EER Middle East Immigration Stories: Marie O’Neill

With our reach spanning across the region’s most dynamic destinations, we see first hand the growth in demand from individuals around the world who are looking to build a new life in the Middle East. Relocation can be an exciting journey, but also a daunting one, with many stages and elements included in the immigration process. Since we are a team of expats, all of us have our own personal experience of moving abroad and so we wanted to do a series in which we share our EER Middle East immigration stories. We start (and how could we not), with one of our inspiring co-owners, Marie O’Neil.

Did you always plan on travelling when you were younger?

Seeing more of the world was certainly high on my to-do list as I reached the end of school. As much as I loved growing up in Ireland, I also wanted to explore new places. It was my mother who actually convinced me that the wisest course of action was to get my degree first (and it turned out she was right of course). Whilst studying, I did manage to spend part of my time in Germany, which only further fueled my plans. So, after I graduated, I jumped right in and flew to South Korea with a friend to teach English for a year.

What was that first experience like?

As you can imagine, it was a huge culture shock. South Korea, to a 21 year old girl from Tipperary in Ireland, was a million miles away from anything I had experienced. I have a vivid memory of driving from the airport to our accommodation on that first night and wondering if I’d made a huge mistake – a feeling not exactly curtailed by our arrival to our motel destination with its heart-shaped beds! But it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made, not only providing me with such an enriching stay in South Korea (which I ended up extending to 18 months), but it set me on a path that has taken me to some fascinating locations and enabled me to build a life I treasure.

Are there things you wish you had known before you went?

Yes (and no). I have very much learnt the value of preparation and support in the relocation and immigration process, especially when it comes to local requirements and regulations – navigating necessary visa runs to Japan was especially daunting! But there was something so empowering and memorable about my ‘baptism of fire’ at such a young age, it also set the bar so low, almost no relocation experience has been as difficult! I wouldn’t recommend it at all though – having help and expert advice is the only way to avoid getting confused or landing yourself in trouble.

Where to next?

I knew I had caught the bug now, so after only three months at home, I packed up again and headed off to Australia on a one year working visa. I ended up staying much longer and had even been sponsored by my company to start the permanent resident immigration process when I had to head home for a wedding and I included a short visit to Dubai…..

Oh really?

I had only been here a few days when I got talking to a recruiter (at a brunch😉) and suddenly I was looking at a whole different future. The rest, as they say, is history. Within a few years I was on the Senior Leadership team at EER Middle East, I’d met my husband and my two little ones weren’t far behind.

How has your immigration story impacted the way you look at relocation?

There is always such intrinsic value in having experienced something yourself personally. As a company of expats, we have a deep understanding of what our clients and assignees go through, which enables us to advise them more effectively and foresee what challenges they might face. I particularly remember how overwhelming it can be to move to somewhere so different from where you grew up, so I wanted to make sure we are always ready to support that settling in process with tips and guidance on culture and lifestyle.

What do you think is one of the most surprising aspects to relocation?

It is probably just how much is involved. Moving, especially with a family, has so many moving parts and there is so much more to consider and take care of than people might realise. From shipping to documentation, school searches to opening a bank account! To do it without trusted help would be almost impossible and certainly extremely stressful – which is why we are so glad we can provide that service and ensure people have an easier time and can get comfortable in their new home a lot faster.

If you had to relocate to a new place tomorrow, where would you go?

That is a hard one, I really do love our life here in Dubai. I suppose given how much I love the outdoors, somewhere like Switzerland would be a great place to call home for a bit – hiking with the kids in the mountains would be a real treat!

Make sure to stay tuned to our socials for the next installment in our EER Middle East immigration stories!

If you have any questions about our relocation, immigration or corporate services, please get in touch with our expert team on info@eerme.com or +971 4 421 1819.