Scotland Bound

"Ergo, due to the transitive property of awesomeness, if you avoid anything that could potentially embarrass you, then you will never end up doing something that feels important." - Mark Manson (from "7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose")

With fear, the significant risk of embarrassment and no small amount of nerves, I'm officially announcing that I'm moving to Scotland in 2015.

There is much I don't know and that still needs to be determined as I venture forth on this new adventure. Things such as: where, when and exactly how plus all the other minute details. But, I'm ready and very excited at the prospect of living overseas, and experiencing something different and watching how it changes and shapes me, while taking amazing photographs of the Scottish countryside, of course.

I've come to a number of significant conclusions recently. 1) I'm not living the life that I'd imagined and it's time to start doing so. 2) What I want MOST to do in this world is travel, with a close second being: make a difference in the lives of others.  I get the honor of doing the latter through being a hospice nurse (stay tuned for blogs about what I've learned from death and the dying). What I don't get to do much of is travel, for various reasons. 3) There are a number of items on my bucket list that would be much more readily achieved by being closer to Europe. 4) What scares me most, is, perhaps, the thing that I'd find most fulfilling. I don't know for sure. But I desperately want to see if it does; so I'm putting on my Big Girl Pants and taking the leap. Fingers crossed there is a net available to catch me.

I've had many who've asked "why Scotland?" While there are many reasons, the first and probably most important response is "why not Scotland??"

So... Scotland.

About 20 years ago, I read a fantastic book called "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon and fell madly in love with Jamie Fraser (a.k.a. James Alexander Malcolm McKenzie Fraser) and Scotland. YES, I KNOW that he's fictional. I KNOW that it's not possible to travel through time. I KNOW that Sam Heughan is a god and this mere mortal cannot live in the Land of Gods (nor does she want to.) So, for those who have recently questioned my sanity (apparently many years of friendship has led them to believe that I'm delusional), I. Am. Fully. Rational.

Recently "Outlander" has been made into a TV series on Starz, and it's made me think... and remember. It's made me recall all that I was passionate about in my teens and early 20's, when I still thought I could do ANYTHING I wanted; when I still had enough passion for 10 people and defined success not by how much money I made or how high on the ladder I climbed or by living up to other people's expectations. I defined success as living an adventurous life. My dream as a young woman was to be an actress (in fact, I was accepted to NYU Tish School of the Arts). But, and it's a big "but" -  I could care less about acting on Broadway. What I REALLY wanted to do was be in traveling Broadway shows. The acting and creative process would have been great but I wanted to see the world!! I wanted to experience other cultures and explore other cities. I wanted to sit in pubs and strike up conversations with strangers. It's been a longing that I've had for the last 20 years. While I've been mildly successful at being able to stuff it into the tiny corners of my psyche, at times it will rear back up and body slam me into longing and desire. In retrospect, some of my desired nursing jobs were "travel nursing" and "Doctors Without Borders" work. One of the first things I did after getting my license was to sign up for emergency response teams in foreign countries. I was never called but clearly, the desire to explore hasn't left me.

Scotland specifically: I love the people and their passion (yes, I've been there). The country is gorgeous. I speak the language, sort of. :) And, it's likely that I can work over there as a nurse (vital to survival). And biggest bonus of all: men in kilts!

So... here I go. I'm starting a journey that will lead to many grand and new adventures... Watch and see as everything plays out. I'd appreciate comments and advice from those who have left stateside to become an ex-pat.