I moved from England to study in beautiful Ireland around two-years-ago.
It was a big change for me, particularly the different accents and trying to understand what people were saying.
I've grown to love the Emerald Isle and have put together a list of seven things you'll only know if you move from England to Ireland.
1) Dublin rental market
The rental market in the capital is very tricky.
A high number of tenants combined with a lack of properties has resulted in high rents and low quality rooms being common.
Good houses can be advertised and rented out in the same day due to massive demand.
With renters frequently having to battle to find appropriate accommodation, young people are choosing to remain living at home for longer.
2) County Pride
County pride is fierce in Ireland.
Irish people love their hometowns and will fly their county colours at every opportunity.
A lot of this pride focuses in on the county teams, particularly those of hurling and gaelic football.
Players are regarded as celebrities and flags fly in windows across the nation.
It's worth brushing up on your geography just to avoid mixing counties up, which can land you in a lot of trouble.
3) Irish slang
Irish lad convinces his mam to scream into a cooking pot to 'trap the sound' in hilarious prank
Irish slang is varied, wonderful and often very confusing.
‘Craic’ is not in fact, a class A drug, ‘shifting’ is kissing and anyone can be ‘yer man’.
The basics will come relatively easily, but with so many regional variations it’s nearly impossible to know it all.
A full vocabulary of slang combined with a particularly strong accent can make someone impossible to understand.
4) Importance of spice bags
Spice-bags are the ultimate hangover cure.
An Irish favourite since its creation in early 2010s, the Asian inspired dish is a must try for anyone in Ireland.
It comprises of fried chips, shredded chicken or chicken balls, peppers, onions and various spices and sometimes contains curry sauce.
5) A pint of the black stuff
Spice bags are a new Easter Sunday favourite for Irish people
GuinnessRumours state that the closer the pub is to the brewery itself, the better it will taste.
Nonetheless, it is a drink that is savoured by locals throughout Ireland and continues to be a national favourite.
6) Pronouncing Irish names
The spelling of Irish names makes no sense if you haven’t studied the language.
Attempts to pronounce names phonetically will produce some embarrassing slip-ups.
While the most common names will eventually become familiar, alternative pronunciations will add to the confusion once again, until it becomes so great that you’ll start to doubt you’re pronouncing your own name correctly.
7) Irish people are very friendly
Irish people are very friendly.
Unlike in London, where I feel has a set of unwritten rules that seemingly ban all social interaction with strangers, Dubliners are always happy to chat.
Whether it is a passing conversation in the street or a long chat in the pub, in Ireland, there will always be someone who wants to make friends.
They are consistently kind, cheerful and entertaining, so it’s always worth striking up a conversation.
