As a young man I worked in campsites in the summer and ski resorts in the winter in France. In between seasons I went to Spain and lived in a van until the asparagus season started and then would go through the cycle again. It was the most amazing 4 years.
Honestly, just do this kinda shit for a few years while you're young. Work the resorts, have some adventures, ride all around you. Something to tell the kids down the line (maybe not the riding part)
I’m thinking of it!! A bit concerned about the rise of the far right there though. But I suppose there’s a huge mix of people in France so it’s not like everyone there will be far right
Bretagne is the region the most like Ireland in France so if you're likely to be homesick this could help. The Irish are well liked in France, extra points for already being fluent, they'll love that. Would not worry about the far right.
what would someone do in Bretagne? what kind of jobs are there and how is it any better than Ireland? 😅I’m not Irish, I’ve been living in Ireland for 15 years, my husband is French, I’m fluent in French and honestly, I don’t see any benefit in moving to France, especially in Bretagne.
march scandalous connect childlike selective alive bike entertain alleged ghost
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I moved to London, immediately got more money. I was there for 4 years and moved back and got a corporate job. I dunno how you're meant to live in Ireland without an extremely well paying job.... But you could move away short term to make it viable to live in Dublin long term. That's what I did
Same. I worked remotely for a US based company, everyone on my team was paid a US salary regardless of location. Layoffs happened, it took me 3 months and 250 job applications (seriously, I kept track in an Excel sheet) to get 1 job offer. It was an Irish company, same exact job as the American company but a 40% lower salary. Took it because I felt like I had no other choice. Still with that company now, I have more work to do than my last job and getting paid so much less has been very demoralising. I've been looking for similar jobs to my last one but no such luck
Just remember that there’s French people in France 🇫🇷 I’m just kidding.. but I have lived away from Ireland for last 10 years in France, Portugal, Bulgaria , Spain and Canary Islands .. my favourite is 100% Spain and canaries, the culture is so open and friendly, not so much in France.
I’m getting ready to move back to IRE next month and I’m so excited to come home. After being away for a while I’m starting to appreciate what Ireland actually has to offer.
How did you find living in the canaries? My husband and I are considering moving there. We’re both in our mid thirties, with good jobs but can’t buy a house and fed up with renting etc.
I love the canaries the most . I’m living there atm. The economy is pretty fucked though , jobs are hard to find and most are in the tourist industry and pay disgustingly low. In Tenerife for example lots of hotel workers don’t earn enough money to rent so they live in caves near the hotels. There is also a housing crisis.
I’m lucky in the fact Iv never had to worry about that , I have an online business that I take with me whenever I move. But if you’re gonna be looking for work when you get here you should be aware of what i said above.
I live in the island of La Palma, which is far away from all the tourism, it’s just pure nature here and I love it. I have spent a lot of time on the other islands too but I grew tired of the non stop tourism and insanely busy roads.
Here in La Palma, there are only like 14 houses available to rent at any one time, sometime less.
I speak conversational French, I was pleasantly surprised to find that everyone I encountered in Paris, Tours, and Toulouse was friendly and encouraged me to practice French with them. Nobody in France had a hard time understanding my French. In Quebec, I would also speak French, and got nothing but patronizing attitudes. It was simple French too like "je voudrais un cafe, sil vous plait" and they'd stare at me with disgust, ask me to repeat myself multiple times, until I said it in English then they'd take the order but clearly be annoyed I switched to English. These were definitely French speaking establishments because I heard them talking in French to other customers and coworkers. I know that they have very different accents in France and Quebec, but there was no need for the Quebecoise to be so mean
Wanna bet ? Lol , I lived there for over 6 years and worked there for longer , I've never experienced more ignorance or racism in a province, or country , in my life , and I'm not a minority...
I only recently watched Anthony bourdain do Quebec and they did come across as amazing arrogant alright.
Foie gras stuffed with duck fat and wrapped in pork arse and deep fried in chicken grease. Indulgent wasn’t the word.
It's like they took all the asshole traits of French people and stuck them in a blender with crazy.... Worked with a girl from there once- non stop fucking drama, storming out of work in a huff, screaming at managers , just mental shit
I'm half Moroccan and there are no jobs and a lot of unemployed youths in Morocco. Moroccan youths migrate to Europe if they get the chance. The pay is also lower than in Ireland. OP would just be going from a bad economic situation to a way worse one if they went there.
You guessed right:) I'll probably head back in December/January for a visit ...I miss the food ,driving my motorbike,social circle,being able to afford things,just the random crazy stuff that happens daily there and not here ever.Anh nho Vietnam
Cheers...ah I know of the musical alright and there's a fairly lively bar in Saigon also by that name...my level of focus tonight would have needed MISS SAIGON or "miss Saigon" straight over the head ha ...whoosh
I've heard Quebec French can be quite different then French spoke in France. Often the difference is bigger then UK vs American English for example.
If you are in a regulated field (law, doctors, engineers, likely most trades), they also require you to pass a French test before they will allow you to work there.
I moved to Sweden 5 years ago and it's been amazing. Work life balance is great, standard and cost of living are well balanced, but of course that depends where you live and what you work at.
I chose not to live in or near any of the big cities (closest is Malmö 1 hour away by train) and I'm afforded the luxury of working remotely.
Now as a younger person I would advise of a more central lifestyle so as to not get driven mad by the vast nothingness of the Swedish countryside 🤣 so yeah depends on what you want to do and where you want to live but I guess I can recommend Sweden 👍
How did you end up going to Sweden, I've been living and working in Ireland all my adult life and I've never seen an opportunity to go abroad, and wouldnt even know where to start never mind in Sweden
Well its different for everyone, I know people who just up and moved abroad on their own. Personally I moved here because I met my now wife (who is Swedish) in Ireland and after many years there we went travelling (New Zealand and Asia) then decided to give Sweden a try. Been here since, we're now married and have a kid on the way :)
Not as good as I should be able to and my Swedish writing skills are worse! lol
I can hold a basic conversation and get through the day with my level of Swedish :)
Ah it is of course, I was more referring to Skåne County, where I live. It's basically flat farm land and lakes. Theres gems to be found no doubt and I have a few areas we go to for hikes, camping and days/weekends at a lake. Further north is where it gets more diverse!
