Why did I first come to Ireland and why did I keep coming back? I don’t have an easy answer for the first part of that question, but the second part is easy enough.
I came to Ireland to go to college as an 18-year-old in 2008. My family had lived in Europe for five years when I was very young, and my brother had gone to college in England, so the idea of living outside of the States wasn’t totally outside my realm of comprehension. A few generations ago my family was Irish, I loved the accent, I loved the music, I loved the pictures I’d seen…and that was all, really.
Ireland, sure, why not? I googled “Best college in Ireland,” and printed out an application to Trinity.
Trinity was the only school overseas that I applied to, and it was by far the simplest of all my applications; they basically just wanted my address and my SAT scores. I filled it in and sent it off and didn’t think too much about it, so when I was offered a place there, I wasn’t entirely prepared to accept – in fact I nearly went to a small women’s college in the States instead. I agonized over the decision!
Read more: The Irish Homecoming - My Forever American Valentine - meeting the love of my life in New York
I had never been to Ireland in my life, I didn’t know a single person there, and it was such a different educational structure. In the end, this is what sealed it for me: I have this chance sitting in front of me. If I don’t take it, I will wonder about it and regret it forever.
So I packed my bags and got on the plane, and had a wonderful year. I ended up transferring back to an American university for the rest of my college career (I never quite warmed to that different educational system), but I didn’t leave Ireland behind at all – I went back at least twice a year for the next three years to visit a boy. That’s why I’ve kept coming back, and why I’ve moved over here for a year now. Well, that and McCambridge bread with Tesco hummus.
Kev and I met just a few weeks before I left Ireland, and when I did leave I cursed fate’s poor timing, but was prepared to forget all about it and keep him as a lovely memory. I hadn’t been home long though, before I got an e-mail from him. We wrote back and forth constantly, he came to visit, and that was that – three and a half years of transatlantic long distance later we’re still going strong and I’ve come back to Ireland to give us a real shot at a “normal” relationship. How exciting to be able to meet up and go to dinner, to have more than a week at a time together, to go to the movies!
Read more Irish roots article here
Ireland is inextricably tied to my maturation from a child to a young adult. When I am here, I am completely responsible for myself and entirely self-sufficient, for I have no family here – I have built my network of contacts myself, set up my banking myself, found housing myself, learned my way around the streets and grocery stores and public transportation and slang myself. I funded all of those plane tickets for all of those visits myself. I have earned my level of comfort here, and because of that I enjoy my own sense of belonging and ownership in this place. And now that I have graduated from college, I am taking my first steps into an adult life here (renting a house, finding a job, etc.)
Living here is terribly frustrating at times, and extraordinarily liberating at others. It is a constant challenge, and it teaches me more and more about myself with every passing day. For me, this year is very much about Annie+Kev, but it’s equally about exploration and growth. It’s a “year out” of sorts, but I am going to make sure it is productive in as many ways as possible.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.moniflynn | Feb 22, 2013, 11:13 AM EST
So sorry you have some folks who are so negative. I've been to Ireland and the folks I met were nothing but friendly, helpful, kind and warm. I correspond with some of them to this day, Of course we stayed in the countryside. I find folks who live in a rural area seem not so uptight. You know, we are all Gods creatures, so let's get along. You know....:Love your neighbor as yourself" still stands today.
Radish_Salad | Feb 20, 2013, 10:22 AM EST
This is a refreshingly honest and thoughtfully crafted piece, thank you Annie. Fear not the negative few; you will find plenty of people willing to slate anything in this world. If you were to listen to all of them, you would never get anywhere. Looking forward to the next instalment!
seamus60 | Feb 17, 2013, 04:11 PM EST
Best of luck for the future, where ever and with whom that may be. You have spoken kindly of Ireland yet some appear at ease to criticise. I am also sorry to hear anyone deem Ireland as non friendly to anyone, be they wealthy high fliers or on a sorrowfull budget back packers.
puffin | Feb 16, 2013, 04:54 PM EST
Frosty congratulations, that means you are 25% Irish, now can we have some $ pleeease
puffin | Feb 16, 2013, 04:54 PM EST
Frosty congratulations, that means you are 25% Irish, now can we have some $ pleeease
Smyrnian | Feb 15, 2013, 09:59 PM EST
Stevenstar - you are going to have stroke if you keep this up. If either of her parents or grandparents were Irish born she has citizenship rights. Get a grip.
anglo-norman | Feb 15, 2013, 07:05 PM EST
Wait til she becomes aware of the real Irish charm & intelligence
anglo-norman | Feb 15, 2013, 07:01 PM EST
I'll give her 2 years tops
bunkerisland | Feb 15, 2013, 06:21 PM EST
Annie, You have received encouragement and criticisms from the readers, as enjoyable as the story is. Why not fill in a bit more to quiet the negativity and doubters?
