Working, Living & Travelling In Ireland

Author: Katleen Bonjean

  • Lost in Dutch Translation : Clocks and bells

    Lost in Dutch Translation : Clocks and bells

    Hi all,

    A few days ago I published a post about an interesting Easter fact in Belgium. The article referred to flying Easter Clocks, and I remember whilst writing the post, I hesitated a few times whether I needed to use the word clock or use the word bell. It looks like it is a case of lost in translation! Just to elaborate, in case you didn’t read the article, in Belgium it is the bells that hang in the clock tower of a church that carry the Easter Eggs they picked up in Rome and then drop them in Belgium.

    It was one of my Belgian friends on Facebook that asked me if I meant to write bells instead of clocks . I checked the word of Clocktower ( a tower that has clocks and bells. He  came back with the word belltower, ie a tower that has bells, but no clocks. I then realized I made a mistake.

    Now why would I use the word clock instead of bell?

    To translate the word clock into Dutch, it’s horloge or uurwerk ( hourwork being a very literal translation), To translate the English word bell into Dutch is…. klok. (It’s not entirely consistent, as  a doorbell is not called a deurklok, it is called a deurbel.  So it  looks like we have a  great example of a homonym, meaning a word that sounds the same, but have a very different meaning.

    I am a very visual thinker, so for me the word “clock” ( not knowing in what language you are talking to me), I will think about :

    Example of a bell

    Ask an English speaker what they associate with clock, and you will probably see this :

    Image of a clock

    So instead of Easter-bunny-brings-eggs-or-is-it-the-Easter-clocks, it should have read

    Easter Bunny brings eggs, or is it the flying Easter bells?

    Below image shows you how the bells get wings, so they can fly to Rome and back.

    Flying Bells containing Easter Eggs

    I know, it’s wicked!!

     

     

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  • Easter Bunny brings eggs, or is it the Easter Clocks?

    Easter Bunny brings eggs, or is it the Easter Clocks?

    Hello all,

    Happy Easter to all my readers! Easter is celebrated around Ireland this weekend! The kids have been off school for a week now, and have another week to go! Typically you can participate in an Easter Egg Hunt ( I recommend the one at Kylemore Abbey), where rabbits hide Easter eggs in the garden or around the house. Wikipedia gives you a thorough overview of the origins and history of Easter. It also touches on the tradition of chocolate eggs, and how the Easter Bunny brings the eggs or is the Easter Clocks??

    Click here to join my Gort Cycle Trails Group on Facebook, or find out more on my new website www.gortcycletrails.com

     

     

    Easter eggs in Belgium, where do they come from?

    As I am from Belgium, I grew up with a very different tradition. It was only when I moved to Ireland, I came to realize that my Easter Eggs came from a very different source… Can you guess??

    Well, my Easter Eggs came from flying church clocks ! What ??? If you didn’t grow up with this, this sounds mad, but to me ( and any other Belgian native) this is very normal. Who said Belgians were boring!!

    So the story goes that on holy Thursday eve ( Maundy Thursday, in Belgium it’s called White Thursday- the day Christ had his last supper – okay, I had to Google this ), the church clocks./bells ( see image above) don’t chime  until Easter, as the church bells are en route to pick up Easter Eggs in Rome. Once they are loaded up, they fly back to Belgium, drop the eggs ( packaged if it’s wet !) in gardens  all over Belgium ( or inside if you don’t have a garden). Once they have done their job, the church bells start chiming again.

    As a child at school, I would colour Church bells, decorate eggs, and be slightly afraid to walk outside, as you might just get hit by an Easter egg!

    Easter Clocks flying back to Belgium

    Unlike the Easter eggs in Ireland, they don’t tend to be packaged, they are loose ( or smaller ones foil wrapped), and you’d have dark chocolate, white chocolate and milk chocolate eggs.. My favourite was always the white chocolate eggs filled with chocolate pralines in them.. yummie… Not to deprive you from any of these, Amazon will gladly send you out these goodies. If you click on them, and were to decide to order them, I get a very small fee.




    If you haven’t got your Easter eggs by now, you are not entirely out of luck, as if there are any left after tomorrow( when all shops are closed) you might get your hands on some heavily discounted ones..

    Enjoy!

    Katleen

     

     

     

     

     

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  • Do you know “The” Galway Girl song?

    Do you know “The” Galway Girl song?