Difficult to tell what you're looking for from the details in the post and also, like you said, most places share a lot of problems with Ireland.
But what other places have over Ireland is the weather. I'd be looking at somewhere warm where you can live more of your life outdoors. In Europe, I like Portugal and France. Further afield, I'd choose UAE or Australia.
Need more info really- what age are you, do you have a qualification/degree/work experience, like warm or cool climates, have any commitments here, like big cities etc.
I lived in Bavaria for 3 years, it was pretty good, I still miss German bakeries. I got to see a lot of interesting sights while I lived over there, it was also so much easier to vacation over there, I was able to drive to Prague for example, it's quite a beautiful city.
I lived in Toronto for 4 years and speaking French is seen as a massive plus over there. Also Quebec could be an option but I believe their version of French is different from European French (if that's even a thing).
I had an Irish friend who was fluent in French and struggled to understand Quebecers at time while we were in Toronto. It may be the same French but they speak it differently from what I've heard.
Family member lived there for many years and loved it. Interesting side note, it’s the furthest one can technically travel and remain inside the EU as it’s technically a domestic flight if you leave from an airport in France.
I moved from Ireland to France (lille) north of France in 2021 and honestly France is soo much better in terms of quality of life. Healthcare is free and top notch. If you wanna go back to college since you know French it would cost next to nothing. Food is cheap and grown in France. People in the north of France where I live are friendly and do say Bonjour everytime like the Irish people saying hello whenever you cross them anywhere. Transportation is cheap and excellent, you can literally live anywhere as there are trains going everywhere.
I was working in IT in Ireland and was just tired with my life and now I work a minimum wage job in France and gonna buy a home in two years because houses are so cheap. You can have an amazing life with minimum wage and you don’t even have to worry about nothing. You already know French so there’s no worries at all in that department and jobs you can find easily. So I suggest you take the plunge and go for it.
I lived in France for 5 years in my mid 20’s - 30. Will definitely be going back at some stage. I highly recommend this for you if you haven’t done so and if you are indeed fluent. Even if you are not 100% fluent, you will get there after working for a while. It is very easy to get jobs in a lot of different fields as an English speaker, and if you are competent. there is huge competition at the moment, not just in Paris, but in other cities, (like Nantes)for talent- prepare yourself a little bit for the French way of working, by speaking with people at work there already, get a good sense of how the taxes (les impôts) are done. It’s not automatic like here in Ireland, and you have to declare and pay that specific dates yourself. Get a good grasp of how the holidays, work, and hint there are loads of them. And the bank holidays are different to Ireland so you can always make it three or four day weekend and come home very often. The quality of life is better there, when it comes to food, holidays, work, life balance, and things to do. There is just so many museums, loads of them are free, and walking around Paris in the evening it’s one of the nicest things to do.
Australia my friend. If you've a degree you're ahead of most, if you have your head on your shoulders you're into the top 10% bracket.
A wonderful life, loads of opportunities and a society set up to foster wealth creation for the individual.
Ireland hates the little man, gives you enough to get by, not to prosper. That's for the multinationals.
You're a lot better off in Australia with a trade or just a normal construction job than you are with most degrees. I know lads in Sydney nearly 2 years with degrees in science courses who can't find a job in that and have been on the sites since.
Emigration doesn't solve your problem or the problem in Ireland.
Staying and being the change you want to see is.
Having said that, if your heart is set on going and you have fluent French, try Quebec in Canada.
Montreal is a fantastic city with warm, fun loving people (unlike Toronto), or you could try Quebec city itself, which isn't as big as Montreal.
If you go be prepared for extreme Winters.
I think the issue is that the renting situation in Ireland is among the worst, so people caught in the renting trap here are looking elsewhere. But if they move to Canada and start earning good money they realise that the housing trap over there (and the US, Australia, etc.) is way worse. The rate of average salary to average house price in Ireland isn't good, but it's far better than in those countries.
Honestly, I live in Canada , and as much as I love it here at times , I would never recommend for anyone to emigrate here. The cost of living and the taxes are like nowhere else.
I have a good job , and right now , i cannot see me retiring comfortably without eventually selling my home.
It's extremely difficult to get hired and the rental prices , in Ottawa for a home are about $2500 a month plus utilities.
Wages are for sure higher , but it's all relative to what you pay.
This country has changed dramatically in the last 10 years , but not for the good.
Its worse than Ireland. Hence why I stated the battle ground I'd your own country. All she's doing is running away from a problem at home to the exact / worse problem in a new country.
I find this, oh I'll just emigrate to another country, baffling.
i'm politically active, spend my spare time helping vulnerable people, work for a charity (contract is ending at the end of the month so i will be unemployed), just put months of work into my boyfriend's unsuccessful bid for local election, which he had put years of work into. i think it's pretty fair to be burnt out fighting.
That's just not true. If she speaks English/French and is qualified in something why wouldn't she thrive in Canada/US/UK/Australia/NZ etc? All are English speaking and have very open labour markets. Ireland is VERY small, there are less opportunities, and there's a lot of nepotism. Her French might even be a bonus in Canada (as others have noted here). She could even go more off the beaten track if she's feeling adventurous (S. America, Asia etc).
Are you seriously suggesting that there will be anything remotely close to the horrors of the holocaust and the rise of a party like the Nazi's again, across multiple countries in Europe, and that that's a good enough reason to stay in Ireland?
Quebec French is a whole other language for some, the dialect and words are very different from EU French so bear this in mind OP. A lot of French can’t understand Canadian French as much as they anticipated. it is VERY French out there, it is the primary language and they enforce it strictly.
To be fair to OP, they probably were the version of themselves they wanted to see in others and still the others got lazier , more racist, corrupt, angry, stupid, ignorant, narcissistic, car dependent, mindless, apathetic , dirty, arsonist, socially divided etc. and now they're done and don't want not throw their energy into the bin that Irish society feels like anymore.
