Everyone goes through this and if you didn’t, well, lucky you. Now that my summer is over and I’m settling back into Boston, all these thoughts are rushing in and constantly surrounding me like a halo above my head. It’s stressful but what are you going to do about it? Time keeps rolling.
I just recently started my new part time job as a front desk clerk at a hostel. I’m really enjoying it, all the new experiences, getting to know my colleagues and being able to share the excitement of traveling with all our fellow guests. Sure it might get mundane doing the same thing every day, but every person I get to talk to is different and that’s what I love about it. There’s something about each of their eyes, their smiles, and even their nervousness of being in a new city. That feeling ignites me and reminds me of my passion of traveling and sharing that feeling with others.
It may not be the best paying job straight out of college but I believe it’s the best job for myself currently. I definitely hope to strive for better positions, better salary and jobs that continue to challenge myself but I am constantly reminding myself to simply grow with time. Having friends and family constantly pushing me does help, but at the same time, it is also stressful coming to the realization that I have no idea what my plan is going to be. As of now, my time is limited in the United States with my visa status, which only makes this year even more important.
Yes, I want to make others smile a day at a time. I want to spread the joy and excitement of traveling. I want to share the importance of cultural understanding and globalization through traveling. I have all of these ideas I want others to grasp but how do I do that? What qualifications do I have to work jobs that have those missions? I guess those answers will come in time and with lots of research.
This next year is going to be a huge growing year for myself. I have personal challenges I intend to tackle, a few of time including driving, to living in a city very foreign to me, to seeing much more of the US than I’ve seen, to running an obstacle course race of some sort. Every day I wake up and I seem to dream up a new challenge for myself.
I’m fearful and nervous to tackle any of these challenges but I believe the feeling of accomplishment in the end will be much greater than any fear I’ve ever felt before. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, is that if I don’t attempt at any of these goals, I will be living with regret for a long time.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.”
– James Neil Hollingworth
It’s going to be a hell of a year, I see it already.
Joanne Lam 