    Galway Girl Song

    I have been meaning to write about this for a good while, and as I heard that Ed Sheeran might be in town( ie Galway  city) I thought I’d give you a  bit of a rundown of this story. ( More about  the link with Ed Sheeran  in a minute).

    So it all started with this song, written by Steve Earl (2002), an American visiting Galway. The song has a simple storyline in which the singer meets a girl while walking in Galway. They have a brief liaison but she leaves him “with a broken heart and a ticket home”. Below are the lyrics. It’s a very popular song, and you’ll regularly hear it on the radio and of course in the pub:)

    Lyrics Song

    Well, I took a stroll on the old long walk
    Of a day -I-ay-I-ay
    I met a little girl and we stopped to talk
    Of a fine soft day -I-ay-I-ay
    And I ask you, friend, what’s a fella to do
    Cause her hair was black and her eyes were blue
    And I knew right then I’d be takin’ a whirl
    ‘Round the Salthill Prom with a Galway girl

    We were halfway there when the rain came down
    Of a day -I-ay-I-ay
    And she asked me up to her flat downtown
    Of a fine soft day -I-ay-I-ay
    And I ask you, friend, what’s a fella to do
    Cause her hair was black and her eyes were blue
    So I took her hand and I gave her a twirl
    And I lost my heart to a Galway girl
    When I woke up I was all alone
    With a broken heart and a ticket home
    And I ask you now, tell me what would you do
    If her hair was black and her eyes were blue
    I’ve traveled around I’ve been all over this world
    Boys I ain’t never seen nothin’ like a Galway girl

    The next version is the (until now) most popular version :

    There is  a version of this song I really enjoy, it is sang by the Thai Tims.

    Earlier this year in March , Ed Sheeran released his version of Galway Girl, and he nearly broke Spotify,as it became the most streamed album in the first week of release.

    Apparently Ed Sheeran is in town today to film for his new album, I wonder who will feature in it.. I wonder if these girls succeed to get his attention!

    If you are one of the lucky people to meet him, enjoy his company,

    Cheers,

    Katleen

     

     

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  • The National Broadband Plan(NBP)in Ireland

    The National Broadband Plan(NBP)in Ireland

    Broadband in Ireland

    As I am awaiting on  some of the small business interviews to be completed, I  thought I’d write a blog post on broadband in Ireland. In case you are reading this from afar, broadband is alive and well in Ireland, however the access to it and speed can be questionnable at times, as it all depends where you live, and specifically how far you are from the exchange.

    A bit of history about Broadband in Ireland

    As I was Googling about a telephone exchange, I came across information on the “first” Telephone exchange in Ireland, in an article( or maybe it’s book) called The Growth and Development of the Irish Telephone System* By A. J. LITTON, B E , B.Sc, M.I.E.E. (Read before the Society on December 15th, 1961) and thought it would be quite fitting to add this to the blog post. We have come a long way since:)

    Early development in Ireland The first telephone exchange in Ireland was opened in 1880 by the United Telephone Company on the top floor of Commercial Buildings in Dame Street with five subscribers. Initially a boy was employed to operate the switchboard, but finding time hanging on his hands, he adjourned to the court yard to play marbles, which led to his dismissal A lady operator, Miss Agnes Duggan, was then employed, and in July 1881 the staff consisted of a manager, three clerks, the lady operator and a handyman who served as fitter, electricians and linesman, he had as helper a boy who carried all the tools in a straw basket on his back The subscribers had grown to about 20 at this time, and as may be imagined, the switchboards were extremely primitive, subscribers were not 82 answered immediately when they called but had to wait patiently till the operator rang them back to ask their requirements. Continuous service was not thought of, the normal hours being from 9 a.m. to midnight.

    The National Broadband Plan ( NBP)

    ​I have heard about the National Broadband Plan (NBP), it  was published in August 2012. This is a Government wide initiative to deliver high speed broadband services (minimum speed of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload) to all businesses and households in Ireland. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by the telecommunications sector and a State Intervention in those areas where commercial providers acting alone will not provide this essential service. It seems there is movement in this area now, as I spotted an update on Ciaran Cannon’s Facebook page

    Additional roll out High speed broadband Galway

    There was a discussion about the type that would be made available, so I had to dig a bit deeper in the terminology of Copper, Fibre , cabinet and premises!

