It is a universal truth that a single women must be in want of a partner…. Ok so that wasn’t quite how the famous opening line from Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice actually went but I thought it made a good opener to today’s blog.

My relationship status, as a single person, is apparently a topic for public opinion. It doesn’t matter if I have known you since I was 2 years old or I meet you 5 minutes ago, people feel they have the right to pass judgment, make a comment, tell me the relationship status of every male co-worker in the building, or recommended one of their single friends to me.  Having just moved to Ireland I often get asked “Did you move to Ireland for a man?” or “I am sure you will find a nice Irish boy soon enough” or “so do you think you will be settling down soon now that you’re in Ireland?”

For any person moving to a new city or country on their own there is so many other things to worry about. Finding a job, an apartment, the best restaurants to eat at, best places for coffee, finding new social or sporting clubs to join, and making new friends are the priority – we don’t have time to be dealing with the emotional rollercoaster ride that is dating.

The last thing I am thinking about is dating.  I don’t care if Mark in Accounts is single, or if Ger is currently going through a messy divorce. I don’t care that you have a really nice friend in Navan who may be a little young for me. I just moved here.

The last thing someone moving to a new city / country is thinking about, or should be thinking about is dating. If you are planning on moving or just moved to a new city and you are more worried about not having a boyfriend or girlfriend then where you are going to live or about having friends then you may not have your best interests at heart.

Being single and moving to a new city is great. You only have to worry about yourself, you discover new things about yourself, you learn how much you can do on your own, and you push yourself to try and do new things you may never have thought of doing before. For me it is the third time I have gone to a new city on my own and a highly recommend it.

So random strangers stop pushing the subject, and single people just ignore their ignorance – they obviously don’t know how fabulous it is to be a single person in a new city.

Charmaine Xx