Now that I have returned home from my little trip round the world, I am sadly faced with the harsh reality that is life. I desperately need to find a job. More than just a job, I need to start my career, which is hard as I have absolutely no idea what I want to do anymore. Before I went travelling, I felt like I knew what I was going to do on my return…I had a plan. I was going to pursue a career in the media, specifically radio, or in the music industry, and I still would like to do that. It’s just that there are so many other things I want to do and to achieve before I settle down in a career. It doesn’t help that I have two very successful older sisters to live up to. With the fear of being the disappointment of the family, I am starting to feel the pressure mounting.
Taking three months to go travelling around the world was supposed to give me some perspective and help me decide what I wanted to do with my life. It was also supposed to get the whole travelling thing out of my system so that I would be ready to focus all my energies into my career when I got home. Three months, though, was sadly not long enough to satisfy my need for adventure, instead it was just long enough to whet my appetite for more. There are so many more places I want to visit- South East Asia, South America, Europe! And I know I would love to live in another country or two in my life. One of my biggest regrets in life is not studying French at A-Level, as I really wish I was fluent in a different language. This was highlighted during my travels, by the number of people I met who could speak more than one language, so at some point I would love to live in a non-English speaking country. If I could find a job that would allow me to travel, therefore, that would be the perfect situation so on that note I considered, for a while, pursuing a career in journalism, or more specifically, travel journalism. I can write and I like to travel… what more do you need? Apparently it’s not that easy though. In order to get into the industry, you need to have had writing published which means freelancing. Not the most lucrative business, especially when you’re just starting out. And it’s also quite a bizarre notion that you can start your career whilst sitting in your bed in your pyjamas, one that I am still trying to get my head around.
I have also been applying for jobs online. I have sent many a CV and cover letter out in the last few weeks however for most of the applications I have not even had a reply, let alone an interview! At the beginning of my online job hunt, I began by only applying for jobs in journalism and at various travel publications. A friend from university had suggested this as the key to success as applying for fewer jobs means you can really focus your application on the specific job, rather than just sending in a generic application that will probably just get overlooked. This is a good idea in theory, but when companies give you an application form to fill out that makes it hard to sell yourself if you haven’t already established your career in journalism, it is easy to get disheartened. And then very desperate. I am now applying for jobs left right and centre: anything that takes my fancy which means I am now even more confused as to what I want to do. Each day I set my sights on a different career…journalism, music producer, PA, events manager. I know I need to decide on one career and follow it, but I’m scared I’ll choose the wrong one.
Another problem I seem to be having is with my degree. I chose to study History at university because when I was 18 I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life (as you can see, nothing has changed) so I thought doing an open degree such as History, which has no set career option, would open more doors to me, and hopefully one that would lead to my perfect job. However, since applying for jobs in areas that I am interested in, namely media and the arts, no employer seems to want a History degree. Maybe I need to get some more qualifications? A masters? In all honesty though, I’d rather not go back to university, mainly because I can’t afford it, but also, because I feel my days as a student are over, for the time being anyway.
So you see, with so many choices I really only have one option, and that is to wing it. After the last few weeks of desperate job applications and tearful conversations with friends over several bottles of wine, about how I’m obviously a jobless failure, I have come to the realisation that I am just going to have to go with the flow. Obviously, I will keep applying for jobs, but as soon as I scrape enough money together I think I’ll head for the Big Smoke and see what happens. Life is an adventure after all.
Sunday 24 July 2011
Saturday 16 July 2011
The Land of the Free and the Home of MacDonalds
I realise this is a bit late in coming as I have been back in England for almost three weeks now, but I thought I should probably fill you all in on my thoughts and experiences of the Land of the Free, that is the USA.
