There's No Place Like Home

There's a lot to be said for travel and adventure and branching out in new and exciting cities where anonymity makes a refreshing change from the familiar. Wanderlust they say, is the irresistible desire to seek out and explore all that this world has to offer, and encompasses a pursuit that has consumed the hearts and minds of generations through both necessity and discretionary choice.

In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin and yang depicts how apparently opposite or contrary forces can actually be complementary, serving as both independent and interconnected constructs. As a country with an intrinsic connection to travel, the Irish have refined the art of exploration to such a degree, that it has become an infamous cultural characteristic. Our natural propensity to fearlessly go forth and take our own tea bags to every corner of the earth, has only ever been counteracted by an unwavering devotion to Ireland, our county colours and the indestructible ties to a sense of family and home.

‘Home’ is an interesting phenomenon. It’s one of those things that has both tangible and intangible elements. To go home is the desire to feel whole, to know where you are and feel temporarily grounded in the ensuing craziness which can often consume our lives. It's a place that restores a soothing sense of calm and clarity that is difficult to wholesomely articulate, but no matter what the language, home is the nicest word there is. 

In my humble opinion, the linguistic limitations of the English language have somewhat failed to accurately convey the full extent to which the sentiment of 'Home' resonates within the human heart. The Spanish use the word ‘Querencia,’ to depict a place where you feel most comfortable and feel your most truly authentic self. While the French use the word 'Dépaysement' to communicate the dull little ache, after a long and stressful day, and the bittersweet longing for simple, unassuming moments shared with the people that you love in surroundings which are familiar.

Truefully, apart from the people I care about, I for one never imagined that home might be something I would really miss. We all dream about escaping our ordinary lives, the rain, the lack of opportunity and the stifling gossip which routinely circulates. 

However retrospectively, the failure to notice how beautiful small town life is, is a luxury only the uprooted can fully comprehend. Confucius, the great philosopher and all round smooth lyrical mastermind once said "The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of home" - that's because there's something very special about the normality of walking down a street and saying hello to a total stranger, because people back home take the time to acknowledge each other’s existence, unlike the disconnectedness of those who dwell in the city. 

In an often unfriendly world, genuine conviviality serves as a sharp contrast to the flat pack hospitality of urban chains and organisations and is something to be truly valued and enjoyed.Going for a coffee or drink in a cafe or bar to be greeted by people who know your name, and are never short of a smile or some kind of witty retort to keep you on your toes is good for the soul.

Despite the fact that the word ‘Home’ has universal warmth and symbolism, it is also wonderfully specific to every individual. Home for me is a little house on a hill, with picture perfect views overlooking a patchwork quilt of green and blue. It’s the feeling of relief when we pull into the driveway after a long absence to be bombarded by dogs as soon as you set foot in the door. 

Home means standing by the fire with a cup of coffee, talking to my mum and dad and laughing about the chaos my 94 year old great aunt is causing the local nursing home (my sincere apologies by the way). And as much as I preach about health, home personifies the nutritional loop hole, where it’s perfectly acceptable to eat home-made apple crumble for breakfast on the day of departure, because try as I might, I will never be able to replicate the taste of my mum’s cooking.

Although the strength of a person’s character is enhanced by the independence of travel, the constitution of a person is embodied by the place of our past, which has shaped how and why we came to be who we are today. 

No matter where we are in the world, home is about carrying a little bit of where we’re from everywhere we go, and as happy as I am to leave the safety of my little house on the hill and progress with my own life and adventures, I’m also immensely glad to return. 

The more you do, and see, and experience, the greater your understanding and appreciation for the fundamental things. As you get older you become increasingly aware that home is the fleeting carefree moments spent with friends and family which become rarer and harder to orchestrate. No matter how much we complain and get frustrated by its limitations, home is a place filled with nothing but yourself, and everything you have ever known.

If you too have left the place that you have lived and loved for one reason or another, sometimes home is simply a person. They are a human cup tea which warms you to your bones, and they are the people you can call when something goes terribly right or occasionally terribly wrong. 

In life, we will come and go from many homes. We may leave a room, a house, a town, or even a country, but that does not mean those places leave us.

What are the benefits of leaving home some may say? So that when you come back, you see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colours.

From Doha With Love.

Health Happiness

To put it mildly I’ve had an interesting year. Between a demanding new job, relocation to a new country, a foreign culture to understand and a strange cuisine to get to grips with, my dedication to health and exercise has well and truly been put to the test. 

For the second time in my life, my whole active ethos has been truly challenged, and for a long time I neither had the time, energy nor motivation to participate in any kind of physical activity. This slump resulted in falling just shy of what the ex-pat community over here like to call the 'Doha stone'.

It's a bittersweet revelation, because as a girl who loves exercise and thought she had previously understood the value of physical activity in her own life, the idealism of daily exercise was ashamedly over-ruled in favour of a Netflix marathon and post work indulgent dinners. 