    Fibre Broadband

    Fibre cable and copper Cable

    There are two ways, first one involves a fibre cable and a copper cable, but the fastest one is where it’s only fibre cable, giving you the fastest broadband. Below info and images were found on the website of http://www.thinkbroadband.com/guide/fibre-broadband.html

    Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC)

    Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) involves running fibre optic cables from the telephone exchange or distribution point to the street cabinets which then connect to a standard phone line to provide broadband.This is combined with a copper cable from the cabinet to the home or business which uses VDSL or similar technology that can deliver much faster speeds over shorter distances.

    FTTC Architecture

    Fibre to the home (FTTH)

    Fibre to the home / premises (FTTH or FTTP) Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP), also often referred to as Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) provides and end-to-end fibre optic connection the full distance from the exchange to the building and can deliver faster speeds than FTTC as there is no copper leg at all.

    FTTH Architecture

    Both images came from https://www.thinkbroadband.com/guides/fibre-fttc-ftth-broadband-guide

    What about broadband in South Galway?

    As I mentioned, I am located in South Galway, and to get internet access( apart from dial up) and wireless modem access, none of the Telecom companies service us, so it’s thanks to local operators such as Airwire and more recently Lightnet, we are having the privilege of internet access. We have been a long term  ( 10+ years client) of of Airwire, and I am extremely grateful they are around.  Airwire is running an ethernet switched core on top of MPLS. This allows for very low latency and we can offer hosted MPLS anywhere within the core network. We have dedicated base station gear to offer hosted MPLS to customers. The transport media for the network is fibre or fixed wireless. On top of that we run a dual-stacked IPv4/IPv6 network. Our topology allows that we can scale the network to deliver any amount of bandwidth if requested by the customer. We have already started to deliver native IPv6 to customers by default, so if they have switched it on (Linux, current versions of Windows and Mac OS X would have by default) and don’t have an incapable router between our CPE and their PC, they would actually be using it already. Practically this means we have an aerial on our roof connected to a router to give us access to signal. Apart from the annual storms in this area, we have reliable internet access!

    As some of you may remember, I used to run a business from home, followed by a 5 year stint working from home. Thanks to their services,opportunities opened up, I was able to set up a business from home, connect with customers and clients worldwide, something I could have not achieved without access to the internet. The opportunities are real if you have access to the internet!

    National Broadband Plan and your Eircode

    The National Broadband scheme uses your postal code to identify in which zone you are. For those visiting from abroad, postal codes are still quite new( and probably also a bit controversial) as we simply haven’t had them( at least not in the West). Every household has been given one now, or you can “claim” yours. To “find” yours, go to Eircode. Once you have figured out your postal code, enter it on the Interactive Map .

    There are 3 areas:

    • AMBER areas – which are the target areas for the State Intervention of the National Broadband Plan. The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce has identified measures in the short term to improve broadband connectivity including in the Amber areas and work is underway to implement these measures.
    • BLUE areas – where commercial operators are delivering or have indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services. Operators are continuing to enhance their services in these areas to improve access to high-speed broadband and to increase speeds to meet consumer demand and customer requirements.   Please contact us at Broadband@DCCAE.gov.ie to let us know if you cannot get High-Speed Broadband from the providers in your area.
    • LIGHT BLUE areas – new areas where commercial operators have committed to concrete plans to deliver high-speed broadband in rural areas. The commercial rollout to these areas is primarily Fibre to the Home (FTTH). By 2018, all homes and businesses in these Light Blue areas can expect a significant improvement to their broadband services.

    So if you are in the blue area or the light blue area, you are ( pretty) close to getting access to high-speed broadband. If you are in the amber zone( which we are with 38 others in our townland) you’ll need to exercise more patience, but, rest assured that by 2020, we’ll have access to the high fibre access… plenty of time to buy a shovel to dig a channel from the kerb to your house 🙂 Check these out in case you are looking for a shovel( affiliate link)

    There is a FAQ that answers some of the questions, as the map has changed, why it has changed etc. For  Galway, check out this PDF, it lists each townland, in case you can’t quite find or remember your postal code. You’ll also notice that some townlands have a mixed area, meaning that some will have access much faster than other!

    Update National BroadPlan 2021

    Time has flown, and we are now July 2021 and there have been a few delays, Covid-19 still around, a fourth waving looming.  A lot of bad news, however.. some good news too.. I recently received an email that by latest March 2022, our house will have Fibre Optic Broadband. Hurray!

    Fibre Broadband by March 2022

    Sign up here to find out when your house (hopefully) will get connected to Fibre BroadBand.

