I grew up in the US and my husband grew up in Ireland. We've settled down in Dublin, but there were a few culture shocks along the way.

I moved from the US to Ireland.Alexis McSparren

• When I met my Irish partner, it was clear we had very different upbringings in the US and Ireland.
• Some cultural differences, such as drinking norms and foreign-language learning, were quite stark.

My husband and I were born almost exactly one year apart and over 4,000 miles away from each other. We always say it was fate that somehow brought us together.

While I was growing up in the humble Midwest of the United States, he was raised just outside Dublin by the Wicklow Mountains and the Irish Sea.

Our paths collided after I moved to Ireland in 2019, and ever since, I've settled into a new life as an expat.

Growing up in different cultures has allowed us to have interesting conversations about our everyday habits, respective upbringings, and general life experiences.

Here are a few of the biggest culture shocks we've noticed.