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The always popular Laois Abroad series returns for the fourth time in 2025.
Up next is a Portlaoise man who has made China his home.
Barry Doyle set off travelling through South East Asia in 2011 – initially planning to spend six months.
He settled in China and almost 15 years later, he never looked back.
Barry now heads up a Cultural Humanities programme in an international school in Chengdu and he tells his story:
Where are you originally from, when did you move away, and where are you now?
I’m originally from Portlaoise and I’ve been living in China since 2011.
I had travelled through South East Asia previously and decided to see what working in this neck of the woods would be like. I came for six months and I’m still here.
I started teaching English as a second language, very basic stuff, then started teaching IELTS speaking which is more formal.
It grew from there and now I head up a Cultural Humanities program in an international school in Chengdu.
It’s teaching students who plan to study abroad about Western ideas, culture, art, philosophy, so it’s fun.
What’s the best thing about living abroad?
Living in China is very different so you become very independent, figuring a lot out as you go along. (Chengdu has about 22 million people).
The language barrier is a huge thing, but it’s so different in every way it gives you a different perspective on everything.
The food here is amazing, the cost of living, the infrastructure, you can have a great quality of life if you’re up for it.
I’ve spent most of my time in central and south western China. I have no real interest in the huge cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong.
My Dad’s family hail from Ballyfin and my Mam’s family hail from Ballyroan so I’m fairly comfortable being out in the sticks.
There’s a huge minority culture here (56 minorities) so it’s a lot to explore.
Have you visited Laois much since you left?
I’ve been home every three years or so. It’s a bit of a trek! Covid threw a bit of a spanner in the works too.
With so many countries bordering China it’s very easy to visit countries like Nepal, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, countries you might not consider visiting.
Home is always in the back of your mind though. You can miss family and friends. Home is home.
What’s the funniest or strangest thing that has happened to you on your travels?
There’s been a few bumps along the road here. I was only here two months when a (relatively small) earthquake got me out of the bed fairly quickly on a Saturday morning.
I worked in Inner Mongolia for a year and ended up in an episode of a TV show.
They strapped me in a chair and shot me in the face so that was good craic seeing the behind the scenes of how they do it.
One of my schools put me in a production of The Lion King (supposed to be “school play”) and it kinda grew and grew and we ended up before a crowd of about 3,000 people and being live streamed on the internet.
I definitely would’ve found a way outta that had I known what was in store.
What have you learned most since leaving Ireland?
Since leaving Ireland I’ve learned very little! I still fumble my way around getting in and out of situations.
Chinese people are very respectful, very curious and very helpful, so I guess they’re trying to teach me every day!
Regardless of where you go, people will get a sense of who you are and what you’re about. Irish people are generally very well liked so that’s a plus.
Do you meet many people from Ireland or Laois where you’re living now?
I haven’t met anyone from Laois out here. Depending on where you live in China, foreigners can be like hens teeth here.
I’ve gone months without seeing anyone from outside China but you get used to it.
What do you miss most about Ireland?
Apart from family and friends, I miss sports. It’s tricky to heading into school on a Monday if you’ve been up til 3am watching a live game back in Ireland.
A nice pint of milk every now and then would be nice because diary products are hard to find here. Chocolate too. Crunchies!
Will you return to live in Laois at some point in the future?
Yeah, Portlaoise is home and circumstances change as you get on a bit. I never rule out anything as you never know what’s around the corner.
One minute you’re making it look like you’re working hard at your desk and the next minute you’re strapped to a chair and some Chinese man is pointing a gun at you.
If you are from Laois and living abroad please get in contact with us to tell your story.
Anyone who is interested can contact us on any of our social media channels or email us on news@laoistoday.ie.
