This November we’re spotlighting Ratha Tep, AWCD member since 2014. Ratha is a native New Yorker, brought to Dublin by way of Zurich, Switzerland, for her husband Thomas’s teaching job at Trinity College Dublin.
As a first-time expat in Switzerland, moving to a country that does not speak English as its primary language can feel much different than moving to Ireland.
“It took a long time to acclimate to Zurich. Much longer than to Ireland. Eventually I met a great group of British friends in Switzerland, and we all had babies at the same time. It was a real bonding experience—navigating pregnancy and having our first babies while not speaking the native language. When you're an expat who doesn't speak the same language somewhere, it brings you closer to other expats who have the same language barrier.”
When Ratha first moved to Dublin, she was a mother of a young child and felt isolated. She reached out to AWCD to inquire about membership, and long-time member Noreen Griffin helped her feel welcome.
“Noreen offered to bring me to a Coffee ‘n Kids Morning. I ended up going often, and met friends and enjoyed the advice other women gave me. They helped me figure out my way around here. I love the club.”
Now a mother to two pre-teen girls, Claire and Sophie, Ratha has branched out in her work life while living here. In the fall of 2022 Ratha published her first children’s book, Wally the World’s Greatest Piano-Playing Wombat. She was inspired by the ups and downs of motherhood and eye-opening experiences of raising children. Wally “helps kids navigate the messy feelings of jealousy—especially during a time in their lives when they’re probably trying a lot of new things, whether it’s musical instruments or sports.”
No stranger to publishing, Ratha was an editor at Food & Wine magazine in New York City before moving to Zurich. When moving abroad, she pivoted to freelance writing, contributing many articles to The New York Times and Wall Street Journal as well as writing for corporations. Ratha hopes to publish her second children’s book soon.
After more than 14 years outside the US, life looks so much different than when she left in 2010. “I eventually want to move back to the US, but I don't know when. Ireland—and especially my neighborhood Sandymount—is a great place to raise kids. It feels both very international and like a little village at the same time.”
| Favorite AWCD activities? |
-Weekly tennis lessons
-Coffee ‘n Kids mornings
-Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Morning
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| Where do you still want to visit? |
Rome, Athens, and the Greek Islands |
| Best piece of expat advice you have for new members? |
Just put yourself out there. Join all the activities, whether with AWCD or your kids’ school or whatever you like to do. |
| Most surprising life change in Dublin? |
The Irish are soooo nice. People go out of their way to be kind. |
| What one word best describes AWCD? |
Community. |
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.
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