The GAA has been the best way to make American friends in Houston

Jack Banks writes: I decided to emigrate in early 2021. My research for my PhD at Trinity College Dublin examined the opportunities for digital health tools to aid people living with epilepsy in managing their condition. I enjoyed listening to patients, family members and clinicians discuss their challenges and working with them to design solutions.

After finishing my studies, I knew that I wanted to stay in an academic environment where I could receive further research training and continue to tackle issues within healthcare systems. Academic opportunities in Ireland were limited, as the field is relatively new, and compared to other European, North American and Australian countries, those that existed were underpaid.

I reached out to a professor in Houston, Texas, whose work I admired and after dozens of emails and several Zoom calls, he offered me a research fellowship at UTHealth Houston, where I study patient-care models and electronic health records.

As exciting as this opportunity was, I would be lying if I said I was not scared by the prospect of moving so far away from my family and groups of friends in Limerick – I’m from Castletroy – and Dublin.

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I received strong encouragement from family members and mentors who had positive experiences living abroad to take this opportunity. In addition, several of my friends had recently emigrated themselves. I had attended five going-away parties in the first half of 2022 and they were loving life overseas. From a personal, professional and financial perspective, emigration appeared to be a wiser option than staying put. Once my visa was approved, I packed my bags and landed in Houston in May 2022.

I linked up with the Houston Gaels GAA club after landing. Having played GAA my whole life, I knew there’d be massive value in joining a GAA club as I tried to get to grips with life in this unfamiliar hot, humid and sprawling city.

I quickly learned that playing ball here would be very different from home. Training takes place in public parks and goalposts are created using poles tied to soccer frames. Men and women train together too.

The camaraderie and craic within the group were apparent from my first-night training and I knew this was a community I wanted to be a part of. Ironically, GAA has been the most accessible avenue to make American friends in Houston. Most of our playing population are US natives drawn to the sport by friends, social media or seeing our games when on holiday in Ireland.

Through my involvement with the Houston Gaels, I feel I get the best of both worlds. I can chat about news from home with the Irish folks while at the same time interacting, listening and learning about the culture of my new friends from all over the US.

I’ve stepped up my involvement in the club this year and am now serving as vice-chairperson. I am excited for the year ahead, with our plans to compete against teams from Austin, San Antonio and Dallas in a Texas League. For the first time in five years, the club will take part in the US GAA Finals in Denver this August.

Deirdre Scully writes: After completing my PhD studies at University College Dublin in 2019, I worked at Trinity College Dublin, teaching anatomy to medical and allied healthcare students. The pandemic hit in 2020 and gave me time to pause and assess my next career move.

Although I loved teaching anatomy, I was eager to return to research. I am lucky enough to have US citizenship and for as long as I can remember, living and working in the United States has been a goal of mine.

The decision to move to Houston – I’m originally from Annaghdown in Galway – was entirely fuelled by finding my dream lab at Baylor College of Medicine. It is located in the Texas Medical Center and is home to some of my field’s leading scientists. I use genetic mouse models to study female infertility disorders.

Houston has afforded me not only unprecedented career opportunities, but also a standard of living not always achievable as a postdoctorate in Ireland. Rent is affordable here and flat shares are a welcomed distant memory.

Before even setting foot on Texan soil, I had contacted the Houston Gaels, expressing my interest in getting involved in the club and community. Little did I know that I would be the chairperson a mere two years later.

Playing football with the Houston ladies’ team has been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences during my time in Texas. I am proud to share our sport and culture in Houston and in return, I have made true friends from all over the US.

Joining the club has made Houston home and I could not imagine breaking America without it.

If you live overseas and would like to share your experience with Irish Times Abroad, email abroad@irishtimes.com with a little information about you and what you do