Expat Life in Ireland // Month #9 recap and photos
Ah, what I’ve been secretly dreading…2016 in Dublin. The year when my life as an expat in Ireland could come to an end, with my visa expiring in May of this year. But I don’t want to be sad and think about it too much. Instead, I’m going to continue sharing what life is life as an expat in Dublin!
Of course I had SO MUCH FUN ringing in the new year in Dublin, and there’s a lot of things I’m looking forward to in the next few months. But, it being 2016 means I’m even closer to having to leave this wonderful life behind. It means the end of my year of being an expat in Ireland.
That’s right. My Irish Working Holiday Visa officially ends at the end of April of this year. So I’m currently trying to figure out a way to stay. I’m even looking into some classes to be able to stay as a student. Because I REALLY want to stay.
But other than that semi-stressful endeavor, life here is (of course) wonderful. January was yet another great month on this beautiful island I’ve been lucky enough to call home for the last 9 months.
January started off great. I rang in the new year at a concert right around the corner from my apartment, with both Irish friends and friends visiting from back home.
After that, the holidays were officially over and it was back to the good ol’ work routine. We had a few FREEZING COLD days and a few that weren’t so bad. Just went I thought the cold weather was gone for the year, we got leftovers from Storm Jonas AND Storm Gertrude.
So it’s still a bit cold and bleak here, but the days are slowly getting a little longer. I can see a liiiiiiiitle bit of Spring in the distant, distant horizon.
Besides looking into going back to school in order to extend my visa, I’ve also been busy looking for another apartment. YEP, that’s right, unfortunately we have to move out of our perfect little apartment in the heart of Dublin so that the landlord’s son can move in.
It’s very upsetting. It’s also so stressful, because the rental market in Dublin is an absolute nightmare and so, so competitive. Not only that, but what makes it even MORE stressful is the fact that everything after April (when my Irish Working Holiday Visa expires) is so up in the air. Will I be able to stay? Or will I have to go? As is stands, I have no idea if my life as an expat in Ireland will come to an end or not. So, that means we’re stuck having to look for a short-term let, just in case.
All this stress from trying to figure out a way to stay here after my visa expires, and also trying to find a place to live, has got me thinking a lot about immigration laws in general. I find that as an American, my choices of being able to move abroad are so limited. For example, the Working Holiday Visa that I’m currently on in Ireland is only valid for 1 year. But Canadians, on that exact same visa, can stay for 2 years. Everything is so much stricter for Americans! And if you have an EU passport, you can live and work anywhere in the EU with no problem! Imagine..being able to hop on over to a different country and permanently move there with no time limit. THE DREAM.
But January wasn’t just all stress. I had some great nights out. I got to explore some more markets around Dublin. Plus I ate some amazing food (I think I’ve officially found the best burger in Dublin) and explored even more areas of the city. I’m determined to enjoy every second here, because my time as an expat in Ireland may be limited.
So, once again, here is a recap of my 9th month of Irish life, in photos! If you missed last month’s Christmas recap, you can check it out here!