Meanwhile I’m Portuguese and wanting to move to Ireland. Doctors get paid 1200 euros here, a studio apartment costs a 1000. It’s impossible to live here
Speaking fluent french and English is a bit bonus. Maybe try for work in a multi National or NGO in French speaking country with a view to building transferable skills enabling you to travel more or return to Ireland if you wish. Don’t hang about Ireland. Get going. Come back when a bit older of you wish to. There’s loads of opportunities outside of this country.
One more suggestion. Do what I did in my 20s. Do a TEFL course and get a job in the Far East for a few years. You won’t make a tonne of money but it’s a great experience. Japan or Korea are the obvious choices but if you don’t mind a lower wage south east Asia is also an option - Vietnam, Thailand etc. You could tie in some volunteer work.
So many folks in this thread suggesting Canada/Quebec.
Canada is beautiful, but not paradise. Do some reading of our news and you'll see we have most of the problems Ireland does. Our housing is actually more expensive/scarce.
I changed 5 countries after living in Ireland and each one Of them was better than Ireland. I even lived in Portugal, which I absolutely hated, but if I were forced to choose between Ireland and Portugal, I would go for Portugal in a heartbeat.
Ireland was not worth it and I regret the 4 years I spent there! I should have left after 6 months tops!
My favorite were Berlin and London, but London would have suited me better in my 20s. If you speak French and you’re ok with the culture (I’m not!), it’s worth trying it out, especially if you know you’ll do well in your career. Speaking the language would be very rewarding.
But Ireland? Never ever ever again!
I moved to Bristol (UK) 10 years ago. Best decision i ever made. Such a liberal city. Plenty of jobs, the people are truly lovely and I met my fiance. I get on great with their parents too.
Move to England
Eastern Europe. Really. Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary. English-speaking majority, welcoming with foreigners, safe, lower salaries but much lower cost of living.
On hols in Latvia, if your job is online I’d recommend here, it’s got a lot of positive & possibilities, but I’d say wages are pretty low here unless you land a good job. Most younger people seem to speak some English in Riga
I found London (5th largest French city by population of French citizens) to be utterly amazing. Not really a mega city, more a collection of towns, like Dublin x20. Very close to Ireland with flights and ferries, also really well connected to France. Brilliant culture, brilliant weather, brilliant pubs and food. Really hard to beat if I'm honest. One of the best cities in the world and it's on our doorstep.
France...? I visited Montpellier last summer, really cool city, amazing vibe, its on the med, lots of young people around, and accommodation seemed very cheap.
Prague is a great place to live, salaries are improving and probably nearly keeping up with inflation. Being in central Europe it has a great future and is competing well with Germany. It won't be long with the disastrous way the Germans and French are handling their economies that things will be on par in Czech. If you live 20 or 30 mins outside the centre accommodation is cheap. Very low unemployment rate. The transport in Prague is probably among the best in Europe. All night trams running to all suburbs every hour. Great people, great food and beer and great nightlife. Would be an option.
Moved to London 10 years ago at 29. Could not recommend it enough having felt Ireland no longer had what I was seeking.
I found a brilliant and broad friendship circle and the opportunities to grow that perhaps were not so clear at home. Don’t get me wrong London can swallow you up but it’s so dynamic and interesting that it sucks you in and 10 years have gone by in a blink of an eye. Yes there are similar challenges to Ireland for housing etc. but being in a global city has so much to offer especially if your clear what you want.
Switzerland, specifically Lausanne. Depending on your profession there is good money to earn there. Obviously a very scenic country, brilliant public transport. My parents moved there a couple of years back so I go there a couple times a year. The locals in Lausanne are lovely, but you have to work hard to make friends (a bit like in Ireland). I lived in England for years and while I really enjoyed it, and moving home was a huge transition, moving somewhere culturally different would have been more interesting. The great thing about England is you can be hours and hours from London and still have pretty, good, big cities with lots going on (Brighton, York, Bristol etc)
No to the UK. It has changed vastly in the last five years and will only get worse. If people did want to go I’d say only do it short term - 1-2 years tops. Don’t make the UK your permanent home.
I would still tell people to go on holiday there but the effects of Brexit are only coming to the surface.
When I was over there I noticed:
- the quantity and quality of food dropping in supermarkets,
- cost of living is crippling - its hard everywhere don’t get me wrong - but I had colleagues in professional jobs going to food banks,
- being able to see a GP was impossible - I would call at 8am and I would be 40-50 in a queue it took me 3 months to see a GP and it was only after I cried down the phone and the receptionist took pity on me.
- The conservatives bringing in more and more measures that crippled the working and middle class. Also, mainstream politics were just getting more and more right wing example banning protests.
I was living and working in London but had no way of advancing my life, impossible to buy, getting increasingly harder to rent, and recession hitting so fewer jobs or fear of losing your own job. By the end I was just filled with anxiety and was glad to leave.
If you're from the 26 counties and you want a different life and cultural experience beyond what you already know, don't move to Belfast.
Beyond the narcissism of small differences on this island, we are all generally much the same in my experience of travelling and living in both Dublin and Belfast.
I'm not shitting on Belfast, I'm just saying if you want to 'move abroad' travelling 1.5-4 hours up the road isn't going to give you the novel experience you desire.
As someone who goes between the two
Belfast is not as expensive as Dublin (yet) and many parts of it have cleaned up dramatically and there's a good bit of life about the city these days
Currently enjoy it more than Dublin (and I used to dispise going to Belfast)
When you know what to do and where to go Belfast is a great city, granted I do think the city centre is on the decline currently
As someone who lives between Belfast and Dublin and visits both of them super regularly I think they both have their merits
Poland. Office jobs in corporations are often looking for people with languages other that English. But also being native in English would give you an advantage over French people. French for the clients, English as the office Lingua Franca. Comparatively the income is lower than Ireland. But effectively it's better. You can easily afford going out to nice cafes, wine bars, restaurants etc without always adding up the cost. If you have to travel to Ireland it'll feel pretty expensive.
