twitter.com/globallocal facebook.com/globallocal
T
here are no medications for homesickness and neither are there preventive measures. Travel guides may give remedies to deal with nausea for bad travellers’ but they never discuss homesickness though it is accepted that everyone will experience homesickness at some stage in their lifetime.
Men in particular’ do not want to admit it though it is believed that they go through the same symptoms as a child or a woman. Homesickness is not seen as a `socially sanctioned
In today’s business world’ adults do not want to admit that they are going through homesickness as they feel that their superiors’ counterparts’ colleagues and friends might see a weakness of character in them.
is more profound because of the gnawing fact that they are not able to return home when they want to and they are going to miss out so much on not being able to watch their children grow up and miss so many special events like birthdays and Christmas. It is possible that in such a scenario that the person concerned can resort to alcohol or extra martial relationships thus jeopardizing their family life.
And it doesn’t seem as if it is going to get better any time soon. The problem
There are still doubts as to whether homesickness can be considered a
experience especially if it is an adult. It is not always seen as a character flaw or alternatively’ it is something that should be ignored or endured and not made a fuss of.
singular syndrome or whether there are subtypes of different forms of homesickness’ which means that there could be more than the few reasons we assume homesickness is due to. Like other emotion such as love, hate and kindness, homesickness should also be recognised as a normal emotion for a perfectly normal human being.
1
The Global Local
Issue NO. 01
June 2013
told us that they have seen an increase in younger people looking to defer going to college because of the increasing cost of Irish third level education. He says they see greater value in gaining advanced work experience abroad.
More and more people are choosing to skip these shores and head Down Under, according to a company which assists people in travelling to Australia to work. Irish site visafirst.com says it has seen big increase in enquiries so far this year from people, especially students, looking to travel on working visas.
% of 18-25 year olds emigrating in 2012
E
migration from Ireland is now at levels not seen since the Famine, according to a new report. The Irish Independent reports that 87,000 people left the country in the year to April.
The paper says that more than 200 people per day emigrated, figures not seen since the Famine times. It also says that the scale of the exodus is so great that it has dented Ireland’s baby boom as so many of the young women have left Ireland. This is three times the numbers recorded in the Celtic Tiger boom.
Britain attracted the largest number of Irish immigrants at 16,000 in the period studied. Permanent migrants from Ireland to Australia soared by 33 per cent to 4,938 in a year. Ireland is now one of the top 10 sources for migration to Australia. The report
2
Clune says that rather than spending a long time backpacking, those travelling to Australia are more likely to take up work as soon as they arrive and work for longer, while immigration officials in Sydney say they are seeing more people looking to extend their time in the country.
23,000 Irish people travelled to Australia on a working holiday visa between 2009 and 2010, and that number will increase in coming year. Declan Clune, who is a registered migrant agent with Visafirst
adds that the number availing of temporary work permits and also working holiday visas in 2012 is likely to be on a par with the recent year’s tally of 21,753. New Zealand awarded 4,564 Irish people work visas for the 2011/12 tax year, up nearly 40% on figures four years ago. Another 2,199 Irish citizens were granted work visas to New Zealand from July 1 to December 1, 2012. The owner of the Killkenny-based emigration company, Visa first, Edwina Shanahan, told the Irish Independent that there is a huge amount of country-hopping by Irish people in the Australia region. She said: “So many are on temporary work visas or working holiday visas that last for a year, so when that is up they look to go to the other country if they can’t find a way of staying.” Canada’s economic boom has made it one of the more popular spots of Irish emigration with a fresh round of visas set to open for skilled trades
people in the building sector. The paper states a total of 5,293 temporary work visas were issued to Irish people last year, up 42 per cent on 2010, while another 662 got permanent status. Vancouver based relocation expert Ruairi Spillane said the western cities of such as Edmonton are rapidly growing to challenge Toronto and Vancouver as key locations for Irish emigrants. Spillane said: “The mood is really positive in general. I love it here and I’m pretty sure most Irish people enjoy their time, though homesickness is an issue for many as it’s quite a long way from home.” The United States granted some 17,143 Irish applicants and their families temporary work permits while another 1,533 obtained resident status according to the US Office of Immigration Statistics for 2011. The US figures were up from around 14,000 the previous year.
Figure show that at least 20,000 Irish people emigrated to countries including; England, The United States and Canada.
At least 35,000 Irish emigrated in the year beginning January 1, 2000. This figure is double the amount recorded 10 years ago.
Up to 76,000 people left Ireland in the 12 months leading up to April, including an estimated 40,000 Irish nationals.
