My name is Aurora. People normally call me either Au or Rory. I come from Rome, currently I live in Dublin, Ireland.

1. Why did you move abroad?
When I was 23 I moved to Barcelona for a while and I found there a great place to live in! But I had to go back to Italy to complete my bachelor’s degree.

Then I decided to move abroad again and to learn a different language, English! For this reason I picked Ireland and after 7 years I still enjoy living here

2. How do you make a living?
I am a full-time mom, working at the Rugby’s Stadium every time there is a match on.

I also write articles for a women’s website, specifically in the Travel & Beauty sections.

Currently I work along few projects for my blogs (English & Italian), and I really hope to become a professional Editor, as well as a book’s writer.

3. How often do you communicate with home and how?
A couple of years ago I wasn’t really a big fan of Skype so during my first months I was living here in Ireland, I used to make phone calls to my beloved friends and family. But it was too expensive so I was getting in touch with them rarely, perhaps every two weeks.

But as we all know, social networking has made our life so much easier, so normally I use whatsapp, facebook to communicate and if I want to get a visual contact, I use Skipe now, almost every week. I am so glad that they work well, besides, are free!

4. What's your favorite thing about being an expat in Dublin?
The great thing about living in Dublin is that I always meet new people. Dublin is a multi-ethnic city and the chance to get to know people from all over the countries is very high! For this reason Dublin is on the top list of my favorite cities in the world!

5. What’s the worst thing about being an expat in Dublin?
Probably the worst thing about living in Dublin for me is that I don’t drink as much as Irish people! In the past I did it and I made a big mistake! Dublin is full of pubs and people really enjoy drinking. Me, on the other hand…not so much, I have to admit!

6. What do you miss most?
I really miss Summer Time here in Dublin….

Of course there are times where the sun shows up but you never know how long is going to last! We don’t get four seasons as most of the countries do, actually we are likely to get them in only one day!

7. What did you do to meet people and integrate in your new home?
I started to work and that was how I first met my friends. Then of course, there were nights out where I met new people!

Attending courses has been always a good way to make new friends and it still works!

8. What custom/ habits do you find most strange about your adopted culture?
I don’ think Irish people have any strange customs or habits! Our cultures are very similar. They probably spread too much butter on the bread and drink more alcohol than we do…..That is all I can say about our differences!

9. What is a myth about your adopted country?
There are so many myths in Ireland. I have been always attracted to the stories about witches and elfs. In particular, there is one fascinating legend about a fairy woman (in Irish mythology her name is Banshee) who begins to wail if someone is about to die. And if you hear her wail during your sleep certainly is not a good sign! The legend is really scary but I love it!

10. Is the cost of living higher or lower than the last country you lived in and how has that made a difference in your life?
The cost of living here I Dublin is very high. I remember when I was living in Rome it wasn’t that much expensive perhaps right now the prices of rents have been increased but Dublin certainly remains more expensive than Rome. However, the house’s expenses are not so bad and if you find the right places for your shopping you will get the right balance!

11. What advice would you give other expats?
Dublin is a very expensive capital. But if you go to the right places, groceries, for your shopping and purchases you will see how cheap also it can be. You only need to find the right spots, and believe me in Dublin there are so many!

12. When and why did you start your blog?
I started to share my experience as an expat single mom through my blog about 6 months ago. However, my experience as blogger started before that time (with the Italian blog). I noticed that people were enjoying my stories in Italian, so I wanted to reach a wider public, and I thought that writing also in English could have helped me for my purpose. Through my blog I tell stories of a single mother living in Dublin, and the main aim of writing my blog is sharing them with you.

Aurora's blog, Love isn't for everyone

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