I Have Friends!!!

I may be in introvert but I need people in my life. As the thrill of I’M IN IRELAND! I DID IT! has begun to wear off, there have been a few lonely evenings. I knew that would happen so I have been pretty dedicated to going to meetups and the like.

That means I’ve introduced myself a hundred times. It’s a little hard to convince yourself that you want to go to a new group and do it yet again. It’s also hard to convince yourself to go to events alone. It doesn’t bother me too much but it was/is starting to get old.

But – it’s paying off!

Last week, I’ve was invited to a dinner party in early June, attended my first Iftar (sunset meal breaking the day’s fast for Ramadan) at a friend’s house, had a night out with my former AirBnb hosts, and ran into a friend at my new coworking office. And I’ve made friends with a couple who frequents Edinburgh so I’ve even started a community in Scotland for when I move there Aug-Oct.

One thing about being alone in another country- you start to really appreciate things like invitations or accidental run-ins with friends. We take these things for granted, forgetting that they make us smile and feel welcome.

Speaking of Coworking Spaces, What’s all the Fuss About?

I did not previously understand what I might gain by paying for an office to go to when I had a desk at home. I have a dedicated office at home in Denver. A desk in my bedroom here in Dublin is not the same. A coworking office membership has allowed my to separate work from life. It has provided additional focus and motivation as well as a much-appreciated community.

The enhanced focus and motivation to get work done without attending to distractions hopefully means this endeavor will pay for itself. But the community aspect is almost priceless in a city where I know so few people. Something as little as having a chat with the front desk staff in the morning becomes quite meaningful. Not to mention free pizza and beer on the last Friday of the month.

People from Everywhere

I have made friends from Turkey, Algeria, France, Italy, and of course Ireland. It is my hope that at least some of these connections will continue through the future. Either way, I am meeting and learning from some pretty cool people. I’ve met people who’ve moved here for love, for work, for school. And just because.

Denver is an Ace in the Hole

The Irish and many others know the US well enough to know Colorado is cool. I usually get a delighted “Oh you’re from the Denver” reaction and have been told my American accent is fun to listen too. Many have not been to Denver but love the idea of skiing or hiking in the mountains.

The Downside

I’m bummed that I’ll have to leave Dublin in July and start again in Scotland. I wanted to stay in Ireland for six months but couldn’t find a (cost-effective) way around the 90-day tourist limit. Edinburgh is beautiful and I found other reasons to be happy to go there as well. Far be it from me to complain about any little snags in an otherwise amazing adventure.