    Katleen

     

     

     

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  • Small Business Interview – Galway’s community Bicycle Shop An Mheitheal Rothar

    Small Business Interview – Galway’s community Bicycle Shop An Mheitheal Rothar

    Hello Readers,

    Time for a new interview! If you are new to my blog, I have been interviewing small businesses in the West of Ireland since 2016. Check out all the interviews I have done to date. The last interview I did was with Temple Cafe and excited the present my newest interview with Edwin Meppelink. This interview is slightly different, as it is with a volunteer at a not-for -profit organisation.

    So how does this interview work, and how can you get interviewed?

    I have learned that people aren’t responding to email anymore, and have gotten most of my completed questionnaires via Facebook or Twitter. The interview exists out of a number of questions that are stored in the cloud via Google docs.  I then send a link , the interviewee clicks on the link, enters the answers to the questions and the beauty is there is no need to send documents over email. I love it! I then review the questions, ask for clarifications if needed, and then publish. So if you are up for a close-up 🙂 of your business/startup in the West of Ireland, please drop me an email here or connect me with on my Workinglivingtravellinginireland Facebook Page or Twitter. I do read my email! And remember, the more you put in, the more you get out of it. Please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!

    I found this picture on their Facebook Page, I loved the vibes !

    volunteers
    Volunteers having fun at An Mheitheal Rothar Galway City

    Tell us a bit about yourself & where you are located in the West of Ireland.

    My name is Edwin Meppelink. I am from Zutphen in the Netherland but I am living in Ireland for the last 11 years. First in Quin Co. Clare and for the last 4 years in Oranmore Co.Galway. 

    Can you provide me with a description of your business?

    There are different elements. We have the workshop where people can come and fix their bicycle with the guidance of volunteer mechanics. We do Service & repairs where people can leave their bikes and we fix them for a reasonable price and we provide training in bike maintenance and on school we teach cycle skills.

    How long have you been involved with this organisation?

    I joined in Jan 2016 but AMR officially exist since June 2013.Since Jan 2016 I help out as a volunteer at An Mheitheal Rothar. The Galway community bicycle workshop. I am doing this to help people and because bicycles are my passion. Below you find a link that tells the story of An Mheitheal Rothar. https://bikeworkshops.ie/our-story/

    Is this your full time job, a hobby or a bit of both?

    AMR is fully run by volunteers but some are there full time. For me, it’s a hobby.  

    How did you get the background and skills necessary to run this type of business?

    Yes I have a full City and Guild bicycle maintenance certification. At the workshop, we have 3 others who did the same certification. We are the only official certified mechanics in the whole of Connacht!!

    How do the social, economic, environmental, technological, legal and political environments impact your business?

    Every single one has an impact. The social aspect is that we work with many volunteers. We are not focused on profit but on the environmental and social aspects. Legally we need to make sure we are covered in case of accidents etc. Political as we work together with the county council (every year we open the Galway bike week in association with the council)

    Do you know who your competitors are?

    Yes, all of them are the Commercial bike shops in and around Galway.

    How do you market your business? How are people aware of your business? Where can people find you?

    Website https://bikeworkshops.ie/

    Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AnMheithealRothar/?fref=ts
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/MheithealRothar

    Where do you see your business in the next year? In the next five years? The next ten years?

    It’s difficult to say as we work on a volunteer basis but we are looking at plans to split some parts and start the repairs on a more commercial basis.

    Do you plan to compete in the global market place? If yes, how? If no, why not?

    No we are a local business and the focus will stay on that.

    How has technology, such as computers and the internet, impacted on how you conduct business?

    No

    What do you love about the area you live in/do business in?

    I think of all the region in Ireland, Galway is still the best.

    Whom do you seek advice from for your business/ do you meet up with other business owners? If so, where?

    We are in close contact with Marty Manering and Paul Ryan from highnelly bicyles www.highnelly.ie

    Can you describe your customers?

    Our customer are mainly students but more and more we see people coming in that like to learn more about how to maintain their bikes.

    Why do your customers select you over your competitors?

    We are cheap! We don’t charge per hour (only on donation). We use second hand parts (which are for free) and new parts are very low in prices.

    What are the biggest challenges for running this business?

    As it’s all on a volunteer basis it’s hard to get commitment and to look for growth.

    What keeps you going, when the chips are down?

    The social aspect and the passion for bikes.

