It has been just over a year since I ended my college years as a student, and entered what is referred to as "the real world". Looking back on this last year, I could not have asked for anything more, even though at some points I had less than ever...
May 2009:
The beautiful start of my freedom was just before graduation, when I flew to Washington DC, spent a few days with my Breeski, and then met up with Gene, Tara, and Franklin in Philly, before we did our epic RT2009PT1, stopping in Chicago, Denver/Boulder, Salt Lake City, Yosemite National Park, and ended in San Francisco, where we took part in Bay-to-Breakers. This was just the beginning of a ridiculous wanderlust-filled year of adventure.
Summer started out amazing, and full of "firsts". I had my first ever drink of alcohol on May 23, where my downhill spiral started in my kitchen with Gene, Tara, Starbucks,Baileys, and Jamie Foxx's "Blame it on the Alcohol". This was quite an appropriate beginning to my new 15-year-old drinking bout, and was the start of a wild and crazy summer.
June 2009:
From my dad, I recieved the best graduation present ever, a trip to South Korea with my brothers to visit his side of the family that lives out there! We spent most of June between Busan and Seoul, South Korea, touring the country and getting to know our aunts/uncles/cousins that we never get to see!
On my way back from Korea, I joined Jesse and his family on Oahu and spent 4 days in paradise! I arrived before Jesse did, and spent time getting to know his parents and talking to our wonderful host family, Mel and Bliss. Events included the Dole Plantation, Hiking Diamondhead, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and 4th of July in Waikiki. This was a great layover between countries if you ask me :)
July 2009:
July was spent making the most out of what was supposed to be my last month in San Diego (as we found out was a hoax later..I was really only saying that for all of the attention). Sherri, Gene and I spent the better part of the month living the dream in SD.
At the end of July I "moved out" of my place at 1470 Grand Ave, where I had spent the last year and a half living with so many different roommates and running what some may refer to as a hostel. Hawaii was on my mind and I had just a month before I finally made the move. My last night in SD was amazing, and so many of my good friends were there to celebrate me, which made it all the better!
August 2009:
It was finally time for Megan and Nick's long awaited wedding! I flew home to a week of bridal showers, bachelorette parties, rehersals, and wedding madness. It was a great time spent with all of my best friends, and the first of many weddings to come!
After being in AK for a week, I flew to Austin TX, where I was about to embark on my second cross-country roadtrip with Gene and Sherri. Our stops included Austin, New Orleans, Pensacola, Orlando, Miami, Savannah, and finally the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where we spent a few days with Geno and his family.
September 2009:
September 2009 was probably one of the most upside down times of my entire life, yet filled with the excitement of never knowing what was coming next. As everyone knows, my "move" to Hawaii was cut down to a four day vacation in paradise, before I hopped on a plane and was back in San Diego before anyone even knew I was gone. I had no idea what to expect, or where to go, since I was now homeless and unemployed!
I spent this month working random odd jobs (now I know which ones to look out for on my coming career hopping), and trying to figure out "what to do with my life."
October 2009:
Jesse had finally decided to go for the gold and follow his dreams to Australia, with a stint of NY in the meantime, and obviously he wanted an experienced roadtripper to make the drive with him. Since I still had not fully committed to a job yet, of course I got in the car and drove from San Diego to NY with him, and Waffle. Our stops included Van Horn, Austin, New Orleans, Pensacola, Atlanta, Charleston, and then NYC. This trip was a huge component in what was about to happen next. During this time, I knew that once I got back to SD I was literally going to be homeless, since my time I spent mooching off Jesse had run out. Without Waffle on this trip to offer me the couch/closet, who knows where I would have ended up?!?
So then we get to the part that really defined the lowest of the low times. I lived in a closet/on a couch for the next 4 months. I will be forever thankful for those boys helping me out during that escapade! The next couple of months were spent on a budget, trying to find a job, and a "new life" in San Diego. My big break finally came at the end of November, when BOTH of my old jobs at LCS and Cafe 976 both called me up within the same week, and offered me my job's back. It could not have come at a better time, and even though that wasn't what I wanted most, I was (and still am) extremely grateful for those opportunities!
The next big part of my journey came in February, just when I was starting to feel really down about how everything was going (the whole living in a closet/being a waitress deal). The STA contest for a World Traveler Intern. I was kind of skeptical about even applying at first, but then I slapped myself in the face and wondered how in the world I could not apply for this! Too perfect!
Well, needless to say, I didn't get the role (although I did make it to the top 50), but this really spurred my motivation to do whatever I could to make something new happen. I was lucky enough to have moved into (eventually) MY OWN ROOM, but still figuring out what to do about a career change.
I quit LCS right before I headed on my big trip to Colombia with Amanda. When I came back I was down a job, and definitely needed to find something. That's when NUYO came along. I got a job working for the owner of NUYO Frozen Yogurt, doing accounting, marketing, and whatever else comes along. This has been good so far, but I once I quit 976 it wouldn't keep me afloat for very long. And I guess that's where I am now! It did help that I ended up sharing a room for 2 months with Nicole and Nicole, to help with some of the rent :) Three girls..one Room...
