This interview appears in this week’s Cork Independent: “… we talk with Helen Becarra (nee Flynn) originally from Millstreet and now living, married, in the United States. After a J1 trip abroad, Helen fell in love with her neighbour Jon Becarra, who serves in the Marine Corps. She now lives in Huntington Beach in southern California – otherwise know as The OC. All in all a pretty decent deal, especially with the constant sunshine.
Name: Helen Becerra (Flynn)
Age: 26
Occupation: Graphic Designer & Marketing Manager
How long has it been since you emigrated from Ireland? Four years
Why did you decide to leave Cork? I went on a J1 summer and my next door neighbour ended up being my long distance boyfriend and then my husband. 
What made you emigrate to the place you live in at the moment?
A marriage proposal. I think I would have tried hard to come back here even if I never met him, I fell in love with the place from day one.
What’s your favourite thing about your new home?
The weather is definitely number one! The convenience of everything would be next – whatever you want, groceries, pharmacy, alcohol etc is available all day and all night as long as you know where to go. I noticed this a lot when I visited my parents last summer and was faced with a mile long walk for a bar of chocolate! Anything you want is probably available within an hour drive radius – they have a saying here that California is a state where you can go to the snow, desert and beach all in one day.
What do you miss most about Cork?
I miss knowing everyone, the craic and mostly the Irish sense of humour. Americans have such a different brand of humour. And Hillbillies breast in a bun. Oh and Penneys!
What do you miss least about Cork?
The rain, the No 5 and No 8 bus on a “soft” day when the whole bus is steamed up and late. Also the price of drink and the bouncers, that’s about it.
….. read the full interview on CorkIndependent.com
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