I split my year between Ireland and the US. From shopping to driving, the everyday differences in my life are striking.

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Big container stores aren't really a point successful Ireland.

Ireland has immoderate department stores pinch market sections (like Dunnes), but I'm retired of luck if I want nan giant, sprawling acres of a Walmart Supercenter.

Although I spot a batch of complaints successful expat groups astir nan deficiency of one-stop shops, frankly, I for illustration it.

Wandering done American large container stores ever feels for illustration a maze to me.

Specialty groceries are besides a small harder to find.

When I'm successful Atlanta, I person dozens of section world grocers to take from. At immense spots for illustration Buford Highway Farmers Market, I tin beautiful overmuch find immoderate specialty items I need.

In Cork, we're blessed pinch immoderate awesome earthy and specialty grocers, for illustration Quay Coop and nan English Market, which person plentifulness of fresh nutrient and section products. But it's decidedly not arsenic easy to find world ingredients.

I miss nan convenience of getting a tub of gochujang, fufu, food sauce, and berbere seasoning each successful 1 place.

My Cork vicinity is much walkable.

My location successful Cork is wrong stepping region of nan metropolis center, which is useful because I don't person a car. I find it's a small pricier to person 1 successful Ireland, and nan driver's licence tests person a agelong waiting list.

In Atlanta, galore sidewalks successful my vicinity are surgery aliases conscionable missing, but successful Cork, I tin locomotion beautiful safely nan full measurement done town.

That's not existent everyplace successful Ireland, though. Just for illustration successful nan US, I'd region earlier stepping down immoderate of nan smaller state roads, particularly pinch really accelerated group thrust connected them.

The Irish healthcare strategy isn't perfect, but astatine slightest it's cheaper.

Irish healthcare — which isn't cosmopolitan for illustration galore places successful Europe — is thing I'm still learning to navigate. But overall, my scheme is cheaper.

Like successful nan US, location are often agelong waitlists for providers and sometimes frustrating delays successful receiving care.

But dissimilar nan US, if thing catastrophic happens pinch my wellness successful Ireland, I'll astir apt look pinch astatine slightest immoderate of my status savings intact.

Both places person earthy beauty — but successful different ways.

My location successful Atlanta is simply a short thrust from nan Appalachian foothills, which are afloat of ancient, beautiful forests.

In nan hills successful Ireland — which really utilized to beryllium portion of nan aforesaid upland scope millions of years agone — millennia of deforestation and grazing person near nan scenery pinch acold less trees. But it's still a stunning landscape, particularly on nan coast.

Both places person striking beauty, and I for illustration that I ever person thing different to bask nary matter wherever I am.

I transportation a overgarment pinch maine each time successful Ireland.

I've lived successful nan US South agelong capable that I get acold easy if nan somesthesia drops beneath astir 80 degrees. I'm besides utilized to stepping done humidity that makes nan aerial consciousness for illustration basking crockery for six months of nan year.

Ireland is humid, too, but nan somesthesia is consistently lower.

I thin to deterioration astatine slightest a light jacket connected each but nan warmest days, moreover successful summer. There's also, famously, tons of rain. Enjoying nan beautiful earthy views usually intends bringing my overgarment along, conscionable successful case.

The chromatic buildings successful Ireland are sturdy but cold, truthful I often find myself donning layers indoors, too.

International recreation from Europe is easier for me.

Since I'm already utilizing nan euro successful Ireland, I don't person to activity retired rate speech (or salary speech fees) erstwhile walking astir nan EU.

Plus, location are truthful galore adjacent countries connected nan continent — I tin recreation to Spain, France, and different European destinations connected short (and beautiful affordable) flights.

It tin beryllium measurement pricier to alert from Atlanta to different large cities successful nan US — and world recreation tin get really expensive.

On average, nan houses are smaller successful Cork, but I don't mind.

In my Atlanta neighborhood, group look to emotion building large houses. There are immoderate large houses successful Ireland, too, but homes person a smaller footprint overall.

In nan US, I thin to beryllium a small little intentional astir my home-decor purchases because I person much places to put things. However, successful Ireland, I person to really want thing to warrant it taking up abstraction successful my smaller house.

As of now, I benignant of for illustration nan second measurement of living.