Corkonians Abroad: Life in Coachella Valley is hot for someone from Cork

Early Days

I was conceived in Cork City around 1964. Due to medical issues, my parents were recommended to have the birth in England. I was born only 2 lbs in weight at Hammersmith Hospital, London.

My parents are Jeremiah and Hilda (nee Manning) of Glasheen Road, Cork. I was born on August 29, 1965.

Moving on

During my education at University College Cork, I filled out an application for a J1 Visa during the summer of 1984. Just before my graduation year, I was granted a J1 visa and I left for New York City. My cousins James and Bridget Flanagan met me at JFK airport and took me to their apartment in Stuyvesant Town, downtown New York.

After a few days, I left for my destination, which was San Diego, to stay with my California cousins, the Fitzgibbons family.

During my J1, I worked at SeaWorld. I returned to Cork afterwards and finished my Bachelor of Arts degree at University College Cork- a great moment for myself and my family.

Decision time

At this time, like many other graduates coming out of University College Cork, it was difficult to find full-time positions. I decided to use my green card and return to San Diego to my cousins.

This was a sad day for myself and my family as we knew this was a more permanent move. I can remember the day my parents and I went to Shannon Airport pretending to be happy for me, but knowing they were losing their oldest son.

My siblings, Stephen and Gerald, and Claire came to the send-off also. Both Stephen and Claire had had some experiences of living in the United States, as both had been on athletic scholarships at Western Kentucky University, and Gerald was at school at St Mary’s College in London studying to be a PE teacher.

My poor parents were empty nesters. In many ways, my parents were willing to give their kids the opportunities that were not available in Ireland back in the early 80s. With a little larger suitcase than before, I made my way to customs. The agent opened my bag and said, “this is all you have”. I answered yes, that it was. “Do you have the $1,000 that US government mandates that you must bring for travel,” they asked. I only had $300, but he let me through. That was the start of my opportunities.

After arriving in San Diego, I stayed with my cousins David and Maren and Matt Fitzgibbon, who are my sponsors. Without having sponsors, the US government would not allow J1 students, or any students with a green card, back into the country, so my cousins were grateful to act as my sponsors until I got on my feet.

I lived with my cousins for three years in a place called Carlsbad, Northern San Diego. During the next three years, I worked three jobs to make ends meet.

I worked from 5:30am to 12:30pm at a fast-food restaurant, then from 1:30pm to 6:30pm at the local JCPenney store, and later that evening from 6:30pm to 9:30 pm at the Dean’s photo shop at the Carlsbad Mall. My days were very full and very busy.

As I enjoyed the JCPenney company the most, I moved up the ladder quickly and became a department manager in the JCPenney company. During this time, I met my wife, Jamie Lee Hughes, who later became Jamie Lee Gibbons.

On August 14, 1993, we were married at St Patrick’s Cathedral Church in Carlsbad, North San Diego County.

Naturally, many of my family members came across from Cork to enjoy the beautiful weather and visit Disneyland...they also came for the wedding.

Arriving in San Diego International Airport, we found that all the family decided to wear green outfits. I thought we would all be arrested, but luckily, they weren’t arrested, and I ran away and had a few pints.

On our trip from the airport to North County San Diego we stopped at a Denny’s restaurant because the Irish folk needed some food, so they told me, so we stopped at Denny’s but they were disappointed because Denny’s did not serve alcohol, and they didn’t really want food they wanted Irish whiskey.

Family time

After three years of working at the JCPenney company, I was asked to transfer to a new store in the Coachella Valley. The company took me up to the Coachella Valley in November and asked me if I would like to be a manager for the store in the local mall. I agreed to the move.

After the move, I found out that the temperatures in August in the Coachella Valley get up to 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit). It’s hot for someone from Cork during the summertime. I went for a pint then.

The locals say you’ll get used to the heat; it’s a dry heat. Don’t believe everything you hear.

After a year in the desert with JCPenney, I decided to change professions and became a teacher like my grandmother and my dad before me.

My grandmother was a very famous person as she was one of the first female principals in Ireland when she became a principal down in West Cork.

My father was a teacher at Hamilton High School, Bandon for all of his career. I became a teacher in 1995 for the Coachella Valley Unified School District.

The next year, our first child was born, Patricia, in Palm Springs. Our lives changed forever. My wife now was also studying to become a teacher, so we had to find help to look after Patricia.

Two years later, Alexis Nicole was born, and later Megan and Brianna were born.

The Coachella Valley Unified School District moved me into a director/administration position quickly. I became an administrator for the Child Welfare and Attendance Department.

After 18 years in this position, and as I was getting closer to retirement, I decided to go back to teaching in a classroom.

The past four years of my life, I have been a teacher at Las Palmitas Elementary School in the Coachella Valley Unified School District.

As I moved along with my life in the USA, I never forgot where I came from. I called home every single day since I came out to USA (cost me a small fortune).

The first few years out here, we returned every summer to Cork, and then as the kids were born it was every other summer. I always wanted to be home with my family and my friends in Cork.

I look back very fondly at the great people I met on my journey and the opportunities I got in all locations visited, such places as New York, San Diego, and the Coachella Valley.

Memorable moments

The most memorable moments are when my wife Jamie and I got married on August 14th, 1993, having 25-plus cousins and family come out for the wedding. Having our four great, healthy, beautiful kids was also a great moment, having my in-laws around to support and encourage me and my wife was a great moment.

Friends

To this day, I always call my friends in Cork who were with me in the 37th Cork Scout Troop in Togher, I would mention their names, but there are too many to remember, and I would probably forget some of the names, but they know who they are. I have very fond memories of Mr. Patrick Bradley and all the scout leaders in Togher.

I always had many, many friends in West Cork also as I went to school for my high school experience and Hamilton High School, Bandon (my dad was teaching me there).

A special mention goes to one of my best friends in Hamilton High School Bandon, who is Brian O’Connor, who is the racing columnist for the Irish Times up in Dublin now.

This summer we plan to return to Cork in the month of July, and we will be bringing a whole family, plus more boyfriends and girlfriends back.

The first thing the girls and the boys want to do is to go to Dunnes Stores and buy some Lucozade, Taytos, and Kimberly biscuits.

I also want to put in a special mention to all my cousins, my aunts and my uncles and all my 60-plus cousins who have many times come out to the USA to visit.

I feel extremely lucky for all the opportunities afforded to me during my time in the USA, but I will never forget where I came from and how it shaped me for my future.

God Bless The Rebel County and the place I am proud to be from, that is Cork City.