Author Archives: Glenn Kaufmann

About Glenn Kaufmann

I'm an American freelance writer, photographer, and web publisher. I specialize in writing about travel, food, arts, and culture. I also write dramatic scripts for stage and screen. I'm based in Ireland.

We Come Bearing Gifts: Immigrant Contributions to Society

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

When I wrote about  an incident of racial profiling that my wife and I suffered in Dublin, much of the feedback from Irish locals was along the lines of “Well of course we dislike ‘them’ (immigrants).   They’re taking all the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Emigrant/Immigrant Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Economy, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Size Matters: The Peaks and Pitfalls Of Downsizing or Supersizing Your Country

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

It’s safe to say that when we moved from the United States to Ireland, we downshifted to a much smaller country and a much smaller economy.  But, while Ireland may have fewer resources than the U.S., this immigrant uncovered a … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Emigrant/Immigrant Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ireland Is Not One Thing: Why Immigrants Should Travel More

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

When we moved to Ireland in 2011, my wife and I promised ourselves that we would travel more faithfully in Ireland than we had in the United States.  Though we’ve traveled quite a bit in the U.S., we’d fallen into … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ireland’s Next Big Thing: Where Will Ireland’s Next Financial Boom Come From?

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

Contrary to the wishes of many who have commented on this blog, I don’t want to “feck off back to America”.  I really like it here.  Ireland has a lot going for it.  But, as someone who spends a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Immigration & Emigration, Irish Economy, Irish Life & Society | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Why Do The Irish Like Being Told How To Live? Immigrants Expectations and Real Life Are Often Quite Different

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

My lesson for prospective immigrants reading this post is: you cannot always believe what you see, hear, or read when you are on the outside looking in.  The reality in country is likely to be quite different. Beyond the logistical … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, Irish History, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

A Pot of Gold or Not? Immigrant Property Ownership and Problems With Irish Landlords

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

We’ve always been cautious about real estate.  But, as newly minted immigrants, we, or at least I, heard the siren song of Irish landownership.  We’ve fought the urge, but for many immigrants, the idea of buying land, and buying into … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Why The Irish Drink: Is Ireland A Country of Alcoholics Or An Alcoholic Country

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

The world knows Ireland as a country of pubs, and happy, hard working, hard drinking folk.  Right, wrong, or indifferent, that’s the world’s impression, and it’s not entirely undeserved.  In fact it’s often a proudly displayed badge of honor for … Continue reading →

Posted in Irish History, Irish Life & Society, Pubs | Tagged , , , , | 97 Comments

Bank On It: International Banking For Immigrants

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

When the idea of moving overseas became serious, I, of course, had fantasies of multiple bank accounts spread around the world.  Perhaps we could even find a use for a Swiss bank account.  But the reality of arranging functional banking … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Life & Society, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Going Home: Reflections On Visiting Your Home Country

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

In early February I found myself headed back to the United States for the first time since we’d left for Ireland in July of 2011.  While I was excited to go, I was filled with questions, and knew that neither … Continue reading →

Posted in Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Ireland Works Well Enough – The Irish Tendency To Settle For Less Than the Best

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

In one of my early posts I listed “Institutionalized Disorganization & Shameless Lack of Accountability –The Irish Goat Rodeo“ as number one among the Five Tings I Hate About Dublin Ireland.  Now, after 18 months, I can still say that … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 31 Comments