A few months ago, I quit my job.
Most of you are probably thinking, “what a terrible idea.” And I get it, I do. Most of you have some pretty big commitments and not everyone gets the chance to quit just because they hate what they are doing. So let me tell you, that was the best decision I have made… in the last year. I am not going to over exaggerate it all and ramble on about how such a decision was life changing, soul enriching and eye-opening. I’ve never read Eat, Pray, Love and I don’t ever intend to.
But it was pretty damn great.
So, this job. It was just awful. I mean, really awful. It had everything that makes up a terrible role: long hours, terrible management structure, unethical practices and way too much responsibility too quickly. I was in this rut because I don’t make decisions lightly (which is my way of setting you all up for realising how out of character this trip was). I did a year of work before deciding that I either had two options: the first was to have a mental breakdown from the pressure, and the second was to get out of that job. So I took the second, thankfully. I sat down with my bosses at 8 in the morning and by 8:30am, I was walking out the door and into freedom.
Over the course of the years, I had saved and sacrificed a lot for a moment just like this. A silly, spontaneous moment when the world was at my feet and I could just go. With no relationship, no looming plans and no next move planned, I did exactly what I wanted.
I went traveling.
I am back now from my adventure, feeling a lot less wiser but a lot more confident. To quote F. Scott FitzGerald, I am, “…simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” My travels took me to the United Kingdom, France, Canada and America and each leg of the journey had a different appeal and atmosphere to it. I’ll be updated chronologically, with each title listing the day and the sub-title for the day.
So really, that’s all you need to know. That’s the context to this blog. It’s not about some hot-shot journalist who is paid to survey the best restaurants in town. I’m not rich, or famous or anything other than a seriously average joe. This is just my account of what happens when you drop everything and just go.
Oh and also, I’m Australian, female and a bit of an idiot.
The Variety of Life 