I specifically didn’t go into chapter and verse in my overview page because lets face it, you either are one of the very few who may be curious about my blog, views and experiences (fingers crossed its the reason you’re reading this) or the 99.9% who would have just skipped onto this website by complete circumstance or redirected from a dodgy website with the word ‘assers’ in it. Anticipate the audience is not the latter because what comes next will only disappoint.
My life to date has been typical really of any ‘Islander’ (having been brought up and lived on the Isle of Wight). School and home life was nothing out of the ordinary other than me being part foreign (Swiss if you hadn’t read previously). This was great for me as a child as I would be in inundated at Christmas and Easter with categorically the best chocolate in the world – yep none of that Belgium nonsense, Swiss chocolate is King.
I had standard schooling and grew up in a very non descript village, probably only ever famous for a Roman villa and an alleged “world” famous wax museum which used to advertise the fact it had 10,000 years of colourful human history behind its doors; unfortunately it did not live the test of time is name would may have led you to believe.
Leaving school after A levels, I was in two minds where to go next; either hospitality and catering or aerospace engineering – couldn’t pick two more different subjects but I was fortunate enough to go through clearing and pursuit my dream of working on Aircraft. This I did for 12 years and somehow wound up in project role in a further two engineering companies. Amazing to think that for such a small island what potential employment there really is here but it is dwindling.
I became a father just over a year after I got married and pretty much life hasn’t stopped. People may say that the Island is boring and yes I can totally agree. There is so much of the wider world that this place is sheltered from but that’s not to say that this is a bad thing. Mine and my son’s childhood has been well looked after by the Island. Its true to say that things aren’t as they were when I was a child and I wholeheartedly think that in time my son will say the same to his children (hopefully). Crime is statistically less and there is so much natural beauty around us here that it is taken for granted. Just to stop and take count of the incredible views over the downs and coasts really does make you feel thankful of such a place. Mists cover the marshes in a cold Autumnal morning, frosts cover the fields during the Winter. Spring sees the vibrant green and colourful flowers burst in the meadows and Summer gives that great contrast of yellow/blue from the beaches.
The trouble is, great as it is, there is far more out there which I am longing to visit and anticipate my son will one day grab a ticket too and discover the world. Yet the best part of any of my journeys has been coming home and there is no home better (yet) than right here.