Living Abroad

[Eamonnca1]

Eammon I presume you mean software?
Not sure why the nerds where allowed to hijack a term that encompassed so much more than their own narrow field.

Good point. I think it's because Silicon Valley has evolved from being all about computer hardware (in the days when semiconductors were actually fabricated in the valley, nowadays it's all in Taiwan), to being all about software and the web (dot-com bubble times), and now it's moving into hardware with the likes of the Internet of Things, drones, wearables, autonomous cars, electric cars and so on. "Technology" is just a nice catch-all term for any engineering that has a big computing component.

[Eamonnca1]

Problem is tho, that because the food is cheap as chips in America the most of it is pure shite. You can get decent food but its pricey same as Ireland. I like to eat well, not even necessarily "healthy" (as in according to  modern nutritionism) and find the best way to do that is eat at home.

That's not strictly true. It depends on what you eat. If you are stuffing burgers and fries, rich pasta dishes and pizza into your gob 3-4 times a week, you'll find yourself in trouble health and weight wise. I could eat great seafood & chicken dishes and great salads for very reasonable prices.

Yup, absolutely depends where you eat. I could eat out every day here and I could be more healthy or less healthy for it depending on where I go. Frankly these days I do a lot of my own cooking so at least I know what exactly's going into it. When I first landed here I was living in a motel for a month and ate an awful amount of garbage as well as the good stuff. My guts soon protested.

[Eamonnca1]

What do you miss about home the most? - Not having to repeat myself twice - ease of conversation and the shorthand we have with each other when you're brought up in the same culture

I found that fierce annoying when I got here. I'd gotten used to slowing down to make myself understood in England, but in the states I had to slow down again and change the vowel sounds just to make myself understood. I now find myself speaking in three tongues: one for when I'm talking to other Irish (full speed and accent), one for when I'm talking to yanks who know me and are used to me (bit slower), and one for total strangers (dead slow with adjusted vowels).

[Eamonnca1]

What do you love about being away? - Lifestyle. Freedom to wear what you like or take up any hobby you want without people looking at you like you're not wise.

The freedom to wear your leather hotpants or chaps while you're out shopping in San Francisco I presume

Yes, quite.

How's Beavis these days?

[omaghjoe]

What do you miss about home the most? - Not having to repeat myself twice - ease of conversation and the shorthand we have with each other when you're brought up in the same culture

I found that fierce annoying when I got here. I'd gotten used to slowing down to make myself understood in England, but in the states I had to slow down again and change the vowel sounds just to make myself understood. I now find myself speaking in three tongues: one for when I'm talking to other Irish (full speed and accent), one for when I'm talking to yanks who know me and are used to me (bit slower), and one for total strangers (dead slow with adjusted vowels).

Like a big thick Tyrone monkey I persist like a gud un with my accent. When asked to repeat something I do so in the same voice, maybe slower, if we hit a brick wall with a certain word I pronouce it in as nasally of an American accent I can muster All good craic the yanks take it well.

I dont think half the people understand word for word what I am saying but they can generally get the concept I am trying to project to them.

[omaghjoe]

Eammon I presume you mean software?
Not sure why the nerds where allowed to hijack a term that encompassed so much more than their own narrow field.

Good point. I think it's because Silicon Valley has evolved from being all about computer hardware (in the days when semiconductors were actually fabricated in the valley, nowadays it's all in Taiwan), to being all about software and the web (dot-com bubble times), and now it's moving into hardware with the likes of the Internet of Things, drones, wearables, autonomous cars, electric cars and so on. "Technology" is just a nice catch-all term for any engineering that has a big computing component.

One of my pet hates Eamonn that anything computer based is called "technology", there is other feckin technologies!!!!
Just as bad in Socal with anything movie based called "the industry", there's other feckin industries!


Arggh cringe when I hear it!
Rant over

[passedit]

A question for all you who made the big decision to live abroad.

Where did you go? LONDON

Why did you go? JOB OFFER

What profession are you involved in? THEN FINANCE NOW CIVIL ENGINEERING

What is your standard of living? COMFORTABLE

What do you miss about home the most? GUINNESS WAS SHITE WHEN I FIRST MOVED. (1988) SPOT ON NOW


What do you love about being away? PEOPLE MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS, GREATER OPPORTUNITIES


Anything else you'd like to add?
Moved back in 2003 (been commuting since) so kids could be schooled in Ireland. Once they're off our hands we'll be away again. On the language thing the worst for me was on the phone, had to slow way down and remember every other word doesn't have to be a profanity.


Sorry for all the questions....just find it fascinating