Well, technically I’m in the Bay Area, but pandering to an international audience here 😛
So, my visa’s up tomorrow, am flying back to Sydney today.
I’m sitting in my version of heaven, Red Rock Coffee, for one last blast of smooth coffee goodness, and my mind’s whirring with a dozen thoughts and emotions.
I don’t wanna leave. The more I stay here, the more I wanna live here. (And it’s not just because of the coffee too :P)
The best thing about this trip were the people. I’ve met so many awesome people I now consider friends. So many people both here in the US and back in Aust have been so generous with their care, time and efforts. It’s truly humbling. I got lucky that way 🙂
It was a hard slog. Being in a strange place, not knowing many people at the beginning, withdrawals from leaving work I truly loved, the highs and lows of job hunting, being crap at networking, not having a clue, the uncertainty…. Now that I think about it, no wonder there were times I felt overwhelmed!
I would do it all again, even though I’m returning without a job. (There are a few things on the burner, but nothing’s confirmed yet). So I will. I’m gonna come back in July and give it another go. I feel like I haven’t given it my absolute all, and that bugs me.
Wheeee! The adventure continues! 😀
I would say to anyone considering doing the same – Go for it! It ain’t easy, but it is (mainly) fun, and at the every least, it’s a good experience. Oh, and drop me a line, we’ll talk. 🙂