After finding a rewarding job in the Highlands, Carla Resendiz moved across the world to Caithness. Here, she shares what it was like moving to Caithness and how the far north stole her heart.

From Querétaro to Caithness

If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d be living in Caithness, I would never have believed them. I’d never even been to the UK before – but one interview changed everything.

I’m originally from Querétaro, a small state near Mexico City. I studied industrial design and worked in manufacturing, business development, and innovation. I’ve always loved seeing how ideas become real – how something can be drafted and then drawn on a computer becomes a physical product you can touch and interact with. My career took me from Mexico to Washington, D.C., and then to Qatar, where my husband and I lived for a while.

When things began to change with my husband’s company, he said something wonderful: “If you find something that makes you happy – wherever it is – I’ll follow.” That’s when I came across a job in the Highlands with Norscot, a company known for its innovation and strong community ties. It was exactly what I wanted: design, manufacturing, and something that made a real social impact.

What it’s like to move to Caithness

I sent my application, and before I knew it, I was shortlisted and invited to an interview. The interview process was in April, the journey was long, and I had a misconception about European countries being perfectly connected by trains within a couple of hour trips. When I finally reached Wick, I realised how remote Caithness was, and during the travel, I was a bit hesitant about my decision… But  then I finally arrived and looked around – and I fell in love. For me Caithness is like a fairytale.

Upon arrival, everyone at Norscot was so friendly and kind. Even before I knew if I’d got the job, people were offering me tea and chatting like old friends. When they finally called me into the room, they all had serious faces – I was sure they were about to say no – and then they offered me the job! I was over the moon.

When I arrived later that year, it was October – and it felt completely different from the places I used to live in and from the experience I remembered back in April – but also magical. It was the first time I experienced the dramatic change of weather in different seasons, and I loved watching how the landscape and the community rituals and traditions change through the year. During summer time we try to be most of the time outdoors enjoying the weather and long walks with our 2 dogs. In winter, we’ve found in badminton a new hobby to keep us active despite the colder weather, and we also go out looking for the Northern Lights. On our honeymoon we’d gone to Iceland hoping to see them – we never imagined we’d end up living somewhere we could see them from our own backyard.

Then came one of those happy accidents that make life here so special. After Covid lockdowns, , I joined a local open-water swimming group. One day, we went down to the harbour for an event to swim from the lifeboat shed to the North Baths. I turned up in my wetsuit, ready to go – and couldn’t find anyone else dressed to swim! Instead, I stumbled across a group of volunteers working on a beautiful old fishing boat, the Isabella Fortuna. They told me its history, invited me to visit again, and that’s how my husband and I became volunteers to help with the restoration. Now we spend our Saturday mornings there, sanding, painting, and helping to keep this amazing floating museum alive.

How a job in the Highlands became a new life in Caithness

People here made me feel so welcome from the very first day. Colleagues and neighbours became friends, invited me for coffee, showed me where to shop, and helped us settle in. Now, after six years, Caithness feels like home. My husband and I spend our weekends picnicking, walking our 2 dogs, and exploring new routes – everything is right on our doorstep.

I came here for a three-year project, but I’ve stayed because of the people, the opportunities, and the sense of community. There’s so much happening here – from innovative local businesses to creative start-ups – and it’s inspiring to see how much energy there is.

Sometimes people ask, “Why would you move to Caithness?” And I say, “Because it’s beautiful, full of opportunity, and you’ll never find a warmer welcome anywhere in the world.”

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