Leaving your comfort zone

My name is ____ and I’m from Ireland. I’m proud of where I’m from, as in many ways Ireland is a great place to live. We have a thriving economy, Great people, a rich culture and an increasingly progressive outlook on the world. The stereotype that everywhere in Ireland is green is mostly true, because of what sometimes feels like the never ending presence of rain, but this is what gives us a beautiful landscape hard to find in most of the world.

But Ireland is not without it’s faults either of course, and it’s these faults that lead generation after generation of Irish people to emigrate to foreign countries and look for new lives elsewhere. A large proportion of my generation in Ireland will never be able to afford a house there, as house prices continue to rocket upwards. Rent is also ridiculously expensive, with Ireland’s capital of Dublin being one of the most priciest places to rent in Europe. The gap between the poor and wealthy in Ireland is only widening in my opinion, which only exacerbates the other problems Ireland has.

Once I left Ireland I realised that a normal 9-5 office job somewhere in Dublin wasn’t the only option I had. This is why I love travelling so much, to put myself in uncomfortable situations to meet new people and try new things. I lived in and renovated a castle previously with other workawayers in France, and these interactions and experiences you have with other people and cultures give you a better understanding of what you want from life, as cringey as that sound.

I could remain in my hometown for the summer and hangout with the same friends I always do, go to the same pubs I always do, work in the same job I always do; but especially after the pandemic I’ve learned to appreciate meeting new people and having new experiences. There is a danger I think of becoming too comfortable, as some of my best experiences in life have come from trying something new and leaving my safety net and comfort zone. I still don’t have a clue what I want to do in life, but it’s better to look for something rather than doing nothing. I That’s what brings me to Poland!