I Quit My Job and Edinburgh Fringe Chaos
Hello, hello, hello lovely people! August has been an exciting month indeed. The Edinburgh Fringe was on, I went to one, entire show, and the rest of the time I focused on not losing my head. So many people have descended upon the city! And so many costumes! So many acapella groups! Agh! Here’s the monthly memo/life updates for August. The big ringer? I quit my job! I’m no longer a tour guide in Edinburgh! I took one look at the Fringe, one tour elbowing through flyer-ers and shouting over street performers and then I said I’m outta here! (Not exactly). Other highlights include a weekend away, going back to Canada, and my brother getting married!
So, About The ‘I Quit My Job’ Situation…
Okay, let’s address this right off the bat. I didn’t quit my job because of the Fringe. I wanted to, right away. But I would never quit my job without any other job lined up. I ended up getting lucky, and I found another job right at the perfect time! It’s in digital marketing, which is what I wanted. And, I’ll be doing a qualification alongside it over the next few months, also what I wanted! It’s a big shift though. I was working 3.5h days, walking a ton and spending all my time outside. I had a lot of freedom, but no job security. And I wasn’t building towards anything. This feels like a really good step in the right direction! I finally feel like I’m working towards a career.
The Fringe Came (Back) To Edinburgh
The Fringe is madness. I was really bitter about it this year because I was working in the midst of it for its first three weeks. And it was my first Fringe. Plus, it keeps growing every year. And apparently people have spent all their money to get here that they don’t want to pay me, their tour guide, for giving them the tour. Ugh. I should do a whole ‘behind the scenes of a ‘free-tour’ tour guide life. But that’s another story. Basically, after elbowing through flyer-ers just trying to get to work all morning, then shouting over street performers (and more flyer-ers) for 3 hours, I didn’t have it in me to go to any of their shows.
The One And Only Fringe Show I Went To
I spent a lovely evening with my friend Lauren, and the team from Oliver Bonas when they had their Fringe comedy show! It was the only show I went to, and it was brilliant. The comedian was Karen Hobbs, and her show was basically all about feminine health, and her battle with cervical cancer. Presented in a hilarious comedy act, of course! It sounds impossible to pull off, but trust me, she did. It was also lovely to be invited to an Oliver Bonas event! I’ve loved their stuff for ages and when they opened a new storefront in Edinburgh my jaw genuinely dropped at the size and set up! If you’re coming to Edinburgh, you’ve got to visit.
I *Actually* Went to Events Though
Weirdly, July and August have picked up a lot for “blogger events” for me. I’m not one to usually get invited. So I’m calling them “blogger events” but usually it’s actually just a DM from Instagram, and all I’m expected to do is post about it on my Instagram. I’ve had a lot of fun at these, surprisingly! It always seems like a really daunting thing, to go and have to socialise and meet new people. But, I’ve made some new friends! Anne and I met at the Tartan Blanket Co. pop-up shop, and then again and a Portobello Road Gin event, and then again for coffee. Sofia and I have been meaning to meet up for ages, and we finally got to at one of Bumble’s events! Plus I’ve met loads of new people as well!
I Had A Little Weekend Getaway
My boyfriend Angus and I like to go on weekends away. Especially because (before I quit my tour guide job) I would always work on weekends. It was the busiest time of the week for me! With him working 9-5 on weekdays, our schedules didn’t leave us with many days to spend together. So, we like to schedule weekends away ahead of time and just spend the days holding hands and going for walks, eating food and exploring new places. In August we went to Callander. I’d driven through on my way back from Skye with my family in July, and it seemed like a cute little place for a calm and cozy weekend away. More on that in another post, though.
I’m Back In Canada!
A bit of a longer getaway was to where I am now: Canada. For those of you who don’t know, I’m from Canada. I moved to Scotland almost a year ago to the day. I went home at Christmas last year, and I haven’t been home since. When I came home a week ago, I actually went straight to Winnipeg, which is not where I’m from. It was weird! Sort of like a coming-home and a holiday all in one. Winnipeg is also incredibly flat. Not a hill in sight. I don’t know why I think this is important for you to know, but it is. I went directly there for a very important reason:
My Brother Got Married!
Wild! He’s the first one of us (there’s four) to get married! We all saw it coming. His partner and him have been together for ages, she lived with us for awhile, they’ve lived together for years, they have a dog together, they’re settled, and so we knew it was happening! Still, they got engaged almost as soon as he graduated. I think it was extra exciting since we already saw her as part of the family! We were excited for both of them. Plus, I haven’t been to Winnipeg for over a decade! So it was cool to get to see their hometown from their eyes and get a better understanding of their life together.
And, I Saw A Polar Bear!
The wedding itself was a whole proper event. I know most expect weddings to be that way, but I really don’t, and their’s wasn’t in the way you’d expecting. It was short, the ceremony was no longer than 15 minutes. It was in the Assiniboine Park, and incredibly beautiful — not a dry eye on the pavilion! Short and sweet. The real event was the reception at the polar bear gallery. The polar bears were fed right at the same time as the guests arrived, so we got to walk around and see them swim (dance) and eat! It was pretty much as Canadian as you could possibly get. Also, getting to see my aunts, uncles, and whole extended family and watch them drunkenly dance was a treat in itself. We’re all spread out so we don’t see each other all together often anymore, so it was really special!
So, What’s Next?
Well, I quit my job this month, but next month, when I get back to Edinburgh, I’ll start my new job. I’m a bit nervous, a bit excited. I’m simultaneously trying to prepare while also trying not to overthink things, and still trying to treat my holiday home like a holiday. It’s a lot to balance. I know it will be an adjustment, but I’m looking forward to the change! In fact, I expect there will be a lot of happy changes over the next few months, so stay tuned.
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Monthly Memos | A Weekend In Shetland
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