In 2022, Adam and Kirsty Golder's UK-based aviation company, G6 Aviation, received an odd request. A potential customer wanted to know how much it would cost to charter a jet from London to the US for 10 people — and 10 dogs.
11.09.2023 - 18:47 / insider.com
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kayleigh Donahue, a TikTok creator who moved to Dublin, Ireland, from the US and lived there for four years. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I am originally from Rhode Island in the US, and I first moved to Dublin, Ireland, for a semester in autumn 2016 while I was in college studying psychology and theology. I'd chosen to go to Ireland because I went there on vacation with my family in 2015 and it left a good impression on me. The people there were so kind, and there was just a good vibe in the air.
I loved my semester abroad so much that I decided to go back to do an internship during the summer of 2017, and returned when I finished college a year later. I stayed for four years, going on to work as a social worker and staying through the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was working full-time abroad that made me realize it's possible to not buy into the American idea of work as a constant hustle. Now, I'm sharing that message on TikTok end encouraging others to experience life abroad.
When I first started full-time work, I would stay at my desk through lunch because I felt that was what would be expected of me in the US, but this was totally different. My coworkers would ask, "What are you doing? You need to leave the office. That's so unhealthy."
At first, I didn't understand what they meant. But I began to realize that taking time off — whether it's paid vacation or daily coffee and lunch breaks — is considered completely normal in Ireland.
I was shocked by how laid back the working environment was compared to the US, and I fell in love with the lifestyle. I was also a better worker; even though I was taking more time off, I found that I was more productive because I got to reset.
When I first heard about TikTok, I refused to download it because I thought it was ridiculous. But while I was alone during the pandemic, I decided to start making videos documenting my experience of living abroad. My story seemed to resonate, and many people told me that they think about moving abroad often but they're scared to do it.
I also give people tips to encourage them to take the leap to move abroad if it's something they've been considering.
For example, lots of people say that they are held back by the idea of being away from family and friends. But in my experience, it's not as hard as people think to make new friends once you move, especially if you live with roommates and are studying, although I also met people through apps that connect you to like-minded people looking to make friends in an area.
Ultimately, the worst that can happen is you don't like it and you decide to go back home, which is the message I continue to share with my 95,000
In 2022, Adam and Kirsty Golder's UK-based aviation company, G6 Aviation, received an odd request. A potential customer wanted to know how much it would cost to charter a jet from London to the US for 10 people — and 10 dogs.
When it comes to veg-friendly cuisine, few cities have as much to offer as Portland, Oregon. It’s the best city for vegans and vegetarians in the U.S. for the fifth year in a row, according to new research from the financial website WalletHub.
When it comes to veg-friendly cuisine, few cities have as much to offer as Portland, Oregon. It’s the best city for vegans and vegetarians in the U.S. for the fifth year in a row, according to new research.
As the summer travel season comes to a close, one airline is giving travelers a reason to start planning next summer's vacation. Delta Air Lines announced it will be operating its largest trans-Atlantic flight schedule ever, debuting just in time for summer 2024. The airline will be adding new destinations including Naples and bringing back service to Shannon, Ireland. According to Delta, next summer it will operate 260 weekly flights to 18 countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). This includes a new flight from JFK to Munich three times a week that will start on April 9, 2024, and a daily nonstop flight to Shannon, Ireland that will begin on May 23, 2024. The carrier will expand its existing service to Italy — it already flies to Milan, Venice, and Rome — with a new daily service to Naples. It will also resume service between Atlanta and Zurich, Switzerland, four times a week, which had originally been cut in 2019.
The UK government has passed a new law which aims to protect animals used in tourism.
While travelling for wellness feels like a modern phenomenon, the Romans were known to travel to thermal baths as early as the 2nd century BC. The earliest spas—the Latin word for which, ‘salus per aquam,’ translates to ‘health from water’—were considered integral to a healthy life. Roman legionaries would sooth their sore muscles in natural spring water and thermal treatments were prescribed to relieve physical ailments. Centuries later and Italy continues to take their spas seriously.
Looking for a unique way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, 2023)? Look no further than Amtrak. Get ready to journey across the US by train to explore Hispanic culture by visiting historic landmarks, museums, restaurants, and art galleries.
Enormous California, with its booming economy, bounty of nature, agriculture and vibrant cities could be a country unto itself.
If you’re heading to Brazil in the new year, there’s an extra step to add to your to-do list. Beginning January 10, travelers from the United States, Canada, and Australia will need to acquire an e-visa in order to enter the country. Until then, citizens of these countries will be able to visit Brazil—for business as well as pleasure, per a press release—without these short-term visitor visas (so long as they are staying for no more than 90 days.)
Paris is always a good idea. And now travelers can escape to the French city and more European hotspots for less with a new Icelandair sale that has flights starting at just $349 round trip.
Whispers of lunar vacations are causing a stir while down-to-earth astrotourism continues to bloom as a carousel of eclipses and supermoons light up the sky. You may not necessarily need to stray too far from home on your hunt for celestial spectacles. Rental cabins with moonroofs put sleeping under the stars on the table for those who prefer an alternative other than a traditional camping setup. These divine Airbnbs with a glass roof in the United States are made for lazy stargazing from bed.
This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Dr. Londí Cox, an international psychologist and expat therapist who's been living abroad since 2014. The essay has been edited for length and clarity.