Romain Valette, application developer at Voxpro
Romain Valette, application developer at Voxpro. Image: Voxpro

From France to Ireland: ‘I consider Ireland as my second home country’

18 Sep 2017

Relocating for work can be a scary prospect, but hearing about someone else’s experience can make it a little easier.

Sometimes, you will get the opportunity to relocate for work. But, even if it’s something you really want to do, the prospect of relocating can seem very daunting.

It can be scary enough just moving from one city to another, but relocating to a completely different country can seem terrifying.

That’s just what Romain Valette did a year and a half ago. He left his home city in France to pursue an internship in Voxpro’s Cork office.

Now, he works full-time in the company’s Dublin office as an application developer.

Where are you from?

I come from Millau, a small city in the south of France.

There are only 20,000 people, living in a beautiful, natural environment. Millau is a great city for enjoying nature and outdoor sports.

How long have you been in Ireland?

I arrived in Ireland a year and a half ago.

What prompted your decision to move here?

The place where I lived is rural and there is no real opportunity in IT.

I signed up with a French organisation that sends people on an internship in Ireland.

I interviewed and was chosen to join Voxpro in Cork for an internship. After three months, the company offered me a permanent job in their Dublin office.

What’s your role in Voxpro?

I’m an application developer and IT support.

How would you describe your working environment?

Friendly is good word to describe the working environment in Voxpro. It’s always a pleasure to work and deal with nice people.

What do you like most about your job?

The job is really interesting because I operate in a modern environment, so there is always something new to learn. Doing different things every day is really enriching.

Was it difficult to adjust to living and working in Ireland?

For me, the most difficult is the distance from friends and family. But Irish people are really welcoming so it helps me a lot.

What surprised you about moving to Ireland?

The weather was not as bad as I was expecting.

How does your working life help to make you feel at home here?

As I said before, the friendly environment helps a lot. It’s always a pleasure to work, talk and go for a drink after work with other employees.

What do you like most about your adopted home?

What I like the most about Ireland is Irish people.

People are really nice and helpful with foreigners like me. Now, I can consider Ireland as my second home country.

Want to work at Voxpro? Check out the Voxpro Careers page for current vacancies.

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