I'm still up in Sydney, here for over 3 weeks this time. Yes, I did go back down to Adelaide for a week or so... I picked up my new Australian passport, met some cool people, returned some things I'd forgot to give back to AECOM and spent some well-needed time in solitude (with a little distraction thrown in for good measure).
Yesterday I crossed six weeks of being unemployed, and I have to say, I am really (weirdly... or not, depending on your point of view!) enjoying it. I feel like I have a lot more time to think and actually take stock of what I want to do next. I'm doing a metric shit-ton of journalling which is helping me get my head screwed on straight.
It's something that rarely happens as an adult. Catching a break where you can slow down... For long enough that you can actually slow down and take a breath, pause and reflect. That's a pretty cool feeling. I don't have an infinte runway though, I'm going to need to find some work in the next month or two. Luckily I became a citizen of this grand country on the 20th of May, as discussed in my{' '} last update . So I am eligible for JobSeeker payments, which is somewhat of a relief. It gives me a little more time to find something that I actually want to do, rather than taking the first thing to come along that looks good on the surface and doesn't resonate internally.
Honestly I am open to all kinds of options - casual work, contract opportunities, full- and part-time. I've been non-stop building the past few weeks, have made myself very much at home in Paddington Library and done a great deal of coding. I have ideas for open source projects to offer some public value and maybe even get my name out there a little. I've laid the foundations for a solid personal website with scope for growth, use of automation and to backstop my content ventures. Definitely opened my eyes to a number of paths and opportunities.
I also feel like I've reconnected with a lot of people dear to me over the past three weeks. I've felt the support of my friends and family, and it's been really heartwarming. I've also had the opportunity to be there for people who needed it, to lend an ear or a hand, and that warm feeling inside that's come from it is something I want to keep prioritising in my life. It's been hella cup-filling, and it's also been a stark reminder of the importance of network. I know that it's far more likely the next opportunity will come through someone I know, who can already vouch for my capabilities, than to come through a cold job application from Workforce Australia or LinkedIn, let's be real...
So if you know of any opportunities, please do reach out! Otherwise, I will keep you posted on my progress. I will be updating this page regularly, so check back in a week or two to see what's new. I will also be posting more updates on my blog, so keep an eye out for those. Thanks for reading, and I hope you're having a great day as you read this!