ireland

Why did we choose to move to Ireland? Choosing a location as an expat

March 1, 2018 by Meg 1 Comment

Sometimes (read most times) Rob and I just actually wing life. We jump head first, and figure it out as we go. It happened when we decided to buy a house, when we decided to do a huge eurotrip around a friends wedding, and most recently, when we decided to move to Ireland. We base most of decisions on whether it sounds like fun, and I generally get too excited and start planning it before any of us have a chance to back out. One of the biggest questions we get is, why did we choose to move to Ireland? How do you choose a location to live in as an expat?

I have spoken about it before, but on our honeymoon we had a real heart to heart about what we wanted out of life. What was the next big thing we wanted to do, and whether we were happy where we were right then. Putting aside the most amazing honeymoon we had, were we happy with the life we had built together. At the time, we were both unsettled in our jobs, for different reasons. We were looking for a change, sometimes I think Rob and I crave change. We often search for it. We hate to stand still. Rob has the kind of job that is needed in quite a few interesting places, which actually started the whole conversation about whether we saw ourselves living overseas. He threw out a bunch of places that we could both consider moving to. Places like Switzerland, Amsterdam, Canada, even places like Guernsey and Isle of Man. The options seemed endless, until we started looking into them. Come to think of it, maybe we didn’t completely just wing it.

In the beginning we did ask a few questions before we decided on a place to move to. Things like: How easy is it for us to get into the new country? What visas did we need? Could we both work? Were there job opportunities for us both? Would they let Jack in? How long was the quarantine process? What kind of life would we all have? Was there lots to do and see? Could we travel around easily? Could our family visit with or without visas?

Thinking back, we definitely consider a lot different factors actually, but I do think a large part of moving overseas is taking a giant leap of faith. You can do all the planning and research in the world, and things can still fall upside down. Some things you just cannot predict. Like how long it would take to find a job, or how long the process takes to get a work permit, or finding a good rental home that ticks all your boxes. There are other things you don’t consider. Some that you might not even need to consider, only if they actually do happen. Most don’t think of a place as a place to live but rather they think of the place that they have visited whilst on holiday. Living and paying bills in a place is an entirely different thing to visiting tourist spots and traveling. Figuring out how things work and making friends can be a long and tedious process of trying and trying again.

At the end of the day, we chose Ireland because it ticked a lot of boxes for us: firstly, Rob got offered a job. We knew I would be able to get a spousal work permit , but we didn’t know how long it would take to get sorted out. We knew Jack could move over to Ireland without quarantine, but we didn’t know that finding a pet friendly rental in Dublin city would be so tough. There were a lot of things we knew would work out, and others we never fully realised until we were already here. I think for the most part, you need to have a ‘just winging it’, positive attitude. It saves you from all the anxiety and worry of knowing if things will work out. You also need to have patience, do the research and trust the process will work itself out. And then you have to have acceptance, because maybe it doesn’t work out exactly how you planned, and that’s not something you can always control.

HAVE YOU MOVED OVERSEAS? HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON THE PLACE YOU CHOSE TO MOVE TO?

Live Simply & Travel Slow,

~Meg~

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Visiting Kinvara in Ireland and living in a tiny house

February 26, 2018 by Meg 3 Comments

Our first time staying on the west coast of Ireland, and our first Airbnb! Rob and I were keen to see what the west coast had to offer, but were not so keen on staying in a busy city. Since we rented a car specifically for this trip, we thought it would be the best time to explore a smaller town, and really get a feel for Irish countryside. Kinvara did not disappoint.

Because we were traveling in winter, Kinvara as little country town, was very quiet – a lot of the restaurants were closed in the evenings. If you want to travel around Ireland in winter, it is important to remember that a lot of tourist spots are closed or have winter opening times. Read this post I wrote about the benefits of visiting the west coast of Ireland in winter.

We really just wanted to get away (with our dog) and just road trip around Ireland a little bit. We didn’t have much in the way of a bucket list of things we wanted to see, but rather the main goal was to unwind and relax. For us, Kinvara is the perfect place to just chill out. We did a few walks as a little family (Jack included) and took some time to just sit and read and drink wine too. It was the perfect amount of explore and recharge.

We found a great little Airbnb that has gone almost 100% off-grid, with a wood burning stove, solar powered lighting, and composting toilet. The cabin is small, 6m x 3m so it really gave us a real taste for tiny living – something both Rob and I are very keen to do long term. The cabin had a little cooker and we cooked our meals at home to save a bit of money, but also it gave us a lot more one on one time. Time to just hang out as a little family.

One of the best parts of this cabin, apart from the tiny living feel, was that it was pet friendly! Jack absolutely loved his stay here, the cabin shared a little outside area with the cabin next door. There was no one staying in the second cabin which meant Jack had free reign to explore the garden – which he absolutely loved.

The nights were cooler, but the stove inside honestly worked such a treat. Rob accidently put several logs on the stove at one time on the first night we were there, and it ended up bringing the temperature inside the cabin to almost hotter than a summer’s day in South Africa. We were sweating that first night, but it made for a good laugh, and we just hydrated with extra wine. It will always be a fond memory of our time in Kinvara.

