Have you ever lived / worked abroad?

bodonnell · 26-11-2012 11:12AM

Irish, born here. Worked in uk '87-'93, bermuda '93-99, jersey (channel islands) '99-'05. Back here since '05

IvyTheTerrible · 26-11-2012 11:17AM

I am not Irish and live in Ireland

I've been living in the South of France for almost four years now. I do miss home sometimes but I do love living here. Love the food, the weather, the people are way nicer than the silly French stereotypes we hear about.

I'd have no problem moving somewhere else though, I'm not a home-bird.

The Idyl Race · 26-11-2012 11:23AM

I am Irish and live abroad

Suburban Leinster and North London are where I've spent most of my life, have family and friends in both and travel back to London every couple of months. In the early 1970s as a kid coming to Ireland the locals in my school were pissy at all the kids of returned emigrants coming in from the States and England but thankfully that kind of banjo-pickin' nonsense doesn't seem to exist for the new Irish kids now.

Roughly one person in five in England, in my personal experience seems to have the UKIP/Little Englander mentality and my filter for that type of moron was to casually mention that I watched the BBC in Ireland. That would really get their goat.

Other than that, folks there are mostly like folks here, most are good and enjoy having a laugh.

LD 50 · 26-11-2012 11:30AM

I am not Irish and live in Ireland

Grew up in the UK.
Spent my teens and college years in Ireland.
2 years in Australia.
6 months so far in New Zealand.

Pro's and cons to all countries.Like my family is in Ireland, but there's no work. I'd love to live in Australia, but have no skill or trade. NZ is great, but I might as well be in Ireland its so similar.

26-11-2012 11:33AM

Been living in Vietnam for over a year and a half now.. Nowhere is perfect but it's pretty damn good here.

The Cool · 26-11-2012 11:43AM

I am Irish and live abroad

Alejandra Important Bread wrote: »

Valladolid is really, really boring. Why did you choose there? You could have gone to Granada, Valencia, Seville, Madrid, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Salamanca...so many amazing cities in Spain!

Sure I know!! I KNOW!! Got sent there to study unfortunately. Only good thing about it is that it's quite handy to travel to other places from... like the old saying "the best thing about ___ is the road out of it"! Used to spend a lot of time in Madrid. I'd love to go on holidays to Spain in the future but I can quite confidently say I'll never set foot in Valladolid again.
South of France FTW though.

Shenshen · 26-11-2012 11:44AM

I am not Irish and lived in Ireland

Neewbie_noob wrote: »

Sorry if this has been done before, feel free to merge / lock / move mods.

So, as the title suggests, have you ever worked / lived abroad and how does it compare to Ireland?

I'm not Irish, but I've lived and worked here for just under 10 years now.

If I didn't prefer to work here, I would probably have left again by now, so I might be a little biased.
I actually prefer it a lot. There is a whole lot less pretense and fakeness, there is far, far less pressure, and at the end of the month you take home far more money than you would in, say, Germany.

pickarooney · 26-11-2012 11:45AM

I am not Irish and live in Ireland

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

What don't you miss about Holland out of curiosity? It's a country that appeals to me.

The people, the food, the weather, the scenery, the language... There is a lot to recommend the place, too, mind, but the negatives largely outweighed the positives for me.

ShadowHearth · 26-11-2012 11:45AM

I am not Irish and lived in Ireland

I am foreigner and living in Ireland 7/8 years now.

Love it, don't plan to go back ever. Even with all the recent economy problems Ireland is still great to place to live.
Those who bitch about Ireland is ****hole, should be sent to live in Eastern Europe for a few months. They will change their opinion instantly.

Caliden · 26-11-2012 12:03PM

I am Irish and live abroad

Lived and worked in the U.S. for a year.
Twas alright, expensive but the change was nice.

CruelCoin · 26-11-2012 12:12PM

I am Irish and live abroad

Worked part-time in New Zealand for a half year while doing a scuba instructorship course. Bar work. Much more relaxed than here. Unbelievable laid-back attitude.

Worked for a year in Holland in horticulture (my area).
Much more serious attitude. You are expected to work hard, very hard indeed, without thanks. Hard work is the minimum expectation, any less than this gets you sacked (not me thankfully). I lost 12 kilo in my first 6 weeks......
Fair days work for fair days pay.

Da Shins Kelly · 26-11-2012 12:16PM

CruelCoin wrote: »

Worked part-time in New Zealand for a half year while doing a scuba instructorship course. Bar work. Much more relaxed than here. Unbelievable laid-back attitude.

