The Game of Life

I was playing the popular Game of Life this past weekend, and as I chose my career from a stack of cards before spinning to advance to the get married square on the board, I couldn’t help but wish that real life could be just as easy. My classes end in exactly a month and I have a contract with VAC that will take me until the end of August. What then? I have no idea. My life has become one giant black hole.

For the past three years, since I started the co-op program anyway, I’ve never been able to tell where I’d be in four months… What job? Which city? Heck, which country? My life has always been one big question mark, so it seems. Whether I have known where I’ll be or not, it hasn’t been that bad up until this point. At least then I always knew I would eventually find something. I had to.

As graduation is staring me in the face I’m finding the stakes are higher. I’m on my own this time – cut off from the co-op job posting board and sign up sheets. They can’t hold my hand anymore. PWGSC, careerbeacon.com, workopolis, workingcanada.com, job bank, CPRS, IABC, the Chronicle Herald and Facebook group posts – this is what my life revolves around now. Every week, every day – the search continues. As I become more and more overwhelmed with my current predicament and worry about my lack of job progress, I can’t help but think the real “Game of Life” is rigged against me.

After four years straight of school and co-op, maybe I just need a vacation. Cocktails on a sandy beach are sounding mighty fine right now! Venezuela anyone?

The journey is my home.... but for now it will have to be Halifax

I'm back on Canadian soil, and if the customer service, people respecting ques or the colder weather didn't give it away, my Google buttons have returned to English - another sure sign!

It's amazing how fast 6 months can go, but equally amazing how much can happen! Looking back, I can't believe how far I have come. I never would have thought last summer that I would have accomplished so much by now. From living abroad and visiting so many wonderful countries, to interning with the UN, these experiences are certainly ones I will always cherish.

Coming home has been tough. Not only have I found it difficult to readjust to the time difference, but it's been just as hard readjusting to Canadian life. I'm sure I'll eventually remember that I have to look at bus schedules again and plan my trips around them, and not necessarily what I want to do! I'm sure I'll also eventually remember that I can go shopping any day and anytime I want. And of course, I will eventually remember that the Euro (double) kiss is NOT the standard greeting on the streets of Halifax. But, even when I finally do readjust to life in Canada, I will always remember Vienna and my new friends - they will always be a part of me now.

Before I left Canada I would have told anyone that I had already grown-up, however, my time in Europe forced me into some crazy situations that I have learned so much from. Even now, I know I still have so much about life to learn. Spending time in countries like Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovakia, Morocco and Poland broke down a lot of the predjudices I had (that I didn't even know I had!). This exchange has been the best thing that could have happened to me.

I remember reading an article last summer about culture, and it said that the best way you can learn about yourself - your own culture - is to experience another. Having lived abroad for the last six months has taught me a lot about myself, and I think it is an experience that everyone should pursue!

Before I left Canada, my dad told me that this experience would allow me to decide if living abroad was for me, or get the idea out of my system... He was right. As frustrating as it could be at times, and as much as I missed KD, peanut butter, Skor bars and the English language, I can't wait to embark on another adventure - just give me a couple years to pay off this one!