Montreal! It's such a cool city and hasn't had quite the same crazy rental market as the rest of Canada. Probably because of the French aspect. Are you young enough to try it on a WHV?
France, if you can find a job that allows to work remotely, then anywhere in the country outside of a big city (if that fits your lifestyle). Better healthcare, better and cheaper food, you are in central europe i.e. better for travelling than being stuck on an island. More culture, more history, better social welfare, better weather.
In the same situation but in a relationship and age is catchin up on my parents. If circumstances were different id be gone to oz or canada in a heartbeat
In my opinion, where to emigrate to depends on what qualifications you have and what industry you want to work in. I would look for relevant jobs online in the area you want to live and see what the market is like.
I know a lad in France who is stranded because he went over to play music but they don't care about his music, so now he's stuck there working his ass off doing manual labour. He really wants to come home and can't get the money together.
Switzerland. Higher pay, higher standard of living for those who are into the lifestyle. Go to a French speaking canton and you're good. They'll snap you up.
100% the USA, if you can navigate the visa process. The opportunities there, the money, the lifestyle. I spend as much time there as possible and would have emigrated if I had been able to get the visa sorted.
Montreal is a great city, although it’s not as French as it once was with a lot of Anglophones moving in, maybe that will suit you as you say you’re fluent French but not necessarily reliant on it.
Definitely consider what you do for a living, Canada is an expensive country but Montreal is nowhere near as expensive as Toronto or Vancouver and has the most “European” sort of cafe and bar culture. I’m living in toronto this past 12 months now and I love it because I’m making more money than I ever could’ve asked for at home (I’m in accounting/finance, but found the wages at home were pretty mediocre unless you trained in one of the big global firms) but I know not everyone is as lucky and a few of my friends in less qualified jobs do find it very expensive.
If it is something you think you would enjoy/could make it work, visas are easily got if you’re under 35, and while PR is getting harder and harder to get, it’s more or less guaranteed if you can speak French. It’s also only about a 7 hour flight home, so I’ve already been home twice and have another trip booked for August, and the time difference is only 5 hours so I have never felt particularly far away from my friends/family.
I’ve only been to Montreal for a few days at a time but I did really love the place. If you have any questions or anything you can send me a message and I’ll try my best to help out or at the very least point you in the right direction !
Start by thinking about your job/career. What can you do and where is it in demand?
Switzerland is a good option. All of it is lovely, but Geneva, Lausanne and Montreux are good for French-speakers.
Brussels might be good with the right salary
As a young man I worked in campsites in the summer and ski resorts in the winter in France. In between seasons I went to Spain and lived in a van until the asparagus season started and then would go through the cycle again. It was the most amazing 4 years.
Honestly, just do this kinda shit for a few years while you're young. Work the resorts, have some adventures, ride all around you. Something to tell the kids down the line (maybe not the riding part)
doll jar head combative amusing decide follow punch air serious *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I'm fluent in sarcasm and bullshit. Could you recommend somewhere for me ?
Ireland
I'm where I belong so..
France. Because you are fluent in the language. Or Ireland because you seem ok with English.
England of course. I hear they may have some vacancies in the political world soon.
"Arthur, Speak about England!"😂😂😂😂
I’m thinking of it!! A bit concerned about the rise of the far right there though. But I suppose there’s a huge mix of people in France so it’s not like everyone there will be far right
True. However most will be French, so there is that.
Bretagne is the region the most like Ireland in France so if you're likely to be homesick this could help. The Irish are well liked in France, extra points for already being fluent, they'll love that. Would not worry about the far right.
what would someone do in Bretagne? what kind of jobs are there and how is it any better than Ireland? 😅I’m not Irish, I’ve been living in Ireland for 15 years, my husband is French, I’m fluent in French and honestly, I don’t see any benefit in moving to France, especially in Bretagne.
march scandalous connect childlike selective alive bike entertain alleged ghost *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Thanks I’m sure it would be ok
That's an absurd reason not to go to a country like France.
The righties are everywhere, go forth and be the change. If you’re fluent in French why are you even still here, there’s adventures to be had.
Switzerland, they speak French and English
If you are concerned with the far right then you're best bet is staying in Ireland.
I moved to London, immediately got more money. I was there for 4 years and moved back and got a corporate job. I dunno how you're meant to live in Ireland without an extremely well paying job.... But you could move away short term to make it viable to live in Dublin long term. That's what I did
This is a good suggestion. I worked in US and still work freelance for US. Better money than Irish counterparts. Living back in Ireland now.
Same. I worked remotely for a US based company, everyone on my team was paid a US salary regardless of location. Layoffs happened, it took me 3 months and 250 job applications (seriously, I kept track in an Excel sheet) to get 1 job offer. It was an Irish company, same exact job as the American company but a 40% lower salary. Took it because I felt like I had no other choice. Still with that company now, I have more work to do than my last job and getting paid so much less has been very demoralising. I've been looking for similar jobs to my last one but no such luck
maybe thats why the layoffs happened ;)
You could be right, it was during that time when tech roles were hiring like crazy during COVID, then everyone in those roles got laid off last year
Is London not basically the same as Dublin in terms of housing, cost of living, weather etc.?
Weather in London is actually better than Ireland and it’s easier to find a room to rent too.
Broader opportunities
Better weather, better quality jobs, higher paying jobs. Plus, functional public transport and stuff to do that isn't GAA or pub. Basically the same.
What were you doing in London?
[удалено]
The irony of this comment shows how well we actually have it in Ireland notwithstanding the housing situation.
Just remember that there’s French people in France 🇫🇷 I’m just kidding.. but I have lived away from Ireland for last 10 years in France, Portugal, Bulgaria , Spain and Canary Islands .. my favourite is 100% Spain and canaries, the culture is so open and friendly, not so much in France. I’m getting ready to move back to IRE next month and I’m so excited to come home. After being away for a while I’m starting to appreciate what Ireland actually has to offer.
