For Martin, moving to Ireland has been a breath of fresh air – literally. Originally from South Africa, his first impression of his new home was a good one. “When I got here for my interview, the first thing I noticed was the smell,” he explains. “And it was beautiful. When I got out of the airport, the whole of Ireland just smelled so clean.”
Since then, Martin, his wife and two children have made the move and started a new life in a northern suburb of Dublin city. “We were always looking at moving to somewhere else,” Martin says. “In 2007, we were well on our way to emigrating to New Zealand but that fell through. And we always regretted that decision. When this opportunity came along we just jumped at it.”
Breaking New Ground in Tech
Martin is a Solutions Architect for Dublin-based technology firm Datalex, who design and implement digital commerce software for travel retail. “We sell digital reservations systems,” explains Martin. “If you visit an airline’s website and make a booking there’s a good chance you’re using a Datalex product.”
“Technically, I think Datalex is at the forefront of innovation in terms of the airlines transforming as digital businesses,” he continues. “It’s nice to be in that position where we’re constantly breaking new ground.”
And he’s enjoying his new role in a company that’s much larger than anything he’s experienced before. “It’s just awesome,” he says. “Previously, I’d been working with a team of maybe twenty developers. But the opportunities that we get here to work with global teams and with global airline brands, along with the guidance that we get from managers and senior technical people, is amazing. Everybody’s always willing to help and spend time with you.”
He’s also relishing the opportunities for career development that Datalex provides, with employee education a big part of the company’s vision. “In your meetings with your manager you can tell them that you want to move your career in a certain direction,” he says, “and they will get you on a course to help you do that. They offer a lot”
But it’s not all work and no play, as Martin explains: “We always have good craic in the office. There are fun sports and social clubs and lots of people participate.”
Everything Just Works
Martin and his family have been settling into life in Ireland well, and his son and daughter are enjoying getting out in the great Irish outdoors. “The kids just love the freedom,” he says. “In South Africa, they wouldn’t have left home without supervision, but here they can just hop on their bikes and go to the park. They can just be kids, which is a really nice thing.”
Martin is also a big fan of the infrastructure in Ireland. So much so, that he hasn’t driven to work since he got here. “Everything just works,” he enthuses. “You can get on public transport and get anywhere you want with no problem. I’ve never come to work in a car. I just get on the bus, drop off the kids at school and come into the office.”
Advice for Movers
Asked if he has any advice for someone moving to Ireland, Martin cautions to be aware of some of the finer details. “There’s a couple of things coming over that I didn’t know about. I didn’t necessarily know that I needed a PPS number before I could get a bank account. And before you can get a bank account you need proof of residence. It’s not a difficult process, but it’s something to be aware of before you go.”
Martin and his family are enjoying life in their new home and they certainly aren’t planning on going anywhere soon. He laughs: “We’re stuck here! But we’re loving it.”
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*This article was orinally published in Techlife Ireland on 27th April 2017 (www.techlifeireland.com)
