, it offered subsistence level pay, but what the heck. It was work!) Two years later, I had a better job (working for Hyster, the forklift company, on a new government backed project that they started here. I was still paid miserably - just slightly better - but it was a start on the Irish corporate ladder! Unfortunately, a few years later, they suddenly pulled the plug. I - as well as many others - were once again unemployed). And following that, I actually sucked it in and started my own business! Twenty seven years later, I'm still working for myself. And I never thought that I had it in me. Honest.
So. What do you do if, like me, you're a somewhat wet-behind-the-ears American who is determined to live - and work - in Ireland. Here are some suggestions.

The Requirements
If you're not an Irish national or EU citizen, qualifying to get a job in Ireland can be tricky. You need to have a skill that is not (technically) found in the country. You need to have a Work Permit and a Visa. It's a technical area. Click here for more information on Irish Work Permits. It's a whole area fraught with difficulties and new legislation (including a new Green Card scheme), but the bottom line is this: you need to have a prospective employer offer you a job before you can get a job. The Employer must help you to organise your Permit. That company also has the responsibility of paying the fee for that Permit. So aren't you the lucky one? First you have to have a skill that is in high demand in this country. Then you have to find an employer who loves you enough to fork out good money for a work permit. But that's the way it's done here, so start looking!

The Internet and Page Advertising
Ireland has many fine job-related Internet sites. Google 'finding a job in Ireland', and you'll invariably pull up some good ones. Do please sort of ignore www.fas.ie, however. This is a training and job support organisation for Irish (and EU) citizens. If you're not, you don't qualify.
Some of the good sites include Irish Jobs.ie, My Jobs.ie, and Monster.ie. However, there are many more, so spend some time and do your research.
But don't forget about the major national newspapers (many of whom have online editions - just Google them!) That list includes The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, The Irish edition of the London Sunday Times, The Examiner, The Sunday Post, and The Herald, to name a few.

Networking
If you're not getting anywhere on the Internet or in the papers, and assuming that - like me - you've come over on a wing and a prayer with the hopes of getting employment, then try this: Network!
Ireland is a nation of talkers. People here like helping others (assuming, that is, that you're a likable sort). Therefore, when you meet someone new, don't be shy. Tell them what you're trying to do. That you're looking for a job in your chosen field. Ask them to help. Ask them who they know that might know someone who might know somebody else that has a job opening. Take their name and phone number (and make sure you buy a mobile phone - a Cell Phone - to make certain they can contact you!) Give it a few days and ring them back. Gently pester them with your enthusiasm and professionalism.
Given enough time, you too could land that Irish job. Just look at me! When I came here I didn't know a soul. But I networked (and I must admit that I was never any good at it). One guy new another guy who knew a fellow, that knew an Uncle, who knew his first cousin. And that fellow knew about a small company in County Meath that needed the inexperience and brash enthusiasm of this newly-arrive Yank.
Remember, Ireland is populated by only 4 million souls or so. In some ways, it's a village. And for that reason, everyone knows someone else. So keep networking!

Start Your Own Business
I'm not going to run through how to write a business plan, or what constitutes a great business idea, or how to get finance for a start up. That's up to you, the would-be Irish entrepreneur. But what I will say is this:
Ireland is a country of shopkeepers and business people. Like their US cousins, Irish people love to own and manage their own businesses, and the country's economy is driven by small and mid-sized enterprises.
So if you want a challenge, now's your chance! Back in the '80s, I never ever thought that I'd own my own small business. Yet here I am.

