There’s No Place Like Home

I don’t care what anyone says, I will never spend as long away from home again for as long as I live. I know it was only eleven months, but ‘only eleven months’ to me, felt like a lifetime. New York is amazing and I love it so much, but home is home, and there’s no place like it. 

It’s weird to say, but when I got home, I felt like I had never left. With how easy it is to keep in contact with people, seeing my friends again was weird, because I feel like I see them every day with how much we keep in contact.

The familiarity of driving home from the airport as if it was just a week that I was away for was so nice. Walking into my house and greeting my dog (who lost the plot by the way, he was overwhelmed with excitement!) was the best feeling ever. I also got to meet the newest addition to our family, Harry, who my Mum rescued a few weeks after I left.

I wish I could have come back more frequently. Unfortunately it is quite costly when you’re setting yourself up in a few place. I think it’s so important to come home as often as possible for the following reasons…

1 – A mental rest 

Moving to New York was the best thing I’ve ever done, but good God I think I was beginning to lose the plot over the last few weeks. The Summer was something that I have never experienced before in my life. The humidity is literally unbearable. If I could afford to escape to The Hamptons every weekend, then trust me I would! The intensity of the city is amazing, I’ve said it before how much I love it. Don’t get me wrong, I still do. But that, mixed with the type of heat that just zaps your energy, constantly sweating & never feeling clean is just a bit much when you aren’t expecting it! I also started a new job at the beginning of the May, so trying to find my feet there could have had a part to play in me feeling overwhelmed this Summer. (PS I am NOT complaining about being lucky enough to live in New York – I just hate being so sweaty ALL the time, k?)

2 – Those familiar faces

FaceTime, WhatsApp & Viber are my life savers over here. I call home every single day and have had to mute my WhatsApp group with the girls at home because it’s constantly beeping. Actually seeing and spending quality time with those people in your life is just the most important thing ever in my opinion. Also, I can’t text or call my dogs (I sometimes get my mum to put them on FaceTime though…).

3 – Because life is good here

I for one hated Dublin, and everything about Ireland when I was pining for New York. It’s so annoying that I couldn’t appreciate how good it was when I was here. I guess when you have an extremely bad case of itchy feet and are unhappy in your job, it’s very easy to completely resent everything around you. New York is definitely an incredibly fulfilling place to live and work. Opportunities work wise can come your way, that you just wouldn’t get here. And as far as the evenings and weekends go, you will never be stuck for somewhere cool to go, or somewhere new to eat. I have to say though, I really appreciate the peace and quiet in Ireland, the scenery, and most of all, the familiarity. Dublin is also such a great city for eating out, drinks, and so much more.

I’m headed back to New York in the morning. I don’t feel like I’m ready to leave home again just yet but I’ll be grand! Below is a few snaps of my time at home, and my favorite people. There’s some more on my Instagram (@niamh_osullivan) too!

Niamh x