    Do you support local charities? If so which is your favourite charity and why?

    No charities but we do support schools with a bicycle skills training

    Any special things planned for 2017?

    In June we do the opening again of the Galway bike week (last year at Spanish arch )https://www.facebook.com/pg/AnMheithealRothar/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1090430394361197 )

    Any tips for someone who is thinking of starting their own business?

    Have fun and believe in what you do….

    What did you learn from this interview?

    That we do a great job 🙂

    Just a quick reminder, please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!  If you would like to be next, please drop me an email to katleen@workinglivingtravellinginireland.com and I’ll be in touch.

    Connect with me on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook!

    Thanks for reading & sharing!

    Katleen

     

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  • Galway Job Expo – job opportunities in the West of Ireland

    Galway Job Expo – job opportunities in the West of Ireland

    Hi all,

    This weekend came around very quickly, and after Alexander’s Soccer training in Oranmore, we jumped on the train in Oranmore  to call over to the Radisson Hotel in Galway to have a look at  the jobexpo. I have been experimenting with Facebook Live( ie live broadcasting) and tried to start a Facebook Live session on our way to the Radisson but the reception wasn’t strong enough. So the first video was recorded off line.

    [fbvideo link=”https://www.facebook.com/workinglivingtravellinginireland/videos/1270743279708645/” width=”500″ height=”400″ onlyvideo=”1″]

    Just to give you a very brief background to Galway jobs & myself.  When I arrived in Galway late 1990’s, there were a few American multi-nationals in the hardware/PC industry manufacturing business and related accessories such as American Power Conversion, Digital, Nortel and a few medical device companies, Boston Scientific being the biggest player in that market. Galway was rocked when in 1993, the Digital plant that employed 700 peoples ceased production. More info on this website. Many of the highly educated, creative individuals started their own businesses in the Galway area ( and many more becoming taxi drivers 🙂 , but also lead to many people emigrating in search of a job. Fast  forward 20 years, and Galway is home to a large amount of Medical device companies as pictured in below map, more info here.

    In one of my previous posts about the start-up scene in Galway, there are a number of recent arrivals of software companies in the City Centre. Companies like SmartBear, Heat Software, Metlife, Ipswich, Altocloud, Siteminder and Mathworks but to name a few. Most of them were present at the recruitment fare.. Metlife particularly has ambitious recruitment plans. They currently have about 45 people in a temporary office space, but are due to move into a completely renovated, state of the art new office space right beside the Library on Augustine’s street in the City Centre. Galway is becoming the new Silicon Valley and there  are opportunities to make Galway your home (again).

    This is the second video I took using Facebook live, and visited the SmartBear stand. If you are interested in any of the positions, drop me an email with your CV.

    [fbvideo link=”https://www.facebook.com/workinglivingtravellinginireland/videos/1270423206407319/” width=”500″ height=”400″ onlyvideo=”1″]

    I didn’t get to go to each stand as it was very packed, but managed to take a few pictures of the vacancies that were advertised on their stands.

    Zeltiq vacancies

    Ashford Castle, Cong

    Phone Watch Jobs

    Transitions Optical Tuam jobs

    Check out their blog for more info on the event, or view/listen to a few interviews that were done on the day. Also check out Lookwest– The online guide to Business, Work and Life in the West of Ireland   and Obair, a local Employment Service Network (LESN) provides a free information, guidance and support service to people who are unemployed in Galway City and in receipt of a payment from the Department of Social Protection (DSP).

    Follow my Facebook Page with regular updates on what’s happening on the employment scene in Galway and beyond.

    Hope you have found the above to be helpful!

    Cheers,

    Katleen

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  • Small Business Interview with Chrysalis Holistic Health and Arts – West of Ireland

    Small Business Interview with Chrysalis Holistic Health and Arts – West of Ireland

    Hello readers,

    New Year, new start to interviewing small business in the West of Ireland. It started with a new year’s resolution in 2015, and I think I’ll just continue running with it as I am really enjoying it. My last interview in 2016 was with Rose Barrett from Foliodigital in Athenry and today I am delighted to share the very interesting story of Chrysalis Holistic health and arts by Cindy Lund, based in Ardrahan, Co. Galway. I briefly met Cindy at the Labane family day, and as soon as we got talking, I wanted to learn more about her journey! Enjoy! Interested to read the interviews from 2016? Check out my first post of 2017 🙂

    So how does this interview work, and how can you get interviewed?

