In the evening at the library in the courtyard of Trinity College was crowded. Students disperse after class, the tourists were taking pictures of the sculpture, near the emerald field, played ball with the kids. No rush, no bustle of the capital — sitting on the bench, we wanted to become a monument, a statue, an obelisk and stay here forever. Not the fact, of course, that in this silence you can wait until retirement and not overgrown with moss. But our hero is a former citizen of Minsk Vasily — do not thinks so far. In Ireland it was five years. With more happy. And here’s why.
Choice, €4000, the “double Irish”
The history of emigration from Basil simple, like most other “pros” who made the deliberate choice. These guys will never advise him to pack his bags and switching off the light at the airport. It was just interesting to compare. They had skills and opportunities.
— In Ireland I almost five years, — begins conversation the guy. — All is banal enough. Worked in Belarus as a programmer. The firm collapsed. In Dublin several times on business trips. A little understand how they live. And then decided: why not? That is, it was not a crazy decision — to leave at random. Agreed with the Manager from Ireland about applying for a work permit. Provided his Belarusian diploma. And bought his wife a plane ticket.
To some this may seem strange: why Dublin and not London for example? Explain. London is a mess, it’s expensive and not the fact that the result (including expenses) is more profitable. In London recently moved to Dublin my friend, also a programmer. But not for money, just his wife was a fashion designer, but in Ireland the industry is not so developed. In fact, Dublin is in its scope a village, even when compared with Minsk.
In the village, however, place their offices Google, Airbnb, Amazon and other well-known office. Low tax rate (14%) and liberal legislation is Irish “chips”. Double Irish is not a double whiskey, and existed until recently legal scheme, whereby to reduce the already low tax on 2%.
— Beneficial to the country, profitable corporations. Dublin is in the top five cities in Europe for start-UPS. But I won’t say that there are a lot of Belarusian programmers. Just the opposite. Because in comparison with Minsk especially will not win. If on average, the “seniors” in Ireland you pay €70 thousand a year before tax — it works out at €50 thousand, after deduction, that is about €4000 hands a month. Yes, probably more than in Belarus, but not dramatically.
For Dublin €4000 — good money, is two times higher than the average salary in the country. Minimum wage here is quite high (€9,15 per hour), but it does not survive. Yes, Ireland is developing the “Celtic tiger” has made its jump, but unemployment still exceeds 10%. In General, there are nuances. By great hit in the 2008 crisis. Especially in the construction industry, whose representatives left in the world — who in Australia, who is in the States. And the Baltic States, Poland, on the contrary, all here. It is good, don’t need visas.
Google, nuance, citizenship
Basil confirms us heard repeatedly from his colleagues: the specificity of work in IT, a long time does not depend on the country, but from a specific company.
— I work in the office, which is developing a product for the local market. Of the features, as in Britain, a large number of loopholes to reduce their payments to the government. Open a Chupa, but work as a regular employee and taxes of the debit side expenses. Some even travel abroad manage to write off.
Yes, there’s Google and Facebook, but for me getting there is not an end in itself. On the contrary, more like mid-sized firms, which is easier to prove. A friend who worked at Google, has made herself quite interesting, saying that this is a company for “kids”. All arranged so that you were there as much as possible — eating, drinking, sleeping, playing with their toys. For young people well, and when one has a family, that’s different. In General, what matters is not the sign, but how much you get paid.
Wife is also connected with IT, in Minsk worked as a business analyst, but here in this profession is very high barrier to entry, the language must be perfect. Therefore, advised her to re in the tester. Frilansera a bit, but to find a permanent formal job she is not yet allowed. My permission does not allow this. Professionals you can, of course, to find a place where the employer will issue a permit. With little experience it can be more difficult. Six months later, will file for citizenship, another six months to consider the application. Likely to take a positive decision. And then she will be able to work. Also the work permit is given at birth if I lived here for three years. The child gets citizenship by birth.
Housing, municipal services, credit
5-6 hours in the Irish finish the work, go to restaurants for dinner, with a 9 inch in pubs to 12 to move to Nightclubs. Great life cycle! However, all this only on a local patch in the center. Basil said that he lived somewhere in these parts, but then it is a Brownian motion beginning to bore him.
— In the capital is very expensive rent. This is due to the 2008 crisis. The construction then froze. People are unable to pay the loans (and all young people live on credit), banks went bankrupt, collapsed building organization. Just the sector began to Wake up. But the demand still far exceeds supply. In an average home (mean two-storey townhouse in Dublin many in such I live) a month you need to pay €1400. You will receive three small spalenki, living room, kitchen, own yard — and it’s not in the most prestigious area. In General, expensive! Even for “it-guy”. In Ireland it is customary to live like this: a third of earnings pay for housing, another third on the associated costs, and the remainder is spent on travel, savings.
For the apartment, which was rented in the centre, paid €1100. Nice building, underground Parking. In Belarus would say elite. But to remove tired, and two years ago bought a duplex in the suburbs of Dublin. Duplex is when the house is two floors, but below us there is another apartment. Footage of my three “bedroom” about 100 “squares”.
