FAQs

I thought I would address some Frequently Asked Questions that we get a lot about our move.

Why Dublin?

Please see the previous post.  Cause it's there?  Why NOT Dublin?  I don't know.

Have you ever been to Ireland?

Nope.  I know nothing about it except that it's green and they drink Guinness.  Which sounds like a country that I wanna be a part of.

When do yall leave?

Tentatively...Monday, July 2.  It's a lot sooner than we thought, which kinda made me panic.  But lots of things make me panic, as you'll soon learn.

Will you (Lauren) be working?

I don't know - that's a great question.  We initially thought I'd be able to work through Drew's green card, but evidently that's not the case.  I have to get an Irish company to give me an offer letter and then it shouldn't be a problem getting a permit to work.  The only problem is actually GETTING that offer letter.  They're in the middle of a recession and I have to convince them that they won't have to sponsor me!  (Which costs them money.)  This looks like it may prove difficult.  Which makes me panic.

Drew and I are both stressed about this aspect for different reasons.  Drew is worried I'll be bored, alone, depressed, and won't meet anyone.  That I'll spend my days sulking and waiting for him to get home.  And while he DOES have a point and those ARE valid concerns, I'm just...not as worried about that.  My main concern is MONEY.  (Surprise!  Who knew.)  We need two incomes.  We want to travel.  I want to travel.  I want to go all over Europe/the world while we're there and we need MONEY to do that.  Drew said "If you don't have a job, you'll be bored and depressed."  To which I replied: "No, I'll be depressed if we can't TRAVEL!"  Which is true.  I. WANT. TO. TRAVEL.  I feel the need to qualify that statement because others may be reading this now, but...I can't.  It's my life damnit!  I need to live out my dream!  So sue me.

What are you going to be doing over there?

If I'm not working, then...I don't know.  Yet again.  Drink Guinness or Jameson all day?  Join a women's group?  Drew has already looked up Expat blogs and groups and organizations to join so I'll probably have to force myself to do that.  Which gives me anxiety.  

Where will you live?

Who knows.  We'll stay in a PwC sponsored hotel for 2 weeks and are expected to hit the ground running, trying to find a flat.  Drew's new hobby is researching apartments and neighborhoods over there.  We think we know the area in which we wanna live but our place will most likely be the size of a closet.  Oh well.  It's a Dublin closet and that's what counts!  

What's the weather like?

It evidently stays mostly in the 30s and 40s in the winter, and 60s and 70s in the summer.  It rains a lot.  I don't love the rain.  That will be an adjustment...like everything else in my life I guess.  Ah well.

What are you taking?

Most of the apartments come fully furnished, so we really aren't bringing any furniture.  We packed up a bunch of kitchen stuff, wall decor, tons of clothes, air mattresses (for our guests!), barware (duh), shoes, pictures, books, DVDs, a DVD player, and tons of random items we didn't think we'd find in inexpensive abundance over there.  Items such as...ranch dressing packets, taco seasoning, bulk shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, Q-tips, makeup, blah blah blah.  It'll take about two months for our stuff to get there by sea, so we gotta do it soon.  

Is Drew bringing his golf clubs?

Yes.  Absolutely.  Ireland has some of the best courses in the world evidently.

Can we come visit for St. Patrick's Day?

YES!  Or any other time of the year!  We have a luxurious air mattress for company, and maybe one day we'll even have a two-bedroom apartment.  Come one, come all.

I think that covers most of them we get.  If there are any others, just ask!