Doing a 180

[limey]

First career - Big city, children's book publicity, 7 years
Second "career" - small Scottish island, trying to make a go of being a translator and doing just about everything else locally available (including waitressing!), 6 years
Third career - Back to the City, insurance broking including a 2.5 year stint abroad, 7 years all in order to finance return to ...
Fourth "career" - back to the Scottish island, still trying to make a go of it as a translator and doing a day job, too (carer in a home for the aged) ...

I've always considered myself lucky (no kids, no mortgage until third career, and that was a calculated decision in order to have some capital for my return "home", no-one to answer to but myself) to have been able to do what I want and throw my life around a little.

But since "second career" I've known where I want to live, which for me is of overriding importance, and am delighted to have achieved my dream. The seven years in hell (sorry, "insurance broking" as it is more widely known) were pretty awful, but worth it in order to get back here. Heaven. Even with bottoms to wash.

Oops, almost forgot the why and how. why - because I've found where I feel most at home. How ... being obligations-free was the biggest factor, plus having the confidence to give it a go. The first move up here was on a whim, the return to the City was through qualifications and the translation experience I had gained, and purely in order to get enough capital in order to be able to buy a house back here. Where I live is a tourist and retirement target, so house prices are high and long-term rentals hard to come by. I earnt enough to solve the property problem ( ) and there is always low-paid work available ...