‘I’d be more worried about terrorist attacks in London than I ever was at home’
Carmel Martin (32) is married to Owen and they are expecting their first child in July. She says:
Ialways wanted to be a teacher, and the options for me growing up in Northern Ireland were to do a degree at somewhere like the University of Ulster, as it was then, and then gain a PGCE qualification, which would take another year, or I could go to London and do a specialist teaching degree. I chose the latter, attending St Mary’s at Twickenham in 2003.
I am fortunate that I have three uncles and an aunt living in England, and they were very supportive towards me when I moved over. The other motivation for going to England was that it would be easier to get a permanent job upon qualification.
I have friends who studied in England and then returned back to Northern Ireland and who are still doing subbing shifts several years later, being unable to get a permanent post.
I was fortunate to get my first post teaching in a primary school straight after completing my degree. I stayed there seven years and have been in my present school for three years.
The career progression opportunities are also better here. I now hold a senior teaching position, head of Key Stage 2, and am part of the leadership team. I would not have had that opportunity so quickly at home.
On my second year in London I met my husband, Owen, who works in marketing with Coca Cola. We have thought about moving to Northern Ireland, and both of us would be keen to do that if everything lined up correctly.
While we earn much more in London than we would back home, the cost of housing espe- cially is much higher, so moving would not be a huge drawback.
In an ideal world, I would like to return to Northern Ireland in about five years’ time when there would not be the same pressure on me to remain in work. I could take time out to look after any children we had and get them settled in school.
But that plan would depend on my husband getting a job comparable to the one he currently has.
I do have an interest in current affairs in Northern Ireland but, obviously, it does not influence any of our day-to-day decisions, and some of the coverage is just bad press, in my opinion.
I grew up in Cushendun in the Glens of Antrim, and the Troubles never really impinged on our lives. I would have more concern about terrorist attacks in London in the present climate that I ever did at home.
Cushendun is still my home, and even my husband, who is from London, would move there tomorrow if things worked out properly.
Of course, we have a much more diverse range of friends in London than I would have had home. I met a lot of interesting people at university, but I also made friends with people from Northern Ireland who studied over here and then returned home and I am still in contact with them.
The great thing about London is that there is so much to do and see. We live just a 20 minute-train journey from the centre of London with all its attractions, and it certainly gives us a great quality of life.”