Well I've been here just over 6 months and have packed in a lot of 'doing'!
From the time I decided to leave NZ to getting to Scotland, it took me 6 weeks. Got Right of Abode to live and work in the UK, resigned from my job, rented house out and packed house up. Nothing like 'snap' decisions. However as much as I am missing my family and friends in NZ, I have no regrets, life's to short for them anyway!
One of the main reasons to come to Scotland, was finding a Scottish 1/2 brother, Richard. He and I get on like a house on fire, but we don't spend heaps of time together. He works away all week for work and has a young busy family. His wife, my sister in law, Nicola is lovely and the 6 kids are great! I've been to see some of the boys football games and taken the younger ones out. I touched base, via letter to my birth father, for a second time just before I arrived and to date, there has been no response from him, so its all in his court now. Richard has nothing to do with either of his parents and has not been in touch with his brother, my other 1/2 brother Kenny for years and years. I am going to try and track Kenny down, as I think he has a right to know he has a 1/2 sister, if I find him, it will be up to him, as it was to Richard, whether he wants a relationship with me.
After applying for over 100 job roles, I finally landed one at the University of Glasgow as a Project Manager in the College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences. Where I work is very flexible, so much so that I generally only go into the office once a week and the rest of the time I work from home. I have another couple of months to finish my 6 months probation, but so far so good. As its a new role, I get to make it my own, which I really thrive on. It takes me a 20 - 30 minute on the train, when they'r not on strike. Each day I go to the office, I walk 5km getting to and from trains.
I bought a new pair of trainers just before I left NZ and with all the walking I've been doing on my travels and around Dumbarton where I live, they are taking a pounding and l'll likely need a new pair before they're a year old! Got to be good for the body, mind and soul - you see so much walking about and of course its all new, so I'm enjoying the sights. Most weeks I'm probably clocking up between 15 - 20 km! What you have to do when you don't have a vehicle. Overall I'm not missing having a vehicle, and overall the trains are great for getting about. I'll see how I feel about that in the new year and then decide if I get one.
I am living in a house, that a lady called Ally owns. Initially it was me and a young lady, Kirsten, who worked in hospitality living here, as Ally spent most of her time at her then boyfriends place. So with Kirsten working in hospo, I hardly ever saw her and had the place to myself most of the time. Then Kirsten moved out and Ally and here then boyfriend, Paul, moved in and they got a puppy, Poppy the jet black cockerpoo. However, Ally and Paul have since split, so for the last 4 weeks its just been Ally and me and Poppy when its her day to stay with her 'mum'! Ally and I get on like a house on fire and we go out from time to time and blame each other for leading each other astray! Today a new 'lodger' moved in, a young women who is an International student at the University of Glasgow. She's very quiet, so that's good, but she may find Ally and me a bit of a handful! Flatting at 50+ is not nearly as bad as I thought it would be and feel that I've landed on my feet having Ally as my 'landlord'!
I'm a 'real' local in Dumbarton in that I have registered with a Dr - no charges for seeing the Dr (via phone) or for getting repeat prescriptions and there is no charge at the pharmacy for the prescriptions. Thats a 'win' in my book! I've also become a member of the local library - I was buying new and second hand books to keep up with all my reading. Think since leaving NZ I've read about 100 books, so the library is a godsend and to date no charge to take any books out!
Supermarkets here are really set up for the single shopper when it comes to food and there is such an array of freshly prepared meals for one, that I'm actually often buying those to keep the body fuelled. I tend to buy day by day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which is working well.
The weather here in Scotland has to date been very kind, in fact summer was lovely and while it has cooled down and we have had a fair bit of autumn rain, there are still lovely sunny days to be able to get out and about. I realise that this will not last and that eventually the winter weather will find me! However, if I get too overwhelmed with it, the warmer climes of the Mediterranean winter is only a couple of hours away!
I've been fortunate and been able to catch up with friends. Denise in Ireland and Irene at Canvey Island, about an hour out of London. I've had some great travels around Scotland; Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Loch Lomond, Balloch, Helensburgh, and Stranraer - still lots to see, but I think some of this will have to wait till the spring/summer! On top of these travels I have been to Albufeira, Alicante and Rhodes - all places I absolutely loved and thoroughly enjoyed.
I'm loving Scotland, the people are fabulous, except when they are ask if I'm from Australia, Sth Africa, America or Canada! Love their accents and their 'language'. They talk super fast and talk over each other, but I generally manage to keep up with the play!
I'm struggling to find a decent coffee, its not so much the beans, but the milk aspect. I don't know whether they just can't froth the milk properly or whether the milk doesn't allow them too! Still when in 'Rome', do as they do! Aside from my family and friends its the only thing I've noticed I'm missing, so hardly a first world problem!
I've been fortunate to go to see NZs Fat Freddy's Drop, Robbie Williams and the ABs vs. Scotland. They'll be plenty more gigs, shows and events coming up next year, including heading to Dublin to see Lionel Richie.
Hair is shorter and I've gone back to getting foils to hide the grey. Few new piercings and a new tattoo is on its way in December - photos to follow! A 'mid-life - mid-life' crisis - who knows, rebelling now seeing as I didn't when I was a teen!!!
I've also been out on a few dates, just dipping my toes back into the water! One of the dates included a disastrous one with a 'midget' - not sure at what height someone is officially classified as a midget, but as you know, I'm only 5'3" and I towered over him! It made me realise I'm a 'heightest'! I've had a couple of dates with a 6'4", 42 year old! So we'll see where that goes. Not looking for a husband or even a 'live in partner', but having someone to go out with from time to time, would suit me fine, I value my independence and just being able to up and go on my travels too much, I also think after 7 years single, I've probs become somewhat self-centred/selfish, so it'd take one very special bloke to break my singledom! I guess if it becomes anything more than that, then its meant to be! Wedding invitations will be in the post! Hahahaha - jokes!
Future planned trips booked to date are; Rome of NYs, Prague in February and Albuferia in April. All of these I will be doing with Denise and Elaine.
I am also going to seriously look at relocating to Europe for work. It may not happen in the next 6 months, really want to get a year under my belt in my current role, however I will broach the subject with them of working remotely, when the time is right. While holidaying in all these amazing places is awesome, to really experience them you need to live there. So while when I told my family and friends in NZ, that I'd be gone a year, its now looking like as least two and to be honest my current thinking is that it will be a lot longer than that, who knows maybe its a 'forever' move! Time will only tell on that one!
Well that's me done for today, 1000s of photos uploaded to Google Drive and put into folders and three blogs. I'm now all up to date, until the next trip!
Love and miss you all, but living my best life! Photo of Richard and I at the ABs vs. Scotland game - his first rugby match and he's keen to go again - don't think he was just being polite!!
Cheers
Sara (aka Miss Sassy) 😘 🦋 💌
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