My answer to small talk about moving from Singapore to Dublin

“How do you like moving to Dublin?”
The question comes up as a polite ice-breaker and a topic for ‘small talk’ each time I have to tell someone I’m from Singapore. I get the question often enough that a switch kicks in in my brain with a rehearsed spiel, where speech takes on auto-pilot mode and my mouth is moving but there’s no one home.
I have to wake myself up so a little more excitement comes across. It’s not you, it’s me. I dislike small talk, do you?
My answer usually covers three main topics:
#1: Singapore is a great place to live
I guess outside of Asia, people don’t know that much about Singapore. Yes, Singapore is a tiny country in Southeast Asia — and with a land size of 719km square, it’s a pin prick on the world map. Yes, English is our first language and that is why we speak it more fluently than you’d have stereotyped. And yes, it’s the third most densely populated country in the world (behind Macau and Monaco) with 5.6 million people.
I recognise that Singapore has it’s many pros and cons — but I appreciate the life I lived in Singapore, and it will always be home. I do miss it for the good food, hot weather, low taxes — and of course all my friends and family. I don’t quite miss the crowds, more frequent train breakdowns, and humidity.
But I moved for two reasons: (1) to refresh my work situation, and (2) to be able to travel more in Europe.
#2: I’m actually not around enough in Dublin
You see the thing is though I’m based in Dublin, I’m not in the city enough to feel like I actually say I’ve experienced a lot of it. Dublin is a base for me to travel every other weekend to many other parts of Europe — and cheaply enough thanks to Ryanair’s network. Put me in a contest for Ryanair’s #1 Singaporean fan, and I‘m fairly confident I would win it with my knowledge of its flight network and average prices. I’m a massive fangirl of this cheap airline and I want to fly to every airport it goes to if I could.
Since my move in January 2017, I’ve visited 13 countries: Scotland, Northern Ireland (whatever, I consider them countries and not just “UK”), The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Romania, Czechia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.
More to come!
#3: But I’ve come to love this city
I have come to fall in love with Dublin. I can appreciate that it has a vibrant music, theatre, arts, and of course pub scene, if that is what you seek. It is probably one of the best places in the world to ‘have a craic’ and go dancing on a table in a bar — again, if that is what you seek.
I suppose everybody knows the pitfalls of the infamous Dublin weather. It can be sunny one moment and rain the next. One comes to accept never leaving home without a raincoat; any proper Dubliner will tell you that umbrellas are futile against the wicked wind-plus-rain-combination which makes the damn rain sweep in sideways. One also comes to accept to just fecking do what you plan to do outdoors anyway in spite the weather. If you’re gonna hike, then just hike. If you’re gonna have a picnic, just do it. Don’t let the rain stop you.
Work-wise, the Google Dublin office is surely one of the best Google offices in the world with its diversity of 5,000+ people from over 80 countries. Their campus here is pretty amazing, and I’m so thankful for all the benefits such as gym classes, healthy food options, and recreational facilities, which I use often.

Dublin is also where I have my downtime in between my travels. I’m now taking a break after three weeks of traveling and this will be the first time I’m staying put in Dublin for two consecutive weekends!
There is surely such a feeling of comfort in coming back and kicking back. I’m going to load up on Netflix, Game of Thrones, books, meditation, theatre at the Bord Gais, brunches and so forth.
— — —
So to the question of: “How do you like moving to Dublin?”
I’m glad to say after six months since my move…. that Dublin is starting to feel a lot more like home.