Just Remember, We're in Recession
Yep, just like every other place in the world, Ireland is in recession. What's more, and based on what I've been reading, it seems that the recession here will be longer and deeper than elsewhere. That said, take heart! People here are still buying things; the economy is still turning over. To beat this, you just have to be dogged, persevere, and keep focused on your goal. If you want employment hard enough, you'll get it. Just keep trying!
For more information on how to Get a Job in Ireland, you might want to purchase my E-Book:
A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2015 Kindle Edition Now Available!
If this blog interests you, then you might want to know more about living and working in Ireland. Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland, moving to Ireland, working in Ireland? Do you want to understand what makes the Irish tick, how you can get a job here, and how to survive in this wonderful country? If so, consider purchasing the 2015 Kindle edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Over 11,000 have already done so! Now over 85,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the above links to purchase the new 2015 Kindle edition. You can also download free apps to read the Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Building a Business Nest in Ireland

So. You've decided to come over. You're going to ride into the sunset and leave your present job. And you're intent on setting up a business in Ireland.

To do so, of course, you're going to need someplace to work out of. And if that's the case, be aware that you'll have a whole lot to choose from. Over the past 10 years or so, Ireland has seen a huge construction boom in commercial property, and that boom has affected the entire country.

Want a retail space in Cork? Looking for a serviced office facility in County Meath? Maybe you'd like to buy a complete office block. It's all here, ready and waiting. Good quality stuff, too. And the current recession has knocked thousands of euro off of prices, both purchase and leased.

And don't expect you'll be short changed if you decide to go this way. Ireland's commercial property sector meets stringent build standards. Often, buildings are now wired for bear with complete Cat 5 Cabling for Internet access. Many come with pro-active energy conservation elements allowing owners and lessors to save money on electricity and heating bills, while lowering the CO2 footprint at the same time.

If you're looking for a place to call home for your new business enterprise, Ireland has a lot going for it.

For more information, go to Daft.ie and try the Meath Property website.

Tom

How Do I Get Irish Citizenship?

As you can imagine, a number of social networks are devoted to international travel and moving abroad. One of these websites, which I belong to, is http://www.expatexchange.com/. Recently, within the Forum on Ireland, a fellow threw out a general question:

Hi, I am new to this site, and I am looking to get some information on moving to Ireland. Some of the information I would like to get is, what are the requirement to get citizenship, (web sites, E - mail addresses ect.) Information on and how to on finding a job there, how to transport my motorcycle to Ireland, What I need and how to get a driver's license, information on the different areas of Ireland, (what places are good to move to.) Basicly I'm looking for the whole nine yards on this. I am looking to spend a year in the United States, then leave and move to Ireland. Any will help, thank you very much!!!

He (or she) has asked a whole lot of questions, many of which I've been asked before (mind you, the question regarding the motorcycle is a little out there!) While I'll answer this expectant person's questions at length in another write, here's how I answered, and I hope it may be of interest to others thinking of moving to Ireland:

"Hi, My name is Tom - originally from Chicago, but living in Ireland for the past 27 years. First, for more information that might help you, you might want to visit my blog: http://survivingireland.blogspot.com/. You've a number of Qs: too many to answer in this space, so I'll answer most of them in the blog. However, to answer your first question: Gaining citizenship in Ireland for non-EU nationals is difficult. If you are the son or daughter of an Irish citizen, or the grandson or grand-daughter of same, you have the legal right to citizenship. Go to Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs for more information. If, however, you do not have such Irish ancestry, it may prove difficult. You could, of course, do what I did: marry an Irish lass! Citizenship can then be organised after a few years of residency here. I'll answer at length on my blog, above. Good luck! Tom"

I'm often amazed at questions of this type. The 'feeling' that I get from such Qs fill me with a certain level of concern for such folks: I get the feeling that many people think that getting Irish citizenship is easy. It is not! Unless you have Irish ancestry (as described above), getting citizenship can be a complicated and difficult process. This is due to a number of factors including a desire by the Irish government to protect jobs for indigenous Irish: fairly recently, new legislation was enacted that attempted to stem the tide of immigration.

The economic tide has turned now, of course. Unemployment is hovering at 10 percent, and is likely to go much higher before Christmas 2009. For that reason, it is likely to become even more difficult to become a citizen of the Irish Republic.

But take heart! In a next edition, I'll explain how you can use existing laws and opportunities to live in this land of constant rain. And now...I think I'll put on my hat and take a walk...in Ireland's rain swept summer!