Category Archives: Home & A Sense of Place

As Dublin Wakes: Getting to Know Your City At All Times

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Glenn Kaufmann

I am a reluctant morning person. I’m probably at my “best” early in the day, but I like my sleep. My city is the same. While Dublin looks lovely in the morning, it is often up late, and frequently in … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Privilege of Immigration: The Honor of ‘Elsewhere’

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Glenn Kaufmann

Earlier this month I went back to the United States for both work and family reasons.  On that trip I was reacquainted with a guilty pleasure available exclusively to immigrants.  When asked where I lived, I must admit that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Ruminations On Land: Thoughts On the Value Of The World

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Glenn Kaufmann

Walking the dog today, in the first real sunshine we’ve had in weeks, I once again found myself thinking about the country I’d moved to.  It wasn’t the people or the government that troubled me; my mind was on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Attractions, Home & A Sense of Place, Irish Countryside, Irish Economy, Irish History, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life, Politics, Things to See in Ireland | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Local: Where Are You From

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Glenn Kaufmann

In a country as small as Ireland, where local parish control of life (so called “parish pump politics”) was, and is, still so important, the seat of knowledge, the gathering place (the pub), became known as, “The Local”.  But for … Continue reading →

Posted in Dublin Life, Home & A Sense of Place, Immigration & Emigration, Irish Countryside, Irish History, Irish Life & Society, Modern Life, Pubs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Right Question: Cultural Nuance For Migrants (and Others)

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Glenn Kaufmann

A thought has been gnawing at me. A question. Several, actually. I was recently at a gathering of folks from the travel industry, and struck up a conversation with a woman who has been, for lack of a better term, … Continue reading →

Posted in Emigrant/Immigrant Life, Home & A Sense of Place | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

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

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

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

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