Tag Archives: immigration

Low Corporate Tax Rates & Attracting Foreign Investment: Is Ireland’s Greatest Asset Its Willingness To Be Controlled By Outsiders

In a recent post about land “ownership”, I remarked that in a country with few resources, Ireland’s land may be its greatest asset. Since that post I’ve questioned that assumption, and done a great deal of thinking about what Ireland, … Continue reading

Posted in Bureaucracy, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Economy, Irish Life & Society, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

As Dublin Wakes: Getting to Know Your City At All Times

I am a reluctant morning person. I’m probably at my “best” early in the day, but I like my sleep. My city is the same. While Dublin looks lovely in the morning, it is often up late, and frequently in … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Privilege of Immigration: The Honor of ‘Elsewhere’

Earlier this month I went back to the United States for both work and family reasons.  On that trip I was reacquainted with a guilty pleasure available exclusively to immigrants.  When asked where I lived, I must admit that I … Continue reading

Posted in Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Local: Where Are You From

In a country as small as Ireland, where local parish control of life (so called “parish pump politics”) was, and is, still so important, the seat of knowledge, the gathering place (the pub), became known as, “The Local”.  But for … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, Irish Countryside, Irish History, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life, Pubs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Where Are We Going: Expectations of Life & Country

For migrants (emigrants and immigrants), notions of “destination” and “direction” are key. They are going someplace new, but, more importantly, they must concern themselves with where that place, their new home, is going. Is it going where they want it … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Emigrant/Immigrant Life, Immigration & Emigration, Irish Economy, Irish Life & Society, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Right Question: Cultural Nuance For Migrants (and Others)

A thought has been gnawing at me. A question. Several, actually. I was recently at a gathering of folks from the travel industry, and struck up a conversation with a woman who has been, for lack of a better term, … Continue reading

Posted in Emigrant/Immigrant Life, Home & A Sense of Place | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

We Come Bearing Gifts: Immigrant Contributions to Society

When I wrote about  an incident of racial profiling that my wife and I suffered in Dublin, much of the feedback from Irish locals was along the lines of “Well of course we dislike ‘them’ (immigrants).   They’re taking all the … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Emigrant/Immigrant Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Economy, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Size Matters: The Peaks and Pitfalls Of Downsizing or Supersizing Your Country

It’s safe to say that when we moved from the United States to Ireland, we downshifted to a much smaller country and a much smaller economy.  But, while Ireland may have fewer resources than the U.S., this immigrant uncovered a … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Emigrant/Immigrant Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Why Do The Irish Like Being Told How To Live? Immigrants Expectations and Real Life Are Often Quite Different

My lesson for prospective immigrants reading this post is: you cannot always believe what you see, hear, or read when you are on the outside looking in.  The reality in country is likely to be quite different. Beyond the logistical … Continue reading

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, Irish History, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

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