Having relocated internationally four times, Michael and Andrena Gothard have plenty of experience when it comes to packing up. For Andrena, relocating to Dublin from her home in Brisbane, Australia was the start of another adventure with her husband.
When Michael was offered the opportunity to move country with his new employer, Crown Relocations, the Gothards decided it was time to embark on a new life abroad.
“Michael was happy in his role in Australia but he knew that he wanted something more,” said Andrena. “The idea of being a Country Manager for Crown Relocations was too good to overlook - he really enjoys the international side of things because it’s so hands on. How could I possibly stand in the way?”
The couple, who are both in their fifties, weren’t expecting anything like the glorious sunny climate of their homeland but the Dublin weather had an impact on them all the same.
“The weather has been pretty good and we weren’t anticipating that at all. There was snow on the ground when we first arrived but I don’t mind that as I’ve not seen it very often. The first time I saw snow was in my forties!”
Although the couple have four children, leaving them behind while moving to the other side of the world was not as daunting as it could have been.
“As the kids are all adults and have their own lives in Australia, it meant that we didn’t need to worry about helping them to adjust to a different lifestyle in another country. We won’t be able to see them as much as we are used to and we’re going to be in Dublin for at least three years but that’s something we will just have to get used to.”
Upon arrival, the couple quickly joined expat associations, the local rotary club and Andrena even signed up to a local American Women’s society. These groups have proven to be very valuable in helping Andrena and Michael to adjust to their new life.
“I know I’m not American but these types of groups are vital when it comes to meeting people and finding out information about the local area. If there’s one piece of advice I could give to others who are relocating it would be to join as many groups as possible. It’s a huge help as you can find out about the local area.”
“I have found the fellowship that comes with these groups, especially with other women, has been vital to helping me adjust. The first time we relocated we didn’t join any groups and we just felt so lost. An added bonus is that you’ll be able to hear the accents of fellow countrymen – it’s lovely to hear another Aussie accent every now and again!”
When it came to deciding on a relocation company to pack up their possessions, Michael and Andrena didn’t need to look very far for a company they could trust.
“Thankfully the move to Dublin hasn’t been stressful at all. We’ve relocated a lot of times so we’ve been able to learn from our previous moves – you certainly get to know the pitfalls.”
“We were both really pleased with the whole experience with Crown, from the packing of our personal items through to being given an orientation around Dublin, which was really handy. Crown has been much better than any other company we have used in the past – the teams in Ireland and Australia were excellent at updating us and letting us know what to expect. They always went above and beyond our expectations and were extremely polite and efficient.”
“Until recently, we were just missing one thing – our puppy. We had to leave him behind until we were settled but Crown Brisbane were very helpful, making sure everything was in place. He’s back with us now and he loves his new Dublin walks!” Andrena concluded.