Stories From Abroad: One of the big differences is the food, definitely the food!

For anyone moving abroad, just don’t forget where you came from and who you are. I certainly can’t deny my heritage, after all, I am a ginger!”

Patrick Higgins grew up in Mullingar and fell in love with an American girl while he was in college in Galway in 2006.

They met during a golf tournament and it was “love at first sight”.

Two years later Patrick moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to be with her, and they are now married with two children.

“Growing up in Mullingar I learned to fish, play hurling, football and golf. I went to St Finian’s College, and loved hurling for St Oliver Plunketts and eventually played for Westmeath U16.

“I wished I had kept it up but I had taken an interest in golf at that stage and had always wanted to play on tour. My summers consisted of a lot of fly-fishing on the Brosna River and playing golf on the amateur circuit around the country.

“I met my wife in Galway in 2006 – she is from America and we dated for a while there [Galway}. I was finished college and she moved back to finish her final year. I went over to visit her in the summer of 2006 and ended up moving full time in March 2008.

“I guess if we had not met in Galway in 2006 I probably wouldn’t be here. The weather definitely was a huge plus, considering as well that the economy had just tanked back home, there didn’t seem to be a whole lot available at the time.

“America just seemed so huge and there always seemed to be so much to do, like going to baseball games, visiting different cities like Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville and Cleveland.

“Growing up I had two uncles that emigrated to America and Canada and that always seemed appealing to me. When I first came over I visited Cleveland, Ohio because that was where my wife (then girlfriend) was living.

“In the summer of 2006 we took a road trip to Chicago to see some friends who were working there. The trip took about seven hours altogether but it just seemed so easy to get in a car and just drive to your heart’s content.

“A great way to see the country for sure. Would highly recommend anyone wanting to travel to get a group of friends and hit the road. So much to see out there. I’ve been living in the States for 10 years now. We got married in 2009 and have two beautiful kids with funny accents!

First impressions
“My first impressions of America were basically how accessible everything is. A lot of businesses stay open almost 365 days of the year. There is definitely a cultural difference of separation of state and church. The public schools here, run by the state, cannot have any religious curriculum.

“So unless you go to a private school or have kids in a private Christian school, they won’t be exposed to the bible or any stories about Jesus. That was hard for me to understand since having being taught at a school where religion was a mandatory subject it was just always there.

“A lot of people in America don’t want to offend anyone and people get offended way too easily! After moving to America and going through a long and tedious process, I eventually started working and we ended up getting married and now have two beautiful red-headed babies!

“I do miss home and would like to go home more often. We used to go home every second year, but then life gets in the way and before you know it, it’s been three years and you’re looking at two extra plane tickets.

“The main differences between home and here are separation of state and church like I mentioned earlier. And food, definitely the food! There are so many options when it comes to food and you always leave with leftovers. The portions are more than enough for what you pay.

“The weather is also good. In Georgia it will be warm (by Irish standards) usually at the beginning of March and it will last all the way to the beginning of November.
“I joke with everyone back home saying “we have summer for 10 months of the year”.

Do you think you’ll return one day to Ireland for good or is that out of the question?

“We joked that we were going to move back home if Trump was elected president. Either we’re subconsciously planning a move back home or we’re waiting for something drastic to happen. It’s hard to uproot a family to another country, but we will certainly be back for plenty of visits.

Any advice for anyone thinking of moving abroad? Advantages, pitfalls, what should they keep in mind?
“The only advice I can offer is don’t move for the wrong reasons. I’ve met some people who are very bitter about their move and it was obviously because they wanted to get away from a situation or certain circumstances.

“Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages to moving abroad, like leaving family and friends, cultural differences.
“Ireland is such a beautiful country who is proud of her heritage. We value and preserve our history whereas in America, states are tearing down statues that have anything to do with the civil war. Before we know it, the civil war will just be a myth or legend. For anyone moving abroad, just don’t forget where you came from and who you are. I certainly can’t deny my heritage, after all, I am a ginger!”