THE GAA is thriving abroad at the expense of the domestic scene, according to one county board chief. Liam Lenihan, Limerick County Board chairman is concerned that emigration has once again depleted his county’s ranks. With unemployment at record levels, more and more young men and women are packing their bags, hurleys included, and heading abroad. Australia, Canada and the UK are the primary top destinations. Six players from his own club at Tournafulla played in an Intermediate hurling final for Brother Pearses in London. Six players from his own club at Tournafulla played in an Intermediate hurling final for Brother Pearses in London.“They are following the work, and the work in England is only okay. I was in Australia last year and there were a massive amount of Irish
playing in Sydney and Brisbane for clubs like Michael Cusacks,” he said.
June 2013
Issue NO. 01
The Global Local
3
The Global Local
4
Issue NO. 01
June 2013
June 2013
T
raveling and experiencing
new things is very exciting. People travel because they may be moving to another country for a longer period of time because
of work or personal reasons; and then
at other times people move abroad for good. Moving to another country
involves many different emotions
including excitement and often great expectations also stress and worry. When moving abroad stress shows up at many different times during the moving process and involves a whole register of emotions that the person may not have experienced in the same
way before. The process of planning before you even get on route and go is usually long and involves a lot of packing, getting the correct paperwork ready and for some people dealing with selling or renting out their home. Arriving at the new destination can
involve some key elements of stress. Getting settled into the new home, finding out where local services are located, setting up practical things like insurance, new doctors and even schools for children are often things that take time and effort to work out. In fact the most challenging for me has actually been moving to the USA permanently. Once life had settled down and we adapted to our daily routine as a married couple and once the holidays came the first feelings of homesickness started settling in. I think the biggest thing for me to come to terms with was that my stay here was not temporary this time. Talk to your spouse or family about how you feel. They may not know what to do right then, but making them aware of your feelings gives them a better understanding of what
you are going through. Last but not least keeping contact with home. Make sure they also know how you feel. Make phone calls regularly to update each other on everyday things. Keeping a website of our life is a great tool for families abroad to keep up to date with our lives.
Issue NO. 01
The Global Local
T
hat’s right, you are not the only one feeling homesick. Although, we adults don’t express much about how terribly we miss home and family when we are away, all of us know the feeling of sadness and depression within. A perfect example to the saying, “To win some, you need to lose some!” Isn’t it? It’s human to resist change, it affects us both physically and mentally. How? Below are some signs that show the degree of emotional and physical impact of being away from home.
This is not only something that your children get on their first sleepover at a friend’s house; it’s also very real for many adults. So, no matter how long you plan to travel or live abroad for, do yourself the favor and prepare yourself. It will be helpful and of great use to you in the long run.
facebook.com/globallocal twitter.com/GlobalLocal www.counselling.cam.ac.uk
5
The Global Local
Issue NO. 01
June 2013
So I am feeling pre-homesickness, if such term exist.
The last few weeks have been a complete whirlwind.
Traveling has always fascinated me: other cultures,
The thought of leaving home for a period of 9 months
There was prospect that we may need to move, but in
other landscapes, other languages, the sense of freedom,
had me in tears. Since I am back from college 8 hours
the end, we were given only two weeks notice of the
or simply the fact of being on the road with nothing
by flight away from home, I realize it’s not the home I
need to relocate from Perth, Western Australia to Baku,
more than what you are carrying. So I cherished and I
miss. Its the people around me. The convenience of all.
Azerbaijan which was a challenge to say the least. It did
looked forward to each opportunity to move to a new
I loath to leave that. The whole sense of security and
not give us long to pack up in Perth.
country, whatever the reason: studies, love or work. I started traveling early but a decade and 5 countries
warmth. I find myself scare to venture overseas despite the excitement awaits.
In fact, we were only four months in our new Perth
later, I am still on the road.
home so had little choice but to lock the door and What would happen to me when my mom isn’t here to
leave things as they were. Fortunately we have some
Should I go back? Just today I was listening to some
help me out. Believe me, losing the comfort is not fun.
great neighbours and colleagues who are watching the
beautiful music from back home that tells about people,
I lived on my own of a year, and not a day go pass when
place for us. Is this the definition of stress?
