Fiona Griffin, a granny from Co Kerry, is embarking on a J1 work vacation on the age of 66 to meet a lifelong dream of working overseas.
Griffin is in Wisconsin this summer season the place she is working as an actions counselor at Clear Water Camp for Ladies, a summer season camp.
“I’ve at all times had a dream to reside and work overseas,” Griffin lately informed RSVP Stay. “I fell in love younger, obtained married, and had 4 youngsters, so elevating 4 youngsters put all of that on maintain,”
Nevertheless, she stated she determined to meet her lifelong dream after turning 66 in April.
“I used to be 66 in April and I needed to retire from work. Then a couple of issues occurred – my mum went right into a nursing dwelling, she’s 90. Then a member of the family was recognized with motor neuron illness, which was very troublesome for them and the remainder of the prolonged household.
“So I believed, if I do not do one thing now, I am going to remorse it for the remainder of my life.”
Griffin recalled her J1 visa appointment on the US Embassy the place she obtained an ideal chortle “buzzing and chatting away” with youthful candidates awaiting their very own appointments. The J1 program, which returns in full this yr after two years of pandemic disruptions, is especially taken on by Irish college students of their 20s.
Talking with Newstalk, Griffin defined how she was capable of pursue the J1 program regardless of her age: “It is as a result of camp work, coming to camp, and the American camps take older folks on employees in the event that they really feel they are a good match for his or her camp.
“I used to be very lucky that Clear Water Camp contacted me and requested to interview me, which was nice.
“However that is my understanding as a result of the kind of work qualifies as a result of it is a pupil trade, cultural trade slash job, so it qualifies for a J1 visa.”
She admits she doubtless would not have gotten the job if she did not have related work expertise again in Eire.
Now in Wisconsin, Griffin says she is getting on brilliantly along with her fellow employees, together with a fellow worker from Dublin, who’re largely younger folks however “very inclusive”.
“They’re actually conscious that I am older, however haven’t any drawback sitting and chatting with me,” she stated.
Griffin is documenting her uplifting journey on her Instagram account @retiree_on_a_j1_visa.