The cost of housing is about €200 thousand 10% — first installment, €5 thousand was spent on taxes and fees for operations, and the remaining amount was given as a loan at 4% for 35 years. The monthly pay is €750. Plus €200 for electricity, water, gas. It’s winter. That is, the utility the Irishman, with an average salary goes about a tenth of the monthly income. And in summer, without heating, I get something around €100. “Kommunalka” is not much hit on the wallet. But there is a caveat: it turns out that because the Irish used to live in the cold. They and cool in summer, and in winter not very stoked — 18, a maximum of 20 degrees in the room. At first it was uncomfortable, and then used.
Even on the costs. €1500 per year — the so-called management fee and utility charges of the partnership owners. This includes the maintenance of the territory, garbage removal, home insurance. The townhouses are sometimes of such fees does not, in this case, all these costs are borne individually.
The price of accommodation also includes a place in the underground Parking. There is Parking and the neighborhood. In residential areas no problems with it, since the population density is small due to the low level of development.
Nearby are and townhouses, and “cheloveynik” a little more, and there are individual house. That is, the development of versatile, for different needs and incomes. Close to several Golf courses, shopping centre and convenient transport to the city centre — tram Luas, which is Irish and means “speed”.
— You bought your dream home?
— Probably not. But there is no such fear that if you took out a mortgage, you will be bound to all her life. If there is a sharp drop in prices on the market, sell the house and repay the Bank. Or even pass someone. It is possible to leave in small plus. Can you provide another loan. Before, at least, gave. It’s six apartments had managed to acquire under 1% (but not%)! Rent them and live it. Or wait until the prices rise and can be sold.
Holidays, pictures, life
Around Dublin a lot of cool beaches. Promenade, bars on the shore, seagulls talking, sitting on the parapet… But with Irish resorts have befallen the same story as with the British. “When the cost of low-cost flights to Spain and Portugal was comparable with in passing in a Dublin taxi, the beaches are empty”, — said Vasily.
He recently returned with his wife from the Canary Islands for two weeks gave €2000. Penny.
— Flew a normal flight the whole plane Packed with old men and grandmothers. Canaries for them — this European all-Union health resort. The flights and accommodations through Airbnb cost us €1000, the same amount spent on food and entertainment, nor in denying themselves nothing. As for Ireland, during the hottest months the water warms up here to 18 degrees. You can swim, but it is better in a wetsuit.
About little things we say in passing. Clothes? Costs the same as everywhere else in Europe. Products of high quality and very expensive. But we still compare ourselves soon.
— The meat here is much better. Cut it correctly — not a shapeless piece of work, as we have. Other products are also probably better. They were great with agriculture. But a lot of semi-finished products, to quickly put it in the oven to cook. Pictures? They usually do not look concerned wife. She knows which products are better and in what store to buy them cheaper. There are good stocks: for example, when buying for €50 receive a discount of €10 on your next purchase, when you buy €100 — €20. I think that in a month on food we spend about €400 for two people (including a couple of bottles of French wine for the weekend, and alcohol is not cheap). The same wine, which is not sick in the morning, — from €10. High excise taxes.
Basil, have a car, and here passed on the right. Here it is — happiness of the capitalist!
The pros, the cons, the nation
I can’t name very many disadvantages Ireland, — says our interlocutor. — Weather — first. The rains here are different, not as we do. It’s not the rains, and drizzle that stringy long falls from the sky. But there is no standing water, mud and slush. Snow almost never happens in the winter, but summers are cool.
Negative — what we on the island, limited transport capacity. Well, I still need a “Schengen visa” to fly to Europe. Indeed, it is.
Theatres, touring celebrities, cultural life in Dublin all this in abundance. There is a huge Russian-speaking Diaspora. There are guys who are going when you go “Hands up!”, and there are great party. On Victory Day, for example, organize a rally, then families go on nature.
Pros I felt when I arrived in Minsk in the summer. The parents ‘ apartment is in the center. And I felt difficult to breathe — in contrast with the Irish sea air. I live in a quiet place, there are great views of the hills, the silence. And how then to return back?.. I never thought of that. Yeah, maybe we’ll move to a warmer country — Spain or France, good, I know a little Spanish and French. But certainly not in Belarus.
Is a strange thing. Irishmen — their millions outside the country. And going still. And with the language they have trouble. But they are still a nation. Even at a distance. And Belarusians?.. — the person asking a rhetorical question.
— I thought about it. And it’s embarrassing sometimes to read our forums… it would Seem that Irish says even less people than in Belarus in Belarusian. Yes, the government is trying to maintain the language, but not by violent means. There are no shares against English, no negativity. And in the end, the Irish barely speak. So, the language can be just a national attribute, the uniting power, not even as relevant as a communication tool!
In General, their level of self-awareness can only admire. Maybe it’s easier for them, because they are on the island. And even despite the centuries-old influence of the British, always clearly aware of their place and role in history. Unlike us.