the land, life there and I got so homesick. When I look at my sisters and some friends, who have never left, and
I realize it not easy to take care of myself. Especially cooking for myself. I have several scars to prove how
In my case, it landed me in hospital for a day. Two weeks
see the great life they have and the comfort of being
hard it can be. There are just so many other things to
on, we are settling again in Baku, Azerbaijan in our new
around their own people, land and culture, I ask myself:
considered. Transport, I cant drive and for some reason
home for now. We have a great apartment and have
why in the world don’t I go back? It really is the toughest
I keep missing the bus. Food, I cant cook and I keep
already been around the carpet bazaars to add some
decision i have ever had to make, is it a temporary issue
forgetting to buy them. Entertainment, the currency oh
colour to its appearance. But it is a big dislocation and
or what?
gosh my heart is constricting! Waking up, that would
we are far from home in a foreign environment where
have to depend on me sleeping first. Laundry and
the culture is different and the language is a major
I think I really have to just weigh up my options and
cleaning up, I am too young for this! Touchy subject.
challenge we are facing. After the first flush of settling
reasess what im going to do. Perhaps my nostalgia is
I have a small amount of people screaming obscenities
in, I experience a deep sense of homesickness.
clouding my judgement and it might pass. And the only sincere answer I can give right now is: I do not know.
at me for being Asian. I get them since we do kinda are everywhere but this make me feel rather unwelcome.
6
But I know, the sky is not cloudy all day.
Anyone have any advice?
June 2013
I
Issue NO. 01
left my home in Dublin 4 years ago,
technology that allows me to feel like I’m back
on without me. I remember about 4 or 5 years
I had just turned eighteen. This means
in Ireland without leaving Bangkok. I can listen
ago talking to this old guy in a London pub.
that I’ve spent the majority of my adult
to Irish Radio, and watch Irish TV. I can even
He had been living outside Ireland for decades.
years living abroad. I stayed in England
go for a walk around my old neighborhood
This old fella urged me to return to Dublin right
for over a year, spent a year in Scotland, and
with the help of Google maps street level views
away before it was too late. He warned that I
this was followed by a brief sojourn in Saudi
– on of the most fantastic tools available on the
was about to embark on a life where I’d always
Arabia. I have been living in Thailand for the
internet. This might sound like I’m wallowing
be a stranger. I would never completely feel
last 2 years. I love my current life and wouldn’t
in my homesickness, but it does help. It is not
like I fit in my adopted home, and I’d feel like
change a thing. I made the right decision to
like this is something I do every day.
a stranger when I went back on holidays.
One uncomfortable truth that many of us long
His prophecy turned out to be correct, but
term expats have to face is that the place we left
there are some advantages to being an outsider.
I’ve kind of become used to these periods of
no longer exists. Ireland will have changed so
It has forced me to grow and challenge so many
homesickness. I know that each year there will
much since I left that I might feel like a bit of
of my cultural perceptions. It made me who I am.
be a few days when I’ll pine for the old country.
a stranger there when I do visit. I will always
I treat these emotions in much the same way as
consider it to be my home, but in so many
a common cold. I just sit them out, and I know
important ways it is not my home any longer.
that they will pass. Today there is wonderful
I have a new life and I fear Ireland has moved
The Global Local
leave Ireland all those years ago. Despite this I still get periods of homesickness.
7
The Global Local
8
Issue NO. 01
June 2013
June 2013
T
he sign on the door of a pub in County Cavan reads “A Thousand Welcomes,” but a bull who stopped there for a pint after a long day of grazing claims it’s false advertising. “I didn’t even receive ONE welcome,” he whined. The bartender claimed he didn’t serve him because he wasn’t of drinking age, but the bull’s not buying it.
“That’s nothing but a lot of bull,” he said. The bull has told friends it wasn’t his kind of place anyway. The customers scattered far and wide when he entered their midst; not a friendly face in sight. “You’d think I was from Pamplona or something,” he complained.
W
e have set the date for March 17th 2005 St. Patrick’s Day, weather and the leprechaun’s union go ahead. (They explained that the shuttle is powered by the leprechaun’s magic and March 17th is a contractual holiday for their union, but with the promise of double time holiday wages, they thought they may be willing to give it a go.) The space shuttle is made from all-natural
Issue NO. 01
The Global Local
When he went to visit the restroom, he found it locked. The bartender refused to give him the key, claiming it was closed for its daily cleaning. “More bull,” the bull said, adding, “Whoever heard of a pub restroom being cleaned on a daily basis, if at all?” And it annoyed him that in one corner of the pub was set up for a game of darts, dominated by a huge bullseye at the center of the dartboard. This was accompanied by a sign, Hit the bullseye and get a free pint. “Quite politically incorrect in this day and age,” the bull reported, holding his head up high and blinking his large, gorgeous dark blue eyes. The bull has confided to friends, “I won’t be going back there, that’s for sure. But there’s a nice china shop next door that I’ll visit when I’m in the mood for a little browse and a nice cuppa.”