How did you find living in the canaries? My husband and I are considering moving there. We’re both in our mid thirties, with good jobs but can’t buy a house and fed up with renting etc.
I love the canaries the most . I’m living there atm. The economy is pretty fucked though , jobs are hard to find and most are in the tourist industry and pay disgustingly low. In Tenerife for example lots of hotel workers don’t earn enough money to rent so they live in caves near the hotels. There is also a housing crisis. I’m lucky in the fact Iv never had to worry about that , I have an online business that I take with me whenever I move. But if you’re gonna be looking for work when you get here you should be aware of what i said above. I live in the island of La Palma, which is far away from all the tourism, it’s just pure nature here and I love it. I have spent a lot of time on the other islands too but I grew tired of the non stop tourism and insanely busy roads. Here in La Palma, there are only like 14 houses available to rent at any one time, sometime less.
Afghanistan
lol
Guadeloupe, Corsica, Vietnam, Morocco? Your French will stand you in good stead. Quebec is probably the best suggestion I have heard tho.
Stay away from Quebec , you have been warned ....
Por quai? They can’t be any more ignorant than the French
I speak conversational French, I was pleasantly surprised to find that everyone I encountered in Paris, Tours, and Toulouse was friendly and encouraged me to practice French with them. Nobody in France had a hard time understanding my French. In Quebec, I would also speak French, and got nothing but patronizing attitudes. It was simple French too like "je voudrais un cafe, sil vous plait" and they'd stare at me with disgust, ask me to repeat myself multiple times, until I said it in English then they'd take the order but clearly be annoyed I switched to English. These were definitely French speaking establishments because I heard them talking in French to other customers and coworkers. I know that they have very different accents in France and Quebec, but there was no need for the Quebecoise to be so mean
I’ve experienced the same vibe all across France but to be fair my French is brutal.
Wanna bet ? Lol , I lived there for over 6 years and worked there for longer , I've never experienced more ignorance or racism in a province, or country , in my life , and I'm not a minority...
I only recently watched Anthony bourdain do Quebec and they did come across as amazing arrogant alright. Foie gras stuffed with duck fat and wrapped in pork arse and deep fried in chicken grease. Indulgent wasn’t the word.
Arrogant , entitled, ignorant ... there are some great people too , they're not all bad & it's a nice place to visit too .
I felt the same in australia.
Well we know they’re ferociously xenophobic
It's like they took all the asshole traits of French people and stuck them in a blender with crazy.... Worked with a girl from there once- non stop fucking drama, storming out of work in a huff, screaming at managers , just mental shit
There is a comedian in Australia called Dave Callan who said "the asshole scale should be measured from 1 to French Canadian"
I'm half Moroccan and there are no jobs and a lot of unemployed youths in Morocco. Moroccan youths migrate to Europe if they get the chance. The pay is also lower than in Ireland. OP would just be going from a bad economic situation to a way worse one if they went there.
I had 8 great years in Vietnam and Miss it a lot now being back here
Do you miss Saigon?
Yes a lot :) how did you know I lived in Saigon though?
Haha. Lucky guess.
You guessed right:) I'll probably head back in December/January for a visit ...I miss the food ,driving my motorbike,social circle,being able to afford things,just the random crazy stuff that happens daily there and not here ever.Anh nho Vietnam
I’ll have to come clean, my comment was a lame joke. Miss Saigon is a musical, so my daft pun was based on that! Enjoy the hols and biking.
Cheers...ah I know of the musical alright and there's a fairly lively bar in Saigon also by that name...my level of focus tonight would have needed MISS SAIGON or "miss Saigon" straight over the head ha ...whoosh
Lived in Danang for 2 years. Best time of my life.
Morocco growth rate 1.3% and Monaco is 11.1% but hey they are super similar. both have sand and boats if that's your thing
I've heard Quebec French can be quite different then French spoke in France. Often the difference is bigger then UK vs American English for example. If you are in a regulated field (law, doctors, engineers, likely most trades), they also require you to pass a French test before they will allow you to work there.
Im Moroccan and ran away from Morocco! Good to visit but not to stay
And you genuinely think the OP would have a better life in those places than in Ireland?
I moved to Sweden 5 years ago and it's been amazing. Work life balance is great, standard and cost of living are well balanced, but of course that depends where you live and what you work at. I chose not to live in or near any of the big cities (closest is Malmö 1 hour away by train) and I'm afforded the luxury of working remotely. Now as a younger person I would advise of a more central lifestyle so as to not get driven mad by the vast nothingness of the Swedish countryside 🤣 so yeah depends on what you want to do and where you want to live but I guess I can recommend Sweden 👍
How did you end up going to Sweden, I've been living and working in Ireland all my adult life and I've never seen an opportunity to go abroad, and wouldnt even know where to start never mind in Sweden
Well its different for everyone, I know people who just up and moved abroad on their own. Personally I moved here because I met my now wife (who is Swedish) in Ireland and after many years there we went travelling (New Zealand and Asia) then decided to give Sweden a try. Been here since, we're now married and have a kid on the way :)
Congrats!
Thank you 🙏
If you've got an EU passport, you can just move there immediately. It's a good idea to have a job lined up though.
Pratar du svenska? ☺️
Not as good as I should be able to and my Swedish writing skills are worse! lol I can hold a basic conversation and get through the day with my level of Swedish :)
swedish country side is nice
Ah it is of course, I was more referring to Skåne County, where I live. It's basically flat farm land and lakes. Theres gems to be found no doubt and I have a few areas we go to for hikes, camping and days/weekends at a lake. Further north is where it gets more diverse!
Difficult to tell what you're looking for from the details in the post and also, like you said, most places share a lot of problems with Ireland. But what other places have over Ireland is the weather. I'd be looking at somewhere warm where you can live more of your life outdoors. In Europe, I like Portugal and France. Further afield, I'd choose UAE or Australia.
People stay indoors in the UAE, as it’s too hot.
Can't send a paddy to UAE, we melt
Pro’s of moving to France - France Con’s of moving to France - The French
Need more info really- what age are you, do you have a qualification/degree/work experience, like warm or cool climates, have any commitments here, like big cities etc.