Firstly, what was most notable for me was how not exercising made me feel. I became increasingly aware of my deteriorating sense of self, and my mood at times became extremely low. I don't feel I am exaggerating when I say that for no apparent reason I felt negative and irritable, but now I realise it was largely due to all the suppressed frustrations that I had unconsciously bottled up, which I didn't have an outlet for, and I carried this un-necessary tension from one day to the next.

Although I had structure to my working day, 8 hours of being a creative desk dweller did not inspire me continue any kind of productivity into my evening. Juggling real life responsibilities with physical activity was proving to be immensely difficult and I was wedging myself into a rut that was affecting other aspects of my life.

Although I don't have a family to look after or provide for (which I'm certain complexifies the experience even more) I'm increasingly coming to recognise and appreciate the barriers we face in our day to day lives which prevent us from reaping the plethora of benefits which stem from being active, because the problems which I was encountering, were not unique or exclusive to my own circumstance, but they had overarching consequences for society at large. So after a few months of being a cheeky little fitness hypocrite/part time exercisee, it dawned on me that we all massively underestimate the potential of exercise to serve as a catalyst to improve our mental wellbeing, just as much as our general physical health.

Admittedly, I’m part of the sickly population who love and enjoy many conventional sporting pursuits. However I also recognise the fact that not everyone else does. Before you dismiss me as an over zealous gym bunny who thinks she can solve the worlds problems with a course of squats and hill sprints, I’m here to assure you that it’s ok not be madly in love with exercise!... because I want to challenge the way you currently think about physical activity, and the cultural conditioning which has dictated to you, what does and does not constitute being active. 

Outside the arena of professional sport where athletes are paid handsomely for their blood, sweat and tears, exercise isn’t about killing yourself. It’s not about lifting the heaviest, or running the fastest or even producing the most reps. Exercise is a PERSONAL EXPERIENCE and a reward within itself. Physical activity is a place you can withdraw into or express yourself, and its an opportunity to feel good about what you can achieve even on your worst days. 

For someone who is a self confessed sport addict, I’m highly cynical about how sporting culture often perpetuates a ‘one size fits all approach.’ I also genuinely believe that cultural mediums such as physical education does nothing to inspire a love or desire to participate in lifelong physical activity. One of the fittest girls I know hated PE at school. She didn’t play on any sports teams and if you turned around and told her she’d be deadlifting 95 kg and banging out more reps than a Thomas Cook holiday, I’m almost certain she would have laughed in your face...followed by an enquiry into what a deadlift was. 

ENDORPHINS, the wonderful little chemical bi-products of exercise, have an uncanny ability to inspire a ‘Fuck You’ response to anything or anyone that is bringing you down. Not only do they act as our trusty little happiness friends, but they serve as our lifelong allies against the stresses and strains of our daily lives. Although it’s easy to get discouraged and distracted, I am an advocate of exercise as a medium to achieve that truly illusive equilibrium in life called BALANCE.

On another note, let's not also forget the highly important social element of exercise which transcends physical activity beyond mere calorie burning. Physical activity exposes you to a type of socialisation that doesn’t involve alcohol or food, and it creates the opportunity to meet and benefit from like-minded people who can offer you support, encouragement and if nothing else...a little bit of escapism.

Conversely, something that I don’t think people fully appreciate is how daunting exercise can be, especially for those who have been out of it for a while. Mixed ability and gender classes can be off putting, especially for women who find classes intimidating and quite often overwhelming. However this is starting to be acknowledged  by the fitness industry as something worth addressing through activities such as ‘Women’s Only,’ ‘Coach to 5k’ and ‘Over 50’s circuits’, so have a little hunt around and I'm certain you will find something if you feel like this is an issue.

That being said, something that I want to stress is that anyone who truly loves exercise and fitness isn’t there to judge anyone else’s ability, and in all my years of exercising I have never heard a comment to make me think otherwise. But no matter what stage you're at, you need to realise you're still lapping everyone else on their cynical little sofas so take pride in taking a step forward, no matter how little that may be!

Like any meaningful pursuit in life, taking the time to find the right fit for you means challenging yourself to being open minded and pro actively seeking out activities that have the potential to improve your physical and mental health. For those of us who already regularly participate in exercise the same advice is applicable. It’s easy to hit a wall and limit ourselves to what we’re good at, but nothing ever grows in a comfort zone. Take me for example, I had long dismissed spinning as something I had considered not to be 'for me', but since running in 35+ degrees celcius didn't seem overly fun or motivating anymore, I had to challenge my pre-concieved notions and now I absolutely LOVE IT !

Ideally if you could take anything from this post, whether your an exercise veteran or the comeback kid, frequency and variety are just as important as calorie expenditure.So whether you salsa, round house kick, peddle or downward dog your way, try something new this weekend. 
Physical activity is the most under-utilised tool we have in contextualising the daily trials and tribulations we all face.Look for some inspiration on youtube, or do a local google search and prioritise exercise as a holistic addition to your life!

...Or do what I do and wear lycra 90% of the time and be prepared for every sporting eventuality should the motivation strike.

