FROM THE NORTHERN BEACHES OF SYDNEY TO SOUTH DUBLIN ........
The Story of the “G” Family’s Relocation to Dublin.
The Highlights, Stresses and Lessons Learned as told by Mrs G.
Why? Was the first question I asked when Mr G called me last summer, why do you want to move your family from the beautiful beaches of Sydney to rainy cold Dublin? “There’s a career opportunity I can’t turn down” he said. Also, “we’re ready for a change” We only came to Sydney for 3 months and have stayed 7 years so we’re ready for a new life experience.
The most stressful part of the
journey was before the family even left Sydney!
Mr and Mrs G had underestimated the work that needed to be done to pack
up a family of 5 and leave their home ready to rent out. After working through the night, they realized they just weren’t going to make it!
Flights for the whole family had to be postponed. Not a great start, but I’ve come to realize, the G family are true Aussies!
The delay didn’t faze them, they just got on with the packing and
arrived in Dublin 24 hours late and in great spirits ready to begin their Irish
adventure.
The G family arrived at their new
rental property the following morning ready to check in. I had helped Mr G find the property on a
planning visit the previous month. Hat’s
off to Mrs G! She’d had to trust her
husband to select the house they would live in for their first year in Dublin and
a school for their 3 children. Mrs G was
very calm as she looked around the empty property….. while Mr G and I waited nervously for her nod
of approval. The house hit the mark and lived
up to the photos and descriptions we’d sent back to Sydney. The family promptly left their bags and set out
on a mammoth shopping expedition to furnish it from top to bottom!
The next challenge was the
following Monday when the children started their new school. I had been in the enviable, and frankly
unusual position of being able offer the G family several options for
schools. Mr G made the choice as he was
on the ground for the planning trip.
This was a difficult decision as Dublin has some great schools on
offer. The school choice is not only the
most important decision for the children’s happiness, it would also form the
focus of Mrs G’s social life in Dublin so getting it right was crucial.
The school exceeded expectations
from everyone’s perspective! The
children fitted straight in and were immediately on the play date circuit and
Mrs G had welcome coffee mornings not only with each of her children’s class groups
but also with the school’s group of international parents.
This fast immersion in Dublin life was the
backbone to a successful relocation. Not
only does it provide a social life for Mrs G it also provides a forum for the
literally hundreds of questions any mum has on landing in a new city with a
young family. This network of Mums, who
have been through the relocation process themselves made a big contribution to
a successful relocation.
Biggest success factor –
Social life will revolve around school so it’s important to choose a school
with a thriving social life for Mums and a strong international representation.
Biggest Surprise –
Dublin is small!
Everyone knows everyone. This is
a different vibe to living in an anonymous big city such as Sydney.
Biggest Regrets –
Not putting
one of their cars in the container from Sydney.
The process to buy a 2nd hand car in Dublin is lengthy. You need an address, a bank account and a PPS
number. These take time to set up on
arrival so if you need a car to do the school run, the rental car costs can add
up quickly.
In general, Mrs G felt they did not
do enough research on finance or tax before relocating. Dublin is expensive! The general cost of living is high relative
to many big cities. Whilst the tax
system is similar to many countries e.g. UK and Australia there any many
surprising differences.
Biggest Fear –
A new city
can be a lonely place when the youngest child starts school. If you’re new and don’t have a social network
it’s crucial to get out there from the beginning and join in everything on
offer!
Domestic services such as cleaning and babysitting are
difficult to secure. Connections are required to get recommendations and
referrals. People are often reluctant to
give up the contact details for their favorite babysitter. Ask for recommendations early! You will feel less isolated if you can get
out for a drink or dinner with your partner early on.
Written by Lesley Light of Local Line, based on the
personal experience of the “G” family who relocated to Dublin in 2020.
Particular thanks to Mrs G for sharing her
personal experience.
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