Hi, I’m Grainne! (pronounced Graw-nya)
I’m 32 years old and I’ve had a crazy few years! I had lived in Korea for over 5 years teaching English. I met my incredible husband there and we later got married in my home country, Ireland.
Afterwards, myself, my husband Jason and our dog Willy moved to Denver Colorado to pursue our dream of living near the Rockies.
While we ended up falling in love with Denver, the job situation was very tough and we just couldn’t find our feet. It was devastating for us but we decided to pick our selves up and move on to the next adventure, Hanoi Vietnam!
Before moving to Korea I was living in Ireland, I had finished my masters degree and the recession was just beginning to hit Ireland. So myself and my friend, Lou, had decided that it was the best time to take some time out and travel. We had both been to Thailand, America and Europe before but had never traveled for longer than a month. So we packed our bags and had an incredible 6 month journey around South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and San Francisco. I had fallen madly in love with Asia while there and when I got back to Ireland I didn’t feel like the same person that left. I was desperate to see more of the world so I applied for a teaching job in Korea. Why Korea? Well to be quite frank, I was completely broke and schools in Korea pay for your flight ticket over and pay a good monthly wage and it’s in Asia so I thought why not?!
I arrived to Korea wondering what the hell was I thinking and had I made the biggest mistake of my life, but after about a day I realized this was not the case. I had the time of my life there, I met my wonderful husband and my adorable pup Willy and countless friends spread across the world.
I’m now hoping to begin a Masters in TESOL early next year.
When I’m not traveling I love to hike, plan mine and other peoples travels, eat delicious food with good friends, read, cook, cycle and go on adventures around where I live. I hope you enjoy this blog,
Grainne
All of the photos published on this blog are mine or Jason’s unless otherwise stated.
An Irish Girl Abroad 
Hi Grainne- Thank you for following my photography blog, Jane’s Lens. I hope you are inspired. What a wonderful life you are leading. Enjoy your adventures!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Yes, your photos are so beautiful and I look forward to seeing more of them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I also taught in Korea, but not nearly as long as you did. Looks like you are having a wonderful time! I hope you make it to Colorado. 2 years after I moved back home to the USA from my adventures overseas I moved out to Colorado and haven’t looked back. It’s a wonderful place to be.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, it’s always great to hear success stories of people moving back to America and being happy and succesful. Yes the move to Dever seems very very likely at this stage, I just began my green card process yesterday, have already been on to the airlines about our dog flying with us and even bough my husband some baseball tickets!
We are so excited about Colorado but will know absolutely no-one when we move there! It would be nice to stay connected with you.
Where in Korea did you teach?
LikeLike
Hey! I’m currently teaching in Korea too (although been here only 2 years). Love your blog 🙂 I’m nominating you for the Liebster Award (hope you haven’t been hit up already!) to spread the ESL love. Cheers ^ ^
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, thanks, I really like reading your blog too. It’s always great to read another perspective on Korea. Thank you for the nomination too!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
impressed by your ease with which you embrace adventures. What a neat perspective
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I guess that once you leave for the first time you realise that it’s not that scary out there. We are definitely excited about moving to Colorado though and getting to live in the West again!
LikeLike
may I use your tea field photo for a Korean Green Tea website?
LikeLike
Colorado is AWESOME! 🙂 I live in Denver and moved here sight unseen almost 3 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s ALWAYS good to hear! I’m glad that you love it so much, hopefully we will too 🙂
LikeLike
Hi there! I just nominated you for the Sunshine Award. Keep up the good work! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I finish college I have a desire to travel for 6 months too, and hopefully live overseas for many years! Do you have any advice? Please feel free to follow my blog and contact me there! Love the blog btw!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Honestly, my advice would be to not let others affect your decision. Some people thought I was crazy going to Asia teaching English and not getting a job in marketing but I didn’t listen to them and I’ve never been happier! Also don’t give in to fear. The closer the time comes you’ll be wondering if you’ve made the right decision but once the plane lands you’ll relax and realise that everything will be fine.
Where are you thinking of going to?
If you have any other questions at all let me know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have so many more questions! lol can you contact me through the contact tab on my blog and I can email you? It’d be super helpful! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
But thank you, I feel a little bit more at ease 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey love your Blog! – Thanks for putting it together an keeping it up to date.
So how have you found teaching English in Korea? Were you at a public or private school?
Do you need a TEFL certificate as much these days?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I’m glad that you like it! Teaching in Korea is really great. I spent my first year teaching in a hagwon (kindergarten) but then moved to public school after that. I much prefer public school as it’s a set contract, so you know where you stand from the start, you have longer vacation time and you are teaching with a co-teacher (which can be good or bad depending on the co-teacher…but luckily of me it’s always been a positive experience).
I think that you would definitely benefit from having a TEFL. It will help you to get a job and it will also make it easier to begin teaching, it will help you to understand the different types of learners in your classroom and will give you some great ideas too.
If you have any other questions for me about Korea, you can send me an e-mail at geegcurtin@yahoo.ie
LikeLike
Hi Grainne, happy to ‘meet’ you! I look forward to following you on your adventures 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy to meet you too! Thanks for following…I hope you enjoy the blog 🙂
I’m looking forward to seeing your adventures too!
LikeLike
I thought I’d see what you are about and I am very impressed with all your travelling – it sounds like your life has been going pretty well! I noticed you said you are moving to Colorado. I have lived in Colorado for 14 or so years now and I am never going to move away. If you like the outdoors, you’ll fit right into any city along the front range! 🙂 My blog is strictly about Colorado outdoor activities, of which there are countless. I look forward to reading your blogs sometime in the near future!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Yes , I feel lucky that I’ve had such a great life so far. Here’s hoping my life in Colorado will go the same way. It’s always so great to hear from someone who lives in Colorado…I’ve never come across someone that didn’t like it there. We are so excited to move there and hopefully get involved with as many outdoor activities as possible! I can’t wait to read more about your outdoor adventures and I hope to get some great ideas from you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The people that don’t rave about the state are those who aren’t spending their free time in the mountains! Anyone who spends time in the mountains falls in love with the state 🙂 Hope my blog gives you a few ideas about some trails I hike, bike, or otherwise and how tough they are. I’m trying to hike all 53 of our state’s 14,000+ foot mountains, so most of my posts this summer will be about my progress on that, super fun challenge!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for easing my mind a bit. We are both so excited to get there and start getting out on to all of the beautiful trails! I can’t wait to read your posts about climbing 14er’s…that’s definitely a goal of mine when we get to Colorado!
LikeLike
That’s a great goal to have! I’d definitely suggest getting a bit used to the elevation first, maybe start with some climbs to 9-10k first, maybe a 13er then, and finally a 14er. The first 14er I did I could feel the thin air above 13.250 feet or so – hard to breath. Now it is no problem, but I’ve also done 9. I hope you stick to it, I plan to climb all fifty-three 14ers too 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds great, thanks for the tips!
LikeLike
It has been pretty tragic the number of Irish people that had to leave the country because of the recession. It is one thing to want to travel and live in another country (I really love it), but it is something different to be forced into it.
I lived in Ireland in the 90s and I remember how grim it was – felt similar during the last recession.
Glad you’ve found a place through all of it though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree, it’s so sad how many people have left Ireland over the years. I have to admit that I was one of the lucky ones that wanted to leave and chose to leave. I was just so excited to see more of the world!
I do know others who had no choice but to leave and that’s heartbreaking to see.
Although things are definitely getting better, unemployment is decreasing and most of my friends who left have now returned to Ireland. It’s exciting to see happiness and hope in Ireland again.
LikeLike