Category Archives: Immigration & Emigration

A Pot of Gold or Not? Immigrant Property Ownership and Problems With Irish Landlords

We’ve always been cautious about real estate.  But, as newly minted immigrants, we, or at least I, heard the siren song of Irish landownership.  We’ve fought the urge, but for many immigrants, the idea of buying land, and buying into … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Bank On It: International Banking For Immigrants

When the idea of moving overseas became serious, I, of course, had fantasies of multiple bank accounts spread around the world.  Perhaps we could even find a use for a Swiss bank account.  But the reality of arranging functional banking … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Life & Society, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Going Home: Reflections On Visiting Your Home Country

In early February I found myself headed back to the United States for the first time since we’d left for Ireland in July of 2011.  While I was excited to go, I was filled with questions, and knew that neither … Continue reading

Posted in Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Outside Politics: Voting Away From Home

Now that I’ve had a month to process the frenzy and climax of the American election, I realize that I’m amazed both by how much my priorities have changed in just sixteen months, and by how keenly aware (and somewhat … Continue reading

Posted in Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Let’s Talk About The Weather – How Weather Affects The Immigrant’s Way Of Life

For an American “southern boy” who has developed a serious allergy to heat and humidity, moving to Ireland has been a godsend.  To say that the Irish look at me like my head is on fire when I tell them … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life, Pets | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Getting Better All The Time: Building a New Life Overseas

Just now, well into our second year of living in Dublin, I finally feel comfortable saying that life is going well.  I won’t say, “better”. That’s not exactly why we moved. Despite months of pre-emigration planning, and few (if any) … Continue reading

Posted in Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Pets Abroad: Moving Overseas With Pets

For many of us, whether we have children or not, our pets are like our children. And, right, wrong, or indifferent, the thought of leaving them behind when moving overseas is unthinkable.  Fortunately, in recent years airlines seem to have … Continue reading

Posted in Bureaucracy, Dublin Life, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Modern Life, Pets | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The First Year

The first year living overseas is both an exciting and a challenging time.  Life is filled with almost daily “aha” and “aw shit” moments. Dealing with these moments is both the best and the worst thing about living in another … Continue reading

Posted in Friends & Family, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Flavor Of Home

When you move overseas the “to be taken” list seems endless. But the list of things to be left behind is non-existent. It never gets made. In your frenzy to reduce the cost of shipping you jettison as much as … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Friends & Family, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Always New

For the past week or so, I’ve been chasing a certain feeling/idea that has maddeningly remained just a step or two ahead of me. It’s hard to explain, but it’s the notion that living abroad gives you a constant feeling … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Writers & Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments