‘There’s nothing for me at home’
AFTER working full-time for no pay for over a year, Jenny Conlon decided emigration was the only option left.
The 27-year-old with an MA in journalism had spent over 12 months as an intern at various magazines and with two different broadcasters but still had no money at the end of the week to go out.
“I just could not do the free thing any more. I was even having to pay for petrol to get to the jobs. So I sold my car. I had a cousin in London and I just contacted everyone I knew there,” she said.
Despite not having a job or even an offer of one, she flew to the British capital and got a flat with a friend of hers. That was three years ago, and, after six weeks of sending her CV to every agency she could find, she landed a job.
Jenny, who grew up in Sandymount in Dublin, now works in training and business development with a global company but still hopes to get into journalism some day. “I have my blog and I still try and do a few pieces of writing,” she said.
What she misses most about home is family and friends, and Barry’s teabags, although she gets them sent over. And her parents miss her but realise that she is doing what is best for her.
“Even though it is not that far from home, you still aren’t there,” she said.
But she has a good network of English friends.
“There isn’t anything for me to come home for,” she said.