Tag Archives: Apartment

Jan2

General views around Newmarket Yards – my new home in Dublin!

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September, 2024

I moved into Newmarket Yards in mid-August, after a rather frantic two weeks of apartment searching.  My various belongings arrived a week or so afterward, and an IKEA trip later saw me with a basically completely set up apartment.

Strangely, I didn’t put up any of my photos from Oregon… I still haven’t, as of when I wrote this post around the end of the year.  It doesn’t feel right, to me – This is a break from my past, and an opportunity to appreciate that past while moving on to my future.  I adore the photos I took, and the memories and awe they inspire, but it feels right to let them stay in storage, as memories of a past that I appreciate but have moved on from.

That’s a bit of a diversion from the point of the post, but it’s worth mentioning.  With that stewing in your minds, dear readers, please enjoy these snippets of life in my new apartment.

Oct6

My new apartment in Dublin

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Friday – August 16th, 2024


I’ve found my home in Dublin!


It was an odyssey, to be sure. But let me start back from the beginning…

The Dublin housing market is challenging – that’s the first thing anyone will tell you when you ask about living in Dublin. It’s a constant refrain, with a background as complicated and varied as the options for apartments. From historic issues, to modern politics, to banking issues and even American Prohibition… all leading to apartments and houses that range from beautiful small renovated cottages to soaring skyscrapers with American burger joints in the basement.

I’d been in touch with a relocation company since March, making sure that I would be able to find something in the two weeks that I had a short-term rental for. Back in Brussels, we’d made a short list for placed to see, and we systematically visited as many of them as possible in the first week and a half.

Every place I saw had some compromise – A beautiful modern build was in a location that felt more like LA than Dublin, a gorgeous cottage had a kitchen the size of a thumbtack, an amazing home by the sea was a 45min commute to class… there was always some fairly major issue to overcome. I mean, heck, one place didn’t even have a freezer!

Finally, though, I was able to find a place that worked. The compromise was on price, but thankfully it wasn’t so far out of my original range that it would infringe on my living expenses… and, even better, it had a whole slew of helpful amenities that would help (hopefully) save a few bucks in the long run.


I signed the lease, and moved in.

Here’s a toast! To having a firm home in Europe!

May12

The process of leaving – Part 9

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April, 2024

Closing out the store is almost like a ritual. Shut off the lights, shut down the equipment, sweep the floors and clean the counters, and lock the doors.

Closing out my apartment was a bit less of a ritual, but it felt a bit more somber.


I took it slow and steady, as I’ve done with pretty much everything else in preparation for this trip. I packed my things. I cleaned as I went. The international movers came, and took my most important things with them. My friend and I rented a uHaul, and took everything that I was going to sell out from the apartment. I brought the remaining middle-ground things to the storage unit. Lastly, the disposal folks came by and we threw out everything remaining.

I went through each utility, line by line. I called, cancelled, and told them that I was moving internationally and wouldn’t be able to transfer service. It went smoothly, and kept me busy enough that (for the most part) I was able to focus on the tasks at hand.

It was emotional in between the tasks.

I’ve mentioned, but seeing my home turn into a generic apartment was really tough on me. The photos coming down was the hardest part, and lasted the longest, but that didn’t mean the rest were any easier. I rode the emotions as best I could, keeping my to-do list in mind and making sure to grind through it as best I could… while liberally reaching out to friends and family when I started to sink into deep sadness.

Friends and family helped a lot – when going through emotionally tumultuous times, I absolutely reach out to the life rafts around me.

What else to say about this?

I cancelled the utilities one by one. I worked with the apartment management company to ensure everything went smoothly, thanking everyone profusely for the amazing home they’d helped me maintain for these 3 years and 11 months. I was friendly and grateful, and in turn they helped me make sure everything went smoothly… and even helped me ensure I didn’t get caught in a few common traps that they knew people oft-times would.

I’m sure I missed one or two things, but I’m cautiously optimistic that they won’t be too challenging to fix on the road. Time will tell, but I can cleanly say that I felt a strong wave of closure and loss when I locked that door and gave away the key for the last time… but that sadness was strongly flavored with optimism and hope for the next grand adventure.