Tiny living is definitely something I want for us as a family. Since we have moved overseas to Ireland, we have learnt to scale back what we have in our own home. This tiny cabin experience in Kinvara really brought home the fact that we don’t need a lot to survive. And if organised cleverly, you can have the right amount of storage areas to hide away the things you do need. The cabin was fitted with a lot of cool features like a little kitchen nook where we ate our meals; shelves under the bed for storage; and a drying rack that could be hung up on the wall when we had finished using it.

The only real challenge was the compost toilet. I think this is something you have to wrap your head around if you ever plan on going off the grid (or in this case, renting this particular Airbnb). I won’t go into graphic detail about it, but it did take some getting used to. A composting toilet means that there is no water or drainage to flush things away. It basically stores it, and you then have to remove it once it fills up. The mechanics are a bit like a porta-potty, but it doesn’t smell or stink up the place. We thankfully didn’t have to remove or replace the unit while we were there. I am just not sure that sort of contraption is for me, I could handle visiting there, but not for the long term. So maybe going off grid entirely is not for me, but I do think I would love to live in tiny home.

All in all, our time in Kinvara was lovely, if not for being very low-key. That is part of slow travel that I enjoy the most. You don’t need to always be going to still enjoy being away. We had a great time, all three of us, and it was the perfect time away we all needed.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO KINVARA? WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT A WEEKEND AWAY?

Live Simply & Travel Slow,

~Meg~

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Top 6 Reasons to Live in Dublin, and 3 Reasons Why it can be Hard

January 22, 2018 by Meg Leave a Comment

We have lived in Dublin for over a year now and while the move had it’s challenges, we have come to love our new adopted home. Dublin and Ireland in general should be a place that everyone should visit. And that is not for the pubs and the craic – but more for the place that it is and the people. There are many reasons why I think Dublin is a great place to live, but I thought these six reasons best summarise this little city that has a very big heart.

It’s a big city but not too big: with just under 1.5 million people living in Dublin, this city is big but its not as over developed and hectic as some other european cities.
It’s convenient: you can walk to most places in Dublin and if not, public transport is pretty good. Sure the bus time table might be more a suggestion than accurate all the time but thye recently joined up the red and green luas lines – so it is improving all the time.
The Guinness just tastes better in Ireland – Fact: something about drinking a pint of Guinness on Irish soil (this goes for anywhere in Ireland, not specifically Dublin), just makes the pint taste sweeter.
Variety: city/ mountains/ beach and the coastal cliffs – all within minutes of each other. everything is very central and convenient to get to in Dublin.
Something is always happening: there is loads to see and do here; with tons of history, arts, music, food – whatever your interests, there is bound to be something you like happening in Dublin.
It has a mild climate: granted it might not be too hot but it is generally not too cold either.

Those are just some of the reasons why we love to live in Dublin, and why Dublin and Ireland have kinda stolen a piece of our hearts. We didn’t realise how good it could be to live in this city, we came over with zero expectations and were so pleasantly surprised by how much we love to live here. Rob cycles to work every day, I take the bus, our local pub has a music eve every week; and Jack loves to run along the beach and parks – all within walking distance from our home. But there are 3 main reasons why living in Dublin can be a challenge. I don’t like to be super negative on the blog, but a lot of my readers follow this blog with the hopes of one day moving to Ireland, so I feel its only fair that I raise a few of the reasons why living in Dublin can be hard too.

Rent is astronomical: It is more than just expensive; finding a spot that won’t cost you an arm and a leg and one of your kidneys is a real challenge. That is not to say it can’t be done, I mean we did find a place, but there is a massive housing crisis here. Many of the good spots will go very quickly, and having a pet makes it an extra challenge.
Finding a job can be a slow process: If you read any of the irish papers, they all talk about how the job market is booming. Loads of groups I am in will say that there are tons of jobs available – new job openings every day. But I don’t think that is entirely true for all people and all industries. For many expats I know, work permits make it longer process to finding employment too.
The litter is out of control: I wish i could say its because we live in the city but its on the beaches, and in the parks. I drive out through the suburbs on my way to work every day and I can’t tell you how many people i have seen blatantly littering, or not picking up their dog’s poop! Litter is a huge issue here and it seriously bums me out.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE REASON FOR ENJOYING LIVING IN YOUR CITY?

Live Simply & Travel Slow,

~Meg~

p.s. If social media is your thing (snap! It’s my fave too!), you should totally follow me on Instagram.

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There Is More To The Blarney Castle Than Just Kissing A Stone

December 14, 2017 by Meg 7 Comments

We recently went down to Cork for a long weekend getaway. The reason we went down was for two main reasons: firstly, my first ever irish friend lives there – we met 16 years ago when we were aupairs in America and I have been promising her a visit for as long as we have been living in Ireland (over a year overdue!); and secondly, so many people we have met all tell us to get to Cork, so we had to check it out for ourselves. The first thing we found out was that 3 days in Cork is definitely not enough time to fully see this town – there is so much to do! Case in point, Blarney Castle – if you think you just need an hour to hit up this popular tourist attraction, you would be so very wrong. We spent the whole day at Blarney Castle – there is just that much to do here. So much more than just kissing a giant slab of rock.

