I still remember my condition last year. Behind my broad smile as a reply to every person congratulating me for the offer, there was my panicking self, getting paranoid for uncertainties I was going to face by living away from the family. I'm pretty sure that its the same case with every Indian student leaving the country for education and work, irrespective of age.
So don't worry if you're going through the same paranoia; it's very normal. And if you follow Dublin_explorer, you should specifically stop worrying as we're here to help you, just one DM away!
So, to make your 'Education in Ireland' experience enjoyable and rewarding right from the moment before you pack, here are some things you should know before coming to Dublin, Ireland!
1. Umbrellas won't work here.
That's right! Now that you've removed your umbrella from the bag, you have more space to carry important things. After experiencing Dublin rains for considerable number of times, I won't recommend carrying your umbrella here. Trust me, it just won't work, unless it's super windproof (Which we hardly find in Markets and if you're lucky to find one, those are going to cost you approximately 10 times the cost of your last umbrella).
Instead, carry a nice rain-proof jacket for initial days. And, the best advice would be buying it from here.
2. Yes, Wind can be way stronger than you imagine.
Now, I know some of us might know the real power of wind because there are certain windy areas in India. But if you're like the majority, don't take that wind warning so lightly. At the time of warnings, you can expect wind speed more than 80 km/h.
I learnt it the hard way. So, I was (deliberately) outside on bicycle enjoying the wind at the time of warning. Suddenly a strong gust of wind threw me away off the cycle. (I'm so glad that there was nobody around at that moment; probably because of the warning)
So friends, take care of yourself at the time of wind specially while cycling around. Always wear a wind-proof jacket and use reflector around bike and body to stay safe!
3. A keyword to survive- 'Sorry'.
You must have heard by now, after making a choice to study in Ireland, that Irish people are very polite. So you must know that word 'Sorry' is used for 'Excuse me' as well. Which is pretty cool when you think about it, 'excuse me' might sound rude in generic sense as well, right?
Make sure you understand the meaning of 'Sorry' that you're receiving. Because bumping into someone by your mistake and then giving usual reply to Sorry that you're receiving from the other end as 'it's okay', might be weird. At times, creepy as well..
So understand and reply to sorry wisely. And use sorry in this way as its a really nice habit.
4. Hold the door, Hodor!
Another sweet habit of people here is that they'll hold the door for you if you're going to pass through; irrespective of whether you know them or not. Well, even Indians do it, so what?
Well, the difference here is that people will hold the door for you sometimes, irrespective of distance. Which means if someone knows for sure that you're going to pass by, but you're still meters long, they're going to stand there, holding door for you until you go there. Isn't that adorable!
So, make sure to greet such beautiful souls properly and probably hold the door for someone next time. It's very small yet very nice gesture, Hodor!
5. Chill out.. you won't miss your biryani, Lads!
Not just Biryani, but any other difficult to cook and tasty to eat Indian food that you're going to crave, you'll find it in Dublin. Indian food is pretty popular here and you'll find options from pocket friendly take-away to Michelin Star restaurant.
In addition to this, there are many Indian stores in the city where you can find everything to practice and master your Mom or Granma's recipe. And grabbing a pack of Indian Snacks to accompany a glass of beer is totally worth it.
So, at the time of packing, though your family is going to insist a lot, drop those boxes of spices and snacks; carry only those which are not available on large scale commercially, just in case your hidden talent turns out to be cooking!
So, get ready for this amazing journey of your life ahead. If you have any questions/ doubts/ suggestions, feel free to drop in a message on Facebook or Instagram. Cheers!