Things have been hectic to say the least in the last…many months actually. Some good and some not so good. I can’t even say that I know particularly where to begin or how to explain. Of course that sounds asinine…just do as Julie Andrews suggests and “Let’s start at the very beginning”.

Chyna

So what happened?

Well, that’s a good question. To sum it up easily, moving to and living in China is hard (as if no one knew, right?). And there are certain things that made it even harder.

As a tourist, it’s not so difficult to travel in many parts of the world. Aspects that are difficult (to say the least) or nearly impossible to manage are easily brushed off when it only needs to last up to a week or two. When you move abroad, these difficulties pile up…sometimes exponentially.

It’s difficult enough even in a new city in the US to find a grocery store, a good restaurant, a bar, or a place to stay as a tourist. If you moved to that place, now you’re looking for a place to rent/buy in good neighborhood, the closest/best grocery store, clothes retailers, coffee shops at which to work, a way to make new friends, how to get around (even if you have a car already, there are new directions/traffic patterns), good restaurants to frequent, local activities, etc.

Now try to imagine doing this without Google Maps, in a place where signs aren’t only not written in English (or your Native language) but in characters that are completely unrecognizable, surrounded by 20+ Million people who also don’t speak your native language.

Now do it every day for months…

Of course, it’s not impossible, and everyone and every place is different. Even what seems hard one year, may seem easy the next (or several years later).

Living in an unfamiliar place is always a challenge. Each person, each place, and each time are different. If I move to China again, I hope my Mandarin is a bit better than it is now!

The Long Road Home

So, post China (aka Chyna), Julie and I took the long way home through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and South Korea. As long as we took to get back, we didn’t get to see/do everything on our lists…so I guess we will have to go back!

I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.
-Susan Sontag

That kinda sums up the long and short of it. Throughout this time, I sent some job applications out and was even tossing around just staying in Vietnam. Instead, I decided to go back to the States to look for a job. Honestly, I was not prepared for the search that would ensue.

Is anyone hiring?

I will mostly save this rant for another post I think. In the end, I want to think that I wasn’t getting calls back for positions because none of the companies to which I applied were quite the right fit for the time. Despite changing my resume tactics multiple times, the application to interview ratio did not add up, in my opinion.

And before I get advice about “tailor your resume” and “make sure to include a cover letter”, I did. For every position that didn’t have a pre-determined mechanism disallowing me from including a cover letter, I included one.

Regardless, there was something that I probably missed and I’m still working on perfecting that message (and my LinkedIn and other social media pages).

So Where am I Now?

Well, the answer should not surprise you…I’m abroad again.

In Austria this time (no, not Australia). I started a last-minute __ program, and yes, you read that correctly…it was totally last minute. I’m still waiting on official paperwork so I can get my residence permit (yes, I’m legally in the EU at the moment).

I’m studying at the __ pursuing a __.

There were a couple of different reasons for deciding to pursue this degree with this university. The most obvious - Automotive, of course. Other reasons include cost of attendance (low or free compared the US), working semesters for practical application of knowledge, work visa sponsorship post-graduation.

Wrapping Things Up

I know I disappeared from Social Media for a looooong time. Part of this was to focus on applications. But I’m back because it’s the easiest way to keep in touch with people/to let people know what’s going on/to figure out what other people are up to.

Hope y’all didn’t miss me too much…honestly, I didn’t hear from too many people anyway.

Safe travels and happy surfing!

Josh S =P

Ps. Blog Updates

So, I’ve always intended to have some sort of division for different parts of my website/blog/whatever…and just haven’t gotten around to it. I think I have an easy way to fix it so there may be some small changes coming soon (and hopefully I can get those pictures changed up, eh?). Cheers