As the economy slowly gets back on track, more emigrants are returning home to Ireland. What is it like to come back after a long time away? We spoke to two emigrants who have recently done just that.
Rachel Healy-Doran returned several months ago after seven years in Vancouver. One of the factors in her decision was the high cost of childcare abroad. She says that being back home has been tougher than she thought, especially when it comes to finding work.
James Parnell spent 16 years living in Sydney. Since returning to Ireland he has been running his own business, the Wellbeing Gym. He has found that the cost of car insurance in particular has been very high.
James says that it can be difficult for emigrants to adjust to being back home again, especially in terms of picking up relationships where you left off. His advice to anyone considering a long-term return to Ireland is to "spend time thinking about it, what makes you happy and what your goals are."
Rachel has written a book about her experiences, which she hopes to get published. She says that the attitude of other people towards emigrants can be a problem, as they are accused of getting out when times were tough and returning as soon as things start getting better. As Rachel points out, "It's our country as much as it is anyone else's."
You can listen to the full interview with Rachel and James below:
