Sitting Still
“Relaxing with loneliness is a worthy occupation.″ -Pema Chodron
Apologies for not keeping up with this blog; I’m not sure how interesting I have been over the past few weeks.
I am enjoying my time in Scotland but have been taking it slowly.
I am trying to learn to relax and be in the moment. There is so much beauty all around me, and I’ve had the luxury of time to enjoy the great outdoors. I feel like I’ve posted all the cliffs, lochs, and beaches of Scotland that anyone can take, but walking through them in real life doesn’t get old.
I am biding my time, hanging out in the UK to stop my Schengen visa clock. I overestimated how much time I would want here, but that’s been a new challenge.
It’s been good for my budget (and the earth) to slow down and quit jumping from one country to another, but I am chomping at the bit to get going again.
The reason I wanted to stop my Schengen visa was to be able to meet friends in Greece at the end of August. So, I’m beyond excited to do that.
If I could do it again, I probably would have left the UK about two weeks ago and headed to the Balkans (other non-Schengen options and close to Greece.) I’ve made hotel/flight arrangements in advance twice now and regretted it both times.
Oh well, I’m learning as I go!
I had to find ways to entertain myself, other than hikes and touristy sightseeing, and that has given me a more authentic feel for what it might be like to live in Aberdeen, Scotland. I signed up for a temporary gym membership and have been taking an embroidery class.
Embroidery has always intrigued me, and I just happened across the cutest shop. I went in, and they offered a beginning class, so I thought, why not? I was expecting an older crowd, but to my surprise, my classmates were in their 20s and early 30s. I’m the old lady in the bunch. Our instructor Sammi is a cute 20-something who is in finance by day, but she has a little side hustle selling beginner kits with helpful stitch guides.
It’s been fun to have these ladies to look forward to every week, I’ll be sorry to say goodbye, but also, I am SO EXCITED for Greece and a proper girls’ trip! Not only that, but I’m staying another week after my US friends go home to join some Camino friends on a different Greek island.
It’s always feast or famine on the friend front! I have some big plans after sitting still for so long, so I should start writing more if anyone is still out there reading:)
XO,
Bon