materials collected from the native countryside of Ireland, and hand crafted by the astronauts and the leprechauns in common. With the leprechaun’s magical powers and the engineering skills of the astronauts, the ship was completed and will be ready for a first test run next week. When questioned further about the power source, the group told us the leprechauns are in charge of that section of the project. “It took years
I
reland stepped back from the brink of a multi billion Euro bail out last night, when Finance minister Brian Lenihan announced the figures were added up incorrectly. Ireland in fact has a surplus ‘In the tens of billions’.
The IMF and EU while breathing a huge collective sigh of relief; have asked for an investigation into how the Irish Finance Ministry could get their figures so wrong. There was cheering across Dublin upon the announcement by the Government and a few red faces in the Finance sector. This will bring relief to the thousands who have benefited from the introduction of the minimum wage German Finance
of negotiations to get them to assist us in this endeavour. We knew they had the power to help, but we had nothing to offer them in return for their expertise, until we made an important discovery. One of our weather satellites picked up a very large shiny object at the end of one of the rainbows. It turned out to be their hidden pot of gold’ that was found in a field. In negotiations, we promised to never reveal its location,
if they would help power our shuttle. It was a win, win situation for every party involved.” Reporters then asked the astronauts about the viability of
the crude, all natural space shuttle, outside the earth’s atmosphere.
“Normally, one would be concerned, but there is nothing normal about
this operation. The magic powers we are using defy all known laws governing space travel. There is no way that we can explain how or why it
Minister, Wolfgang Schauble remarked maybe Spain, Portugal among others should re-examine their deficit figures in light this revelation. Downing Street did not comment, but much relief from the British chancellor George Osborne as he no longer has to decide whether to offer a bilateral loan to Ireland outside of the European Union’s rules.
works, all we know and care is, it does. Our knowledge in this regard is quite limited to what the leprechauns are willing to tell us, which at this point is nothing’. The test run next week should be all the proof we need to assess the shuttle’s viability. We are looking forward to that day.” Jennifer Wade @JennyWade
9
The Global Local
Issue NO. 01
Recent studies have shown that there is a direct link between the portion of tea served and your overall happiness. “A cup of tea can cure what ales ya,� says Dr. Fintan Malone of Dublin City University. The amount of tea served in Ireland is the perfecr amount for eternal hapiness, followed by England and Scotland.
10
June 2013
June 2013
Issue NO. 01
The Global Local
E
vidently, Jammy Dodgers are vital in Ireland’s existence and of the future of Irish people in general. The infographic below shows the integral role that Jammy Dodgers can play in all walks of both Irish life and life. As we can see from the Biscuit Distribution graph how fond of the Jammy Dodger the Aussies and the Russians are. One Russian claimed, “to be without me Jammy Dodgers, is to be without life.” It is thought the Irish takeover of Australia has not only spread the word of the Jammy Dodger, but also of the battered sausage and the Garlic chips and cheese.
11
The Global Local
12
Issue NO. 01
June 2013
June 2013
The Irish Examiner reports on Ireland’s staggering sweet tooth.
A
new report by on Food from Britain indicates that Ireland has the highest per person consumption of chocolate in the world. Around 24.7 pounds of chocolate are consumed each year per Irish capita.
The chocolate market in Ireland is valued at an impressive $677 million dollars, surely much to the delight of places like Butlers Chocolate Cafe and Lily O’Briens. Ireland currently serves as Britain’s largest export market for chocolate. Sweets popular in Ireland like the British-made Kit-Kat bars help
drive the business along. Here are some interesting facts we found while researching the Irish public’s love affair with chocolate; • The majority of 60% of Irish men and women enjoy making love and eating chocolate at the same time. • One in 10 single Irish men would choose chocolate over making love. • Dubliners are the most likely to
Country with the best chocolate?
Issue NO. 01
show their affections with chocolate and are also most likely to be up to some mischief with their date after presenting said chocolate. • Two thirds of those aged between 18 and 34 make plans with their lover on Valentine’s Day involving some sort of chocolatey treat.
The Global Local
Tell us about your sweet tooth
Does the brand matter? (as long as its irish)
Would you ever emigrate without bringing a supply?
13
The Global Local
Issue NO. 01
June 2013
advanced civilization drank mead, ran around naked and were pagans. It was destroyed by vengeful gods who used a giant wave to wash it off the face of the earth, destroying all traces.
