I've been struggling a little lately with a mild case of career-identity-crisis.After spending the first half of my 20s doing it "right" and the second half of my 20s fulfilling the wanderlust in me, I suddenly find myself stagnant at the end of a long zig-zaggy line that is my life.
In the beginning, I followed the (straight and conventional) path any parent would be proud of: I graduated from high school and college with high academic honors, went right into a master's program complete with an assistantship, and then landed myself in a great 'first job' in research that was actually related to my studies.
Then, I had a moment.
It happened not six months into that first job and once it was set in motion, it couldn't be stopped. I needed more. I needed to see the world, experience it through all its sights, sounds and smells. I needed to feel empowered by taking myself out of my comfort zone and tackling whatever came my way, like going into full 100-meter sprint mode to chase after the bus that had all of my worldly possessions on it and nearly left me stranded in the parking lot in Mexico. I needed to exercise my freedom as a young, culture-curious adult and set out without a plan, but with a backpack, to Guatemala and Mexico... Then Korea... And Mongolia... And India... And eventually even more of Asia...
Now, five years and fourteen countries later, at age 30, I find myself back home and ready to start off where I left off. But, there's one problem:
It's been a painstakingly difficult process.
I'm over-qualified for the entry-level jobs and under-qualified for next level. That leaves me somewhere in between screwed and f***ed..
Okay, not really. Something will work out and I know it. But it's really hard to get back into the swing of things after taking the long way around!
Thankfully, there's a place on the map called Portland. Known to many for its good beer and the "cool" place to move these days, I've always wanted to end up here. And well, that day has come and it's time to start a new chapter in my zig-zaggy life; it's time to make a life in Portland.
Put a bird on it!
In the beginning, I followed the (straight and conventional) path any parent would be proud of: I graduated from high school and college with high academic honors, went right into a master's program complete with an assistantship, and then landed myself in a great 'first job' in research that was actually related to my studies.
Then, I had a moment.
It happened not six months into that first job and once it was set in motion, it couldn't be stopped. I needed more. I needed to see the world, experience it through all its sights, sounds and smells. I needed to feel empowered by taking myself out of my comfort zone and tackling whatever came my way, like going into full 100-meter sprint mode to chase after the bus that had all of my worldly possessions on it and nearly left me stranded in the parking lot in Mexico. I needed to exercise my freedom as a young, culture-curious adult and set out without a plan, but with a backpack, to Guatemala and Mexico... Then Korea... And Mongolia... And India... And eventually even more of Asia...
Now, five years and fourteen countries later, at age 30, I find myself back home and ready to start off where I left off. But, there's one problem:
It's been a painstakingly difficult process.
I'm over-qualified for the entry-level jobs and under-qualified for next level. That leaves me somewhere in between screwed and f***ed..
Okay, not really. Something will work out and I know it. But it's really hard to get back into the swing of things after taking the long way around!
Thankfully, there's a place on the map called Portland. Known to many for its good beer and the "cool" place to move these days, I've always wanted to end up here. And well, that day has come and it's time to start a new chapter in my zig-zaggy life; it's time to make a life in Portland.
Put a bird on it!
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