Fatemeh Amerehi has always been interested in furthering her education. She studied for undergraduate and master’s degrees in her home country of Iran but wanted the best possible career path. She moved to Ireland to complete a PhD, choosing the State because it “has lots of job opportunities”.
“There are lots of big companies here in Ireland. In terms of Europe, I think Ireland is among the best destinations for finding a job with the likes of Google and Amazon,” she says.
Originally from Tehran, Iran’s capital city, the 28-year-old relocated to Ireland in September 2021 to begin a doctorate in computer science, with a specialisation in artificial intelligence, at the University of Limerick.
She previously studied mathematics at Alzahra University, and mathematics with a specialisation in optimisation at Amirkabir University of Technology.
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She describes life in Iran as “nice” but says there are financial problems that can make things difficult for those living there. “When I was a kid things were a little bit better. But right now, because of the economy, it’s a little bit more difficult. I think life in Ireland is much, much easier,” she says. “For example, here right now people say there is lots of inflation, but for me it’s not inflation, because I’m from a country with a highly inflated economy. I think this is not inflation. It’s just a price adjustment. Life in Ireland is much better.”
In Iran, Amerehi says when a person graduates from college, it’s hard to find a job. “Entering the workforce is difficult because of the economy. Whereas here, if you graduate with a good education, you can get a good job. But it’s more difficult in Iran because there aren’t many jobs,” she says. “However, there are plenty of good things also, like a beautiful and diverse nature and culture. For example, in the south and north you can enjoy seeing the sea, and throughout the country you can visit mountain ranges, forest and even desert at the same time.”
Tehran, she says, was a “very busy and a very crowded city”, but other parts of Iran are somewhat different. “For example, the north part of Iran, near the Caspian Sea, is very green, or the centre of Iran is quiet.”
She really liked living in her country, with the issue around employment being the only reason she left. There have been a series of protests in Iran in recent years, largely over a violation of women’s rights, which is an uncomfortable topic for Amerehi. She says she worries for her family, but hopes “things get back to normal soon”.
There are differences between Iran and Ireland, but, according to Amerehi, the biggest was the change in weather and climate. “The first day I came it was raining, and it rained all week. You plan to do something, maybe you want to buy something or get groceries, but then you need to adjust the plan completely because of the weather,” she says, laughing.
However, the transition was made easier by the friendliness and helpfulness of the Irish people, she says. “When I first came here I used Google Maps. But sometimes Google Maps doesn’t work and people really help. Sometimes people walk you to the place.”
Amerehi loves what she studies, which she says was only possible for her to pursue because of funding she received. “Without a scholarship I definitely wouldn’t have been able to come to Ireland. I’m funded through Science Foundation Ireland. That one was very helpful, because not only me but also Irish people cannot afford the cost of education, especially during a PhD. I’m so grateful for the scholarship because it gives me the opportunity to learn lots.”
In recent months, she was also awarded a €5,000 bursary from Huawei, under its Seeds for the Future initiative, which aims to develop skilled, local ICT talent and bridge communication between countries and cultures. This additional lump sum, Amerehi says, will have “lots of impact” on her ability to focus on her work. “So here, right now, I’m able to study without having to get a part-time job. I can focus on the research and not worry about the finance part of college,” she says. “It also has an impact in terms of finding a career after graduation.”
I really enjoy walking and cycling among the greenery, and sometimes short running or jogging. Everything is nice, I didn’t really have challenges when I moved
The exciting part about her studies in Ireland, she says, is that it is a “very fast, growing field”. “Literally every week, a new [data] model comes out. It’s difficult to keep up with the advancements. When I get a good understanding on one model, a new model comes out,” she says, laughing again.
There are also educational contrasts between Ireland and Iran, she says. Here, for example, professors “ask you to address them by their names. It’s a little bit difficult for me: I always use titles and family names. And sometimes they use short names too. So if their name is Michael, they might use Mikey. It’s completely different. I cannot do that,” she says. “They are very friendly. They consider you as a colleague.”
Amerehi likes pretty much everything about living in Ireland, she says. She is staying on campus at UL, which she says is beautiful. The air quality is also much better here, she adds. “I really enjoy walking and cycling among the greenery, and sometimes short running or jogging. Everything is nice: I didn’t really have challenges when I moved,” she says.
“One thing that is a little bit difficult is you need to have all the support. You don’t have the luxury of being near your family members and supporting them and they support you. But other than that, it is a really nice place.”
We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland in the past 10 years. To get involved, email newtotheparish@irishtimes.com or tweet @newtotheparish