I asked my friend Michaela about her recent move to Dublin. She relocated from Co. Cavan to Dublin with her family in 2019 when her parents decided to move. She told me about her initial reaction to finding out, she had a great reaction and told me that she was really excited and looked forward to the move. She was really looking forward to living in a city where she hoped there would be more of a community! While she enjoyed living in Cavan she didn’t get a strong sense of community where she lived as everyone lived quite far from each other and she knew that Dublin would be different.

Being told that you are uprooting your life and moving far away can be very daunting and Michaela was very grateful to have been told 3 months prior to the move as she felt that helped her adjust to the idea of moving. Thankfully she didn’t feel any resentment towards her parents as she was aware of the situation early on and felt involved.

Worries/ Problems

Although she was excited to move to Dublin, she definitely had some worries and concerns about leaving Cavan. She had to leave behind her two dogs as they were quite old and it just didn’t make sense to make a big move with them. Michaela told me that although she was, and still is, upset that she had to leave her dogs behind however she was grateful that her neighbour could take them. Michaela was also understandably upset that she had to leave behind her friends, however she told me that being able to keep in touch through social media made it that much easier. She also looked at this positively, realizing that she could make more friends in Dublin, which she did!

Accommodation/ Area

She moved to Dalkey, right beside the sea, and her family bought a house there. Michaela was over the moon to be living so close to the sea and parks. In Cavan she lived right beside a main road and couldn’t go for walks too often as it was dangerous. Now, in Dalkey she goes on walks or runs nearly every day!

School

Moving to a new school can be extremely daunting, especially as Michaela hadn’t moved to a new school before. Michaela moved from a mixed public school in Cavan to a private, all girls school in South Dublin. She was nervous however, Michaela got a tour of the school before her first day of classes which she felt put her more at ease. She felt that the school was very welcoming and she became fast friends with the girls in her year!

Conclusion/ Advice

Michaela is really happy now, and is glad that her family decided to relocate. She feels that she is happier and more suited to life in Dublin than in Cavan. Possibly the most important question I asked Michaela was what made her relocation to Dublin as seamless as possible. She told me that communication is key and knowing 3 months prior to the move made her feel more comfortable with relocating to Dublin. I was also told that having a positive attitude and an open mind is one of the most important things needed for a successful move!

Written By Maria from Dublin,  Many Thanks to Michaela for sharing her story.