Left for adventure, stayed for love!

Hello fellow travellers!

My name is Ashleigh, and I am a 29 year old Australian expat living in the Scottish Highlands. This time last year, I was working in a high-stress position within the emergency services, dating a complete d-bag who was an endless source of stress for me, oh and did I mention the crippling anxiety that had me on the verge of a nervous breakdown? Ten months later, here I am. Living in Scotland, and it has been the most terrifying, exhilarating, overwhelming and unexpected rollercoaster I have ever been on.

Since being here, I've had the opportunity to partake in a variety of unique Scottish traditions (Burn's Night, Highland games, Hogmanay), travel extensively through UK/Europe - 17 countries to be exact - and last but definitely not least, fall in love with the most beautiful Scottish man on the planet. Talk about living the Outlander dream! Don't get me wrong, living abroad isn't always spontaneous travels, whirlwind romances and picture perfect instagram posts. I am guilty of crying at least twice a week, paying way too much money for Australian sweets from an internationally based store, struggling with accents and differences in terminology, and threatening to pack my bags and leave after every little argument with my partner.

My job in Australia initially allowed me 12 months un-paid leave to have this experience, but as my end date approaches I am faced with the tough reality of deciding whether to stay or leave. I have dual citizenship, so I am not restricted by a visa, however my job at home may not approve an extension of leave and unfortunately my partner is not in a position to move with me right now. I have struggled to get a full-time job since being here, despite my two tertiary qualifications and extensive work history. In addition to this, making friends has been extremely difficult. I have become accustomed to the ol' Aussie way of life where anyone and everyone is a 'mate' and social acceptance and inclusion is second nature. Between lack of purpose, funds and social interactions, my only drive to be here is for my partner. Staying for love, and only for love, is a lot of pressure to put on an early relationship, and so I urge all of you wide-eyed travellers keen to make the expat dream come alive.... catch flights, not feelings.

Living abroad has it's ups and downs, so if you're considering this experience make sure you are 100% aware that it isn't always going to look as glamorous as the super model travel bloggers make it appear. In saying that, if you've always had a desire to live in another country and are open-minded about the good and bad parts of that experience, than I say GO FOR IT! You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

Here's my two cents on living abroad:

PROS:
- You'll learn a lot about yourself, and grow tremendously;
- You realise more than ever how independent, strong, fearless and courageous you are;
- You'll meet interesting people every single day;
- There's always something new to learn;
- Living like a local allows you to experience a new culture in a completely different way;
- You learn to appreciate all of the things you love about your home.

CONS:
- You WILL get homesick, accept it;
- Making friends can be difficult, especially if you're not living in a city;
- Finding a job isn't always easy;
- If you fall in love, you'll have some tough decisions to make in future;
- Doing basic things isn't as easy as it used to be (maybe it's a walk, bus and train just to get groceries instead of a short trip in your car car).

Happy travelling, mates!