Márcio Duarte, software developer at Fenergo, tells us why he chose Ireland as a place to live and work, and how easy it has been to adapt to a new country.
Where are you from?
I’m originally from Sagres (Algarve), Portugal, but before I moved to Ireland I was living in Cascais. It’s a beautiful village with lots of things to see, such as palaces, museums, beaches – it’s not far from Lisbon.
How long have you been in Ireland?
I moved to Ireland in September.
Why did you move here?
I was looking for a new career challenge, but also a life-changing experience. I was very impressed the first time that I was in Dublin, I have some family and friends in the city and, since it concentrates a lot of IT companies, I had been considering it for a while.
What work do you do?
I’m a software developer at Fenergo. I develop/configure new features for the Fenergo Enterprise platform that enables financial institutions to manage new and existing client data, documentation and regulatory requirements. Occasionally, I also do some client support for Fenergo clients.
How would you describe your working environment?
It’s great and all the people are really friendly and helpful, and it’s also a dynamic, multicultural and challenging environment.
What do you like most about your job?
The work environment and the people I’m working with, they are really good professionals all working hard towards the same goal. I like having fun with my colleagues, and also being able to travel to our other offices in other countries.
Was it difficult to adjust to living and working in Ireland?
I didn’t experience many difficulties. In general, moving to a different country is always extremely challenging, and adapting to a new lifestyle can be difficult sometimes. In my case it was the complete opposite, in a few days I had already met a lot of new people and everyone at work was very helpful, letting me settle in quickly.
What surprised you about moving to Ireland?
I just arrived a couple of weeks ago, so I haven’t had any surprises yet.
How does your working life help to make you feel at home here?
I think being happy at work is very important, so that you are able to enjoy your personal life. My colleagues made me feel at home by having a good time with me, both during and outside of working hours.
What do you like most about your adopted home?
The amount of activities and options you have in the city and the fact that everything is close by – the city, the sea and the mountains.
