Goodbye 2010

A Year in Review…

2010 is coming to a close, and what a year it has been! I started the year off with an amazing trip to West Africa with group students from Randolph-Macon. Ghana was such an amazing place and I had the opportunity to hike to a 1000 foot waterfall, take a canopy walk through the African jungle, and teach 4th graders at an orphanage. It truly was the trip of a lifetime and I came back forever changed.

The year rolled on and this summer the travel bug hit me yet again. I travelled for 2 weeks to Greece with two friends. Greece was a place that I had always wanted to visit, and it truly lived up to its expectations! The islands were beautiful, and I loved catching rays of the beach, riding around Santorini on a vespa, and eating Greek food.  

My brother David graduated from College in May and I travelled up to Slippery Rock, PA to celebrate with him and his friends. He now lives and works in Baltimore and adopted a 5 year old English bulldog named Hurley.  My best friend of 21 years, Michelle, got married this summer. I was able to help throw her a bridal shower, bachelorette weekend at Ocean City, and was one of her bridesmaids in her wedding. The wedding was in Blacksburg so it was great to visit my alma mater one last time before moving across the world.

In July an opportunity came knocking on my door. After a 6 month job search I was offered a new position at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Within a month packed up my house, received a work visa, and moved across the pond to the UK.  I have never looked back, and have been enjoying being able to travel abroad. I have been living here for 4 months and have joined a travel volleyball team and visited Prague, Holland, London, and other parts of Scotland. My job is better than I ever could have imagined, and am looking forward to my upcoming birthday trip to Spain and Portugal this April when my mom comes for a visit!

2010 has been an adventure of a lifetime! I travelled to 6 countries, changed jobs, and started a new life in the UK. I wanted to take a few moments to thank all of you who supported and encouraged me this year to move abroad, especially my amazing parents! It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made and have grown professionally and personally. Looking back at 2010 I never thought I would have been where I am today, but thanks to all of your support I am living my dream of living abroad. Wishing you a Happy New Year from Scotland. ~Katie