biggest thing you've learned going away

arctan wrote: »

so what is it?

I've had some good, some bad

Good:
-I'm not as retarded as I think I am, and I'm quite proud of the self sufficiency and resiliance I've built up

-getting away from distractions in Ireland I've achieved more in 1 year than I have in nearly 4 back home

-I'm in a work environment where my skills and talents and nurtured and actually appreciated, I really think I've be hard pushed to find something like this in Ireland

Bad:
-socialising is different, I don't care what anyone says

-life goes on back home, you do start to become forgotten about

-some people won't come and visit, no matter how many times they say they will

-finding friends in your late 20's is tough

-the English are not as friendly as they make out to be

I did 6 yrs in London, the main difference I found is that the English just exist whereas the Irish actually live life and fully embrace it.

... there's lads that would cut ya for the coat on your back, or the watch that ya got from your mother...

- Even if you have visited many times, living in a country is different
- It's the little things you miss, not the big ones (digestives....)
- Some of your best friends from back home, you'll never hear from again. Others who were little more than aquaintances stay in touch and become good friends.
- You'll get a ton of people saying they will visit. Few ever will.

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Very important for me moving to a Muslim country.

Me too :P (France)

-finding friends in your late 20's is tough

You have to put yourself out there a bit more than normal.
Try joining a sports team or some activity.

Tom Dunne wrote: »

That's an interesting one. We have literally had a stream of visitors over the past number of years. I think it was as a result of two things - 1: it is relatively cheap to get here (and staying with us there are no accommodation costs) and 2: generally speaking most people would never visit the Middle East on their own, but when they know somebody living there, it's totally different.

Plus, door to door, it is 12 hours, not the most onerous of trip.

Same here - I lived in Amsterdam and everyone who said they would come did, more than once!! Not sure it was me they were coming to see though :pac:

In Ireland the Tax System has a very weak loading on people with lower income and a high loading on people with higher income.

Compared to the Netherlands and Germany you have much more in your pocket at the end of the week.

Been "abroad" in the UK for the last 4 years. Prior to that worked internationally on short term projects in global locations in Europe, Middle East and Asia.

1. You do notice that life moves on without you back home. I visit every few months and am always surprised at how things change, marriages, deaths, even the mundane things like new shop opening or an established one closing due to lack of business.

2. How big houses are in Ireland and how cheap they are in comparison to UK. Generally the building practices in Ireland are superior/newer as most of the housing stock in the UK is of a lot older vintage.

3. How expensive the supermarkets are in Ireland!

4.. People are the same the world over. Regardless of colour, race, creed or religion there are people who will do their best to help you or will stab you in the back to gain an advantageous position for themselves.

5. Generally Irish people are incredibly laid back "ah sure it will be grand"! Which can be a good and a bad thing!

6. We have a decent sense of humor although our sarcasm is sometimes lost on people who aren't Irish!

7. How punitive the tax system in Ireland is. I recently investigated what the difference would be tax wise between the UK and Ireland. USC was the biggest difference...that's not including what the additional cost of health insurance would be.

8. Do not expect to keep your Irish mobile number especially if with Vodafone Ireland.

9. Surprisingly how forward thinking Ireland is in certain respects such as the banning of smoking in public places or the plastic bag tax. The plastic bag tax only came into affect in the Uk last week!

10.How utterly ****e were are in other respects like infrastructure. ICE train in main land Europe for example was some where in the region of 110 euro to go from Schipol to Germany. Dublin to Kerry is extortionate for 70euro.

One item i found particularly annoying is traffic lights. In the UK they turn amber to green. Ireland they turn just Green immediately, so time lost which could get more traffic through. Also no traffic sensors to detect traffic congestion which could optimise traffic flow.

11. Buoyant job market abroad with better money than at home, larger projects (more experience and more skill set development).

12. How good the Irish education system is.

13. Celtic tiger cubs...the sense of self entitlement of some of them literally has to be witnessed to be believed. No sense of grafting and think they know it all.

NoCrackHaving wrote: »

Who your real friends are. Seriously, the amount of people who make not just little but no effort to stay in contact with you once you've left Ireland is incredible. I could probably count on 4 or 5 fingers the people who've made an effort to call or visit since I left. They couldn't even be bothered sending an email or text. As a result whenever I visit Ireland they're the only one's I meet. If someone can't be bothered to stay in contact with me why should I be expected to return the favour.

Did you stay in contact yourself?

I have 0 friends that have stayed in regular contact. But I'll post something on Facebook or Twitter and they'll comment or post. I don't really care about having a phone call...I talk to my parents most weekends. Sometimes we miss a week, like this weekend due to them having visitors or if I go away for the weekend...

I think when you're moving away. Particularly if there's a massive time difference, it's not going.

I also have not been very good at reaching out. I think you're better off only meeting up with a few people when home anyways. I try to meet everybody, every time and it's a b1tch juggling around peoples schedules. You end up constantly waiting or trying to get into people. MEH!

Formosa wrote: »

Been referred to a few times above, but we have no idea what real hardship is.

The life of thousands of Asians in the Middle East is truly appalling.

Yes, it is. Mind you, they can be pretty hateful to each other also. The lack of human rights, particularly for people from 3rd world countries is shameful. As mentioned already, we are very lucky being born in the West.

I've learned that the Irish Education System is FAR superior to anything on offer in the ME, particularly the British Curriculum. Irish teachers are so bright and intelligent! We are very lucky in Ireland in this regard. In Ireland, education is considered very important and having very well qualified, bright people to deliver that education is a given at home.....not so for the BC

The ME gives the West the 2 fingers with regard to recycling, non existent here.

Sunshine is wonderful but pretty much 365 days a year and EXTREME heat for over half the year is hard going and has become SOOOO boring. Regardless of the rain, Ireland really is a beautiful country, so fresh and lush. Fresh air is a rare commodity here.

Seasons are not as overrated as I once though.

Irish people are so clever, witty and great fun!

No matter where you go, you will always meet wonderful people from every country, creed and colour.

Stranger Danger wrote: »

That most Irish people haven't a clue how lucky and affluent they are compared with the vast majority of people in the world.

Yeah, I think I only realised the White Man Privilege when I moved abroad.

jester77 wrote: »

One thing I've noticed is just how bad Irish politics is. They have a very poor handle on basic economics. You only have to look at the people who are holding ministerial positions. In other countries these people would have high qualifications, but this is generally not the case in Ireland. Yesterdays budget was a great example. The country has large debt and is borrowing a lot of money to keep it running. Instead of trying to combat the problems, the government were only worried about buying votes for an upcoming election. People give about high taxes, but really they are not high at all. The problem is where this tax money is being spent. The current political setup will never have me returning.

Wasn't there something in one of the many reports into the banking crisis that there was only one person in the whole department of finance with a PhD in finance?

Random OT fact - the Iranian parliament has more PhDs from US universities than the US government.

Spent a lot of time in Finland the last few years. Things I have learned.
- Cycling to work is grand up to -25C after which your breath freezes on your face, inside your nose and your eyelashes freeze together
- Ireland may not have a 'cuisine' as such but we have an abundance of gorgeous high quality food for reasonable money.
- Parental leave which can be shared between both parents is a really positive thing to have for everyone.
- I can jump into a frozen lake and not die.
- Ireland's weather isn't that bad. I miss the unpredictability of it when I am away. Last November in Finland was tough (1 month of exactly the same cold, grey, dull days)