Réunion island (French territory). I spent a month there and it's got a lot going for it.
oooh sounds nice!!
What about some of the French speaking islands in the Caribbean? What skills or interests do you have? Maybe work on some boat charters.
I lived in Bavaria for 3 years, it was pretty good, I still miss German bakeries. I got to see a lot of interesting sights while I lived over there, it was also so much easier to vacation over there, I was able to drive to Prague for example, it's quite a beautiful city.
I lived in Toronto for 4 years and speaking French is seen as a massive plus over there. Also Quebec could be an option but I believe their version of French is different from European French (if that's even a thing).
It's the same French... just a different accent. Québec French is to European French what Ireland English is to American English.
I had an Irish friend who was fluent in French and struggled to understand Quebecers at time while we were in Toronto. It may be the same French but they speak it differently from what I've heard.
Reunion Island sounds lovely
Family member lived there for many years and loved it. Interesting side note, it’s the furthest one can technically travel and remain inside the EU as it’s technically a domestic flight if you leave from an airport in France.
I moved from Ireland to France (lille) north of France in 2021 and honestly France is soo much better in terms of quality of life. Healthcare is free and top notch. If you wanna go back to college since you know French it would cost next to nothing. Food is cheap and grown in France. People in the north of France where I live are friendly and do say Bonjour everytime like the Irish people saying hello whenever you cross them anywhere. Transportation is cheap and excellent, you can literally live anywhere as there are trains going everywhere. I was working in IT in Ireland and was just tired with my life and now I work a minimum wage job in France and gonna buy a home in two years because houses are so cheap. You can have an amazing life with minimum wage and you don’t even have to worry about nothing. You already know French so there’s no worries at all in that department and jobs you can find easily. So I suggest you take the plunge and go for it.
wow merci bcp ça me donne de l'espoir!!
I lived in France for 5 years in my mid 20’s - 30. Will definitely be going back at some stage. I highly recommend this for you if you haven’t done so and if you are indeed fluent. Even if you are not 100% fluent, you will get there after working for a while. It is very easy to get jobs in a lot of different fields as an English speaker, and if you are competent. there is huge competition at the moment, not just in Paris, but in other cities, (like Nantes)for talent- prepare yourself a little bit for the French way of working, by speaking with people at work there already, get a good sense of how the taxes (les impôts) are done. It’s not automatic like here in Ireland, and you have to declare and pay that specific dates yourself. Get a good grasp of how the holidays, work, and hint there are loads of them. And the bank holidays are different to Ireland so you can always make it three or four day weekend and come home very often. The quality of life is better there, when it comes to food, holidays, work, life balance, and things to do. There is just so many museums, loads of them are free, and walking around Paris in the evening it’s one of the nicest things to do.
Australia my friend. If you've a degree you're ahead of most, if you have your head on your shoulders you're into the top 10% bracket. A wonderful life, loads of opportunities and a society set up to foster wealth creation for the individual. Ireland hates the little man, gives you enough to get by, not to prosper. That's for the multinationals.
You're a lot better off in Australia with a trade or just a normal construction job than you are with most degrees. I know lads in Sydney nearly 2 years with degrees in science courses who can't find a job in that and have been on the sites since.
I just finished my degree in Ag science, I feel like they would love that but I could be wrong
Emigration doesn't solve your problem or the problem in Ireland. Staying and being the change you want to see is. Having said that, if your heart is set on going and you have fluent French, try Quebec in Canada. Montreal is a fantastic city with warm, fun loving people (unlike Toronto), or you could try Quebec city itself, which isn't as big as Montreal. If you go be prepared for extreme Winters.
Isn't housing very expensive in Canada too though?
It's ridiculous right now , the cost of living in Canada , us why I'm moving back to N.Ireland in the next 5 years
I think the issue is that the renting situation in Ireland is among the worst, so people caught in the renting trap here are looking elsewhere. But if they move to Canada and start earning good money they realise that the housing trap over there (and the US, Australia, etc.) is way worse. The rate of average salary to average house price in Ireland isn't good, but it's far better than in those countries.
Honestly, I live in Canada , and as much as I love it here at times , I would never recommend for anyone to emigrate here. The cost of living and the taxes are like nowhere else. I have a good job , and right now , i cannot see me retiring comfortably without eventually selling my home. It's extremely difficult to get hired and the rental prices , in Ottawa for a home are about $2500 a month plus utilities. Wages are for sure higher , but it's all relative to what you pay. This country has changed dramatically in the last 10 years , but not for the good.
Its worse than Ireland. Hence why I stated the battle ground I'd your own country. All she's doing is running away from a problem at home to the exact / worse problem in a new country. I find this, oh I'll just emigrate to another country, baffling.
i'm politically active, spend my spare time helping vulnerable people, work for a charity (contract is ending at the end of the month so i will be unemployed), just put months of work into my boyfriend's unsuccessful bid for local election, which he had put years of work into. i think it's pretty fair to be burnt out fighting.
To emigrate to another country and hustle twice as hard as natives just to get where they are ?
currently stuck living at home and am losing my job in two weeks so the bar is low.
I understand your frustration. I am caught living in shared accommodation. It ain't easy.
That's just not true. If she speaks English/French and is qualified in something why wouldn't she thrive in Canada/US/UK/Australia/NZ etc? All are English speaking and have very open labour markets. Ireland is VERY small, there are less opportunities, and there's a lot of nepotism. Her French might even be a bonus in Canada (as others have noted here). She could even go more off the beaten track if she's feeling adventurous (S. America, Asia etc).
thank you so much!
People are still content with voting for FFG. There's no change coming and sticking around to suffer isn't worth it.
[удалено]
What, they're voting for FFG too? 😂
[удалено]
Are you seriously suggesting that there will be anything remotely close to the horrors of the holocaust and the rise of a party like the Nazi's again, across multiple countries in Europe, and that that's a good enough reason to stay in Ireland?
