Corkonians Abroad: There’s no place like Pana here in Perth!

THIS week, I caught up with Cork woman Amy Greene, who now lives in Perth, Australia, who talks about missing her family, a Covid pregnancy and birth far away from ‘home’, and her move to open a beauty business.

How did you end up in Australia?

I moved over here back in 2012 with my cousin Mark Dineen and my best friend Ellen Coughlan. It was really Mark’s idea to move over and we just simply tangled along.

If I’m being honest, I didn’t really research Australia too much and barely had any savings, but I took a chance and still to this day I don’t have any regrets moving out here.

When we first arrived 12 years ago, we went from sleeping on friends’ floors and couches and even ended up living in a four-bedroom house with about 11 people all living under the same roof.

What is life like in your new home?

I now live with my blended family. My partner Felipe, who’s from Brazil, my eldest daughter Sophia Chloe, who is nine years old, and our youngest daughter, Bella-Dior, who is two and a half.

I’ve also been lucky enough to have my mother Veronica living with us too on and off for the past two years (she was finally able to come over once the borders opened back up after Covid).

She came over on a visitor visa (subclass 600). A shout-out to any grandparents wanting to come over here, this is the best, cheapest and fastest visa for you to apply for.

What has been the biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge living over in Australia has always been that strange feeling of having to wait and watch the clock for it to be early enough in Ireland to pick up the phone to share all of life’s pivotal news, such as my engagement, finding out I was pregnant, the birth of my daughter, buying a business, the arrival of Sophia Chloe...

Coming from Brazil to Perth and not having my closest family, extended family and my best friends beside or standing with me can be so hard at times.

Tell us about your career?

I’m now a proud owner of the most amazing beauty salon based in Subiaco, just outside Perth city, called Complete Beauty Clinic.

I was given the opportunity by the original owner, who I met through casual work where she just wanted to offer the salon to someone she knew would put love and care into her baby.

Now, three years on, I am still grateful every day for this opportunity as I had no experience as an owner, but she could see my passion and drive and here we are now.

I know if I hadn’t been living in Perth at the time, I wouldn’t have been given this opportunity to become a business owner. Right place at the right time.

Family connections?

My sister, Jessica, moved to Perth in 2013, stayed here for two years, and moved back to Ireland once her visa ran out.

After struggling with getting long-term rentals, work and gaining longer visas, however, she always had the determination to move back to Perth, as we always had the goal of raising our kids together.

She finally made the move back after 10 years, after building up her experience, to come back on a skilled visa with her partner Alex and their little dachshund dog Lilah.

Her experience in moving here now compared to 10 years ago is totally different, she has her long-term visa in place, she set up interviews before her flight, and landed a job the day she got here with no experience in the real estate industry. She got her house and even two cars within the first three weeks.

She might be a bit of an organised freak, but shows, if it doesn’t work out the first time, you can also put the head down and really make the life you want.

What has been your most memorable moment in your new home?

The most memorable moment living here was on December 9, 2021, when I gave birth to Bella-Dior. A Covid baby and a very scary time.

Although we were free to roam around our city, Covid was on the rise and no-one was allowed into the borders, hence that meant no family member was with me during this time.

No-one saw me pregnant and no-one was there for the birth and afterwards.

When the borders finally opened, I found myself standing at Perth’s airport with a three-month old baby, waiting for my brother Jonathan and mother Veronica to come through the doors. It was such a surreal moment. Shaking, scared, nervous, crying, and happy all at the same time.

My family came through and met their granddaughter for the very first time in real life. A memory I’ll always hold onto.

If you were back in Cork for one day, how would you spend it?

If I was back in Cork for one day… Meeting friends and family is the most important thing and introducing them to my two beautiful girls.

I would go to KCs chipper in Douglas (chippers over here aren’t the same). I would go to my local bars, the Silver Key in Blackrock, John O’s in Douglas, and also make a trip down to Mahon Point.

I would go into the city for a wander, walking down Patrick Street would bring back so many nice memories growing up in Cork city.

It’ll never be the same walking through Perth city compared to back home. You’ll always see a friendly face and know every Tom, Dick and Harry walking down Pana.

Overall, living abroad, I’ve has had many ups and downs, with a lot of people being sick, and have missed my culture on many occasions.

I’ve missed funerals, weddings, birthdays, and many more special occasions, but I truly believe this is where I’m meant to be.

I’m a proud Irish girl from Cork living in Perth, Australia.

Any special shout-outs to people back in Cork?

The biggest shout-out and my biggest supporter and fan in life is my dad Michael, aka Grandad Greene.

Although he hates being so far away from his two girls and granddaughters, he fully supports me and my family living in Australia as he knows the opportunities and the life we have made here are next to none.

Dad makes it his mission to come out at least once a year and holds himself accountable by making weekly payments to travel agents to pay off his flight costs constantly, so that way, when he comes for a visit, it’s never a big shock or having to save loads to come out and spend quality time with us.

I think this way we will never go at least one year without seeing each other, and my two girls count down the days for every November when Grandad Greene comes to visit.