Hello everyone! And welcome to our inaugural member spotlight in the monthly eNotes.

For the first spotlight we’re meeting Ashleigh Rizzo, VP of Activities for AWCD. 

Ashleigh is a two-year veteran of Dublin, arriving in late August 2022 with her husband Jordan and dog, Fitz. Ashleigh and Jordan arrived on a three-year assignment with Circle K, his employer.

As a critical care nurse in her hometown of Pensacola, FL, Ashleigh thought she could work anywhere at home or abroad. But fate had other plans, she said.

“I got the feeling that nursing might not work out for me for financial reasons, so I just asked Jordan at dinner, ‘should I not try to work here?’ And he said no. I totally lost it and started crying. Immediately the fear of ‘what am I going to do now?’ really hit me. But as it happened, the next week was the first meeting of the year for AWCD, and there was such a buzz at the meeting, and I met all these friendly people. And afterwards six of us went to get lunch, and that felt so normal, and I was like ‘OK, I can do this.’

As the VP of Activities, Ashleigh has made endless memories at events over the past two years. Her advice to newcomers is “just show up to something. Don’t be afraid you don’t know people; everyone is so warm and welcoming. You will forget your social anxiety as soon as you arrive.”

Favorite AWCD activities?	Halfway to St. Patrick's Day Gin & Cocktails Class Ornament & Cookie Swap
Favorite place you've visited so far?	Amsterdam! They have great museums, high-quality food, friendly people, and amazing history.
Best piece of expat advice you've received?	Give yourself six months to not like it--to be unhappy and unsettled.
Most surprising life change in Dublin?	A love of hiking!
What one word best describes AWCD?	Community. 100%

I asked Ashleigh what has surprised her most about being here, and she said “for me personally, I’m surprised I can be this far away from family. Family is always #1 in Filipino culture, and I have a confidence now that we can go anywhere and I will be ok.”

I’m sure many of you can relate to Ashleigh’s journey here. But even with several months of unease at first, the decision to extend their time here is already a big topic of conversation in the Rizzo household, and they’re leaning towards accepting another two years. “We really love the lifestyle here. And there are so many more places on our bucket list we must explore!”

As many of you know, Ashleigh and Jordan are expecting their first child in November, and Ashleigh will be stepping back from her Activities duties soon. If you or you and a friend would like to take over and manage the winter / spring events for AWCD, please reach out to activities@awcd.net for more information!

This is truly an excellent way to immerse yourself in Dublin life, open yourself up to new people and experiences, and help others assimilate into expat life.

If you or a friend in AWCD would like to be interviewed for our “Meet the Member” segment, please reach out to communications@awcd.net.

Liz Anderson is an American wife and mother living abroad for the second time. She writes about her experiences as an expat in Europe and Asia at anoceanaway.blog. She has called Dublin home since March 2024.