    I have learned that people aren’t responding to email anymore, and have gotten most of my completed questionnaires via Facebook or Twitter. The interview exists out of a number of questions that are stored in the cloud via Google docs.  I then send a link , the interviewee clicks on the link, enters the answers to the questions and the beauty is there is no need to send documents over email. I love it! I then review the questions, ask for clarifications if needed, and then publish. So if you are up for a close-up 🙂 of your business/startup in the West of Ireland, please drop me an email here or connect me with on my Workinglivingtravellinginireland Facebook Page or Twitter. I do read my email! And remember, the more you put in, the more you get out of it. Please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!

    Tell us a bit about yourself & where you are located in the West of Ireland.

    My name is Cindy Lund. I am an artist and homeopath, originally from Rosscarbery in West Cork and have come to Galway via London, Dublin, Bantry and Italy respectively! My family and I moved here in 2009 after spending two years in the south of Italy and despite the obvious shock of the weather (which I will always struggle with!) we have settled in beautifully and consider it home. The road to my current occupation has been full of twists and turns and was not what I had envisaged as a fresh-faced 17-year-old leaving school with all the points to study zoology in Trinity college. This had been my dream for many years, having always loved the world of nature. I knew the names of almost all the plants, birds and animals in our area, thanks to an inspiring teacher called Sister Joseph who used to take us on regular nature walks in Primary School. My love of nature was equaled by a love of books and art. As a child I was either reading or painting – I would copy pictures of birds from one of my many bird books. I guess I was a bit of a nerd really! Art was never considered a valid career option (the ones suggested by my careers guidance teacher were: secretary, nurse, teacher or occupational therapist as far as I can remember). During a gap year in which I spent a term in art college in London,I realized that my heart lay in a more creative environment than what I saw as the somewhat clinical  laboratory. Much to my parents’ credit and perhaps due to having had a large proportion of family members in similarly precarious careers like acting, they supported my decision to study art. It was actually at the tender age of 26 that I finally obtained my degree (in ceramics, at NCAD) having taken yet another detour via Trinity college for a year (not science this time but Ancient history/ Archaeology and English). What can I say – so many interesting things to learn and so little time….! After college I worked in Dublin for 7 years as a decorative artist and muralist which I thoroughly enjoyed. I even did some work in Padraig Harrington’s (famous golfer just in case you weren’t familiar) swing room at his home and in Michael O’ Leary’s (Ryanair’s CEO) private swimming pool. I met my husband while painting murals in an Irish pub in Tuscany and we moved back to West Cork and started a family. During this time I began painting for myself and exhibited in the Mill Cove Gallery in Castletownbere. It was also at this time that my interest in homeopathy was rekindled, when I was looking for safe and effective treatment for myself and my children. I trained at the Irish School of Homeopathy and graduated in 2014.

    Can you provide me with a description of your business?

    My goal is to improve people’s health and well-being through holistic healing practices such as homeopathy and through encouraging creativity. I have a premises in Ardrahan with a large studio where I run art classes and workshops and a therapy room where I see my homeopathy clients.

    How long have you been in business?

    I have worked as an artist and art teacher for 25 years and as a homeopath for 2 years. Last year I and another homeopath set up Chrysalis Holistic Health and Arts.

    In this business? Two years

    In other businesses? 25 years as an artist

    How did you get started in this business?

    I was first introduced to homeopathy when it cured a terrible bout of hay fever as a teenager. Throughout my life, I had often used either homeopathy or Chinese medicine for health issues and when my children were small I started learning more about homeopathy in order to help them and my husband with minor issues. I found it incredibly effective and one day, as I sat working out a remedy for my husband who was laid up with the flu, he suggested that I think about studying it. I had been looking for a career change and had also considered studying psychotherapy, art therapy or acupuncture. Suddenly it all clicked into place. I applied to the Irish school of Homeopathy and spent the next four years studying to become a professional homeopath. It was exactly what I was looking for, combining almost all the things I was interested in – science, art, healing and psychology among other things! What I love about it is that it combines my analytical skills and my intuitive skills, left brain and right brain.

    Is this your full-time job, a hobby or a bit of both?

    At the moment I work part-time as my kids are still at school and I like to be at home when they get back from school. The more independent they get the more I intend to spend at work. It is not just work, or a hobby, it is who I am and I am passionate about it.

    How did you get the background and skills necessary to run this type of business?

