One year anniversary in Dublin

A year ago today I arrived to Dublin on an overnight flight from Newark, New Jersey, landing in the morning local time and meeting my landlord at Sprangers Yard, which has been my home for the last 12 months. It’s the longest I’ve lived outside of the U.S., overtaking the previous record when I spent my college junior year abroad in Russia for 9-10 months.

There are many milestones from the past year on which I can reflect.

I’ve written 265 blog posts, posting on average 5 out of every 7 days, although lately it’s been more like 2-3 posts a week. My iPhone says I’ve taken 7,660 photos (not all posted to the blog, of course). I’ve walked an average of 4,500 steps a day, up from around 3,700 steps from the previous year from October 2019 to September 2020. In addition to having ongoing weekly one-on-one therapy sessions, I completed a dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) skills program and have kept up a meditation practice for 249 consecutive days to date. I would say these activities have contributed to increased mindfulness and emotional well-being. I have also established a relationship with a general practitioner (GP) and am starting to access health care services here in Ireland.

In terms of my social life, I have made a handful of new friends, including CJ who I’d say is definitely my closest friend in Ireland. A highlight of the year was definitely our roadtrip to County Kerry together. There have been many starts and stops with others whom I’ve met. I’ve seen my long-long friend O. twice, in France over New Years and in Spain in the summer. I’ve kept in touch with good friends in the U.S., yet understandably, the distance has had an impact on those relationships. My dear friend Adam’s passing in August has been a big loss that I am still grieving. I haven’t had the opportunity to visit with my distant Irish cousins due to the pandemic. I’m hoping that will change soon now that Ireland has emerged from from its long lockdown. I also hope that there will be opportunities for friends and family to visit me in Ireland in the times ahead.

Financially, I’ve burned through more than half of my savings but there’s still a good chunk of money left in the bank. Ten months after my arrival, I started a new job in my career field, after turning down offers for two other jobs would have paid less. In the meantime, I obtained a Certified Management Accountant qualification in only 6 months, which is half the time that it takes most people. My income covers most of my living expenses in Ireland, although my rent is still high even after the 10% discount that I negotiated with my landlord. I still have a mountain of debt in the U.S. that needs to be addressed. Thankfully, I haven’t dug that hole any deeper. I have come a long way toward stabilizing my finances, and I still have a long way to go.

Am I where I thought I would be by now a year ago? Yes and no. As the saying goes, it’s not about the destination but the journey. Without hesitation, I would say I have no regrets.

Back to the here and now… the weather changed suddenly this week on cue with the end of summer. The high temps have been in the mid to upper 50s F / low 10s C, with rain off and on but clear skies in between. Today was quite blustery. I got out of the apartment after work and took a longish walk heading east to the Docklands, crossing the Samuel Beckett harp-shaped bridge, then heading back towards the city centre on the northside of Liffey, finally returning to Temple Bar. I got caught in some light rain for 15 minutes or so, but not enough to soak me. The wet sidewalks gave a reflective sheen to the city.

Until next time….