A
tlantis is the legendary island nation, whose existence has created controversy of years. Scientific information gathered shows Atlantis is actually Ireland, according to a new theory by scientist, Hugh Padhagm-O’Banney. “I’m tired of keeping me mouth shut about it, it’s time the world knew”, yelled Padhagm-O’Banney. “All Irish people know this, yet we’ve been tight lipped since year one”. “People cry and say it will hurt our tourism, they say it will hurt our economy, and they say it’s our little secret”. Plato was the famous drunken Greek philosopher who wrote about Atlantis in 360 BC. He said it was an island in the North Atlantic Ocean where an
14
Geographer Ulf Ulmlot-Ughanda, whose cartoon explains this theory, will be published by Marvel Comics next month. In the cartoon / story / theory, Ulf says the measurements, geography, and landscape of Atlantis as told by Plato match Ireland exactly. Ulf went on to state, “You know it is real important science when they publish it in ‘Classics Illustrated’”. “I am amazed no one has come up with this before, it’s incredible,” he told reporters. “Just like Atlantis, Ireland is 300 miles long, 200 miles wide, and widest across the middle and they both have a central plain surrounded by mountains”. “Looking at geographical data from all over the world and of the largest islands there is only one that has a plain in the middle, Ireland”.Padhagm-O’Banney believes the idea that Atlantis sank
came from the fate of Dogger Bank, an isolated shoal in the North Sea, about 60 miles off the northeastern coast of England, which sank after being hit by a huge flood wave in a year around 6,100 BC. “It is well documented in written history and has been found in cave drawings throughout Ireland and Europe”. “I believe the memory of Dogger Bank was probably preserved in Ireland for around 3,000 years and became mixed up with the story of Atlantis,” he said. Padhagm-O’Banney also links the boundaries of the Atlantic Empire, as outlined by Plato in his book ‘Other Places We Have Yet to Visit’, with the geographic distribution of megalithic rock formations in Europe and Northern Africa and the Americas, matching Atlantis’ temples with well-known burial sites at Castle New Grunge and Towne Knowth All, north-east of Dublin, which pre-date the pyramids.
June 2013
Issue NO. 01
The Global Local
Peter Rockwell @Rockwelljournal
A
fter the financial bubble burst upon the Emerald Island and everybody done a runner the houses that were built on massive estates are now left standing empty and unoccupied. The Irish government in a desperate attempt to fill the houses have come up with a brilliant, typical Irish solution! Ireland has two million homeless leprechauns and a 1/2 million Polish spud pickers. Irish Prime Minister, Brian Cowen, a great fan of
Leprechaun traditions (after six pints of Guinness) has invited all Leprechauns without a tree trunk, hole underground, or cave to live in to come to Dublin and they will be allocated a brand new 5 bedroom house, rent free! (Leprechauns play a major part in Irish history and tradition especially amongst alcoholics after leaving the pubs after midnight and late into the night.)
T
his lush Irish countryside, once brown as far as the eye could see with pig farms, now lies empty and desolate in the wake of the recent devastating tainted pork recall. The Irish government has acted quickly to recall all pork products because of contamination with cancer-causing dioxins found in pig feed from one of the country’s largest supplier. As a result, there’s not a pork pie, banger, smoked gammon ham or rasher of Irish bacon to be had anywhere on the island. “Without pork products, there’s nothing left to eat for any one of us in the whole of Ireland,” lamented Oink McGuiness. “My dear departed mudder, bless her soul, went without to feed me her last pan drippings last week.”
Oink’s story is growing all too common across Ireland as the starving populace struggles to survive. An ugly incident was reported in Dunnes supermarket yesterday when three women fought over the last slab of lard on the dairy shelf.
“It was unbelievable,” said the shocked Dunnes store manager. “Bloody hell! They tore each other’s hair out, ripped off clothing, knocked out teeth, and it appeared they were all dead sober. I’ve never seen nothing like it. By the time they were done scrappin’ the lard was smeared all over the isle floor so no one got it in the end.” Long queues of gaunt Irish émigrés have been reported at all airports waiting to board flights out of the country in the wake of the worst disaster since the Great Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s. Emaciated and with sunken, hollow eyes, and lacking that tell-tale Irish tallow smell, the refugees saw no hope in a place without pork. With hundreds of thousands already having fled Ireland and millions more lined up at airports and ferry docks waiting for the first opportunity to leave the country, the government is up to its neck in bullshit over the pork scandal.
15