Rotherham - 2005

Dublin fading into the distance, crossing the Irish Sea to Holyhead

If I had had the opportunity to stay at the Geological Survey of Ireland, on a permanent basis, I would have done so. Working as part of an established and very diverse organisation, and being able to make full use of my experience and skills – geologist, building stone specialist, photographer and writer amongst others – I felt in my element and life at work was full of fun.

A view across Rotherham Town Centre

Returning to Rotherham, from Dublin, I found that prospects for work had not improved in the slightest and something had changed - probably me. Dublin is a great capital city and feels very free and very cosmopolitan. Rotherham, on the other hand, is none of these things – it is an old industrial town with its principal industries gone, its shops going and its back broken, with very little hope to get on well in the life of work, especially if you want to use your brain.

A close up view of All Saints church

What struck me most when walking to Tesco, in the town centre, was that just about everyone around me seemed to be talking in a foreign language. A few years earlier, Rotherham had seen the influx of many Albanian and Kosovan refugees, who used to hang around in small groups and stood out like a sore thumb, but who have since carved themselves a little niche in the local car cleaning business. However, this seemed very different - to me it was more like the feeling of culture shock!

My experience in Dublin had already sparked off an idea in my head that, perhaps, I should start thinking about the real possibility of teaching English as a foreign language as part of my work. My friends from Dun an Óir had appreciated the fact that I was patient with them, never criticised their many mistakes when speaking and always tried to help, using my own experience of life and not just some ideas that I had read in a textbook.