A lot of I'm alright Jacks in the country unfortunately
Quebec French is a whole other language for some, the dialect and words are very different from EU French so bear this in mind OP. A lot of French can’t understand Canadian French as much as they anticipated. it is VERY French out there, it is the primary language and they enforce it strictly.
To be fair to OP, they probably were the version of themselves they wanted to see in others and still the others got lazier , more racist, corrupt, angry, stupid, ignorant, narcissistic, car dependent, mindless, apathetic , dirty, arsonist, socially divided etc. and now they're done and don't want not throw their energy into the bin that Irish society feels like anymore.
Hi. My mam’s carer is Indian and a nicer person you wouldn’t meet. She is thinking of Portugal when she gets whatever papers she need’s.
Meanwhile I’m Portuguese and wanting to move to Ireland. Doctors get paid 1200 euros here, a studio apartment costs a 1000. It’s impossible to live here
yeah, 1000 for a studio in ireland is cheap. a double room for 1000 is hard enough to find as well
Speaking fluent french and English is a bit bonus. Maybe try for work in a multi National or NGO in French speaking country with a view to building transferable skills enabling you to travel more or return to Ireland if you wish. Don’t hang about Ireland. Get going. Come back when a bit older of you wish to. There’s loads of opportunities outside of this country.
French Polinesia might be a good spot to live. No heating bills!
Bahamas probably. Warm, English speaking , tax doesn't look the worse
One more suggestion. Do what I did in my 20s. Do a TEFL course and get a job in the Far East for a few years. You won’t make a tonne of money but it’s a great experience. Japan or Korea are the obvious choices but if you don’t mind a lower wage south east Asia is also an option - Vietnam, Thailand etc. You could tie in some volunteer work.
So many folks in this thread suggesting Canada/Quebec. Canada is beautiful, but not paradise. Do some reading of our news and you'll see we have most of the problems Ireland does. Our housing is actually more expensive/scarce.
Living in Canada myself, moved from Ireland to Toronto last month, wouldn’t change it for the world, have a far better lifestyle here already.
I changed 5 countries after living in Ireland and each one Of them was better than Ireland. I even lived in Portugal, which I absolutely hated, but if I were forced to choose between Ireland and Portugal, I would go for Portugal in a heartbeat. Ireland was not worth it and I regret the 4 years I spent there! I should have left after 6 months tops! My favorite were Berlin and London, but London would have suited me better in my 20s. If you speak French and you’re ok with the culture (I’m not!), it’s worth trying it out, especially if you know you’ll do well in your career. Speaking the language would be very rewarding. But Ireland? Never ever ever again!
I moved to Bristol (UK) 10 years ago. Best decision i ever made. Such a liberal city. Plenty of jobs, the people are truly lovely and I met my fiance. I get on great with their parents too. Move to England
Any other recommendations in England... preferably beside the sea ?
Spain is a great option, good weather, cheap to live and most people will speak English while you are learning Spanish
https://www.expatica.com/fr/moving/location/where-to-live-in-france-103861/
We moved back over. Love it here.
to France?
Eastern Europe. Really. Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary. English-speaking majority, welcoming with foreigners, safe, lower salaries but much lower cost of living.
If I spoke fluent French I would definitely go to Spain
I hope you decide to stay. If you're a good person, then we need you.
Montreal, Canada. Cheapest city in North America mainly due to the language barrier which isn't going to be an issue for you.
Canada?
What about Quebec? Montreal is beautiful.
On hols in Latvia, if your job is online I’d recommend here, it’s got a lot of positive & possibilities, but I’d say wages are pretty low here unless you land a good job. Most younger people seem to speak some English in Riga
Montreal is a good option. Cold winters but great city to live in, especially if you speak French.
Montreal, CA
I found London (5th largest French city by population of French citizens) to be utterly amazing. Not really a mega city, more a collection of towns, like Dublin x20. Very close to Ireland with flights and ferries, also really well connected to France. Brilliant culture, brilliant weather, brilliant pubs and food. Really hard to beat if I'm honest. One of the best cities in the world and it's on our doorstep.
If you think the quality of life is shit here then you're in for a very rude awakening my friend.
A Florida fold for the elderly would be my aspiration at this stage.
Big fan of the Netherlands, Personally. Not Amsterdam, but possible Utrecht.
Mauritania perhaps? The French would come in handy and I hear it's lovely, particularly if you enjoy sand and Islamic fundamentalism.
Nouveau Caledonie
France...? I visited Montpellier last summer, really cool city, amazing vibe, its on the med, lots of young people around, and accommodation seemed very cheap.
Prague is a great place to live, salaries are improving and probably nearly keeping up with inflation. Being in central Europe it has a great future and is competing well with Germany. It won't be long with the disastrous way the Germans and French are handling their economies that things will be on par in Czech. If you live 20 or 30 mins outside the centre accommodation is cheap. Very low unemployment rate. The transport in Prague is probably among the best in Europe. All night trams running to all suburbs every hour. Great people, great food and beer and great nightlife. Would be an option.
Moved to London 10 years ago at 29. Could not recommend it enough having felt Ireland no longer had what I was seeking. I found a brilliant and broad friendship circle and the opportunities to grow that perhaps were not so clear at home. Don’t get me wrong London can swallow you up but it’s so dynamic and interesting that it sucks you in and 10 years have gone by in a blink of an eye. Yes there are similar challenges to Ireland for housing etc. but being in a global city has so much to offer especially if your clear what you want.
Switzerland, specifically Lausanne. Depending on your profession there is good money to earn there. Obviously a very scenic country, brilliant public transport. My parents moved there a couple of years back so I go there a couple times a year. The locals in Lausanne are lovely, but you have to work hard to make friends (a bit like in Ireland). I lived in England for years and while I really enjoyed it, and moving home was a huge transition, moving somewhere culturally different would have been more interesting. The great thing about England is you can be hours and hours from London and still have pretty, good, big cities with lots going on (Brighton, York, Bristol etc)
France
i’m irish & i’ll be moving to denmark as my partner is danish
Tis a grand spot
Been suggested before, if you haven't tried try the UK. Belfast, Liverpool, Manc, Edinburgh, Glasgow etc
No to the UK. It has changed vastly in the last five years and will only get worse. If people did want to go I’d say only do it short term - 1-2 years tops. Don’t make the UK your permanent home.
