Pursuing her MA degree while living in Dublin, Ireland, is part of the dream of this American woman who calls herself Macoosh--and now she's living that dream. Here, she shares a bit of her experiences in Ireland: how she makes a bit of extra cash, what it's like to live alone in another country, the high cost of living, and how much she appreciates the slower pace of life.	Macoosh

October 09 2006

-Where were you born?
Boston, Massachusetts, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?
Dublin, Ireland

-Are you living alone or with your family?
Alone, in student residences

-How long have you been living in Ireland?
A little over 1 month.

-What is your age?
24

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Ireland?
I always dreamt of it. I finally was able to apply for my MA when my brother’s life insurance was paid to my family and I was able to pay off undergrad student debts. I just figured, "since I planned on having student loans till I was 97, why not just go back to school and start up new debt?" :)

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Students don’t need a visa in Ireland. You need proof that you were accepted. You then have 1 month to bring a number of required papers to the Immigration Garda (police) and 100 Euro.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
Students living in the country for more than 1 year are eligible for the country’s health care system. Also, there are free doctors on campus. So I’m hoping I’ll have no hospitalization issues where I’ll have to pay 50 or so euro a day because otherwise, I don’t have to worry about medical fees.

-How do you make your living there? Do you have any type of income generated?
I am a full-time student, but I’ve got a part-time job working as a barista in a coffee shop. Obtaining an MA in Drama Studies is particularly expensive (have to see A LOT of theatre) so I needed extra pocket money. Getting such a job as this (waitressing/coffee shops/etc.) is relatively easy (at least in Dublin) because there are postings all over the place for them. You just have to look. Before my brother's life insurance came in, and I was considering looking for a job over here (meaning, only working, not going to school as well). I scoured Nicejobs.ie. It was a great website for jobs in Ireland. Nicemoves.ie is also a great website for apartments/homes.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
English is what’s spoken, with a few Gaelic words used every so often. I do think it’s important to adhere to local wordings…for example, a cabinet to us is a press in Ireland. There are many instances where I’ll say one thing and an Irish person doesn’t understand because they have a separate word for it. So, picking up on these little things is important. The main thing in Ireland is adhering to the slower pace of life. It seems nothing gets done here, and people don’t rush or freak out if there’s an issue. If you ever feel like you NEED something done and it’s very important, you need to voice yourself strongly or no one will help you accomplish it because they’re very relaxed. This is a great way to be, but I’ve found for all Americans (and other foreigners) it’s a very difficult thing to get used to.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
All the time. I think it might actually be harder to move to a place that’s not COMPLETELY different from what you’re used to because then you expect the move to be a breeze. And any huge move like this is not easy. It takes time, and it very much takes patience. I’ve also made this move alone, am living in a room by myself, and have no family-like relations so I’m literally alone. Yes, I have friends, but they’re all brand new. Sometimes you just long for the familiar. But you get over it. There are easy days and there are hard days. I almost cried in a supermarket when I saw they had Tropicana orange juice…my favorite kind. I didn’t think I’d ever find it here.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
While I am here, I intend on seeing the rest of the country and also most of Europe because it’s so cheap to fly around. I am thinking I might have my second year of obtaining my MA in a different school. I’m looking the most toward the West of Ireland, but England is an option as well. This is mostly based on how I feel about the school I am currently attending, and also my want to really experience all that the country has to offer.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I’m in student housing. I believe it comes to about $6,000 or so a year but I’m not actually sure…all the conversions between dollars and euros have my head spinning.

-What is the cost of living in Ireland?
Expensive Expensive Expensive. There is nothing that’s cheap. It’s way overpriced, and there’s no escaping it. Sorry to say, but there’s no way out. If you want to live in Dublin, make sure you have $$ to burn. I wish it weren’t true, but it is. My savings are almost depleted. I’ve been here a month.

-What do you think about the Irish people?
Everyone’s very friendly. Of course you get your crabby apple every so often, but that’s true of everywhere.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Ireland?
Positive: the experience, the colors, the landscape, dreams coming true, visiting your heritage (if you’re Irish), getting an MA from a prestigious school in another country, meeting people from all over the world, new culture, travel…the list goes on and on.

Negative: too expensive, it’s far from home so make sure you have an "in case of emergency" plane ticket fund, there are many comforts that we Americans have that don’t exist over here (I’d give my right arm for a Target-like store…), and I don’t mind rain and darkness but most people do so that’s an issue for many people.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Ireland?
Seriously, I cannot stress enough…have enough $$. And I suggest buying all your clothes before moving here because clothes here are just way too expensive. I’m trying not to buy anymore until Christmas, and then I plan on going on a shopping spree for new clothes to bring back.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Ireland?
You can follow my travels, trials and tribulations at A chuisle mo chroí. Another great blog on Dublin is The Dublin Community Blog. I’ve actually just been asked to be a contributor, but I’ve been reading their blog since before I moved here. It’s extremely helpful!