I landed in LA and immediately had to come to terms with the massive difference in lifestyle compared to Fiji. Coming from a place where the people are so laid back, they’re practically lying down, LA was a definite shock to the system. Everything in America is so full on and over the top, that just walking around and soaking in the atmosphere is exhausting. A lot of this, I think, can be linked to the concept of the ‘American Dream’; the idea that everybody can make something of themselves as long as they have passion and are prepared to work hard. This lends itself to a plucky, ‘can do’ attitude and a lot of very enthusiastic people, which at times can be a bit sickening. America is also a strongly capitalist country, and even the merest whiff of Socialism causes people to go running for the (Hollywood) hills, as has been demonstrated by Obama’s recent attempt to introduce an NHS style health care system to the States. As a result there is a massive gap between rich and poor, noticeably more so than in the UK, and nowhere is this more apparent than in LA. I stayed in Hollywood, just off Hollywood Boulevard, and my hopes of glitz and glamour were quickly dashed as it is very disappointingly underwhelming. The area itself is quite rough, very dirty and not the sort of place you would expect to find A-list celebrities hanging out at glamorous premieres. I was also warned by many of the people staying in my hostel not to go out on my own at night, and even in the day to be careful. This immediately put me on my guard and made me incredibly wary of anyone wearing a hoodie (in Hollywood, that seemed to be every second person) and any cars driving past with tinted windows (again, more common than you’d think). I think this was probably slightly over the top, but the general vibe I got from LA was quite threatening. I decided therefore to head for Beverly Hills and Santa Monica instead- much more civilised, definitely my cup of tea, and immediately you notice that this is where the wealthy people live. Sadly, Beverly Hills was disappointingly average. Again, not the glitz and glamour you are brought to believe. I found this quite a lot with California in general- everything is so over the top that one’s expectations for things are so built up. The reality, however, is usually quite underwhelming. Santa Monica, on the other hand was much nicer- warmer with a good beach and great shopping.
After two nights in LA, I definitely felt it was time to move on and so I decided a trip down south, to the warmer climes of San Diego was in order. I took the train, which was altogether a much more enjoyable experience than train journeys back home. Like an airport, you deposit your suitcase at the station and then collect it again once you reach your destination. There is none of this racing to find a space on the luggage racks at the end of the carriage, or battling to squeeze your bag into the overhead compartments, where it obviously won’t fit. It’s also a lovely way to see a bit more of the country. Arriving in San Diego, my first feeling was one of relief. It was immediately better than LA- it was cleaner, the people were friendlier and the weather was much better. I can only describe San Diego as a really nice city, ‘nice’ being the operative word. It felt very wholesome and quaint America. Whilst there I went to a farmers market in one of the suburbs, and it was your typical American family day out, right down to the live country band playing. I also visited Old Town San Diego which, again, was a typically American experience. Instead of allowing it to be an old colonial Spanish town, it has been turned into what I can only describe as a Disney attraction, without the rides. People were dressed in nineteenth century outfits and every building had been turned into a museum: you could visit ye olde post office, ye olde cobblers, or ye olde Tibetan souvenir shoppe….everything just felt very fake, which is a shame because it probably could have been a beautiful old town. I found much of California like this: whereas a country like Australia, which also has very little history, focuses on the attractions they do have (namely beautiful beaches, and great weather), America seems to take the little bit of history they do have a really ram it down people’s throats in an incredibly unsubtle way. It definitely made me appreciate the history of our own country.
My final stop in America was San Francisco. This was definitely my favourite place in California- it was nicer and less scary than LA, yet was edgier than San Diego and had some of the quirkiness of a European city. I did a lot of walking which was hard work as there are a hell of a lot of hills! In fairness, the hills dictated my route around the city…I took any route that didn’t involve climbing up them! On one of my days in San Fran I visited Haight, famous for being a hippy hang out in the 1960’s, where the likes of the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin (don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of them either) lived. Haight is best described as a cleaner, quieter Camden with great little boutiques, lots of bookshops and quaint little cafes to sit and while away the day. It also leads into Golden Gate Park. This is home to the majority of the city’s museums, but it’s also a lovely place to just sit. Although in the middle of this busy city, it is surprisingly quiet and peaceful. I was only able to spend a couple of days in San Francisco, but of the three places I visited in California, it was definitely my favourite. I also met some great people here, none of them American.
