House hopping Nancy feels at home

MOVING house is reputed to be the second most stressful thing in life — after divorce — so Nancy Claxton deserves to be frazzled after upping sticks 32 times in the last 20 years.

But despite spending about $35,000 (€26,600) on moving costs alone during that time, the Irish-American native of Chicago is relaxed about her lot and enjoying her home at Knocknacarra, just outside Galway city, where she lives with her husband, Marcel, and baby son, Alexander.

“I keep thinking any day now I’m going to feel it’s time to leave Galway, but it hasn’t happened yet, after nine months,” the 38-year-old said.

Up until the age of 18, Nancy remained at home in Chicago, Illinois. But when she headed for college in Michigan she ended up moving three times during her third-level schooling.

Nancy then got a job and moved to another location in Chicago, relocated once more within the same region after another year, before joining the Peace Corps and heading to Antigua in the Caribbean.

“I was a teacher-trainer and travelled around to different islands. I loved it.”

Much of that time was spent in the poorer areas of the Antiguan capital, St John’s, and Nancy twice fell victim to crime.

“I remember once I was moving because I’d been robbed and I went out to get something to eat and, when I came back, I’d been robbed again.”

A job in Chicago followed, along with engagement and marriage and another move. Then divorce and a few more moves to various apartments.

Another volunteer job came along, as a teacher-trainer in Eritrea in Africa.

“I moved three times when I was there, because of safety issues.”

After that it was back to the States for a couple of months, before moving to Holland with her Dutch fiance. Two-and-a-half months in Holland were succeeded by another return to America.

“After three months I found out I was pregnant. American healthcare isn’t generous if you haven’t insurance, so we moved back to a different house in Holland, then we moved to Galway early in 2006.”

While this was her first time living in Ireland, there was a family connection. Her grandfather John McEnroe grew up here before emigrating to the US.

“I love Galway, it feels like home,” she said yesterday. “People are very friendly here and it’s a very warm place to be, apart from the weather. That part I don’t like.”

But despite her newfound happiness on these shores, she’s not ruling out move number 33.

“I’m not sure how long we’ll be here but with the baby now, it’s different. I don’t want to be dragging him all over the world every five months.”