Tag Archives: life lessons

The Leading Edge: Quality Of Life In a Small Country

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Glenn Kaufmann

Please recognize in advance that everything in this post is my opinion, and any “wisdom” is based solely on my lived experience. No experts were consulted, no “facts” are involved, and your mileage will definitely vary. Well, now that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Home & A Sense of Place, Irish Countryside, Modern Life, Things to See in Ireland | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Playing the Skins: The Expat’s Second Chance At Life

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Glenn Kaufmann

As adults we rarely get the chance for a “do over”. When you move overseas, you are, to a greater or lesser extent, given the chance to change who you are. You can try on different masks, and be someone … Continue reading →

Posted in Emigrant/Immigrant Life, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Song Of My People: The Expat’s Guide to Foreign Language

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Glenn Kaufmann

For anyone traveling overseas, speaking the local language is not just useful, but may well save his or her life. For expats and immigrants, threading the needle of “becoming a local” (if that’s even possible) involves picking up not just … Continue reading →

Posted in Emigrant/Immigrant Life, Health Care, Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Irish Life & Society | 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

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

Outside Politics: Voting Away From Home

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Glenn Kaufmann

Now that I’ve had a month to process the frenzy and climax of the American election, I realize that I’m amazed both by how much my priorities have changed in just sixteen months, and by how keenly aware (and somewhat … Continue reading →

Posted in Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Getting Better All The Time: Building a New Life Overseas

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Glenn Kaufmann

Just now, well into our second year of living in Dublin, I finally feel comfortable saying that life is going well.  I won’t say, “better”. That’s not exactly why we moved. Despite months of pre-emigration planning, and few (if any) … Continue reading →

Posted in Immigration & Emigration, International Moving, Modern Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments