‘I didn't expect to find an exciting life in Dublin'
For Guilherme Parisi, a study abroad experience in
Slovakia
as a teenager sparked his interest in European living.
'When I was 16, I went to Slovakia for one year as an exchange student in high school. That was my first time abroad and maybe that's what drove me to want to have that opportunity again to come to Europe for studying or work.'
The 29-year-old moved to Dublin from the Brazilian countryside in October 2024, after being offered a job in product safety and regulatory affairs at German multinational company Henkel, where he has worked for the Latin American team since 2019.
'I really wanted to come to Europe because from a regulatory perspective, Europe creates a lot of very important chemical safety regulations which drive innovation globally so it's really important for my career.'
READ MORE
Words of encouragement from friends who had moved to Dublin and spoken of 'how exciting it is' helped convince Parisi to take the leap, and he has no regrets.
'It's really nice to live in Dublin because everything is close by. You have really exciting nightlife, loads of restaurants. If you want to go to a Brazilian restaurant or a Turkish restaurant, you can find anything. People are really excited and friendly all the time, so it's really nice to go out.'
[
'In Brazil, it's all about the food. Here it's more about the drink'
Opens in new window
]
Now living in 'a really nice neighbourhood' in Dundrum, Parisi says he was surprised by Dublin's vibrancy. 'I didn't expect to find a lot of vivid and exciting life in Dublin.'
'I come from a really small town in
Brazil
, in the countryside so I was used to more calm, countryside life. Very similar to Galway. I have been to Galway and I felt more what was like my life in Brazil.'
During a recent weekend trip to the west coast, Parisi enjoyed seeing 'a different side to the Atlantic'. Investing in some new wardrobe staples was part of adjusting to the unpredictable Irish climate; 'waterproof shoes and a nice raincoat' have been essential additions.
Having initially lived closer to his Tallaght-based office, Parisi became a frequent participant in Saturday morning park runs around the Dodder Valley Park.
'You can find a lot of parks here. We don't have that in Brazil,' he says. 'Although it's a really large country, you cannot find this amount of green spaces where you can go and run or do some physical activity like playing tennis.'
While he moved with near fluency in English, the 'variety of accents and vocabulary' caught Parisi off guard at first.
'I used to speak English more on a corporate level and formally but as I came here to live I found sometimes in the beginning it was hard because of the variety of accents. Even in a country as small as Ireland, you can find a variety of accents and vocabulary.'
[
'Irish teenagers are so innocent. Where I'm from we learn not to be naive'
]
Reflecting on his experience living with a host family and attending school in Slovakia, Parisi feels grateful for the relatively smooth transition he has been afforded here.
'If I had moved to another country I think it would have been more difficult. I have the experience of living in Slovakia. I was maybe the only Brazilian in the city where I was, and it was really challenging because of the language.'
The presence of a large Brazilian community in Dublin has also made the city feel like home.
'Living here, I still feel like I am in Brazil because of the Brazilian community and the activities that we can find ... One thing that people miss the most is the food and the language and I can find that because I can get together with my Brazilian friends and we can cook, like typical rice and beans or feijoada [black bean stew] and brigadeiro [a traditional Brazilian dessert combining hot condensed milk, cocoa and butter].'
Parisi celebrated his birthday in January, an occasion he worried would be lonely, but 'was much better than expected' thanks to friends and colleagues who surprised him with cake.
Although far from family and friends in Brazil, Parisi found ways to incorporate Brazilian customs into his day.
'As you finish singing happy birthday, like here you blow the candles and then make a wish. Then as you cut the cake in Brazil you have to cut bottom to top and make a second wish. With the first piece of cake, you have to give it to the most special person to you in the room.'
Anyone in the world could feel really comfortable here because people are friendly and really polite
Parisi recalls being 'really surprised how Irish people are open for talking, for discussion'. 'I didn't expect people to be as open and talkative because we as Brazilians have the wrong idea that people in Europe are more closed.'
Another cultural similarity is the shared historic and economic importance of agriculture in both countries.
'Brazil has hundreds of years of agriculture and also Ireland so we both connect.'
'We in Brazil have received a lot of immigrants over the years and also Ireland,' says Parisi, who says the 'diversity of people' has been another positive aspect of moving to Dublin.
'It's nice to live here because of the diversity of people that we can find on the street. I can listen to Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or any other language as you walk through mainly some areas in the city centre.
I think it's very welcoming for newcomers. Anyone in the world could feel really comfortable here because people are friendly and really polite. The courtesy is really important, that's something I appreciate.'
After an enjoyable first six months in Ireland, Parisi says he is content to settle in the south Dublin suburbs for the foreseeable future.
'I do see myself five years from now living in Dundrum because I really like the neighbourhood and being close to my friends. I like the environment here.'
We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland in the past 10 years. To get involved, email
newtotheparish@irishtimes.com
or tweet
@newtotheparish
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Manufacturing down almost 14pc in April as fears ease over tariffs
The 13.7pc fall in production indicates that the frontloading of exports in America in advance of Mr Trump's tariffs subsided after the US president unveiled a series of reciprocal tariffs on April 2 only to postpone them a week later. There is now a 10pc tariff in place on imports, but pharma products are not included. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) said the 13.7pc decline was concentrated in what it calls the 'modern' sector. Colin Cotter, a statistician in the enterprise division, said: 'The highly globalised modern sector, which includes the chemical, pharmaceutical, and computer and electronic sectors, experienced a growth of 41.8pc in industrial production from February to April, when compared with the same period in 2024. 'In contrast, the 'traditional' sector declined by 0.7pc over the same three-month period. In general, it should be noted that the results reflect contract manufacturing activity in the multinational sectors.' Over the three months from February to April, production in manufacturing industries was 35.6pc higher compared to the same period last year. The prospect of Trump tariffs has led to a distortion in many economic indices, which is likely to continue for the rest of the year, even if the US and EU agree a new trade deal. Last week, the CSO published data showing that Irish GDP expanded by 9.7pc in the first three months of the year, one of the biggest increases ever recorded. The statistics agency said the increase was due to a significant growth in export of goods. Irish exports hit a record level of €37.3bn in March, as US companies packed their warehouses in advance of Mr Trump's threatened tariffs. Exports to America were up by €20.3bn that month alone, or 395pc, reaching a total of €25.4bn. The stockpiling was most obvious in pharma, which remains under the threat of a sectoral specific tariff of up to 25pc. ADVERTISEMENT Exports of medical and pharma products, most of them produced in Ireland, increased by €16.7bn or 243pc that month. This would have included the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Mounjaro, the weight-loss drug produced by Eli Lilly, which employs more than 3,500 people here. All of the figures are likely to unwind over the second half of the year, with the manufacturing statistics for April just the first in a series of decreases. The most recent monthly purchasing managers' index (PMI) for Irish manufacturers did record a robust increase in output volumes during May, extending the current period of growth to five months. Some firms reported subdued spending by American clients, however, though the survey suggested that concerns about the impact of tariffs eased in May. The EU recently won a reprieve from a threat of 50pc tariffs made by Mr Trump, after he spoke to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen by phone. A July 9 deadline for US-EU negotiations to secure a trade deal was reinstated. But sources have been reported as saying little progress has been made, with the US pushing for concessions the EU is unwilling to make.
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
One in four couples spending up to €50,000 to pay for wedding, with almost a half willing to go into debt for celebration
And the average budget for an Irish wedding is now between €10,000 and €20,000, according to research carried out by online savings platform Raisin Bank. For those who tied the knot in the past five years, the average wedding spend was around €10,000. Costs are rising for those who have yet to tie the knot. And budgets for the big day vary hugely, according to the Raisin Bank Wedding Report 2025. The research found that 45pc of those surveyed said they were willing to go into debt to fund the marriage ceremony and celebrations on the day. Weddings are big business, with many couples opting for big events in stately homes with others decamping with friends to sun-soaked beaches abroad to mark the occasion. The survey found that nearly half of respondents feel social stress at weddings. Just 8pc of couples kept the cost of their celebrations under €1,000. A quarter spent between €20,000 and €49,999. The largest group, 30pc, landed in the €10,000 to €19,999 range. On a per-guest basis, that translates to an average spend of €100 to €200. Another 28pc of respondents kept things modest, spending no more than €5,000. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more It is not clear how much spending has changed in recent years as this is the first time Raisin commissioned a report on wedding costs. Eight-hundred adults who are married or are planning to get married were surveyed by market research firm Pollfish for the report. Raisin said weddings can be expensive and are right up there with buying a home or putting a child through college as one of life's major financial milestones. Researchers for the bank found that more than 90pc of married Irish people say they put money aside for their big day. Among those under 30, that figure climbs to 98pc. Of those who saved, 57pc saved for a year or more, while the remaining 43pc managed to pull it together in under 12 months. One in four took more than two years to save for their celebration and 46pc of married people in Ireland ended up taking on debt to cover the costs. Debt isn't always a bad thing – as long as it's manageable Among couples under 30, that figure shoots up to 67pc. For those aged 50 to 64, this drops to about one in five. Just over half of respondents took out a personal loan. Nearly one-third of respondents borrowed from family or friends. One in five opted for their overdraft facility. People getting hitched prefer cash over other types of gifts, with 85pc of respondents agreeing that cash in an envelope is the way to go. The largest chunk of respondents prefer a sum of between €100 and €200. Almost one in five respondents – and one in four of the under-30s – put in €300 or more. Raisin Ireland country head Eoghan O'Hara warned those getting married to be careful about taking on debt. 'Debt isn't always a bad thing – as long as it's manageable,' he said. 'The key is to set a realistic budget, understand what your monthly repayments might look like, and make sure the cost of the big day doesn't hang over your married life like a cloud.'
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Dublin City Council approves food hall use for vacant St Andrew's Church
City officials granted planning permission after concluding the food hall would comply with the zoning objective of the site and would not detract from the area's civic character. Fáilte Ireland will not be operating the food hall itself, but will instead press ahead with a plan to seek an experienced operator to lease the space out for that use. The statute of Molly Malone stands outside the well-known church in an area of Dublin city centre that has a high footfall of tourists. A recent inspection of the statue found that it was unstable with multiple broken fittings. Experts found that two pins holding the statue in place were destroyed. In a letter to Dublin City Council, Laura McCarthy from Fáilte Ireland had said: 'The proposed change of use for the premises has the potential to create a major centrally-based asset for the city, with the potential to inject cultural and economic value, which would benefit local residents, employees and all visitors, both domestic and foreign.' Ms McCarthy, manager of corporate services at Fáilte Ireland, pointed out that food tourism generates around €2bn for the Irish economy each year. 'In order to generate and sustain further economic opportunity and economic development, we need to create iconic food and drink experiences – the proposed change of use and redevelopment of St Andrew's would be the embodiment of that vision,' she said. 'It is envisaged that the proposed food hall will showcase the best of local and Irish produce within a very high-quality setting, which will not only reinvigorate but repurpose part of our capital city's historic building inventory.' Planning documents said the new food hall has the potential to generate 30 to 40 full and part-time jobs. The Swords-based Wright Group secured planning for a food hall at St Andrew's Church in 2019 through its Mink Fusion subsidiary but with the Covid-19 pandemic intervening, the firm did not proceed with the five-year planning permission. In a separate planning report lodged with the application by David Mulcahy Planning Consultants, it stated that the proposed new use 'will bring life back to this vacant building which is one of the most prominent buildings in the city'. ADVERTISEMENT Mr Mulcahy stated that 'the concept of a food/dining hall, which is essentially a permanent indoor market with associated dining facilities, is well established in most European cities and they are very popular for tourists, city residents and local employees'. He said that the emphasis will be on showcasing local produce, fresh where possible.
