A woman has written of her disappointment after moving over to Ireland during the pandemic, and feels the Emerald Isle just hasn't lived up to her expectations.
As previously reported by the Irish Mirror , software engineer and writer Margo Hatcher, who has lived in quite a few European countries in her time, says she had previously associated Ireland with "leprechauns, cute sayings, and stunning nature ".
Although she says she found some of these associations to be true, she also felt let down in a number of ways by the realities of living in the vibrant capital city of Dublin.
In an article written for Medium, Hatcher listed a number of "drawbacks of living in Ireland", which she urged others to consider before making a similarly drastic move abroad.
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First of all, Hatcher took issue with Ireland's "poor quality of infrastructure", which she felt just didn't match up with other European countries.
From "insanely narrow two-way streets" when travelling anywhere outside of Dublin, to public transport she described as being "as painful as pulling teeth", it's safe to say Hatcher wasn't impressed.
She also took issue with what she regarded as Ireland's "heavy drinking culture", which she found to be "quite repetitive and unpleasant in my opinion", making it "harder to build up deep, long-lasting friendships."
Hatcher also wasn't happy with what she regarded to be the high cost of eating out, stating that "it is seriously challenging to find an entrée in a Dublin restaurant for less than €14, even at lunchtime".
Claiming that she has yet to find a pizza, doner kebab, or sandwich for less than €8 during her time in Ireland, she added: "Even when you head out to the smaller towns scattered across the country, you’ll find similar prices in tiny towns like Arklow, Clifden, and other small destinations."
Remarking that although there are various pluses to living in Ireland, Hatcher went on to warn prospective ex-pats that the "quality of life in Ireland is significantly lower than in central Europe".
She continued: "A very high cost of living and not a commensurably high rate of income means your budget in Ireland will definitely be tighter than in other European countries.
"It can also feel isolating, since after investing time and energy into building up friendships, a lot of people, both Irish and other ex-pats move away. I moved here on a whim for work, but I wouldn't recommend it to others".
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