Apr
05

Rejecting Normalcy

By

 

 

This is a delicious hot whiskey along with Megan. It was taken in January, the second day we’d known each other. She was couch surfing with a mutual friend, and when we met we hit it off. Megan is American, she graduated from a California university last year, but instead of finding a job she decided to explore Europe. We’ve got quite a bit in common, starting with the fact that she’s attempting to obtain dual citizenship (with Italy) through descent – the same way I got my Irish citizenship. She has that same adventurous attitude that is required of us long-term European transplants – she too hopes to move out here on a permanent basis. I offered up my couch if she needed it. It was an offer she would accept on more than one occasion.

I met Megan at a time when I was really falling into a routine here in Galway. Monday through Friday I’d go to work at nine, come home at six. I’d check my email, make dinner, watch TV, do some reading and apply for jobs. Come weekend-time, I’d stay in one night doing nothing, go out another. On Sunday afternoon I’d videochat with my family. It turns out moving to a new country doesn’t eliminate the enticing allure of routine.

Meanwhile, Megan was actively rejecting that temptation. Over the next few months she was a bit of an enigma, sending in dispatches from all over Ireland as she hitchhiked across the country. Eventually she settled into a farm near Oranmore (about 10 miles away) where she’d occasionally call in to crash my couch so she could have a night out in Galway. Last week, I took her out for lunch as she was about to depart for Dublin Airport. She was returning home to consult with the Italian Consulate about her citizenship application. She’ll return later this summer to do god knows what.

I don’t know how much longer I’ll be in Ireland, but Megan helped remind me that I’ve really got to make the most of my time here, the way she’s been living. That’s why, when one of the commenters on this blog invited me out to her country cottage to spend a weekend in County Kerry, I accepted her offer (I’ll blog more about this later). That’s why I just bought plane tickets next month to rural Austria and London. That’s why I’m not going to let another weekend pass me by because I’ve fallen into a familiar routine.

Categories : Blog Posts, Pictures
  • http://doniree.com/ doniree

    “That’s why I’m not going to let another weekend pass me by because I’ve fallen into a familiar routine. “

    I JUST had that thought today… observing that I'm getting pretty comfortable here in Boulder, settling into friendships, learning my way around just fine… and I realized that I'm still new here and better get my ass in gear in terms of STAYING open to those new experiences. It's awesome to know that someone else is where I'm at – even if you're an ocean away :)

  • Mary O'Sullivan

    I laughed my head off at that silly picture of Dad, Kate, Amie dogand me………so funny. It does capture well, the scene when we video chat as a family! Great photos of your week-end in County Kerry. Sounds like you had a wonderful hostess.

  • Mary O'Sullivan

    I laughed my head off at that silly picture of Dad, Kate, Amie dogand me………so funny. It does capture well, the scene when we video chat as a family! Great photos of your week-end in County Kerry. Sounds like you had a wonderful hostess.

  • Mary O'Sullivan

    I laughed my head off at that silly picture of Dad, Kate, Amie dogand me………so funny. It does capture well, the scene when we video chat as a family! Great photos of your week-end in County Kerry. Sounds like you had a wonderful hostess.

  • Mary O'Sullivan

    I laughed my head off at that silly picture of Dad, Kate, Amie dogand me………so funny. It does capture well, the scene when we video chat as a family! Great photos of your week-end in County Kerry. Sounds like you had a wonderful hostess.

  • Mike

    “I don’t know how much longer I’ll be in Ireland”

    What? You are thinking of leaving, already?

    Please say it ain't so!

    Really, been loving your blog. Found it off of the “Move to Ireland Message Board”.

    Hard times, I am sure, with the economy, but are you really thinking of leaving?

    Good luck, hope you are able to stick out it out.

    You should definitely check out the continent while you are there. It can be your base for so much adventure.

    Cheers,
    Mike

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O'Sullivan

    Hi Mike, Glad you stumbled upon the website from the MTI board. When i say that i don't know how long I'll be here, I mean just that. I'm not having tons of luck in the job market, but I'm trucking ahead , applying left and right. If I'm still working in retail come summertime though, I think I'll likely move back home. Only time will tell what the universe has in store for me…

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O'Sullivan

    Hi Mike, Glad you stumbled upon the website from the MTI board. When i say that i don't know how long I'll be here, I mean just that. I'm not having tons of luck in the job market, but I'm trucking ahead , applying left and right. If I'm still working in retail come summertime though, I think I'll likely move back home. Only time will tell what the universe has in store for me…

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O'Sullivan

    Hi Mike, Glad you stumbled upon the website from the MTI board. When i say that i don't know how long I'll be here, I mean just that. I'm not having tons of luck in the job market, but I'm trucking ahead , applying left and right. If I'm still working in retail come summertime though, I think I'll likely move back home. Only time will tell what the universe has in store for me…

