South Lanarkshire’s very own intrepid traveller Grace Ross looked back on her life and urged young women to see the world and follow their dreams.
Now living in Renaissance Care’s Rosepark Care Home, Grace has travelled well beyond Uddingston in her lifetime.
In fact, alongside living in Dubai, Grace has visited New Zealand, Switzerland, the USA and has even trekked the Great Wall of China.
Reflecting on her Scottish roots, Grace told Lanarkshire Live: “I grew up in a tenement block in the Gorbals where I lived until I was 15 years old.
"I then lived in short stints around Castlemilk, Shawfield, Rutherglen and East Kilbride, so I’m no stranger to South Lanarkshire.
“At 15 years old, I began my career as a secretary for the Lord Provost of Glasgow, where I worked for over a decade. I enjoyed the job tremendously and, for my wedding, Lord Provost John Johnston gifted us a beautiful tea set.
“I met my husband Norman and we married in 1968 before starting our family.
"My son Euan and daughter Kirsten were born soon after, and then the travelling bug bit. I’ve always wanted to see the world, plus with family overseas, it felt like the right thing."
The 77-year-old told how the family moved to Dubai when she was 33 years old and lived there until the age of 40, where she continued her career as a secretary.
But during this time, Grace was lucky enough to travel to Singapore, Austria, Greece, Turkey and all over Britain too.
And today, International Women's Day, Grace is encouraging women to see the world.
She continued: "I’m still a very independent lady, and I never had any qualms about travelling.
"It’s a different time now, and young women unfortunately have to be very careful, but seeing the world is a wonderful thing to do.
"Being overseas pushes you out of your comfort zone and forces you to try new things and rely on yourself in new places, which is great for building confidence.
"When I was younger, women didn’t have the same freedom and opportunity, so I would advise young women to make the most of every chance they get to travel."
Nowadays, whilst Grace doesn't get to travel abroad, she still takes in the scenery of beautiful Scotland.
She told us : "I now have three lovely grandchildren, so I’m very happy to be settled in Scotland. I moved to Rosepark Care Home last year which has been its own adventure.
The staff are very warm and I get on well with other residents – we share stories of our lives and I look back on my travels fondly.
“I still enjoy a jaunt and have been on a few trips with the care home recently. We’ve visited Callander, Ayr and Loch Lomond, and it’s been a joy to be able to do the things I love with Rosepark. I don’t think I’ll ever lose the adventurous streak in me.”
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