PR and event manager Siobhan Nolan and her husband Rob, a biomedical engineer, traded the country town of Clonmel for Puerto Rico in the Caribbean, where they live with their baby boy Michael.
So, why Puerto Rico?
Rob had an opportunity with work to relocate as an expat for a couple of years. I had just returned to work after my maternity leave and had actually just accepted a new job; a week later Rob came home and said ‘let’s move across the world!’ It must be something to do with having just left my son to go back to work, because I agreed!
Is your move permanent or temporary?
It’s temporary. Ireland will always be our home. We will be here for a few years and there’s no definite time frame at the moment. The best advice I’ve been given from people on this expat journey is to avoid making definite plans about the length of your stay.
What were your first impressions?
Puerto Rico is a pretty strange country. It’s beautiful – fantastic weather, palm trees, lovely beaches and the people are so friendly. It’s so like Ireland in lots of ways because it’s predominantly Catholic and very green. The first few weeks were difficult as we had a teething baby who was in a new environment and didn’t want to sleep but once he settled we were less zombie like! You can’t really walk too far here with the heat so a car is a necessity and it took me about six weeks to buy one with all the dodgy car salesmen!
Is safety a concern?
We live in a gated community and I feel very safe here in Dorado but I’ve read the articles about the robberies, shooting and car jackings. I think they’re mainly focused in the metro area of San Juan but its good to have your wits about you at all times, lock your car doors and never carry too much cash. We also had to get used to the thunderstorms during hurricane season.
What were you most surprised about?
The island, while not a state of the US, is heavily influenced by it and has US dollars as the currency and a lot of US stores. I imagined that it would be like living in the States but it lacks consistency. I’ve been pretty surprised at the lack of knowledge of the rules of the road –nobody knows how to use a roundabout! There’s a junction near our house and Rob calls it a Hail Mary junction. There’s four roads connecting and no one knows who has the right of way, so you say a Hail Mary and go for it. There are social differences too, such as drink driving being acceptable.
And the people?
The people are so passionate. The Spanish language and influence means that they’re extremely affectionate! The gym that I go to can be like a Spanish novella some days; I’ve seen at least one relationship between a trainer and a client play out (and angrily end) in the middle of the gym. I wasn’t sure where to look that day! In general people kiss every time they meet and I often have people in the supermarket come up and touch Michael and tell me in Spanish that he’s very cute. They love kids!
How does the cost of living compare to Ireland?
The only thing that is cheaper here is gas for your car. Every day living expenses are either on par with Ireland or more expensive. We think groceries could be up to three times more expensive; $5 for two litres of milk, $7 for a small box of mushrooms. In general fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy are ridiculously expensive.
Rent and property prices are insane. To rent a house you can expect to pay from $3,000 to $7,000 here in Sabanera. For utilities you can expect to pay between $400-$1000 a month for your electricity.
What’s the food like?
Traditional Puerto Rican food involves a lot of pork, frying and oil. I’ve been pretty cautious about meat here as it more than likely isn’t grass fed beef etc. We have been ordering our meat online at Omaha Steaks and having it shipped here in dried ice. It’s so stereotypical but when we had family visiting in October we asked them for Tayto, Cadburys and baked beans. We still drink Barry’s Tea every day and we can buy Kerrygold here in the local Costco. When we get home for Christmas I’m really looking forward to some proper fresh fruit and Irish sausages and bacon!
How do you manage childcare?
There is day care at the gym so he comes there with me every morning during the weekdays. Then he has a sitter two afternoons a week so that I can run errands or work (I’m currently freelancing doing PR and marketing). It can be hard sometimes, even though his sitter speaks English, to get the message across but we have been very lucky so far and he’s happy with the arrangement. Babysitting and childcare are cheaper here than at home, but only slightly.
What are your thoughts on the local health system?
I’ve heard that you would need a doula to help to communicate with the doctors because of the language barrier and that the midwives are more administration assistants rather than assisting with the birth process. One of the craziest things I’ve been told is that you have to pay cash during your labour for an epidural – I think its $500 – so you send your husband off to the ATM to take out cash. Talk about cash on delivery!
How does the education system compare?
Michael isn’t in school or day care yet but he will probably start school at age three. The private English speaking school, Tasis, comes very well recommended. I think it will be a great opportunity for him to mix with other kids and cultures.
What’s the best thing about living in your adopted city?
We have a beautiful house with our own pool in a very safe gated community. It has a gorgeous golf cart trail around the lake in the community and we often take Michael in the golf cart for a spin to see ducks or go to the playground. The weather is obviously much better so we get to enjoy more outdoor time. There are beautiful beaches here in Dorado but we don’t get to enjoy them because we have a little boy who loves to eat sand…
And the worst?
Being away from family and friends. It’s hard at times. I’m from a big family and our house is always full of people and busy. There are some days here where it’s just me and Michael and it’s so quiet. He loves having other kids to play with and he missed his cousins after their visit here. I feel guilty at times that he doesn’t get to spend more time with them and is stuck with his mom so much!
I had to put my career on the back burner to come here and sometimes I miss the routine of working and having a focus.
The other thing that really bothers me here is the bug and animals. Mosquitos, geckos, ants and cockroaches… I just can’t deal with them. I have to catch the geckos quickly before Michael makes friends with them. I’m very hesitant about walking in the dark in my bare feet!
Does your new city offer an improved work/life balance?
We have weekends to ourselves and we get to spend time together as a family. We usually go out as a couple on a Saturday night which is something that we rarely did in Ireland so that gives us some alone time too. Rob is working in a more challenging role here than he was in Ireland so it means that obviously he has to work more.
What’s your favourite thing to do at the weekends?
We tend to relax at the pool at the weekends and catch up on some sleep and chores. Rob spends as much time as he can with Michael as well as trying to do something for himself – like playing soccer or surf lessons. So far we have been zip lining, snorkelling, taken a helicopter ride over San Juan and because Puerto Rico is the home of Bacardi we have also taken a tour of the factory and a mixology class where we can now make the perfect mojito. An important life skill I think!
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