About - Alyssa O Writes

Hey there, my name is Alyssa, and welcome to my website! I’m so glad you found me. I’m an American writer, traveler, theatermaker, and educator making Scotland my home.

My passion in life is helping other women live their solo travel and life abroad dreams. Moving abroad was both the biggest risk I’ve ever taken and the best decision I’ve ever made. Now I want to help you take that risk too!

I moved abroad solo and so can you.

Eleven years ago I radically reinvented my life by packing up and moving abroad for a job in Switzerland. I went from being a city slicker in Boston to living in a Swiss alpine village, figuring it out as I went along.

Then I took another big leap, moving from Switzerland to Scotland to chase my dream of being a writer and getting my doctorate!

I’ve made a ton of mistakes, had more amazing experiences than I can count and learned everything the hard way.

Now I’m here to share my journey with other women who want to make big bold moves!

I’ve solo traveled around the world, but the focus of this blog is expat life for women and solo travel in the UK & Europe with an eye to what’s unique, offbeat, and truly authentic about every place I visit.

Did I mention I’m a writer?

My unpublished novel The Rebel Grrl’s Guide to Love was longlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize. In 2023 my script made it to the top 10% of the BBC’s Open Call and I was a finalist for the BBC’s Scottish Voices talent development programme .

My fiction has appeared in Hillfire Press, Lunch Ticket, and the Hofstra Windmill. My travel writing has appeared in Matador Network and Urban Matters. You can check out more of my writing here.

Looking to move to Scotland as an American? Start here!

Looking to move abroad? Start here!

I’m also a specialist in European City Breaks! Check out my solo female travel in Europe!

After 5+ years in Scotland, I’m a specialist in solo female travel in Edinburgh & Scotland... epsecially if you’re car free!

what you can find here:

Solo travel

As I like to say… difficult is not impossible. And living abroad may be more possible than you think, especially if you’re ready to take risks, dream big and dial in your strategy!

I offer honest, fact based advice that I’ve developed through over a decade of adventures living in Europe and the UK.

The fact is that moving abroad is not for the faint of heart. After all…if it was easy more people would do it!

I will always be HONEST about what it means to build a life abroad. I’m not here to offer shortcuts, gimmicks or false promises about how moving abroad is an easy hack to fixing your entire life.

Create a life you love abroad as a solo female over 30! We’re talking everything from brass tacks stuff like finding a job, choosing the right visa and planning your move to emotional stuff like making friends abroad.

life abroad

Be a part of a community of badass women building thriving lives and careers abroad: Join my email list!

A solo female traveller with her camera on Arthur's seat, taking a photo of the Edinburgh skyline.

Finding my passion for photography on Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh

So… how did all this get started?

This blog was born in 2014 to chronicle my big leap into expat life with a move from Boston, MA, USA to Zürich, Switzerland.

It started out as a way for me to share my adventure abroad and share travel tips with family and friends. Soon I started hearing from readers all over the world and realized there were a lot of people out there like me, people who wanted to take the plunge and change their lives but weren’t sure where to start.

This truth ignited my passion to write my experience from the heart and share it all here with the goal of empowering others to follow their passions too.

My life in Switzerland was abundant with friendship, adventure, and fulfilling work, but deep down inside I knew there was something missing and it was time to take my next step.

In 2018 I took a big leap of faith, gave my notice at my job in Switzerland and set out to follow my dream of being a writer with a big move to Scotland for grad school!

Scotland has been the most amazing journey. I’ve fallen in love with this wild, beautiful country and I love helping others discover more about living in Scotland and traveling here.

Discover more travel to Scotland and the UK

But the time has come for me to make another big, bold leap.

What happens next? Watch this space!

Let’s Stay Connected: Follow me on Instagram for daily life in Scotland and beyond.

why move abroad over 30?

I’ve had so many people ask me if over 30 is too late to move abroad.

Of course, it’s not too late!

I didn’t move abroad until I was in my 30s. Because of this, I’m especially keen on creating a space for women to discover the power of solo female travel and life abroad over the age of 30.

Living in a new country and exploring this big, beautiful planet isn’t just for twenty-something backpackers. You can move abroad at 30, 40 50, and beyond. Living abroad is for all ages and stages of life.

I know how scary it is to push beyond your comfort zone but I’m here from the other side to tell you you can do it!

Society tells us that travel, adventure, and self-discovery are only for the young, but that’s simply not true. I didn’t start my life abroad until I was in my 30s.

Starting your journey with life abroad and solo female travel over 30 is totally possible. It might be even more rewarding because you’ve got a stronger sense of self than you did when you were younger. You know who you are and what you want out of life.

Now is the time to make it happen.

You’ve got all the skills. It’s time to take the leap.

The fact is, it’s never too late and you don’t have to wait for that magical job or partner or green light from the universe to go for it.

But if you’re looking for a sign, I’ve got one for you:

I moved abroad solo and traveled the world on my own and so can you.

