Petya Racheva from Bulgaria believes mastering the English language in Cavan helped her in many ways.
Petya Racheva from Gabrovo, Bulgaria came to visit a friend in Ireland in 2007 but stayed for longer than she thought. A barmaid back in her hometown, she is now a bookkeeper for a small company in Cavan and looks after two children. She shares how communism felt like living in a box and being left-handed was not allowed. The quietness in Cavan and the weather were new to her and she loved the politeness of the Irish, but the language barrier was the biggest challenge. She decided to take lessons and mingle with English speaking friends and employees to help her speak the language better. It was a long journey to be where she is at now, living a better life with an Irish partner and his welcoming family, and working as a bookkeeper for 8 years. Seeing how Cavan has transformed since 2007, she believes hardwork and luck can bring you places, and having someone to help you settle in a new country makes things a lot easier.