It didnāt hit me that I was actually moving to a new country (again) until the plane was about to leave. Once I finally made it on the plane, buckled my seat belt, and heard the engine starting to fire up, I realized there was no turning back. I sent out my last āTaking off now, love you!ā texts and accepted my unpredictable journey ahead.
I was overwhelmed with a feeling of dĆ©jĆ vu. Leaving it all behind becomes an easier pill to swallow after every time I leave. But my roots werenāt just in Minnesota anymore. I built roots in Chicago, then Croatia. I am now branching my roots in Cork Ireland, with the luck of the Irish on my side.
Goodbye Croatia, Hello Ireland!
As I announced in a recent blog post, Iām off to Ireland for the next adventure, after closing my last chapter in Dubrovnik, Croatia!
By my side, I have my Croatian boyfriend, whom I met exactly two years ago while studying abroad in Dubrovnik.
A month of being back in Minnesota and Chicago for the holidays flew by. By pure determination and luck, I managed to have just enough time to secure my working holiday visa for Ireland, which lasts for up to a year!
I had an incredible time being home, but the longer I stayed, the more I realized it was time to go. Despite some insinuating that I was running away from the real-world and a ārealā career, I knew what I was doing was right for myself. I didnāt need to prove myself to anyone, only myself.
Luck of the Irish

We have been settled into Cork City, Ireland for about a week and a half, and weāve had the luck on our side. We picked a city that ended up being a great fit, with ample opportunity for foreigners and young professionals. Most of all, we were lucky enough to find an apartment in the first two days.
After Dublin, Cork City, located in county Cork, is the second most populated town in Ireland. We decided to come here instead, because Dublin is extremely expensive and housing is a complete mess. As Domeniko previously worked in Ireland, he had heard that Cork is on the rise with a lot of opportunities. So we both met in the middle in Dublin, and traveled to Cork the following day.

But we werenāt so lucky our first night here. We stayed at a bed and breakfast while looking at apartments, and the first night we ran into some trouble. Some guest across the hall from us was drunk and running around the halls like a madman. Then he tried to break into our room. I made sure that he was kicked out because #boybye Iām trying to sleep. I guess it was a blessing in disguise, because it became motivation that we needed to get the heck out of there and find our own place.
We had been trying to secure a short-term rental for weeks, and everything fell through. We started to get nervous, as people told us it could be a month before we would find something.
Yet somehow, we got lucky and found a place after another couple canceled on a fully-furnished short-term rental apartment. After viewing the apartment, we were moved in within three days. We now live in a small one-bedroom apartment just outside the city-center in a quiet neighborhood. Most people here are stunned we were able to find a place so quickly. Luck of the Irish!
Cork City: America and Europe at a crossroad
Cork may not be as scenic as Dubrovnik, but I find it much more functional. I love being able to walk everywhere or take the bus. The city has a ton of restaurants, pubs, grocery stores, and cultural events. There are many gluten free options, which are half the price they were in Croatia.
Surprisingly, the shopping is great with Topshop, H&M, River Island, New Look, French Connection, and much more. Though personally, I donāt have money for that yet.
I will say that Cork is somewhat a cross road between American and other parts of Europe. For one, everyone obviously speaks English with an Irish accent. But there are also a lot of brands like Aldi, Coca Cola, and Apple that remind me of America. Even T.J. Maxx is called T.K. Maxx here. Since there are many Americans, sometimes it doesnāt feel so far from home.
Unlike in Dubrovnik, there are a ton of expats and foreigners living here in Cork. With Apple, Johnson & Johnson, and several other corporations with European Headquarters here, this city is a hub for American and international expats. I was actually pleasantly surprised that Cork pretty diverse, as there are foreigners from all over the world.
Iāve started to build a small support system within the expat community. Iāve already gone to a book club meeting with other Americans, as well as went out with a new friend from Spain. I even literally bumped into an American on the street who recognized my American accent.
Besides loving the international atmosphere here, I also love how music is a huge part of the culture. Music seems to be playing at every street corner and pub, with one of the most famous being Oliver Plunkett. Perhaps Iāll maybe play my guitar and sing somewhere here myself.
The only downside is that the weather is rainy and cold about 80 percent of the time. It can make the town feel a bit bleak, but Iāve been told I need to get used to it. For the most part, Cork City is extremely safe, though I keep having strange run-ins with drunk Irish men.
So far Iām finished up some freelance work while applying to jobs. Iāve been looking in communication and marketing, while Domeniko is looking in sales and tourism. Our budget is pretty tight right now, so Iām hoping that my next update will come with us having full-time jobs here.
In the meantime, weāve been exploring our new city as much as possible.

Despite a few bumps in the road, Iām feeling lucky about my new home, and Iām ready to take Ireland by storm.
(Click below to pin it!)
Nice Alex can’t wait for the next one, good luck you too xx
Thanks for reading Ann!!
I’m so jealous of your move! I hope the rest of your move goes well! And I spied the green Carslberg signs in your photo of the man playing the guitar and it reminded me of my days in Denmark š
Thanks Juli! That’s awesome I love Denmark so much! Obsessed with Copenhagen!
Excellent! Glad you found accommodation so quickly! Look forward to hearing more about Ireland and Cork especially soon! I should have been back in Dublin this weekend, but unfortunately had to cancel. Oh and the weather gets better as the year goes on I promise! You picked the worst time of year to arrive in that sense, lol…
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment, Tilly! I’m looking forward to the weather getting better here soon myself! Maybe we’ll cross paths in Ireland!
Pingback: TRRTLZ: Building Connections with Bracelets – The Mindful Mermaid
Pingback: 10 Ways that Ireland Surprised Me – The Mindful Mermaid
I am so proud of you! Everything seems to be going incredibly well! I miss you and cant wait to read more of your blogs! (Ireland seems absolutely INCREDIBLE!)
Thank you sooo much Emz! I hope you’re having an incredible time in Botswana! I really miss you and hope I get to see you soon! You’d love Ireland āļøšš½āØš
Pingback: Cork City Chronicles: the Pieces Falling in Place – The Mindful Mermaid
Your pictures make me want to visit Ireland already! I love it! Best of luck in your new adventure!
http://www.dancinaroundtheworld.com
Great article, but don’t expect to get used to the weather! Twenty years here and I never have. But when the sun shines in west Cork it’s heaven on earth!
Reading this has made me quite homesick as I now live in Sydney. Cork city is an amazing place with loads of little back streets full of character. I hope you enjoy it x
Awww Cork has a special energy to it! I’ve really found a home here, even despite some of the challenges of living here š
Pingback: 5 Things I Learned From Living in Ireland – The Mindful Mermaid