Really, you can do it.

What Makes Me Different Than Other Travel Bloggers?

Quirky Travel…

I was born this way, baby. I’ve always danced to the beat of my own drum, and I explore the world on my own terms too!

I’m a little bit different. I always have been.

If you have the itch to travel independently, get off the beaten path, and move beyond generic tourist experiences, I’ve got your back!

I am not all about bucket list travel, ticking off landmarks, and snapping selfies in all the “right” places. I want to help you discover unexpected experiences that chances are you won’t find in the guidebooks (no offense to Guidebooks, they’re a great resource!).

I’m especially interested in discovering the artsy/cultural and quirky/ DIY sides of the places I travel. Want to know the best place to catch a burlesque show in Krakow? Find a cozy ruin pub to hang at in Budapest? The coolest off-the-grid music venues in Copenhagen? It’s possible to discover all these things as a solo female traveler. Stick with me, kid!

A Fresh Take On Expat Life…

In my dirndl getting ready for Oktoberfest as a solo female traveller

From Bostonian to Bavarian, I’ve embraced the local culture and want to help you do the same!

If you’ve been thinking about making the transition to life abroad but don’t know where to begin, I’m here to support you.

I moved to Switzerland not knowing a soul and learned everything I know about expat life through trial and error. Whether it’s making friends, planning your move or finding a job, I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to.

from expat to immigrant

After 10+ years of living abroad, I’ve come to consider myself as more of an immigrant, less of an expat.

Why? Being an expat can feel very temporary. It is also, if I’m being honest here, a privilege reserved for economically advantaged English speaking people who hold powerful passports. Everybody else is ‘just an immigrant!’

The fact is that many of us who consider ourselves expats expect our host countries to accommodate us while we don’t make a very strong effort to integrate into the culture and learn the language. While I feel expat groups can offer much needed support to privileged foreigners when they first move to a new country…it’s not a bubble I want to live in forever.

After 10 years abroad and countless visas and immigration battles later…I’m just an immigrant! I’m no more special or different than anyone who moves to a foreign country to start a new life.

You’ll see me use both the word expat AND immigrant in this blog. Expat when I refer to the Angolphone communities that so often pop up in major cities around the world, and immigrant when I discuss the struggles to assimilate and deal with visas, residency and citizenship. Both terms are valid.

A Big Old Hammer To Smash Your Self Doubt And Unlock Your Inner Wandering Goddess!

Hiking in the yorkshire dales is. an excellent solo female travel activity

Staying balanced in Yorkshire, England

Most of all, I’m here to help you break free from those lingering excuses that hold you back from traveling or living abroad so that you, yes you, can start living your dreams!

Here’s the facts…

Solo Female Travel Isn’t Crazy Or Dangerous!

Being a solo female traveler is one of the most rewarding, boundary-pushing things you can possibly do. You will have incredible experiences, meet amazing people, and grow more than you ever imagined. Curious? I’ve got tons of resources to help you get started. And no, its not to late to start with solo female travel over 30!

You Don’t Have To Have A Ton Of Money To Travel

I have financed all of my experiences as a solo female traveler on a teacher’s salary. Sure, it means making certain lifestyle choices; I’ve moved to a new continent that I want to explore (cheaper flights!), I don’t own a home or a car or expensive electronics, and I am very, very far away from my family, but these things don’t feel like sacrifices to me at all because I’m living a life that I love.

I specialize in mid-budget travel. That means I tend not to stay in hostels, but I’m not into luxury hotels and fancy food either. I’ve got tons of tricks and tips to have an authentic solo female travel experience on a budget.

Travel And Expat Life Is For People At All Ages And Stages!

Eleven years ago I was living in Boston, unhappy with my life, but convinced that it was “too late” for me to make a big change. (Read more about what inspired me to finally take the plunge.) Now I’m a solo female traveler over 30 and loving every moment of it.

Well, I’m here to tell you that your story is never truly written and if I can do it, you can too! Taking a gap year when you’re young is great, but travel is not just for 20-something backpackers! You can become a solo female traveler over 30…over 40…over 60…solo female travel is for women at all times of life.

I am a woman (ahem!) of a certain age… I didn’t move abroad until I was over 30… but I am ROCKING IT! It is never too late to make a change in your life and start following your dreams. I’ve done it, and I’m here to share everything I’ve learned with you.

This blog is about big love and living your life with courage even if you aren’t quite sure where that courage is taking you. It is that tiny whisper in your ear telling you to go for it… whether for you, “it,” is trying a new yoga pose or selling all of your stuff and moving somewhere you’ve only ever seen on a map.

One of the most common things I hear from people about my life abroad is, “I would love to do that, but I could never!”

Well, I’m here to tell you that you can do it. Your dreams are not crazy! Real people live their dreams.

Let’s be those people together:

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Alyssa O Writes

Did I mention I’m a writer?