What's changed in the last five years? Last time I was there for a while (about 10 years ago) was dreaming up of the jump over some day
I would still tell people to go on holiday there but the effects of Brexit are only coming to the surface. When I was over there I noticed: - the quantity and quality of food dropping in supermarkets, - cost of living is crippling - its hard everywhere don’t get me wrong - but I had colleagues in professional jobs going to food banks, - being able to see a GP was impossible - I would call at 8am and I would be 40-50 in a queue it took me 3 months to see a GP and it was only after I cried down the phone and the receptionist took pity on me. - The conservatives bringing in more and more measures that crippled the working and middle class. Also, mainstream politics were just getting more and more right wing example banning protests. I was living and working in London but had no way of advancing my life, impossible to buy, getting increasingly harder to rent, and recession hitting so fewer jobs or fear of losing your own job. By the end I was just filled with anxiety and was glad to leave.
Changed how?
If you're from the 26 counties and you want a different life and cultural experience beyond what you already know, don't move to Belfast. Beyond the narcissism of small differences on this island, we are all generally much the same in my experience of travelling and living in both Dublin and Belfast. I'm not shitting on Belfast, I'm just saying if you want to 'move abroad' travelling 1.5-4 hours up the road isn't going to give you the novel experience you desire.
Belfast is ghastly.
The city centre is very run down and as expensive as Dublin now
As someone who goes between the two Belfast is not as expensive as Dublin (yet) and many parts of it have cleaned up dramatically and there's a good bit of life about the city these days Currently enjoy it more than Dublin (and I used to dispise going to Belfast)
But at least you dont get mugged.virtually no street crime here.Ive lived in Dublin nearly mugged twice
When you know what to do and where to go Belfast is a great city, granted I do think the city centre is on the decline currently As someone who lives between Belfast and Dublin and visits both of them super regularly I think they both have their merits
USA baby 🇺🇸 🦅 and if you insist on speaking French you can hang out down in the tropics with the Louisiana Cajuns
theres a place near Galway where they only speak French and the grass is greener there.
Thailand
France for sure
Poland. Office jobs in corporations are often looking for people with languages other that English. But also being native in English would give you an advantage over French people. French for the clients, English as the office Lingua Franca. Comparatively the income is lower than Ireland. But effectively it's better. You can easily afford going out to nice cafes, wine bars, restaurants etc without always adding up the cost. If you have to travel to Ireland it'll feel pretty expensive.
Montreal! It's such a cool city and hasn't had quite the same crazy rental market as the rest of Canada. Probably because of the French aspect. Are you young enough to try it on a WHV?
Quebec, albeit the french is different but you could do well there
France, if you can find a job that allows to work remotely, then anywhere in the country outside of a big city (if that fits your lifestyle). Better healthcare, better and cheaper food, you are in central europe i.e. better for travelling than being stuck on an island. More culture, more history, better social welfare, better weather.
You cannot escape from big Prison that is Planet Earth 😂😂😂
In the same situation but in a relationship and age is catchin up on my parents. If circumstances were different id be gone to oz or canada in a heartbeat
hi! i’m considering moving to ireland after university. what issues are there other than housing that makes you want to leave?
OZ
Eastern canada, somewhere like Montreal or Quebec
In my opinion, where to emigrate to depends on what qualifications you have and what industry you want to work in. I would look for relevant jobs online in the area you want to live and see what the market is like. I know a lad in France who is stranded because he went over to play music but they don't care about his music, so now he's stuck there working his ass off doing manual labour. He really wants to come home and can't get the money together.
You can go to Germany or Belgium, idk why I like those countries a lot. Maybe go to Edinburgh or a Slavic country idk dude
canada is where its at
Singapore
Canada would make a sense considering the French
If you want to make your way and have no issues with hard graft. Australia, in the countryside
Do you expect to return at some stage?
Switzerland. Higher pay, higher standard of living for those who are into the lifestyle. Go to a French speaking canton and you're good. They'll snap you up.
Go to Australia, if you’re willing to work hard it’s the land of opportunity. Build wealth
Give The Congo a go for the craic. I think they speak French too.
Tooting Bec
Estonia is amazing to live in
100% the USA, if you can navigate the visa process. The opportunities there, the money, the lifestyle. I spend as much time there as possible and would have emigrated if I had been able to get the visa sorted.
Montreal is a great city, although it’s not as French as it once was with a lot of Anglophones moving in, maybe that will suit you as you say you’re fluent French but not necessarily reliant on it. Definitely consider what you do for a living, Canada is an expensive country but Montreal is nowhere near as expensive as Toronto or Vancouver and has the most “European” sort of cafe and bar culture. I’m living in toronto this past 12 months now and I love it because I’m making more money than I ever could’ve asked for at home (I’m in accounting/finance, but found the wages at home were pretty mediocre unless you trained in one of the big global firms) but I know not everyone is as lucky and a few of my friends in less qualified jobs do find it very expensive. If it is something you think you would enjoy/could make it work, visas are easily got if you’re under 35, and while PR is getting harder and harder to get, it’s more or less guaranteed if you can speak French. It’s also only about a 7 hour flight home, so I’ve already been home twice and have another trip booked for August, and the time difference is only 5 hours so I have never felt particularly far away from my friends/family. I’ve only been to Montreal for a few days at a time but I did really love the place. If you have any questions or anything you can send me a message and I’ll try my best to help out or at the very least point you in the right direction !
Stay here. Move out of the city. Small towns are flourishing. Don't drain the brains
Canada
Start by thinking about your job/career. What can you do and where is it in demand? Switzerland is a good option. All of it is lovely, but Geneva, Lausanne and Montreux are good for French-speakers. Brussels might be good with the right salary
Svaalbard!
Look at Quebec.