    I have always been self-employed and have learned the hard way about running my own business. It’s tough – you have to do the marketing, the advertising, the admin, the accounting as well as the work itself.

    How do the social, economic, environmental, technological, legal and political environments impact your business?

    The prevailing values in society are somewhat antithetical to what I do I often feel. People don’t value creativity as much as they should. Everyone is rushing around at a frantic pace trying to make money, buy a house, be successful. Most women I know are constantly doing ten things at once. We have forgotten to listen to what we really need. We have forgotten to listen to our bodies, seeing them as unreliable and often faulty machines which get a quick fix when they don’t let us continue rushing around. Luckily there are lots of people who come to realize that being creative and using alternative medicine are two things that can have a massive impact on their health and wellbeing.

    Do you know who your competitors are?

    There are many artist and homeopaths in this area. This is good in many ways because it has created an awareness and appreciation amongst the general public of these things. I would rather call them colleagues than competitors! We all have the same goal at the end of the day.

    How do you market your business?

    Most of my homeopathy clients come as recommendations from other clients. It is quite difficult to market this type of business. People like to have a recommendation, or to know you in some way. It is similar with the art classes but I do put up posters and have a separate facebook page for that.

    How are people aware of your business?

    Word of mouth seems to be the most effective at the moment. I enjoy writing and try to put regular informative posts on my facebook page and on the website.

    Where can people find you?

    Website: http://www.chrysalishealing.me

    Facebook: Cindy Lund homeopathy and energy healing, chrysalis holistic health, Chrysalis art room.

    Where do you see your business in the next year? In the next five years? The next ten years?

    When my son goes to secondary school in September 2017 I will have more time to devote to work. I hope my homeopathy practice will have grown. I am considering opening another clinic in another area of Galway maybe one day a week. I would love to develop more workshops and classes in the area of art and health as I feel it is a much undervalued healing practice.

    Do you plan to compete in the global market place? If yes, how? If no, why not?

    I do treat people homeopathically over the phone both nationally and internationally. I also do something called Akashic readings which can also be done over the phone. These are intuitive readings which can tap into valuable information about the patterns in your life which may be negatively affecting you in various areas such as relationships, health, work etc. They come from a type of energetic ‘database’ which has a record of all your experiences from both this life and past lives. I have found them very useful myself when I am having difficulties and can’t figure out what is going on or how to deal with it!

    How has technology, such as computers and the internet, impacted on how you conduct business?

    In some ways it has been beneficial in getting the word out about what I do. I still find however that both with the homeopathy and art classes/workshops it is largely word of mouth and recommendations that bring clients.

    What do you love about the area you live in/do business in?

    As soon as I moved to the south Galway area I felt at home. It is a very creative area and full of homeopaths because there used to be a school here. I have met many like-minded people and find an openness here which is lovely.

    Whom do you seek advice from for your business/ do you meet up with other business owners? If so, where?

    I meet with other homeopaths and alternative practitioners on a regular basis and we often support each other with ideas and encouragement.

    Can you describe your customers?

    A varied mix of ages from babies to the elderly come for homeopathy. Some are new to it, some have used it for many years. They are all looking for solutions to health problems in a new way which is perhaps safer than conventional medication. Some have chronic conditions either physical and mental for which there is no ‘cure’ in conventional medicine or where the side effects of medication are too severe.

    My art classes attract women mostly who are looking to connect with their creativity often after many years of putting it on the back burner. I also give guidance and instruction to teenagers, often helping them with either junior or leaving cert exams.

    Why do your customers select you over your competitors?

    Like my colleagues, I have a particular ‘style’ both in homeopathic practice and the art classes and I suppose it suits those who choose to come to me rather than someone else.

    What are the biggest challenges for running this business?

    Juggling being a mother/wife and work is the hardest thing for me.

    What keeps you going, when the chips are down?

    Thinking of the people I have helped and seeing the value they get from what I do. Also encouragement from my husband and my fellow homeopaths and artists.

    Do you support local charities? If so which is your favourite charity and why?

    The Galway Rape Crisis centre – I am passionate about helping people who have been affected by sexual violence.

    Any special things planned for 2017?

    Doing a post grad in homeopathy.

    Any tips for someone who is thinking of starting their own business?

    Make sure you love what you do.

    What did you learn from this interview?

    I really love what I do even though it can be challenging!

    Please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!  If you would like to be next, please drop me an email to katleen@workinglivingtravellinginireland.com and I’ll be in touch.

