Sir, – This is the average conversation with my sister (27). We talk about friends and family, her masters, how work is going – and how she plans to live in a van.
I try to avoid the subject because her argument is strong.
She wants to move out of the family home but also wants to buy a house one day, so renting is out of the question.
The dangers of living in a van don’t faze her because it’s the only way for her to be fully independent but also save for the future. She is working full time at a Covid-19 contact-tracing centre.
I am terrified of the prospect of her living in a van. She tells me not to worry as a friend of hers has recently brought her back some pepper spray from the US. This doesn’t help.
She reminds me that I have been renting for five years with my partner and even though we are both employed, we are nowhere near close to buying a house. My want to keep her safe is quashed by her logic, so we subconsciously move on to different topics and (excuse the pun) park it until next time.
And next time she will be further along in the process and it will be harder to argue with her.
This is the reality of planning for a future in Dublin. Two sisters fighting about how you should go about it. One taking drastic measures to ensure a nest egg is ready, one kidding herself that she can do it while renting.
This is the crux of the argument: she’s right.
KATIE CURRAN,
Clontarf, Dublin 3.