Beyond all expectation, I have landed a summer job on the gorgeous island of Islay - along with affordable accommodation, which is nearly unheard of as Islay books up through October. Even more fascinating, I will be working at the Gaelic college! Finally a job in a place I want to be, doing something I believe in. :D The only real issue is that it doesn't pay very highly, but that is all right as it will give me something wonderful to put on my resume, and the chance to live somewhere in Scotland that is not Glasgow, which may be the secret to my unhappiness here. Perhaps it is not the country, but the particular location. Of course there is always a possibility that I will feel the same on Islay but I have visited the island several times and notice that the moment I return to Glasgow I feel my teeth set on edge.
This weekend was marvelous, as all weekends on Islay are. Bountiful whisky and wine, more good food than anyone could possibly eat, stunning sunsets, seals basking, and good times with good friends. I sat atop a cliff overlooking Ireland and sang Celtic songs while the boys leaped from rock to rock. They reported that they found a cave next to the sea that had been graffitied. One message said: John and Paula Forever, 2004. Further down the cave: John and Paula Soulmates 2009. Then further along a white cross painted next to the message: Please save Paula for me. This combination of wild and windswept beaches while lying in deep heather near the sea, melancholy and romance, cameraderie and barbecues that the other villagers attend simply because they saw the smoke (and bring along whisky from the local distillery) - how could you not love a place like that?
And now is my chance to live it, if only for a brief time. I hope that it will continue to weave its magic, as it has done for me every time I have visited this wonderful island.
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