    Connect with me on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook!

    Thanks for reading & sharing!

    Katleen

     

     

     

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  • From Digital Nomad to Galway City Slicker

    From Digital Nomad to Galway City Slicker

    Hello all,

    This was going to be my last post for 2016, but with Christmas and New Year travel, I didn’t get around finishing it, so here goes! Boy, what a year! Just over a year ago, I decided it was time for a big change on the job front. I had been home-based for the last 5 years, supporting Magento’s Enterprise clients worldwide. I worked with the largest names in E-commerce, and learned so much, and had the privilege of working with the most creative, hardworking, inspiring people I have ever met. (If any of you is reading this, it really was great fun working with you). But it was time to move on…

    What is a digital nomad?

    So what IS a “ Digital nomad”, I found this definition on the wibbly wobbly net via the every so reliable Wikepidea.

    Digital nomads use wireless internet, smartphones, Voice over IP, and cloud-based applications to work remotely wherever they live or travel.[3][4] Digital nomads also often use coworking spaces, cafes, house sitting agreements, and shared offices in major cities around the world.[5] Digital nomads tend to travel, while they continue to work with clients or employers.[6] This sort of lifestyle presents challenges such as maintaining international health insurance with coverage globally, abiding by different local laws and sometimes obtaining work visas, and maintaining long-distance relationships with friends and family back home.[7] Other challenges may also include time zone differences, the difficulty of finding a reliable connection to the internet, and the absence of delineation between work and leisure time.[8]

    Yes, I think I qualified as Digital Nomad, except than that I was at home for most of the time, and as a perk, I had the opportunity to travel for work. I got to see places I’d have never been before, probably the most memorable standing in front of the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles ( See below).

    My visit to the Hollywood Sign
    Yes, that was one of the many highlights. Maybe I am starting to miss the travel ( a bit).

    Working from home, Working remotely

    These days there are many opportunities to work from home, although in my experience very few Irish companies offer this option. For me, it was a Godsent, and, for most of the time, it suited us as a family perfectly. I was able to drop off the kids ( then 5 – 7) and pick them up in afternoon, which is a privilege very few regular employees get. If the kids were unwell, they would stay home, and I would continue to work as usual, keeping an eye on them. So no childcare costs, and no commute (unless falling out of my bed to my office counts as a commute). For those who are reading this and are dreaming of working from home, there are opportunities, and if you really search for it, you will find. Trust me.

    Time to reconnect

    After 5 years working from home though, I came to the point that I felt very disconnected from the rest of the world, and was looking forward to have human, face to face contact with fellow employees and lunchtime shopping. Technology is wonderful, but it does change something in your brain when your day is spent communicating virtually. I found this Tedhour Podcast very interesting about the changes in society, lack of human interaction, compassion and much more.

    So what’s happening in Galway?

    There has been a quiet revolution happening in Galway City, and as I started my job search, I discovered there were a number of new, mostly American software companies that set up in the city and also many promising start-up initiatives and incubators. Some of the vacancies on offer require people to have at least one European language. If you have a few languages and experience ( or a great attitude), there really are a number of opportunities, and Galway is your oyster:). I’ll be dedicating a few article on where to find those jobs, and a few things that will be usefull to know around moving to Ireland.

    Below are just a few articles that touch on this new wave of innovation, technology and job opportunities. Particularly the last article is very detailed and gives you plenty of scope to dig deeper in opportunities or get an idea what Galway City has to offer:

    From Portershed to Jobshed – Published December 2015
    The Portershed and much more a year later Published December 2016
    Foreign Direct investment and Job creation in the West Published January 2017
    Overview of the Galway Startup Ecosystem Published January 2017

    Oh yes, for those familiar with the phrase Galway being the graveyard of your ambition, it really is what you make of it. I found a job at SmartBear, and one of the deciding factors was reading this article. The author moved on before I started, and as there are now nearly 30 of us, we are moving into a new building the week after next! As it happens we are recruiting for new talent, check out our vacancies here and send me your CV to send me a message and I’ll pass it on.

    I’ll be restarting my interviews with small business in the West of Ireland at the end of the week. Below is the list of interviews I did.

    [table id=2 /]

    If you are interested to get featured, or know a small business that would benefit in exposure, click here to send me a message And yes, if you could share this post, I’d appreciate.

    Connect with me on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook!

    Happy New year!

    Katleen

     

     

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