It is a country of instability and contrasts. Not so long ago, Ireland was considered the poorest country in Europe, and now it occupies a good position in the ranking of states with the most expensive life. Here, the village idyll coexists with the highest prices for metropolitan housing, outdated service - with emerald fields. The Irish are both good-natured and hooligan, prone to alcoholism, and incredible natural beauty is combined with a low level of medicine.
Weak medical services
In terms of healthcare, Ireland ranks lowest among European countries: 34th out of 36 as of 2020. When compiling such a rating, they take into account the availability of qualified specialists, modern equipment, look at the prices of services, the waiting time for a trip to the doctor. On average, you will wait for a doctor's appointment in 18 (!) months, which is the worst indicator in Europe.
The Irish approach to treatment is depressing. A good therapist is weighted in gold, doctors only in a critical situation actively treat.
Dental services are also expensive - locals have to go to Poland or Hungary for dental treatment.
Housing prices
Renting an apartment in Dublin is more expensive than in Paris, Rome or Berlin. According to 2020 data, renting apartments will cost more than 300 thousand rubles per month.
Usually relatively cheap housing will be located in a criminal area, and the apartment itself will be uncomfortable. And yet the demand for apartments in Dublin is high, so the landlord himself chooses the tenants, and not vice versa.
Buying a Dublin home is even more difficult – again because of the cost. Although other cities in Ireland can offer more reasonable prices.
Temperature in houses
Some of the visitors are surprised by the size of the bedrooms. This is due to the fact that heating large rooms is expensive, especially when it comes to old housing. Here they try in every way to save on heating. For example, renting a house, you will receive a special brochure with recommendations on how to manage the heating system, how to save on utilities.
Mold and high levels of radiation
A quarter of homes in Ireland have elevated radioactive levels: this is due to rocky soil, which contains large amounts of uranium, when it decays to produce radon. Such gas can cause lung cancer and usually accumulates in old houses at the bottom. So when renting a home, among other things, ask when the last time the level of radiation was checked here.
Mold is considered common for Irish homes: it occurs due to a humid climate and because of buildings where ventilation does not work well. As a result, there are many Irish who suffer from respiratory diseases.
Drunkenness
The culture of Ireland is closely linked to the use of alcohol. The production of alcoholic beverages is a crucial part of the economy for Ireland. Before the pandemic, the city was in great demand among tourists who came to drink beer.
Local pubs are not just drinking establishments: it is customary to celebrate all the holidays there, there are also meetings of friends and colleagues.
In Ireland, many traditions are associated with the use of alcohol. For example, there is a "Route of 12 pubs": the company, wearing Christmas sweaters, bypasses 12 establishments, spending about half an hour in each. Until the end of the routes withstand only the strongest guys.
According to statistics, almost 1.5 million (out of 5 million) of the inhabitants of this country suffer from alcohol problems. Drunkenness is the norm here. Teenagers also drink. Probably, this is dictated not only by culture: in Ireland there are few sections, circles, do not cover the importance of sports, and additional classes are quite expensive.
Uncultured teenagers
Local young men often behave aggressively: they stick to passers-by, drink heavily. But it depends on the area. In disadvantaged places, teenage gangs brawl, steal, throw firecrackers. Sometimes even bus drivers do not risk going on dangerous routes.
Strangely, most of these cases for some reason go unpunished - people prefer not to interfere, just to pass by. This is contrary to the good-natured and affable nature of Ireland.
Nature doesn't have bad weather?
The weather in Ireland changes many times a day, so they wear several layers of clothing in case of rain and wind. Even in summer, it is advisable not to delude yourself and carry a jacket, umbrella, tights. Adapting to the local climate is very difficult. The sun shines about 3 hours a day, in winter it is even worse, especially in December - darkness comes as early as 15:00. Lots of rainy days.
Worst of all is the wind. There are often storms, several times a month in winter or spring. Sometimes the wind blows you down!
Strange fashion
Local fashion can cause you culture shock. Irish sometimes leave the house in ragged things, pajamas, uncombed. Usually a woman puts on leggings, a hoodie, makes a bun on her head.
The variety of female images is striking: super short skirts, huge false eyelashes, many layers of tonalnik, sequins and sequins, animal prints.
The Irish don't care about appearance. But local men admire women dressed stylishly, tastefully, so to charm someone, you can just look well-groomed.
What are the conclusions?
Ireland will cause you conflicting feelings, but definitely not indifference! This country will teach you a lot, the gift of invaluable life experience ... and increase endurance stats.
