Seil Chat

Indie film-maker and ex-actress turned baby-wrangler and occasional housekeeper seek a new home in which to nurture the incredible talent of a nearly three year old, and the incredible appetite of an eight month old. Coming from a conservation village at the tip of Africa, we want our children to always be close to nature and know and understand the significance of clean air, clean beaches and natural vegetation. And we also want them to be part of a community that encourages social connection, that forms a basis for a sense of belonging and a respect for 'human-ness'. And I'd like them to learn how to fish!
With a background in film and tv, and years of coming up the ranks in that very fickle industry, we have a broad range of talents that could be adapted : for instance, the indie filmmaker could shoot and edit wedding videos, corporate videos and documentaries, and compress them for the web, or duplicate on dvd. Or create designs for corporate branding, or just amazing art for personal websites. The ex-actress has her hands full of diapers and dinosaurs, but could find time to do some hair and make-up styling for portraits and weddings, storytelling with animated voice at the library, work with budding actors for school plays, and help backstage in the art department and make-up and wardrobe...she even cuts hair!. Well, we just want to live there, or close by...so anything goes! If you know of job opportunities and a place to rent please let me know. Thanks. Baie Dankie. Danke Schoen. Mercie Beaucoup.

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living life one bite at a time...unless, of course, there's a not so wee cookie jar nearby?

Why Balvicar? I don't think it ticks many of your boxes. There's not much work on the island, Oban's where most folk commute to and is a 20 minute car ride. Not much work for film-makers or actresses but try this website:

http://www.westcoastjobs.co.uk/

There's a job going at Easdale Seafoods - they're always acting up in there.

I can see the headline in the Seilachan now 'Ex actress turns prawn star'

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Om jeg hamrer eller hamres,
ligefuldt så skal der jamres!

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Hi bareface,

I would like to say 'welcome to the forum' but I see you have already encountered two of our banter merchants, so instead I will say please ignore them - the inhabitants really aren't as hostile as they like to make out on here. The 'real' locals are all happy to see young families determined to make a go of it move in.

This is a great place for anyone who can make some or all of their living working at home via the web - reliable broadband with 4-6MB in Balvicar as we are near the exchange. The demand for video for the web is definitely increasing - I am getting more involved in video myself as more clients want it on their sites, so you have made one business contact already. As a starting suggestion, why not contact Sea Fari and Sea Life Adventures to see if either of them would like a video added to their website - if you think you can film while shooting through the Corryvreckan at thirty knots!

As for wedding videos, various organisations organise 'Highland Wedding' extravaganzas in the Summer - have you had a look at
http://www.highlandwedding.com/ and http://www.lochaberweddings.co.uk/

Property-wise it is relatively easy to get a Winter let but not as easy to find year-round rented accommodation. I suggest getting in touch withMcKinnons and asking them to put you on their list of potential tenants. I don't know of anything in Balvicar at the moment, but put a wee notice up in the T&T if you are passing and keep your ear to the ground. If you could raise a mortgage now might be an ideal time to buy - property isn't shifting here at the moment, places are actually going for their asking price for the first time in years and mortgage repayments have never been so cheap.

Balvicar is a great place to live - it is the most 'original' village on the island, and very handy for the shop! (Not so handy for the pub, but equidistant between the two so you have a choice). There are quite a few kids in the village as well

Re. your comments on drama - this island had a stong AmDram society in days gone by, and I for one would like to see this revived. We have a new hall now so perhaps the time is ripe - although I think it will be another year before I have any time to commit to it myself.

Hope your move happens for you. We have been here nearly six years now. Prior to that I had only visited the T&T by walking over from the anchorage behind it. One evening when delivering a yacht for someone I was sitting in the wooden stall at the end of the bar thinking wistfully 'I wish this was my local'. Almost a year to the day it was, after we stumbled upon the only affordable house on the island almost by chance. If you want it there is every chance it will happen.

Good luck, hope to meet you soon . . .

- NickB

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NickB
(site admin)

someone might have a wee shed you could use with in close proximity to the T &T.. not sure if it will fit 4 of you though.

why are you so keen on the balvicar area?

oh my god you appear to be real eek

Did you make it to Seil and if so, is it how you imagined it to be???

Yup, Ah'm heerrrr, Canu! And loving it. My boys and I are looking forward to summer, but the spring rain has made me a little homesick....because that's what Cape Town is like in winter. The freedom that we have found here still makes me giddy. I leave my door unlocked every time we go for a walk....BECAUSE I CAN!!! and i love the fact that my neighbours invite me over for a cuppa, F comes from Clachan to give us a ride to the playgroup!(and she'd never met me before!!) and everybody wants to know if we're settling in alright...talk about feeling welcome! I feel as though I never want to leave. There are so many islands to explore, and beaches to track down, and as soon as the rain stops my wee ones and I will be far more visible as we explore Seil and surrounds.
If you fancy a cuppa, i'm in Ellenabeich.
Natasha

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living life one bite at a time...unless, of course, there's a not so wee cookie jar nearby?