We’ve left Scotland in August 2021 and, even though it was the right decision for us, it’s with a sense of nostalgia that I think back on our time there.

How nice it felt, after having lived in crazy expensive London, to be able to afford a large flat, overlooking the river Tay… with two bedrooms and a massive living room. One of (or maybe the) best flats I’ve ever been to, and certainly the best flat I’ve ever lived in. My computer setup had a dedicated spot - in fact, a dedicated room where I worked and played.

How awesome it felt to get home after an arduous trip across the Cairngorms mountains, to this spacious and cozy home, to have a hot shower and immediately order pizza and have a cold beer while it arrived.

How magical it felt to go for a walk on Kinnoull Hill on a foggy morning, barely seeing 10 metres away, in silence.

How good it felt to run up to the top of the hill on a sunny Sunday, and to hear nothing but nature, birds with chirping their morning songs.

How amazing it felt to conquer Ben Mor Coigach on a rainy day and arrive at the peak to clear weather.

How nice it was, during times of Covid and early darkness of autumn, to retire to my corner to play some game with friends, casually chatting away, cracking open a Guiness, and having a plate of small pieces of bread topped with various delicious items - hummus, salmon, mayo, tomato. The slight buzz of beer and a sense of warmth, and absolute safety, and a feeling of being among friends, even though they were 1500 kms away, being in a collective reality of a simple game of Age of Empires.

How convenient it was to live right smack in the middle of the town, yet still be in a less noisy and less polluted area than we were living in London. How nice it was to do a stroll to Tesco’s in the center, 3 minutes away, and be able to choose from a wide variety of food at arms reach, with lots of vegan options (and a fine selection of alcohol, I should add). And if I wanted something more special, to go to the larger Tesco’s or ASDA a bit farther away, but still well within walking distance.

How good it felt to go for an evening walk after work, with Eszter, lie down under a tree in the big park, and gently fall asleep there.

How nice it was to read a book in Rodney Gardens, a beautifully kept yet unpretentious park just across the river.

Perth felt safe and homely. Even when the weather was harsh, it was nice looking outside the large windows to the river and watch the rain.

Now, a couple of months after having moved away, Perth feel like a safe haven, where I could be free and where I didn’t worry too much about too many things. There were times of anxiety and restlessness, a sense of having no purpose nor connections, and there were lonely times as well - due to the pandemic, we couldn’t make friends by joining clubs or doing social activities. Perth feels like a safe place, where I could live, work, socialise, but utimately to me it feels like a place with untapped opportunities due to not being able to form any strong ties there. We did meet a couple with whom we became friends with - that was the pinnacle of our social life there.

In some corner of my mind, I sometimes think I wouldn’t mind living in a town like that in the future. But only with a strong social circle, with a few good friends around me.