Hello all! It’s been a while, but we’re back with an update – and it’s a big one.
In my first (and only…) post of the year, I responded to my goals and aspirations for 2021. The post was very reflective and addressed a lot of my successes and shortcomings, but one key point from my original list was to work abroad. One day I’ll share the full story of the many cancellations, but the focus of the blog for the next few months will be on achievements as… I’m finally going!
It’s with the upmost excitement (and nervousness) that I can share that I’m going to work in the United States this summer as a J-1 intern. I’ll tell stories and tales as they happen, but will still be a bit apprehensive to share too much information until I get there in case I jinx it!
In further life updates, I’ve been feeling quite confused and conflicted about the future. I’m in both a nerve-wracking and a very fortunate position as, over the next two years, I have the opportunity to take my life in whatever direction I fancy. I’m still young and foolish enough that I can take on nearly any adventure, and have the drive and ambition to start from the ground up again if need be.
This leads me to wonder: ‘who and where do I want to be?’ A very big, yet very important, question. I’ve always been quite confident in what I like and what I’m drawn to, but I’ve now got the chance to try new things and see what I gel best with. Between buying a house, starting a career and continuing to focus on growing as a person, there’s a lot of things that will change over the next few years, and I’m eager to try and change with them rather than to fight them.
Throughout this all, however, I keep facing the same question from my friends: ‘who am I building my life for?’. The answer may seem obvious as surely you’d be building your life for yourself, right? Right. However, I’m also grappling with which version of me I’m trying to impress; am I working to fulfill the dreams of 11 year old Jo, the expectations of present tense Jo, or the needs and desires of future Jo? That’s where a lot of the thinking comes in. I don’t think it’s so bad to try and make every version of Jo happy, but I do think it’s important to acknowledge which is being affected the most by the decisions I make.
Beyond the slight career crisis I’m experiencing, there are lots of other things going on. I’ve been working on my dissertation, trying to explore more places and generally living life a bit more wholly and lovingly where I can. While there have been some bumps, there have been so many adventures along the way.
Make sure you join the mailing list to stay in the loop, and I’ll keep you updated with all of the exciting happenings the next few months hold!
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