Searlit | Feb 15, 2013, 06:00 PM EST
Maybe she applied for citizenship?
STEVENSTAR | Feb 15, 2013, 04:59 PM EST
I CANT FIGURE OUT WHEN SHE STOPPED BEEN A STUDENT HOW DID SHE MANAGE TO COME AND LIVE HERE, UNDER IRISH AND EU LAWS ITS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR AN AMERICAN TO COME AND LIVE IN IRELAND OUTSIDE THEIR 90DAY HOLIDAY VISA AND THAT GOES FOR AMERICANS WHO CLAIM THEY HAVE IRISH ANCESTARY ALSO....UNLESS SHE MARRIED AN IRISHMAN?? OTHER THEN THAT ITS IMPOSSIBLE FOR AN AMERICAN TO COME LIVE IN IRELAND.. NOW I MET NOT MANY OF YOU KNEW THAT NOW DID YE !!
Mairin67 | Feb 15, 2013, 04:36 PM EST
I would drop the "Kev" maybe...way too American.
irishpjk | Feb 15, 2013, 04:15 PM EST
wtf. I am not too sure about the facts in the story, at 23 you are bragging about being responsible for yourself, yet you do not have job since you said you looking. I left Ireland for the US at 16 was working full time by seventeen and responsible for myself. I married at 22 and had our first son by 23. I think you are in for a big wakeup call soon.
Silling | Feb 15, 2013, 02:22 PM EST
It is a total lie this story.
IrelandNorth | Feb 15, 2013, 02:21 PM EST
Positive story, with regrettable negative reactions thereto. Ireland and the Irish are no better and no worse than any other country or people on the planet. My own expreince of Americans are invariably positive, and the more who come over here to study/work or retire the better, with or without resources. They're a lot less foreign than many who are being granted visas like snuff at a wake.
Silling | Feb 15, 2013, 02:20 PM EST
This story must have been paid for by Bord Failte or The Gathering, because no body in their right mind would move to Ireland even during the Celtic Tiger era. Ireland is a bit like Australia was, a dumping ground for undesirables. Sorry Annie Tanner, this is a real gob shite tale.
joan1954 | Feb 15, 2013, 02:20 PM EST
I, too, love Ireland and return every year but would not want to move there with the tough times they are having. Wounded Knee they can't stop EU nationals ie emigrants from moving to the country and essentially every European country is open to migration from other parts of the EU.
WoundedKnee | Feb 15, 2013, 12:46 PM EST
"Ireland is also going through a tough patch economically so some of the haters blame immigrants". What a ludicrous comment, Caolanf. I have never met an Irish person who "hated" immigrants. In fact, Ireland has perhaps the highest rate of immigration in the world. If they hate immigrants how come they have the highest rate of immigration in the world? What a dope you are.
CelticQueenUSA | Feb 15, 2013, 10:26 AM EST
You are courageous and I wish you every happiness.
caolanf | Feb 15, 2013, 09:52 AM EST
@ fROSTY38 There are bitter jealous people in Ireland just like everywhere else, but most of them in Ireland sit on the internet all day giving a bad name to the country or generally moaning. My wife is from the US. We love it in Ireland and she loves the educational system there. My wife is baffled by how wamr Irish people are and how nice they are to her (as an American) seeing as I am treated badly as a foreigner in the USA. Ireland is also going through a tough patch economically so some of the haters blame immigrants (the same as in the US). Ignore the stupid comments! They will complain til the cows come home.
Frosty38 | Feb 15, 2013, 09:18 AM EST
My grandmom was born in Galway and left for Boston in the 1800's I would love to find her birth certificate for spending the winters there. There is not reason to down this girl. Why do you say they are despised. You want our money right?
Schlomo | Feb 15, 2013, 09:08 AM EST
Good Luck young lady. Let us all know where you're living in about 5 years. I bet it woun't be in the "auld sod". It takes time to absorb the reality of living in a country where the "blow-ins" are still "blow-ins" after 20 years and Americans are despised. Oh, the Yank tourist's bucks are welcome, but don't try to defend your native land.
bunchesofun | Feb 15, 2013, 09:04 AM EST
Wheres the meat of the story? Nothing about after she got there. Nothing about how she got a visa to move there. Story totally lacking in interest despite the interesting subject.