Kiltoom sisters who moved to Malta and South Korea

AOIFE LEE AND MEGAN JORDAN LEE

Aoife Lee and Megan Jordan Lee, sisters from Kiltoom, Athlone, both emigrated this year and will be spending their first Christmases away from home. Megan moved to South Korea in February, while Aoife has been living in Malta since the summer.

They are daughters of Maureen and Ken, have a brother, Darren, and are grand-daughters of Cyril and Willie.

How did your moves to Malta and South Korea come about?

Megan: I had been interested in South Korean culture throughout secondary school, namely music and media. I found out about the English Program in Korea (EPIK) and knew it was something I'd like to do after college. The EPIK program is sponsored through the Korean Ministry of Education and provides native English speakers to schools all around Korea. I applied and was successful!

I now work in an elementary school, teaching English to ages 8 to 12. I'm living in Daejeon, which is the country's fifth largest city, with 1.5 million people. A bit bigger than Dublin. It's a quiet city, home to 23 universities, and is Korea's hub of research and development.

Aoife: I had been living in Limerick the past eight years and loved it there. It has a great art and music scene, and I loved working as a receptionist and social media manager for Hugh Campbell Hair Group. I always wanted to experience living abroad, and once I met my Italian boyfriend I had someone to go on that adventure with.

I had visited Malta twice to see friends living there and we decided to pick a date. Both of my housemates had spent time there the previous year and it made sense for us all to move together in June 2022.

Here in Malta, I work as a content manager in email marketing and dating websites. And I continued on with my role as social media manager for the Limerick Hair Company, remotely.

What are the best and worst things about living in your current home countries?

Megan: Korea and Ireland are culturally very different. The only way to approach life here is with an open mind. You must be a 'go with the flow' kind of person. With the understanding that most things are out of my control, I've settled in well and used my inexperience as an opportunity to learn more about this beautiful country.

The best thing about living in Korea is convenience. Most shops and cafes are open until 10pm. You can get almost anything delivered to your home. The public transport is fast, clean and cheap and the high speed trains allow me to explore the rest of the country relatively easily. Perhaps the best part is that my rent is paid by my school, this being a major pull factor.

The worst part is the summer weather. I've never experienced such heat and humidity. It's uncomfortably hot, and I certainly couldn't survive without my air-conditioning.

Aoife: The best things about Malta would have to be swimming in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, visiting the historic buildings, ancient temples, and exploring the coast. The weather is great, though unbearably hot in the summer, which lasts right up until October. It's December now, and we are still getting very sunny days.

The worst things about Malta are the traffic, dangerous drivers, and when it does rain, even a little, the roads suffer bad flooding. There is also quite a wage difference here too, so it took some time to find something I was satisfied with. Luckily, I found a Monday to Friday hybrid job that works well for me.

What has 2022 been like for you?

Aoife: It was tough leaving Ireland, family and friends, but exciting to see what Malta had in store. I spent a month and a half in Italy before finding an apartment in Malta suitable for two couples.

Italy was incredible and we spent most of the time up the north. We're delighted with the apartment in Malta and are feeling a lot more settled now.

We enjoyed the summer here, despite the mosquitos, and still have a lot more to see of the country. It definitely takes time to find your feet and integrate. But myself and housemate Lisa, another Midlands girl, had our burlesque debuts this November. This has been a great way to meet people, has kept us very busy and we have more upcoming shows. I am very proud of what we've done so far and looking forward to seeing what next year brings.

What are your plans for Christmas Day this year?

Aoife: My sister has been away in Korea the past year, and will be home in January, so we have planned to celebrate Christmas together then instead. For Christmas day, myself and my boyfriend are booking a nice hotel here in Malta to watch Christmas movies and eat takeaway.

Megan: Christmas isn't widely celebrated in Korea, in fact I don't even get a holiday in work. I have been invited to a wedding on Christmas Eve, and plan on spending Christmas Day with some friends. We're all missing family during this time, so it's best to spend it together. Mam has shipped over some treats, so my Christmas dinner will consist of chocolate and jellies!

What are the main things you miss about Christmas in Ireland?

Megan: Not being home for Christmas makes me realise how important it is in the Irish calendar. I miss the excitement in the days leading up to the 25th. I even miss the stress of buying gifts... imagine that! I guess the familiarity of it all is comforting.

Is there any message you would like to send to your friends or family reading this?

Megan: I miss you all and am so looking forward to catching up soon!

Aoife: Miss you all terribly, but I'll be home soon to celebrate Christmas, the new year, and my birthday all in one! And I'm expecting more visits to Malta next year...