Abroad

Bringing circus to Gaza, nursing overseas, and a virtual vote for emigrants

Top stories this week from Irish Times Abroad

The women of Gaza get their circus skills on, thanks to Irish woman Jenny Higgins who shared her story with Irish Times Abroad this week. Photograph: Mohammed Al Baba

Ciara Kenny's face
Ciara Kenny
Wed May 9 2018 - 15:05

Are you a member of the Irish Times Abroad Network? In advance of the upcoming referendum on May 25th, we will be seeking readers' views on the Eighth Amendment, but you must be a registered member to participate. It's free and quick to join. Click here (and be sure to opt in to polls).

Readers can share their personal stories of abortion and pregnancy in advance of the referendum here.

When Martin McGovern's parents became ill in their older age in Dublin, he was 5,000km away living in Massachusetts. The opportunity to travel regularly back to Ireland to take care of them was a "remarkable gift" Martin will always cherish, he writes in the most-read Abroad piece of the week so far.

Sibéal Turraoin came to Iceland on a hiking trip in 2016 and never went home. She shares her top tips for visitors in her adopted country, including things to do for free, plus some beautiful photographs of her hikes around Iceland from her travel blog. If you would like to introduce potential visitors to the city or area you live in by doing a Welcome to My Place column, please email abroad@irishtimes.com.

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This week we are also looking to hear from Irish nurses working overseas about their experiences, in advance of International Nurses Day on Friday.

Philip Lynch writes about climate change in Australia and reminisces about his damp Irish childhood as he awaits the rains down under, and Anne Casey shares darker memories of her "typical Irish childhood of sexual harassment".

And we meet Jenny Higgins, the Irish woman empowering women in Gaza through circus and yoga.You'll find many more stories on irishtimes.com/abroad. To receive this digest to your inbox each week, you can sign up to the free Irish Times Abroad Network here.

Thanks for reading.