Meathwoman's Diary: Welcomed with kindness: A Japanese family’s first days in Ireland
‘Looks like we have come to a fairy tale land’, this was my first impression in our new home in the countryside of County Meath surrounded by green farms with cattle, houses with beautifully decorated colourful flowers.
With my Irish husband, we – our two children and us - started our new chapter of life here in Carnaross in May 2025. Despite a huge struggle of finding a house that took us two months, we were full of excitement and a little bit of uncertainty for our adventure ahead with no relatives and friends in the town.
Our days began like a hurricane. The children started going to school and my husband went back to work. I at home tried to figure things out, from knowing local supermarkets, meeting teachers and other parents at school, everything to start a comfortable life. Being in the eye of the storm, what made me reassured was the people in the town. They were always caring, helpful and friendly. Our neighbours never failed to surprise us with delight. They stopped their cars just to say ‘welcome to the town’, invited the children to local sports teams or festivals and even delivered a welcome card with a basket of fruit. Our landlord and his family were always there for us to solve my tiny questions (‘Where can I buy a kitchen gas tank? How do you operate the laundry machine?’). Thanks to their help, there were tiny achievements that built confidence in me day by day.
That’s when I brought a confusion to my neighbours, with bin collection. Unlike Japan, we needed to contract a bin company for regular collections (In Japan, you bring bins to designated point on collection days and the city takes all the bins). While we were still waiting for the company to deliver bin boxes, came the first collection day. Since I had learnt that bins should be placed beside road, I did so. But just bin in bags, not in boxes.
During that day, our landlord came to inform me that my bin bags were left behind as all bin bags should have been placed in the registered boxes. Even worse, one of our neighbour’s bin boxes were not taken because I put mine neatly next to theirs. (I am Japanese, of course we are taught to leave things organised. Even bins!) Oh, I could feel my face was going red with such embarrassment. (I am Japanese, of course I am supposed to follow rules!) I would have given deep bows for apologies if it was in Japan. However, our landlord solved the problem for me and soon I started chatting with more neighbours because of this story. In spite of my worries, none of them were upset, they were even willing to help me out! This whole story is one of the examples to show how Irish people are generous with a big heart.
For our family, Ireland is not just a place to live. What once felt like a fairy tale land now feels like home – a home shaped by the kindness of its people.