The Move Is On

So the inevitability of a move to Dublin has now become an imminent event and in the space of the past two weeks I’ve accepted my role in a semi-state body and worked my notice at my temping role and in the space of the last two days, organised some accommodation and done the medical, happily finding out I am in good health.

So now I must face the big smoke. It seems like I’m slotting into line on an assembly line – what we’re producing or to be component parts of I have no idea but walking across O’Connell bridge watching rows of traffic, rows of people moving in various directions completing a daily set of transactions, processes I knew that come Monday my day was to become part of the collective hum of the city.

It feels right though, I’m looking forward to the move, the change, the challenge, seeing what I can make of it all. Will I find my feet, make friends through work, slot into a hybrid of the lives of the people I know up there leeching of them looking for guidance?

Its mixed reviews on all counts, friends there for years happy with city life but discontent in their work, people I would consider established, that I would look to in my opening weeks still feeling like blank canvases – when does that feeling end? - and friends there for months knowing city life is not for them already and plotting their escape.

The house hunt was thankfully short and relatively successful, walking to view the house, there was an unease I haven’t felt since lost inside in River City in Bangkok, I will be living here, this will be my trek home when I have a few pints in me – is it safe, are the faces on the street becoming more multi-ethnic, has the Garda presence on the street increased? – then thinking I have found the place my worries were not substantially lessened, however walking around to find my bearings I discover I walked to the wrong house and on viewing I like the people, the atmosphere of the spot and despite the fact my room is a cupboard cleverly disguised as a sleeping quarters I think I have found a base to start whatever phase I will title this in the grand scheme of things. (Those ‘Where the Bloody Hell Are You?” Australia ads on TV as I write are unsettling, that this is all a second best to my travels could be the subject of a whole other post). So I will post as seems appropriate – there will no doubt be benchmarks worth noting and totally banal encounters and events that I will share with you all nevertheless.

If by chance anyone wants to post places to drink, eat, do shopping, have a pint and generally map out a reasonably priced yet tastefully eclectic existence up there let me know.