Your Burning Questions About The Coddiwomplers, Answered

Since we dropped the bomb that we’re moving to Ireland in May, we seem to be encountering the same questions over and over again. We understand that this decision probably seems like it came out of left field so we thought we’d compile our FAQs to help you get inside our brains.

Without further ado…

Why are you doing this?

Why not?

No, but seriously. Why not? That’s pretty much our reasoning. Both of us want to see the world and what better time than now? We figure there’s no time like the present to explore this big beautiful world.

What about your careers? Your wedding, Maggie? Your grad school, Tavinia?

Our careers can (and will) wait. The crappy job market will still be here when we get back. Neither of us is too concerned with taking a year to chase our dreams (and trust me, neither of us would be upset if our careers started growing while we’re overseas and we got to stay for a while). We both have know-how in advertising international experiences on our resume and we’re confident that something as bold as, “Moved to Ireland,” doesn’t look bad to employers. If anything, we’re pretty sure it’s a cool talking point in an interview and shows that we’re willing to take risks and be flexible.

This question always has an underlying air of, “wow so you’re not really doing much with your life. Your career is going to slip through your fingers because of this,” and that’s simply not the case. We’ve both thought long and hard about this decision and are very confident about it.

As far as the wedding and graduate school, those both will fall in line as well. Tavinia is finishing up grad school while I (the Wayfaring Photographer) spend some time in Texas with my fiancé and save up money. The wedding is going to wait and we’re ok with that. It’s our decision, after all.

How is this even possible?

We’re both going to Ireland on a working holiday visa which is a special visa offered to people who have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree or higher in the last twelve months. I graduated on May 8, 2016 with my master’s degree so I have until May 8, 2017 to enter the country of Ireland. Tavinia graduates with her master’s degree on May 12, 2017 so she would have until May 12, 2018 to enter the country.

Because I need to be in the country before Tavinia even graduates, I’ll be heading across the pond solo and spending some time on the Emerald Isle by myself until she gets there. We can both remain in the country for exactly one year past our entry date and then we have to leave. While we’re there, we live, work, and even pay taxes like Irish citizens. The working holiday visa gives a lot of freedom in where we can live, what kind of job we can have, etc. However, we both have to have proof that we will be able to leave the country when our time comes. This can be either in the form of a return plane ticket home or in proof of sufficient funds to cover said return ticket.

Where will you live?

We’ll find a place to rent just like Irish citizens. We might find a place where we live with locals and rent our bedrooms or we might find our own apartment so that it’s easy to have visitors. It will probably come down to cost efficiency in the end. We really won’t know until we get there. As far as cities are concerned, we’re free to live anywhere in Ireland. Dublin is probably going to be where we end up because the opportunities for jobs and housing are larger but if we both find something badass in Galway, to Galway we will go.

What about money?

We’ll figure it out. We’re both saving money until May and we’ll get jobs while we’re there. Or maybe not. We’re not required to have jobs while we’re there but I, for one, will need a source of income.

Are you living there or just traveling? What will you be doing?

We’re living there. This move really isn’t anything earth-shattering. We’re just making a long-distance move. It’s just like if we both picked up and moved to New York. We’ll find jobs when we get there doing whatever we please (except being super stars, as “professional entertainer” is on the list of excluded professions for our visa. Darn.). If one morning we wake up and say to each other, “You know, we don’t like Dublin anymore. Let’s move to Doolin.” we will. And of course, we plan on seeing as many other countries and cities as we can while we’re there as long as our theoretical work schedules permit it.

What are you doing in the meantime?

Tavinia is grinding at graduate school and I am living in Texas with my fiancé. Both of us are working and saving money in various jobs.

So there you have it. All your burning questions about us, answered. These are the questions we get most often. We know that picking up and moving overseas is not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s fine because you don’t have to drink our tea. We do. And we’re pretty stinking excited about our tea.