I mentioned a while back that my older sister lost her job in New York. What I didn’t mention was that her rent was $1300 a month (by herself) on a $40k salary. Needless to say she needed to find a job or a subleaser fast. She found a subleaser last week and in two days moved back home to figure out her life and take care of my mom. My younger sister also lives at home as she is beginning her photography business in our hometown.
My family is really close and it is so strange to be the only one not at home right now. I am going home this weekend for Mother’s Day and considering surprising my mom and taking tomorrow’s workday off. In the next few months I have at least five trips to NC planned. And it could be more than that. My sister wants to find a job in Charlotte. My roommate A will be moving to Atlanta come July. My boyfriend J lives in NC seven hours away. My closest friends live within two hours of each other in the South. If these are the people that mean the most to me, what is keeping me here?
I initially moved to DC for the post-graduate experience of a big-city life. Granted, it’s not that big of a city, but the traffic alone makes you feel like you’re surrounded by millions. I do love the area so much, but really the only thing keeping me here is my job. It’s a great first job and I know that with two years’ experience I will have the skills to take me pretty far in my field. Plus they’ve hinted at a possible promotion in the next six months. But is a secure job reason enough to stay somewhere that I’m not vested in?
I think so. But then sometimes I wonder. If I am wishing for this next year to fly by, am I just wasting a year? And why wait after two years of my job to start what I want to do in my career; I should be actively looking for positions I want right now. And am I holding on to old relationships so much that I am closed off to making new friends here?
I didn’t mean to ramble so much about this. I am just feeling a little overwhelmed and a bit burnt out with traveling south so often.
Why can’t I just be content with where I am?
I’m actually moving to the DC area soon! I like it because it has a lot of the cool stuff big cities are supposed to have (public transportation!) without the worst parts of living in a city (except for the traffic).
If you like your job, that’s major. I would stay and get all you can out of it, especially if you can go anywhere if you put in one more year. Especially with the job market the way it is.
Can anyone come up to see you?
Girl, it sounds like you were going through the same thing I went through last year. I had always wanted to move to a big city for work, but then I started thinking, “Now, wait a minute. What would you do if the only time you could see your parents is when you fly home? And how could you really afford to visit often on a journalist’s salary?” Life is too short to be so focused on work that you neglect your relationships.
.-= Red´s last blog ..June goals =-.