I've always been kinda curious about New Zealand, but not so much Australia. But then, I don't even know if there's much difference. New Zealand just strikes me as more quiet or something. When I think of Australia, I just think of an awful lot of tourists or visitors of some kind making an awful lot of noise.

CruelCoin · 26-11-2012 12:36PM

I am Irish and live abroad

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I've always been kinda curious about New Zealand, but not so much Australia. But then, I don't even know if there's much difference. New Zealand just strikes me as more quiet or something. When I think of Australia, I just think of an awful lot of tourists or visitors of some kind making an awful lot of noise.

There are busloads of tourist (backpackers most notably) in both countries. Have backpacked them both.

This is very broad: New Zealand has more "thats nice" attractions, Australia has more "thats awsome" attractions. That said, Australia attractions are a huuuuge distance from each other....

I adored New Zealand, i really did. The whole "beer and a barby" are a daily occurance, the people are nice. If you want chill, this is the place to go. If not, then avoid like the plague!

Da Shins Kelly · 26-11-2012 12:55PM

CruelCoin wrote: »

There are busloads of tourist (backpackers most notably) in both countries. Have backpacked them both.

This is very broad: New Zealand has more "thats nice" attractions, Australia has more "thats awsome" attractions. That said, Australia attractions are a huuuuge distance from each other....

I adored New Zealand, i really did. The whole "beer and a barby" are a daily occurance, the people are nice. If you want chill, this is the place to go. If not, then avoid like the plague!

I way prefer chilled out places to really busy places. New York, for example, I just couldn't deal with. Felt so over-whelmed and stressed there all the time. But then, Oregon on the other hand, I just felt much happier and relaxed.

I've never done the whole backpacking thing. Are you going from hostel to hostel? Are you working or what's the story?

6ix · 26-11-2012 01:05PM

I am not Irish and live in Ireland

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I've always been kinda curious about New Zealand, but not so much Australia. But then, I don't even know if there's much difference. New Zealand just strikes me as more quiet or something. When I think of Australia, I just think of an awful lot of tourists or visitors of some kind making an awful lot of noise.

They're pretty different really... New Zealand is 3 times the size of Ireland, and more similar in terms of the landscape etc. Australia is 90 times the size of Ireland and a lot more diverse (from deserts to rainforest to beach). You'd find plenty of quiet spots in either country if you do ever go, neither is densely populated at all.

On topic, I'm living and working in Australia. Really like it... won't stay here forever, but can't see myself settling home in Ireland any time soon given the economic situation. Don't really miss Ireland itself to be honest, but obviously miss seeing family and friends so I think being a bit closer than a 24 hour flight would be a happy medium for me. Maybe Europe or North America in the longer term if all goes well.

Funglegunk · 26-11-2012 01:23PM

I am Irish and live abroad

I lived in China for a year. I ate barbecued sheep cock and pig rectum, to name but two things.

redappple · 26-11-2012 01:24PM

I am Irish and live abroad

Lived and worked in New York for a brief period - 3 months. High probability of me moving to the US for long term work in 1-2 years. While I enjoyed New York and thankfully had my other half with me, I really did miss home.

I like to think I am very independent. But I'll be the first to admit I miss the place desperately when I leave for more than the usual 2 week holiday.

Stuff I missed:
- My Mam's roast dinners
- Petrol stations with a deli sandwich counter
- Hot chicken roll's!!!
- A nice fry up
- Work colleagues who go for lunch & coffee together
- OTC painkillers we have here
- A really strange one: I missed being tucked up in bed under loads of duvets with the rain banging off the window! It was roasting there!

CruelCoin · 26-11-2012 01:34PM

I am Irish and live abroad

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I way prefer chilled out places to really busy places. New York, for example, I just couldn't deal with. Felt so over-whelmed and stressed there all the time. But then, Oregon on the other hand, I just felt much happier and relaxed.

I've never done the whole backpacking thing. Are you going from hostel to hostel? Are you working or what's the story?

This was from a couple of years ago.

In australia, i and my then girlfriend rented a hippie camper van and drove all around the southern country (16000km in 6 weeks).

In New Zealand we used a service called "Spirit of new Zealand", whereby a bus brings you from town to town, where you hostel for the night, and drops you off at interesting locales along the way between towns.