From Doha With Love. Always. 

Why Ireland Is Failing The Irish

You need only to glance at your Facebook newsfeed, to see that emigration figures among young Irish people are astounding. After a humbling fall from grace, the echo of the celtic tiger is barely audible over the sound of jet engines carrying Ireland’s workforce off to multiple countries and continents. Inspired by ghost towns, over populated dole queues, a three month stint in teaching, and a fledgling undergraduate that was neither use nor ornament, it struck me that something, somewhere has gone terribly wrong in Ireland. 

Tragically, I’m not alone in my awe of the awfulness regarding employment opportunities and educational insufficiencies which seem to have plagued the home land. After discussions with various friends, family, Irish and otherwise, I’ve discovered that we have a major problem...one that no one seems to be talking about. So in true Ellen Mclaughlin style, I’ve decided to challenge the surrogacy role that has become accepted in Ireland, and represent an upcoming workforce faced with a problematic professional pursuit. Admittedly some of my comments may be specific to my own personal experience, but they’re generic enough to that they are also applicable to the majority of young aspiring professionals.  

I start with an alarming truth. I’ve calculated that after I finish this Masters degree my brain will roughly be worth around £36 thousand pounds. That’s not intended to be a boastful statement, but it is a disgraceful one. After hours spent filling out endless job applications asking me about my professional experience, I find myself seriously doubting the value of third level education (sorry mum and dad !). Somewhere between a professional sector that values experience over academia, and an education system that disregards practical skills in favour of academics, the irony of a contradicting employment climate has not been lost on me or the millions of other young Irish people in the same position.

What’s most striking about the Irish conundrum is the extent to which the Irish secondary school system is hindering the professional progression of our students. Teaching content is light years away from anything that resembles transferable skills or knowledge.  I don’t think I’m being overly dramatic when I say we're setting our young people up to fail.  IT for example, is not given any kind of precedence in a culture that conducts almost everything through technology. Highlighted as one of the most important skills in any profession, surely you’d expect that we would be equipping our kids with a little something more than a half hearted attempt at ECDL. In addition to this deficiency lies another, namely a stifling range of subjects which are about as engaging as an interactive wet paint observation. God forbid, that we might also introduce some variety into a curriculum that is still stuck in the 1960’s. For example making physical education an examinable subject, for me, seems like a small but highly effective way of engaging students who would benefit from a more vocational avenue, or as a popular option for those wishing to explore a potential career in the lucrative sport and health industry. 

The scariest observation I made during my 6 years in Irish secondary school education is the complete absence of career guidance. I distinctly remember two classes a week during 4th and 5th year filling out personality tests, but I’m not quite sure how that helped to equip me with the knowledge I needed to make informed career choices that affected my future forever. How can we holistically develop young people and their future professional endeavours when we don’t offer them any meaningful advice or practical work experience? And for those pupils doing four honours or less...you must be still coughing up dust after being swept under the rug for so long.

DIY Education

Although we desperately need to think about educational reform as a way of advancing our domestic interests and re-establishing Ireland as hub of economic and social activity, we also need to take individual action towards vocational experience. In the interim it takes the Irish education system to receive a rather large boot up the tóin, there is no better school of learning than the school of life. The best advice I could give anyone, young or old is get as much experience from as diverse array of professions as physically possible. Whether you’re washing dishes or presenting in a board room, every opportunity has something to offer. Some of the greatest skills I have ever developed stem from my experience as a waitress. Communication and people skills are two of the most undervalued yet important life skills you will ever learn, and an ability to talk and approach people has got me further than any certificate ever has. Admittedly some opportunities don’t come with a pay packet, but they’re worth their weight in gold. Experience is the ultimate tradable commodity. The thing that separates the motivated from the mediocre is putting yourself out there and asking someone to give you a chance to shine. Some of the greatest advice I’ve ever received is to find something you’re interested in and let that guide you. My own ambitions have always centred around a love of people, a passion for English and an interest in Sport. This very blog was inspired by a refusal to take no for an answer. When you can’t even get your local papers to give you an opportunity, a girl has to take matters into her own hands. 

While a sorry excuse of an education system and a certain level of individual accountability needs to take some of the heat, so does the overarching employment sector. Ireland’s employment circumstances are only ever going to be improved internally. We need a proactive employer attitude that aims to keep our highly talented workforce by offering them opportunity and pre-existing development. While I have any potential employers reading this, I would implore you to give people an opportunity to learn, young and established...even if its only for a few weeks. 

Which rather beautifully brings me back to the original subject of emigration. Although this blog doesn’t address what the future holds for those of us seeking opportunity elsewhere, I hope it highlights the need to help the students we have in our classrooms and lecture halls. It is their influx of skill, talent and innovation, which not only has the potential to help us recover from a recession, but they’re going to personify the celtic tiger of the future. And more than attracting any multi-national company, that’s the real investment worth pursuing for Ireland.

From Generation Emigration with love,