Moving to Ireland

Well, it's official. I start a new expatriate job in Dublin, Ireland the beginning of April. I'm excited about the opportunity - there will be quite a bit of travel throughout Europe (about 25% of the time), a chance to see so many countries I never thought I'd have the opportunity to visit. My mind is still reeling at the possibilities.

The downside, missing out on the results of two years of extensive gardening, hundreds and hundreds of bulbs, daylilies, brugs I nurtured all winter, back breaking work to transform the yard at the house I bought two years ago.

Will be hard to go from a 4 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apartment, but I'm really pushing to get a duplex or townhouse with a small yard. Doug doesn't want to go with me, so he's going to stay here at the house and gets to enjoy all of my flowers. He promised me pictures.

Soooo, it'll be a move from co-ops to European trading. *grin*

I'll definitely be getting the Japanese Morning Glories out. I might be a bit delayed and flaky in email responses, so please bear with me.

I'm going to inventory my seeds to send out to new homes. I was heartbroken at the thought of not being able to plant all of these new seeds, but I'm turning it into an opportunity to share with new DG people who might have nothing - like I did two years ago!

But, one nice thing - you folks here are still no longer than a post or email away, like you've always been!

WOW what a great experience! I wish you GOOD LUCK in your move and the new job! WOW
I dont think I could do that-unless they sent me somewhere tropical. ;)

Be sure to post pictures of your travels!
((((((((((SANDY))))))))))

Best Wishes! When do you leave and for how long?

What an exciting opportunity! I know you hate to leave behind your plants, but think of all the wonderful new gardens you will have a chance to see.

HEEEEYYYYY!!!

If you are anywhere near Hamburg, and don't get in touch, I SHALL BE EXTREMELY PEEVED!!!!!!!

All the best in your new job and I know you'll have fun popping around Europe :-D


Wintermoor

dori - compared to upstate NY, almost anywhere seems tropical.

nathalyn - actually, it's a bit humorous - I don't know how long I am going for - it's open ended (a bit strange for an expat assignment which is usually 18 month - 2 years) - but, they didn't have anyone with the right background in the country, so off I go. My guess, probably 2-3 years to accomplish the major objectives, but if I like it, heck, might stay longer. I'm telling Doug the assignment is only a couple of years though. *grin* -- He’s staying home and taking care of the house and the dogs while I’m gone. But, he's considering moving in September if the job market in NY doesn't improve.

Wintermoor - actually, I will most definitely be spending some time in Germany. :) There is an acquisition and quite a bit of data privacy work that needs to be done. Overall, I’ll potentially be supporting these tools in upwards of 20 countries throughout Europe – so definitely quite a bit of travel. Hopefully, if I have a meeting on a Monday, I can fly out the Friday before and spend time exploring the area. As long as I can justify the lower cost by staying a Saturday night, I might end up doing quite a bit of wandering around. And, yes, the trip to Scotland that I mentioned to you earlier is definitely going to happen, now it’s just a short flight or a ferry from Belfast.

This all does seem like a dream….

I am so proud of you Sandy!!!! Will be sending you the photos of Leannes box-- today or tommorrow-- I hope we can stay in touch while you are over there---- your new friend will learn more about Ireland than she ever imagined!!! Congrats and I know you will take time to enjoy the gardens over there. Like the others said please keep photos posted. Have fun and all work makes "Jill" a dull girl!--- Tracy

Tracy - oh yes, you can't get rid of me - I'm not going far - only across the ocean, but we'll still be on the same site ;-)

Now both you and Leanne have somewhere to visit - and definitely, anything that I can send either of you, I'm happy to. Did she enjoy the box?

Certainly, you'll have to put Evert into your travel plans, yes?

Congrats, Sandra! I know how you have pondered and worried over this decision for months and glad it has come to fruition.

Just remember: gardens will always grow again.

You have to visit in Finland:) But on summer please;)

Europe is full of interesting countrys. You can go any place and find beautiful and nice places. Eastern-Europe is not so popular, but truely fantastic I think. It is kinda poor, but beautiful I think.
Evert could tell more, he has travelled on car in Europe and seen many places.

*grin* - a mini Finland roundup. (ha ha) I agree with you on the summer; we suffer from long winters, also.

Yes, the opportunity to travel was one of the motivators for the job - to be in Ireland, YES! But, also to be supporting tools in 20 countries throughout Europe, many chances to travel extensively. That's worth giving up a garden for a few years.

Mitjo - I've enjoyed your and Evert's travel pictures - so many incredible sights.

Although, hopefully gardening isn't completely out, I will be looking for something with a small yard or patio. I might have to search for community gardens and such, also.

I'm sooooooo happy for you sweetie, what an opportunity!! Email me.

"eyes"

eyes, will do. I still want the Martian babies - I showed Doug pictures and he wants to plant them....he'll be keeping up the yard when I'm gone if he doesn't move over (might in September). And there will be tons of pictures that I'll greedily devour - of the yard that I spend 2 years nurturing and didn't stay to enjoy. *wry grin*

Wondermous!! Tell ole Dougie it might be a hard choice once he knows how much love and work goes into it.

"eyes"

Well, a big congrats to you on your new ventures. Travelling and exploring sounds fantastic!

Sandra, I'm so happy for you I could burst. This is an opportunity of a lifetime. You take a piece of each of us with you and we will visit all those wonderful places through your stories. Part of me is blubbering and bawling too, like one of my own kids leaving. We've gotten to be good buddies in the H&D forum and I'm so glad you'll be able to stay with us on DG even though you'll be "a bit" further away. SO glad too, that Dougs gets to keep the house and keep everything going for you while you're gone. I'll have to call you before you leave just to hear your voice once more. Big hugs and congrats dear friend...we share your happiness.