Been backpacking in holland, germany, thailand, aus and nz. Its no biggy, but rooms can be crowded. For that reason, book a 1/2/4 man room early if you want quiet as these rooms sell out fast.

donegal_road · 26-11-2012 01:48PM

I am Irish and live abroad

lived in Little Italy, Toronto, had a great time

enda1 · 26-11-2012 09:17PM

I am not Irish and live in Ireland

5 and a bit years abroad at this stage. 4 years in Belgium and 1.25 years in the UK. Belgium's no craic at all, the people are just terrible. The UK's nice if a bit conservative at times (though a lot of Irish are too!). Worst thing at the moment though is all the people asking about the Savita case. Ugh, it's so awfully embarrassing. Hopefully there are a few sane people left in the country who can sort this issue out.

Da Shins Kelly · 26-11-2012 09:18PM

CruelCoin wrote: »

This was from a couple of years ago.

In australia, i and my then girlfriend rented a hippie camper van and drove all around the southern country (16000km in 6 weeks).

In New Zealand we used a service called "Spirit of new Zealand", whereby a bus brings you from town to town, where you hostel for the night, and drops you off at interesting locales along the way between towns.

Been backpacking in holland, germany, thailand, aus and nz. Its no biggy, but rooms can be crowded. For that reason, book a 1/2/4 man room early if you want quiet as these rooms sell out fast.

Cool, thanks! Hopefully I can save a bit of money and go down there. I'd like to check it out some time.

asherbassad · 26-11-2012 09:30PM

Geri Male wrote: »

I got horrendous diarrhoea from drinking tap water in Morocco. A hot river of liquid faeces was expelled from my anus every half hour for a full two days. Sleep was impossible and my ringpiece was red raw afterwards. As a type of challenge to myself I decided not to flush the toilet until I recovered.

By the end of it the stinking molten mush was about two inches away from overflowing.

This sounds like me most saturday mornings.

asherbassad · 26-11-2012 09:34PM

Funglegunk wrote: »

I lived in China for a year. I ate barbecued sheep cock and pig rectum, to name but two things.

So Charlie O's really is a chinese food outlet.

dave3004 · 26-11-2012 10:11PM

I am not Irish and live in Ireland

Yes.

On J1s. 3 months in Vancouver, then 3 months in Toronto then 3 months in Hawaii.

Currently been away just under 3 years in Melbourne.

ashers22 · 26-11-2012 10:19PM

I am Irish and live abroad

6 months in Spain, spent most of it on the beach. Would love to check out Sweden some day.

gobnaitolunacy · 26-11-2012 10:27PM

I am Irish and live abroad

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I've always been kinda curious about New Zealand, but not so much Australia. But then, I don't even know if there's much difference. New Zealand just strikes me as more quiet or something. When I think of Australia, I just think of an awful lot of tourists or visitors of some kind making an awful lot of noise.

The big difference between Aussies and Kiwis, Kiwis don't use vowels when speaking.

keith16 · 26-11-2012 10:28PM

I am Irish and live abroad

Spent the guts of 2010 & 2011 living in NY, don't think I could live there long term however. As mentioned in previous posts, Americas obsession with money and spending it is almost grotesque.

Wompa1 · 26-11-2012 10:29PM

I am not Irish and live in Ireland

Been living in the US for 9 months so far. I miss a lot about Ireland. Like everyone else has said. Advantages and Disadvantages. Happy in a way that I miss Ireland because living there was starting to irk me.

Mountainsandh · 26-11-2012 10:42PM

I am not Irish and lived in Ireland

I'm French, and moved to Ireland when I was around 23 (that's a good while ago now

...).

I still looove France, love the architecture, the beautiful villages, the weather, the food, shopping, transport...

But I also love Ireland, and don't ever intend to go back to France, Ireland is my home now. These days I'd sooner grumble and whinge about it than praise it, but there's heaps to like about life here, it's just harder to see with all the doom and gloom.

If I won the lottery, this would be my number 1 priority, to travel, maybe to get a pied-a-terre in different parts of the world.

SHOVELLER · 26-11-2012 10:47PM

I am Irish and live abroad

Rabies wrote: »

I wonder how many people have counted their J1 visa trip or 6 months in Aus as living abroad.

Did less than that in oz so thanks for clearing that up as have been trying to forget it!

Xavi6 wrote: »

Born in Perth to Irish parents, grew up in Ireland, moved back here six years ago in January. No regrets whatsoever, though it's hard not to miss home every so often.

Also did my J1 in Chicago, good times. Very, very good times.

Thought you were from manchester.

Lived in the US for a couple of years. Absolutely loved it. Plan to love abroad again. Travel broadens the mind and proves how little we really are in the scheme of things.

Have you ever lived / worked abroad?

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