A year from when it first began

Beautiful, sunny, warm. Today as I headed out for brunch with a friend, I looked up at the sky and all I saw was blue and the sun shining from the corner of my eyes. I looked at my watch and realized that today was the 31st of August. Bits and pieces of memories from the past year quickly flashed across my mind.

Without realizing, it has been a year since the day that I last sat and worked in front of an office desk. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I had a bit of sadness for leaving the job and people I loved working with, plenty of nervousness and uncertainty about the year ahead, and heaps of excitement for the places I would be visiting.

A lot of people have asked me what I’m going to do when my working holiday visa expires towards the end of the year. Am I heading back to my original home? Am I staying for another year?

Truth be told, this place has grown on me. Just when I’m starting to get comfortable with the city and all the new friends that I’ve made, the end is looming three and a half months away. I had an amazing job opportunity that came up last month which I was close in landing a full time permanent role, but didn’t end up getting. Disappointed, yes. Could I have done better, maybe. Do I regret going through the process, no – because I gave it my best.

Maybe another similar opportunity lies ahead, but I have learned not to hold my breath and plan based on hopes and uncertainties. There are still quite a bit of Australia which I haven’t visited. So that would leave about two more months of working before I should start hitting the road again, which will be over before you know it.

For now, it’s time to start enjoying those sunny spring days and leave no empty days. It’s also time to start planning that next adventure. Malaysia? Indonesia? Nepal? Tibet? India? The world is closer than I have ever imagined it to be.

“A journey of a thousands miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

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