Congrats - sounds brilliant!
Make sure you pop down to SW France if you can for some relaxing 'time out' ;)

Oh Sandy Leanne just loved the whole box--- we made the bread which by the way was delicious!!!! She wears the shirt once a week to school. The tea has become a night time ritual for her and she adores the books!!! If you would like to send the others I would gladly reimburse you for the shipping---- We listen to her irish music all the time. She really can't wait to graduate so she can go over there. (But mom has other plans!!!!) hahah! That is a bit far to go by herself. (I know I am over protective) haha! I was going to send you the pics of her opening her suprise but I took the wrong roll of film to Wal Mart so I will send them when I get them back! I can't wait until you see them--she was so tickled. Plus right after the surgery----you couldn't have planned it any better!!! I do hope you will email us with some pics of your new "home"! She would love to see them!--- Do enjoy yourself yet be careful also! Tracy

Tracy - I had more fun shopping for her in Ireland than anyone else. I forgot to include a few things in the box - but, I did find them so I'll send you a note when I pop them in the mail. And heck, maybe you'll visit Ireland with her. :)

vic - don't make ME cry... It has finally started hitting me - the magnitude of the change. Most people don't do this kind of thing, even though it is feeling very natural for me to do this. I made a lighthearted comment in another forum about leaving behind home, family, relationship, pets, garden, job.... then it hit me and I had tears in my eyes. Not sure how to explain, but it does feel like the right thing, something I need to do. I'm sure there will be tons of tears over the next month, some loneliness there, but also an adventure. And that is what I truly thrive on. I was reflecting to a work colleague of mine - that yes, I am leaving a lot behind, but I am taking the most important thing with me - ME. Not sure if that makes sense, but I have my sense of value, worth, wonder wherever I go.

philomel - it's a deal. I loved the picture of your house and would love to stop by for a visit when I make it to that area! There is so much I need to learn. I have been woefully ignorant of other countries, etc. - but, that will change.

Sandy, wishing you the best of luck in your work/travels. Please pop in and keep us updated.

Just keep in touch and let me know when you can come my way...

Sbarr that is fabulous news!! What a great opportunity for you. I think that you might prefer Ireland to LOndon. So many more beautiful gardens to see!!

If you ever come across to the UK give me a shout. Maybe I could show you the Lake District! ;)

Marcia - this is part of home, so I'll never leave here. One nice thing about this site - it's something we can always take with us, wherever we go.

psilo - you've got a deal. I do know that my new boss works in London, so I'll definitely be back and forth. I think one of the things that I can do to cope with missing all that is familiar (family, friends, home) is finding new things to become familiar - new friends, places to visit.

Maybe I can make a gardening journal become a travel journal with each category becoming a country and different people met becoming new flowers. :) So, even if I don't have a very large yard, I'll have a large memory-book of places visited, people met. I think this new exposure will also give me grand new gardening ideas, plants I've never seen.

It really hit me as I wandered through the grocery store early on a Saturday night in tears, reminiscing and reflecting that I might never do a big shopping at this store again. I'm finally realizing that I'm leaving my home, my neighborhood, my country, all that is familiar.

Needless to say, I spent more than usual...."but, what if I can never find this again"...

*musing* - everything about this move has been the good, the new, the different, the exciting.

Now, I must integrate that with a goodbye to the old, the cherished, the familiar... and along with that is a certain melancholy.

This message was edited Mar 6, 2004 8:12 PM

Sandra, if you've a craving and can't find it, will send it to you. No worries!

Sbarr, hope you like your new place in Eire!

We are probably going to UK and Ireland in the Summer.. :D By our car.

Look at this sbarr! You've got friends everywhere! Even ones that might could visit you from Finland! You are one lucky gal. :) And yeah, there's always care packages... :)

Ya better take grits with you...they don't sell them there I understand...and I doubt the customs will let them through...they didn't let us send them to Australia. I'd hate to think I was where I couldn't get GRITS!! LOL JO

geee so what do i have to do to get a job that lets me travel like that

Morph... *grin* - I might take you up on that.

Evert - you'll love Ireland. Quite possible one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It's a lovely country to travel by car! :)

angie - thanks. That's one of the wonderful things about DG. There are wonderful people everywhere and this is a great way of finding like-minded folks who love to share and garden.

roadrunner - Ohhhhhhhhhhh, grits. Now can you imagine me trying to explain these to people over there. I'll make sure and take a box and include it with my boat shipment (they're sending one container by ship, rather than air). Betcha I could tuck them in with my undies. *grin*

troy - being in the right place at the right time, working almost 60 hours a week during tough deadlines and being willing to foresake a lot to follow a dream. That's all.... :)

heck i do all that now
now when do i get my right place and right time lol :-))

Good question. Interestingly enough, I have said since 1999 that I wanted to move to Ireland. But, not sure that I quite believed it internally enough that I WAS going. I have traveled there five times on vacation since 1998.

I started with a large multi-national company about three years ago in the Corporate division. Back in November, I saw a posting for a job in Dublin, that fit my background. I bounced the idea around to a few folks to see if I had a chance. Interviewed in January, trip over there the end of January. And now here I am - on my way. Oh yes, the other thing that helped - specific niche type of work and there were NO other qualified applicants. So, I was competing in a pool of errr....one. But, even if it were a larger pool, I would have still probably gotten the job.

:-)

Big fish in a small pond! That's the best. :)

hmm...sbarr has grits in her undies... lol

I'll remember to shake them out first.

This message was edited Mar 8, 2004 8:03 PM