{via}
When I graduated college, the decision to move to Philadelphia was easy. I was done with school and I had a job waiting for me. My fear of living in a big city and not knowing anyone disappeared because I was anxious to start that next chapter of my life.
You'll never leave where you are, until you decide where you'd rather be.
When I moved to Philadelphia, it was supposed to be temporary. One year, max. I wanted to gain professional experience in a big city, so that I could move onto better things. And since I had already spent a summer living in Philadelphia prior to moving here, it was easy to make that decision. The first year was the hardest, and I realize that Philadelphians aren't typically warm and friendly to outsiders. But over the last five years, I've done well for myself. I gained some invaluable professional experience in the Corporate and Nonprofit world, I discovered my passion for helping others and making a difference, I found some amazing girl friends who would go above and beyond for me, and I'm a part of a great ball hockey community. The things I've done, the people I've met, and the experiences I've created here are priceless. But the problem is, it's not enough. These are the reasons keeping me in Philadelphia. The friendships, the jobs, the comfortable lifestyle of living in a big city. A big part of me is settling for this kind of life, when deep down, I know that I want more. I want more experiences - bigger experiences, more adventure, more thrills, more failures, more of not knowing and I'm not going to continue getting that by staying here.
When one door closes, another one opens.
The first rule in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is not to panic. When I found out my law firm is dissolving, I panicked. What do I do now? How will I afford to pay rent? How will I survive? I spent close to two weeks shutting myself from the outside world. I stopped talking to friends, I stopped playing hockey, I stopped doing all of the things I was so used to doing because I was terrified and upset. I still am terrified and upset. Losing a job is a devastating thing, and most Gen-Y'ers aren't prepared, emotionally and financially, when it happens.
I had everything planned out - re-brand my nonprofit organization, start graduate school, and make 2011 the best year yet. And then this happens and suddenly I feel like I have no motivation to even get out of bed each day.
But then I realized that losing my job isn't the worst thing in the world. Sure, it sucks, but I've already been through other monumental, devastating life events that I can certainly handle losing my job. It's about making the most of what you have, regardless of how bad it is and how much it hurts.
Everything happens for a reason.
I've been so caught up over losing my job, that I forgot about what happens next. Traveling. Adventures. New opportunities. Challenges. The unknown. It wasn't the right time to move to Chicago or California when I had made those decisions a few years ago. It wasn't smart to just quit a job and lose all my benefits, just so I could find out what else is out there. But now? Now this is my chance. To travel. To seek new opportunities. To face new challenges. To do the things that people don't think I'm capable of.
This is it.
I applied for a Teach English in a Foreign Country (TEFC) Certification program. It's a rigorous four weeks of classes (and live teaching) taught by certified professors who teach you the skills to teach English. Upon acceptance (into the program) and completion (of the certification), I will have the education, experience, and certification that allows me to teach English abroad in any country. For as long as I want. I could start as early as mid-January, and I could study in Prague, Barcelona, or London. Studying in Europe, teaching English, traveling the world, and getting paid to do it all. How can I pass this up now?
I'll know my acceptance into the program sometime next week. When I get accepted, I'll start my program in late-February/early March in either London or Prague. And after that, the rest is history. Now that I have nothing holding me back here, all that awaits are new challenges, new dreams, and new beginnings.
Maybe 2011 will still be my best year yet, after all.
"There are moments in your life that make you and set the course of who you're going to be. Sometimes they're little, subtle moments. Sometimes they're big moments you never saw coming. NO one asks for their life to change, but it does. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you really are."
- Whistler -
* title of the post is from Fight Club. Only one of my most favorite movies ever.
