The Adventures of the Anxious Ambler...: Ten years ago...

Tuesday 16 August 2016

Ten years ago...

This is quite an emotional post to think about, let alone write!

How to take a break from the emotion of wedding planning...take yourself to back ten years ago and get emotional about that instead!

Because it was on this day, 16th August 2006, I left bonny Scotland by myself for an adventure in North Carolina. An adventure that changed my life, took me to some incredible places, introduced me to some amazing people (four of whom will be coming to Scotland for the wedding in October!!), and gave me memories to last a lifetime.

When I look back at the photos I think I must have been confident to do something like that...go abroad for a year without knowing anyone...but at the time I was absolutely petrified. I kept a journal for the first few weeks (and then sadly didn't continue) and it is full of anxious thoughts and doubts.

I had an amazing time, that's for sure, and I would love to re-live that year, but it was definitely full on!

I studied at the University of Chapel Hill in North Carolina for the academic year, August 2006 to June 2007, but travelled to as many places I could - Washington DC, New York, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Mexico, Chicago, Boston, and around North Carolina itself.

I loved the buzz of campus life - so much going on, so much pride in the university. It seemed incredible to me that there could be a full size American football stadium on campus, let alone a basketball arena and all the rest! 'Rushing' Franklin Street (the main street in Chapel Hill) after a basketball win or at Halloween was simply so much fun.

I even turned 21 in America, like turning 18 in Scotland all over again - sort of!

I made friends for life, and have been back to North Carolina a number of times since my emotional departure in 2007. It is a state that will always be close to my heart, but it's the state of mind of 2006 I miss the most...the sense of adventure, of freedom, of fear, of fun.