I am aware that my view of America, does not seem overly positive, but actually looking back on my ten days in the states, I did have a really good time, and I definitely have some fond memories of it. This is mainly because of the people I met. It wouldn’t be fair to say I disliked California, I just feel no desire to return: I feel like I have seen as much of it as I need to. Maybe this is very narrow-minded of me, and I am open to being convinced otherwise. I would like to visit other parts of the US though, especially the Deep South, just to see how they compare. Maybe then I’ll be converted to the American way…
I landed in LA and immediately had to come to terms with the massive difference in lifestyle compared to Fiji. Coming from a place where the people are so laid back, they’re practically lying down, LA was a definite shock to the system. Everything in America is so full on and over the top, that just walking around and soaking in the atmosphere is exhausting. A lot of this, I think, can be linked to the concept of the ‘American Dream’; the idea that everybody can make something of themselves as long as they have passion and are prepared to work hard. This lends itself to a plucky, ‘can do’ attitude and a lot of very enthusiastic people, which at times can be a bit sickening. America is also a strongly capitalist country, and even the merest whiff of Socialism causes people to go running for the (Hollywood) hills, as has been demonstrated by Obama’s recent attempt to introduce an NHS style health care system to the States. As a result there is a massive gap between rich and poor, noticeably more so than in the UK, and nowhere is this more apparent than in LA. I stayed in Hollywood, just off Hollywood Boulevard, and my hopes of glitz and glamour were quickly dashed as it is very disappointingly underwhelming. The area itself is quite rough, very dirty and not the sort of place you would expect to find A-list celebrities hanging out at glamorous premieres. I was also warned by many of the people staying in my hostel not to go out on my own at night, and even in the day to be careful. This immediately put me on my guard and made me incredibly wary of anyone wearing a hoodie (in Hollywood, that seemed to be every second person) and any cars driving past with tinted windows (again, more common than you’d think). I think this was probably slightly over the top, but the general vibe I got from LA was quite threatening. I decided therefore to head for Beverly Hills and Santa Monica instead- much more civilised, definitely my cup of tea, and immediately you notice that this is where the wealthy people live. Sadly, Beverly Hills was disappointingly average. Again, not the glitz and glamour you are brought to believe. I found this quite a lot with California in general- everything is so over the top that one’s expectations for things are so built up. The reality, however, is usually quite underwhelming. Santa Monica, on the other hand was much nicer- warmer with a good beach and great shopping.
After two nights in LA, I definitely felt it was time to move on and so I decided a trip down south, to the warmer climes of San Diego was in order. I took the train, which was altogether a much more enjoyable experience than train journeys back home. Like an airport, you deposit your suitcase at the station and then collect it again once you reach your destination. There is none of this racing to find a space on the luggage racks at the end of the carriage, or battling to squeeze your bag into the overhead compartments, where it obviously won’t fit. It’s also a lovely way to see a bit more of the country. Arriving in San Diego, my first feeling was one of relief. It was immediately better than LA- it was cleaner, the people were friendlier and the weather was much better. I can only describe San Diego as a really nice city, ‘nice’ being the operative word. It felt very wholesome and quaint America. Whilst there I went to a farmers market in one of the suburbs, and it was your typical American family day out, right down to the live country band playing. I also visited Old Town San Diego which, again, was a typically American experience. Instead of allowing it to be an old colonial Spanish town, it has been turned into what I can only describe as a Disney attraction, without the rides. People were dressed in nineteenth century outfits and every building had been turned into a museum: you could visit ye olde post office, ye olde cobblers, or ye olde Tibetan souvenir shoppe….everything just felt very fake, which is a shame because it probably could have been a beautiful old town. I found much of California like this: whereas a country like Australia, which also has very little history, focuses on the attractions they do have (namely beautiful beaches, and great weather), America seems to take the little bit of history they do have a really ram it down people’s throats in an incredibly unsubtle way. It definitely made me appreciate the history of our own country.
My final stop in America was San Francisco. This was definitely my favourite place in California- it was nicer and less scary than LA, yet was edgier than San Diego and had some of the quirkiness of a European city. I did a lot of walking which was hard work as there are a hell of a lot of hills! In fairness, the hills dictated my route around the city…I took any route that didn’t involve climbing up them! On one of my days in San Fran I visited Haight, famous for being a hippy hang out in the 1960’s, where the likes of the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin (don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of them either) lived. Haight is best described as a cleaner, quieter Camden with great little boutiques, lots of bookshops and quaint little cafes to sit and while away the day. It also leads into Golden Gate Park. This is home to the majority of the city’s museums, but it’s also a lovely place to just sit. Although in the middle of this busy city, it is surprisingly quiet and peaceful. I was only able to spend a couple of days in San Francisco, but of the three places I visited in California, it was definitely my favourite. I also met some great people here, none of them American.
I am aware that my view of America, does not seem overly positive, but actually looking back on my ten days in the states, I did have a really good time, and I definitely have some fond memories of it. This is mainly because of the people I met. It wouldn’t be fair to say I disliked California, I just feel no desire to return: I feel like I have seen as much of it as I need to. Maybe this is very narrow-minded of me, and I am open to being convinced otherwise. I would like to visit other parts of the US though, especially the Deep South, just to see how they compare. Maybe then I’ll be converted to the American way…
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