How to get there:

Blarney Castle is one of the main attractions in a small town in County Cork called Blarney. You can drive there, or take a bus (we took a bus from Dublin to Cork City, and then a local bus from Cork to Blarney. There are buses that come come in from Cork City every hour – the 215 bus is the one you need to look for.

Pro tip: If you are travelling with a leap card – you can use this in Cork!

Planning your visit:

Try and get there early, this leaves more time to see everything, but also means you get in before the tour groups. Gates open at 9am all year round, but close early over winter, and stay open later in summer. So check the website before you get there so you get enough time to see everything.

Entrance Fee:

It costs EUR14 if you book online, or EUR15 if you buy at the door. Considering it’s a full day of things to do, I think the entry fee is well worth it.

Things to Do at Blarney Castle:

First up, the gardens are absolutely stunning. At the entrance you are given a little map of the grounds, which is handy because it shows you several walks you can do (and how long they will take), as well as attractions to see, and where to find them.
You obviously have to check out the Blarney Castle. And that is not just to kiss the Blarney Stone. The castle is actually pretty tall, I didn’t realise how high up you were going to be. The best part of this castle is that it is self-guided and you are free to explore every inch of the castle yourself. There are many rooms, and crevices, including a dungeon to explore – it makes it a great spot to take kids, there were a few while we were there and they seemed to love it.

[bctt tweet=”The best part of the Blarney Castle is that it is self-guided and you are free to explore every inch of the castle yourself.” username=”Thisisus_living”]

At the very top of the Blarney Castle, you will find the stone of eloquence, or the Blarney Stone. You have to walk up pretty narrow, windy and steep staircase to get up there. It was only when I got up did I realise how high we were! The top of the castle is lumpy and uneven, which made it a bit more frightening for someone like me, who is terrified of heights. At one point, I felt my knees lock, and I thought I might have to walk on my hands and knees. There was a lady ahead of me who was equally freaking out, which made me feel better that i was not the only one! Then if you want to be one of the thousands who have climbed the steps to kiss the stone – here comes the even SCARIEST part: you have to lie on your back, lean back, and kiss the stone upside down. So it is awkward and a little scary. But there is a large grate underneath so its almost impossible to fall completely down, and there is a very nice gentle there to help you. I ended up hugging him so tightly, but I think he gets it a lot. There is an option to take pics yourself (we both failed to do that – partly in being in the moment, and part in that the moment was over pretty quick!) or you can pay EUR10 a photo (which we decided against – to be fair they were not very flattering!).
Once you get back onto solid ground, then you can explore more of the gardens surrounding the castle. Another fun thing to do is to try walking up and back down the wishing steps with your eyes closed – it is said if you do this, and think only of one wish – that it will come true. I tried it, but it was a little wet so I did peak, but I didn’t break a leg so there’s that!
You can also walk through a fern garden – over 80 kinds of ferns, plus the tallest fern in Ireland. I had to chuckle, because with Rob’s jacket, he was almost camouflaged amongst the ferns.
Next to the fern garden there is an ice house. In my mind I half expected to find an igloo! But it is actually an old Victorian way of storing things in a fridge/cool environment. I found it quite interesting how they had to layer it in such a way to be effective. It is a bit hidden, we nearly missed it, but worth a quick look.
Next you can take a walk through the poisonous garden – perhaps watch the kids don’t eat anything!
On the grounds is also Blarney House, which almost looks like another castle – however this is only open in the summer months, guided tours are available.
If you are feeling energetic (and looking to get some more steps in) – then take a walk to the lake. It is an easy walk to do, and the view on the lake is just beautiful. They have just recently created a deck that goes out on the lake which will be great to check out.
There are loads of other things to see, like: the witch stone, badgers cave, dolmen, and the druids cave – plus a fairy garden!
After all that walking and exploring, I recommend a stop at the restaurant in the stables, The Stable Yard Cafe. The menu is small, but the meals are well priced and tasty. We shared a delicious soup and a pizza slice which totally hit the spot. There is also plenty of seating in old stable stalls, so you can find a quiet nook to relax a bit.

Hopefully this list proves helpful when you visit Blarney Castle, and you realise that this is so much more to see than just smooching a stone!

HAVE YOU KISSED THE BLARNEY STONE? IF NOT, WOULD YOU?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

p.s. If social media is your thing (snap! It’s my fave too!), you should totally follow me on Instagram.

p.p.s. I try post varied content once or twice a month, to be sure you don’t miss out on the new post you should sign up and get all the news straight in your inbox – Sign up now!

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HAVE YOU KISSED THE BLARNEY STONE? IF NOT, WOULD YOU?

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