On a winter afternoon in Donabate, a home-based knitwear artist reflects on fire-heated rooms, long journeys and the surprising things two distant countries can share. Maria Becerra’s story offers a thoughtful view of lifestyle Ireland through the eyes of someone who arrived with experience of Chile, Australia and a deliberately nomadic life.
Becerra moved to Ireland in 2023 with her Irish husband, Cormac. Three years on, she says the decision to settle here was the right one, even though her first Irish winter brought an unexpected struggle with low mood and seasonal change.
A childhood shaped by opportunity and determination
Born in 1990, the year Chile’s military dictatorship ended, Becerra became the first person in her family to complete secondary school and attend university. Her parents had both left education early to support their families, but they were determined that their daughter would have opportunities they had not enjoyed.
Her childhood was modest. The family heated their home with a fire, while some relatives lived without electricity. Comparing that experience with Ireland, she says it reminded her of stories told by older generations who grew up here in the mid-20th century.
Education eventually opened a path into travel and work. After college, Becerra explored Chile’s Atacama Desert and earned money by creating and selling knitwear. Her English helped her secure work as a tour guide, but conversations with friends living in Australia made her reconsider her future.
They described earning unusually high wages in jobs such as cleaning and farm work. For Becerra, Australia became a chance to build confidence, gain experience and develop what she called “social capital” after growing up in a society she describes as strongly divided by class.
From blueberry fields to a new Irish home
After buying a one-way ticket to Australia, Becerra initially worked as an au pair. Her visa also required three months of farm work, and it was while picking blueberries that she met Cormac, the Dublin man who would become her husband.
He was the first Irish person she had met. Their early conversation brought a gentle cultural misunderstanding: Becerra assumed English could not be his original language and wondered what language Irish people spoke at home. Cormac explained that Irish is an important national language, but English is the everyday language for most people in Dublin.
The couple spent several years working in hospitality, travelling and moving from place to place. Becerra continued making knitwear, treating it primarily as an artistic practice rather than a reliable income. Following the pandemic, they began considering where to establish a more permanent life.
Chile remained a possibility, but Ireland offered family connections, friends and access to a property they could rent at a manageable cost. That existing network made settling easier, Becerra says. She has since joined a DJ collective and developed her creative work while building a life in Donabate.
Her observations add to wider ireland lifestyle news about migration, belonging and the everyday realities of starting again. Ireland, she believes, allows people from different economic backgrounds to mix more freely than in Chile. She also recognises familiar ground: Catholic influence, self-deprecating humour and distinctive local ways of speaking.
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Learning to live with Ireland’s darker season
The hardest part of the move came during Becerra’s first winter. She experienced a level of sadness she had never felt before and did not initially understand that the short days and limited sunlight could affect her mood.
Seasonal affective disorder, often called SAD, can be linked to reduced daylight and may affect energy, sleep and emotional wellbeing. Becerra’s experience is a reminder that moving country involves more than paperwork and accommodation. Climate, routine and access to familiar support can all influence adjustment.
A visit to Chile gave her a chance to see friends in the sunshine and regain perspective. It also brought a sharper awareness of poverty and hardship there, including informal settlements and extremely low wages. Returning to Ireland, she felt more appreciative of the security and community she had found, while recognising that her winter depression needed understanding rather than self-blame.
For anyone adapting to life in Ireland, practical steps can help:
- Make daylight part of the daily routine, particularly during the morning.
- Keep regular contact with friends, family or a local community group.
- Stay active through walking, exercise or outdoor activities when possible.
- Speak with a GP or qualified professional if low mood persists or affects daily life.
These are simple foundations for wellness Ireland residents can build into ordinary routines, without pretending that every difficult feeling can be solved by positive thinking.
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Discover further stories on healthy living in Ireland, wellbeing and everyday lifestyle changes from Daily Digest.
What does Becerra’s story say about lifestyle Ireland?
Her experience presents Ireland neither as an idealised destination nor as a place without difficulties. Instead, it shows how migration can be shaped by practical support, cultural curiosity and the willingness to adapt. A family connection helped her settle; creative work gave her identity; and learning about seasonal mood helped her understand an unfamiliar response to winter.
Becerra and Cormac hope to remain in Ireland for the long term and may eventually move west, although their careers currently keep them near Dublin. Her story sits comfortably within the broader conversation around irish lifestyle: how people make homes, maintain cultural ties and find community in a changing country.
Frequently asked questions
When did Maria Becerra move to Ireland?
Maria Becerra moved to Ireland in 2023 with her husband, Cormac, after several years of working and travelling in Australia and elsewhere.
How did Becerra meet her Irish husband?
They met while working on a blueberry farm in Australia. Cormac was the first Irish person she had met.
Why was her first Irish winter difficult?
She experienced unfamiliar low mood during the darker season and later learned about seasonal affective disorder and the possible effects of reduced daylight.
What does Becerra do in Ireland?
She works creatively as a knitwear artist and has also joined a DJ collective. She describes knitwear mainly as an artistic endeavour rather than a dependable full-time income.
Ultimately, lifestyle Ireland is not one fixed experience. For Maria Becerra, it is a blend of opportunity, community, winter challenges and cultural discovery. Her story’s clearest lesson is that settling somewhere new becomes more sustainable when practical support and personal identity grow together.