...getting defensive about living in Aberdeen! Due to the nature of the Oil & Gas industry, which is the main employer in this beautiful misunderstood city, people come to be educated, work & live here for 2-5yrs then move on. The North Sea is regarded as being the training ground by professionals in the industry, they get the experience they require then move on to more 'exotic' (I'll get back to this word) parts of the world. I think that Aberdeen is an easy target for people to slag off....and more and more recently I've really found myself becoming defensive about my home city.
The things I love about Aberdeen....
Location - it has long, beautiful beaches (ok, so we rarely get the weather to appreciate them in a conventional sense, but come on use your imagination people), it has two lovely rivers running through and it's an hour or two drive to some breath-taking mountains, where if there's snow, you can ski/snowboard. The surrounding area of Aberdeen is gorgeous...Royal Deeside, Stonehaven (Dunnottar Castle)...actually any part of Aberdeenshire & Grampian.
People - Ok, like everywhere we have our fair share of tossers but hand on heart I believe that the majority of people around here are braw (brilliant). There is a large international community because of the O&G Industry and I like the fact that we have this amazingly diverse mix of people from different backgrounds & cultures. I have many, many wonderful friends that I would never have met had it not been for living in Aberdeen (and I'm even counting the ones who have abandoned me when they've moved to those more 'exotic' locations that I mentioned earlier.
The City - The Granite City/Flower of Scotland/Oil Capital of Europe/Silver City with the Golden Sands...it has many nicknames, but all of them conjure fair images of my beloved home city. The majority of the city is built out of Granite, which granted when the weather is a wee bit dreich (bleak) the whole place is grey (no getting away from that), but if there is even just the slightest bit of sun, the granite comes alive, it sparkles and is truly beautiful. There are incredible parks...hence 'Flower of Scotland'. And it's not too large that you cannae stott home after a night oot on the tiles!!
Architecture - There are some stunning buildings, Marshall College for one, but granted there would be a hell of a lot more if the damn city planners had been kept in check over the past 50yrs....bring back hanging!!
Humour - you do have to have a good sense of...to live here!! Hahaha...but also I think that in general the good folks in this part of the world have a wicked sense of humour, but warning - you need thick skin & an understanding of sarcasm.
Ok, I could go on about the things I love about Aberdeen but I'm going to stop here. I could also write a list of the shite, no where is perfect, but today I'm focusing on the positives.
Anyway the reason I found myself getting defensive is that I met up with a friend who's 'desperate' to get out of this place and is on full steam ahead to fulfill this goal. I know a few people who subscribe to the 'oh my god, need to get out of here' catchphrase, and it never really bothered me that much until recently.
I'm now reflecting on why it bothers me? Is it pride? Do I feel that I need to defend the city that provides for it's inhabitants? Do I feel that the need to run away from Aberdeen is a reflection on the locals (including myself of course)? Perhaps it's a mix of the above.
Maybe I feel that I need to defend/justify my life choice to live here? Or perhaps I'm just sick'n'tired of the negativity?
On the flip side, I've travelled, lived & worked abroad and I can see the appeal of living/working in different countries/cultures. I guess what I'm looking for is for those who chose to come to Aberdeen, be appreciative of the good things here and perhaps mute your negativity when moving on, especially to the locals! Make the most of opportunities present and be open to having experiences which create good/great memories that you can carry in your heart and perhaps you'll remember Aberdeen & it's people more fondly.
P.s. Exotic...surely Aberdeen is exotic when you're not from the UK?? Ok...maybe that's a stretch even in my mind =)
I can understand how you can get defensive about people slagging off Aberdeen. It's your home and people who are telling you about how dull it is and how much they want to move away from it should be a bit more sensitive about who they are talking to. What I don't understand is, why I get defensive about it too. Lol.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to slag Aberdeen off if you are used to a busy city, a warmer weather, a place with 12 hours of sunshine, if you love shopping and you don't drink much alcohol (and maybe Irnbru too). Unfortunately, most people who move to work/live in Aberdeen for 2-5 years come from these kind of places, of those background. I'd like to think that I was one of those foreigners. However, I was lucky that I took my time to get to know the place and its people (five damn years, man! Lol). Some people don't.
Aberdeenshire has a lot to offer, but I think people need to adjust their expectation a wee bit. It is not the place to look for Jimmy Choos or wear bikinis, but drive out and you will see wild animals and beautiful mountains, warm people and cool cottages. Go camping, go hiking, go running, go on a roadtrip... not strut along Union Street in heels and sip coffee every evening on a seagull-pooed-bench. The low temperature in Aberdeen doesn't help but put on more clothes people... doh!
But then again, Jo, the grass is always greener on the other side. Most people who have left Aberdeen always have a fond memory of the place. Yeah sure people who are still there now complain about it all the time but once they move somewhere else, they will understand why Aberdeen is actually not a bad place at all. As for now, if you come across another person slagging Aberdeen off, just hit him in the head twice - one from you, and another one is from me.
Hahahah....oh you really made me laugh flo - thank you! I really appreciate your comments (esp about the 'seafull-pooed-bench(s')and putting forward your experience/feelings about Aberdeen & the Shire.
ReplyDeleteI miss ya ma quine xxx