'Leaving our family homes in Ireland means we now live with eight people and share one bathroom'

• Published date: 23 March 2023

It had been one of those days. A deadly combination of a video call with my family and the familiar sight of GAA shorts in the laundromat located below me here had been enough to lodge an uncomfortable lump in my throat for the whole evening

In St Kilda you are surrounded by Irish twentysomethings. While shopping in my local Woolworths, I pass countless Aoifes, Oisíns and Ciaráns – all equally recognisable by their refusal to wear sun cream. It is a friendly reminder to stock up on that factor-50 sunblock.

My reasons for leaving Ireland were quite uncomplicated. My plans to travel had been put on hold by Covid-19. That was over now. I had a boyfriend who had previously fallen in love with Australia and wanted to return. I also had an unshakeable fear that if I never left Dublin, I would regret it.

Fry-ups, 99s, the M50, pubs, craic and the rain: What Irish people abroad miss (and don't miss) about Ireland

However, I can't help but feel I was naive in my mission to become an expat.

The truth is, our start in Melbourne was a fairly rocky one. Finding rented accommodation was surprisingly difficult, as it turns out housing supply is a big issue here. My partner and I eventually came across a house-share, which we are now living in.

I can't promise you every day is utopia or that you can live on the beach, but you will have tried something new and that is enough

Our valiant efforts to leave our family homes in Ireland mean we are now living with eight people and sharing one bathroom. This story will probably be a comical anecdote in years to come, but the 7am dash for the bathroom on a Monday morning is an unfortunate feature of the house. A plus is that everyone in the house is wonderful.

I previously worked in broadcasting in Ireland in a role I loved deeply. I could never say therefore that my work was a factor in moving to Melbourne. If...