GENERATION EMIGRATION: Our daily blog has been asking emigrants whether they seek out or avoid other Irish expats, and to share their job-hunting tips. Here’s a selection of our readers’ comments
IRISH EXPATS? AVOID THEM
Barry Mooney: What's the point of trying to recreate Ireland when you're abroad? For me the best thing about living abroad is getting to know a new culture. If I want to do Irish things I'll go back and visit the real deal!
Brian O'Neill: Hanging around with Irish people abroad just because they are Irish too gets very stale, very quickly.
Triki of Oz: I have been in Australia for 3 years and the only Irish born person in a Victorian country town. Familiarity etc is far stronger here than in my Irish town; friendliness here is outstanding. No, I do not miss other Irish nor seek them out.
Claire Mc:I left Ireland 2.5 years ago by choice. I played Camogie and Gaelic football at home and was lucky enough to find a Camogie club in Zurich, where I moved to. The Camogie team is made up of 80 per cent Swiss natives so I get the best of both worlds.
TRiley: Not everyone leaves Ireland by choice and it isn't small minded to be proud of and indulge in your own culture if that's what you want. Irish people have a certain sense of humour and I cannot count the number of nights I have had out where I fell into the company of other Irish people and those nights have been some of the best.
mary veale:My work as a visual artist has dealt with the subject of being outside one's culture. I left Ireland as did my husband in the 1970s and early 1980s. I moved cultures twice. I am in contact with the Irish here in my adoptive city, Grenoble France. I think one should not forget one's origins. However the Irish pub is not where I would go to meet the Irish. We have our cultural events, film festival, Christmas events, cultural outings, etc. Being a double national is very enriching as I live between cultures which suits me grand; it's a place rich for artists.
Jackie:I think it's very snobby for people to think that wanting a link to Ireland is stupid and has no place when moving to another country. This is especially true where people didn't necessarily want to leave but have been somewhat forced to do so. If you don't want to be Irish anymore that's fine, but don't give out about the people that do!
Marc:I left in 1989 and after a few years was happy to meet any Irish people at all. In fact I made friends with Irish people with different backgrounds and aspirations than my own that I probably wouldn't have ever gravitated towards if I we had all stayed in Ireland. That in itself broadens the horizons. There are no other Irish people where I live (a little island off the west coast of Malaysia). In fact now I haven't seen or spoken to a "real" Irish person (as opposed to via machines) in at least a year.
Louis M:I know that should I need to find another Paddy, he won't be difficult to locate (particularly when he is wearing a GAA jersey in Sydney). In the short few months I have been in Australia being Irish isn't necessarily a good thing. I enjoy living in Australia but I am not promoting my Irishness during my stay here. This outlook has served me well and I intend to stick with it.
JOB-HUNTING ABROAD: LEARN THE LANGUAGE
Vicky: Sent out 100 resumés in Brisbane. Wasn't easy, took a few months, but kept sending out 10 a day over 10 days. Lots of my friends here found applying directly better than going to recruiters in all their different areas of work.
Captain Liberte:I came to the place where I once read that the streets were paved with gold, alas, this was not the case. My ex-boss had made all manner of noises about hooking me up with the "right people" but the "right people" turned out to be distant, misty apparitions.
Finally, I found this job, which I still toil at after over 10 years. It’s my feeling you make your own luck in this world and one should not rely exclusively on networking or the Irish community. You may find yourself disappointed.
Phil O'Connor:If you're emigrating to a non-English speaking country, get stuck into the language asap, regardless of what you'll be doing. If you haven't got a job lined up it'll make it much easier to find one, and if you do it'll make it easier to move jobs and remain competitive.
Danielle: Learning languages will stand to you even if you're in an English-speaking country. Young, recent graduates can really benefit from an ability to speak different languages. Language classes, from evening classes to full degrees, can also be a great way to meet people of similar age and ambitions.
Denni:It took me about three solid weeks of searching to get my job in Melbourne. I looked every day, and tried a number of routes. I did use networking but nothing came of it. Doing the legwork yourself is the best way to get a job I think.
Paula Dooley:I got a job before I arrived, they helped with the visa process and made it much easier. One site I found helpful for work and chatting with others going to Australia was britishexpats.com. Good luck to all!
Jonathan: I moved to Barcelona on Sept 1st 2007 – hit the ground running around recruitment agencies and websites. First interview lined up within three days of arriving, first job offer within five days of arriving, sat at my desk by the 12th. I was lucky, but experience and a good CV helped.
Eoghan:I moved out to Brussels after studying on the continent. I would reiterate what other posters have said about languages being crucial – I spent my first couple of months knuckling down to recover the French I learned at school and picking up some Dutch until something work-wise came along.
Buzz:First step if you are thinking of the US/Australia is to visit their embassy and see if you can get copies of the daily newspapers/professional magazines etc. I did that back in Jan 1990 before I left for Australia, sent out a few resumés to the agencies listed and they had a few interviews set up by the time I stepped off the plane.
Eoin:Came to Canada for one week in Jul 2009 after setting up interviews with a few firms in advance – they liked the fact I came out on my own $$ which demonstrated to them I was serious about moving out. I received an offer in September, the firm was sponsoring us so they organised work permits, relocation, etc. We moved out here November 2009.