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O'Sullivan

    Hi Mike, Glad you stumbled upon the website from the MTI board. When i say that i don't know how long I'll be here, I mean just that. I'm not having tons of luck in the job market, but I'm trucking ahead , applying left and right. If I'm still working in retail come summertime though, I think I'll likely move back home. Only time will tell what the universe has in store for me…

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O'Sullivan

    I'm so jazzed you're reading my blog, Doni. Yours was the first blog i found that did a good job of being a personal blog yet making it interesting for strangers to read. I really used your blog as a model when i was setting up mine. It's been so cool to follow along each other along as we've uprooted our lives. It could really make for a great blog swap…ping me if you'd be interested.

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O'Sullivan

    I'm so jazzed you're reading my blog, Doni. Yours was the first blog i found that did a good job of being a personal blog yet making it interesting for strangers to read. I really used your blog as a model when i was setting up mine. It's been so cool to follow along each other along as we've uprooted our lives. It could really make for a great blog swap…ping me if you'd be interested.

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O'Sullivan

    I'm so jazzed you're reading my blog, Doni. Yours was the first blog i found that did a good job of being a personal blog yet making it interesting for strangers to read. I really used your blog as a model when i was setting up mine. It's been so cool to follow along each other along as we've uprooted our lives. It could really make for a great blog swap…ping me if you'd be interested.

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O'Sullivan

    I'm so jazzed you're reading my blog, Doni. Yours was the first blog i found that did a good job of being a personal blog yet making it interesting for strangers to read. I really used your blog as a model when i was setting up mine. It's been so cool to follow along each other along as we've uprooted our lives. It could really make for a great blog swap…ping me if you'd be interested.

  • http://doniree.com/ doniree

    Wow, thank you SO much for that! :) I'm so totally blushing, especially since I just always feel like I'm figuring it out as I go. I'd LOVE to blog swap about uprooting and re-rooting, let's do that soon :) Also, I have a food blog project and am looking for guest posters from places other than CO – interested in doing something Irish for me? :)

  • http://doniree.com/2010/04/08/my-next-big-move/ My Next Big Move

    [...] then I read John’s post about settling into his ex-pat life in Ireland.  We left Minnesota within a few [...]

  • clarekleinedler

    LOL, I just left a comment on your latest post about how a routine is proof on how far you've come! On the one hand, it's somewhat comforting to get into a routine in a new place. But you also have to be careful not to fall back into living your old life in a new place.

    Today was a gorgeous day here in Drogheda, so I took my car for a drive up to a couple of neighboring villages. I didn't know where I was going but it was fun to get lost and then find my way back. I didn't call any of my Irish friends here, because I can't depend on their company every day (and I should be meeting new people!). I came home from being out on my own all day and wrote a list of everything I need and want to do this week, a combination of things that will allow me to continue living here (work, money) and things that will make the most out of my stay here (weekend excursions, making friends, etc.). Anyway, good for you that you're taking real steps toward living adventurously!

  • clarekleinedler

    LOL, I just left a comment on your latest post about how a routine is proof on how far you've come! On the one hand, it's somewhat comforting to get into a routine in a new place. But you also have to be careful not to fall back into living your old life in a new place.

    Today was a gorgeous day here in Drogheda, so I took my car for a drive up to a couple of neighboring villages. I didn't know where I was going but it was fun to get lost and then find my way back. I didn't call any of my Irish friends here, because I can't depend on their company every day (and I should be meeting new people!). I came home from being out on my own all day and wrote a list of everything I need and want to do this week, a combination of things that will allow me to continue living here (work, money) and things that will make the most out of my stay here (weekend excursions, making friends, etc.). Anyway, good for you that you're taking real steps toward living adventurously!

  • http://www.johnfosullivan.com John F. O’Sullivan

    Two years later, as I revisit this post, I realize I’ve gotten what I wanted. This past week I struggled with whether to get settled in Australia with some neat media opportunities I’ve found, or if I should return to Europe. Every day is a new adventure, and I’m sure glad I got out of the rut I’d found myself in when I wrote this post. :)

Hello!

Current city: Windsor, England

After acquiring dual citizenship with Ireland in 2009, I uprooted from my native Minnesota and moved abroad. Three years, four continents and a dozen countries later, I'm figuring out what it means to be an expatriate and blogging along the way.

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Here's a sampling of some popular posts:
• How I was nearly deported
• "Do you consider yourself a team player?"
• 10 Things About Ireland You'd Only Know from Living Here
• Settle Down
• The Long Haul
• An Open Letter to America
• Dry Irish wit
• Invasion of the body scanners
• Suicide by train
• Safety first
• On returning to your high school job at 26
• 10 things about Australia you'd never know without living here
• Trans-continental romance

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