The other day I was talking to a friend online. I said I was, “hanging in there,” when asked how I was doing, and she asked why. When I explained my situation of not having a job because I got here too late and all the teaching positions were already filled, and that I am living on savings, she seemed concerned, but I told her I wasn’t too worried about it. That I was rolling with the punches. She called me crazy for not being worried, and I think she legitimately meant it. She told me not to spend my ticket money because that would be tragic. I confessed that I don’t actually have the money to buy a ticket home and that I’ll have to wait for my US tax return before I can come back. She replied with, “I hope you learned a lesson.” She logged off before I got a chance to ask her how she meant that or to reply to it. I think that statement makes a lot of assumptions about the state in which I’m living. I feel like the only mistake that I made was not securing a job instead of just interviews before I moved, but I‘m not even sure that was a mistake. I don’t think I’ve screwed up. I’m not stuck in Europe with no money and no way to get home. I’m not going to have to call home in a state of distress and ask my mom to bail me out and get me a ticket so I can come back. I have enough money to live on, although I do have to live frugally, but that’s something that I’m used to. I can’t come home immediately, but I will be able to return to the states and I’ll be able to do it by my own means. Life has no guarantees. Had I waited until I had a job, I’d still be in Nebraska and probably would have never lived in Europe. I’m not going to go home and regret this experience, even if I never get a job, have to go home earlier than expected, and use all of the money I have in the process. This is probably a once in a lifetime chance for me and, had I not jumped at the opportunity, I would have missed it. Oddly enough, instead of making me worried about my decision, it only reinforced it. It made me realize how lucky I am to have this opportunity, even if things aren’t going as planned because, what does go as planned, really?
1 comment:
Eric,
I think it is great that you took the opportunity, even though it didn't work out as planned. I once had the opportunity to go to Hawaii to live and work for the summer. I didn't go, and why? I wouldn't have a job when I came home, would have to start school late, I was scared of taking the leap.
I regret not going. At least you will never have that regret!
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