Twenty-Four

I'm twenty-four now. When and how did that happen? I swear that some mornings I wake up and still feel like that twelve-year-old girl with braces, breakouts, and awkwardness. Maybe it's because I still face two of the three from time to time. Do other people feel that way though? Do y'all wake up feeling your age and mature enough for all of the responsibilities that it entails? Or do you wake up some days and say how have I been on Earth for this many years already? 

Another question for all of you readers out there. Do you ever feel different on your birthday? People always ask that question I feel like. For me, it feels like every other day, but with more attention from people I don't hear from quite as often. I have friends that celebrate the whole month of their birthday, so I always wonder how it differs from person to person. I'm not a huge birthday person. We didn't grow up with big, elaborate parties, which for me is completely fine. I'm not really a big, elaborate person.  I like the thought of having a special day and of course the cake, but I'm much more passionate about others' special days. I enjoy buying gifts and doing creative, unique things to make others feel special. 

With that said, I spent my day doing everyday things. I had the opportunity to observe some English classes at my old high school, which was entertaining because American students are so different from Namibian ones. I sort of forgot that. I also spent time working on a speech because I was asked to speak to 300-400 high school students during their chapel service next week. I'm basically sharing my Namibian story with them and how God played such a big role in that. Here's to hoping I don't do something stupid on stage, but at least if I do, they will go home with an interesting tale to share. Lastly for my birthday, there were cupcakes. Gluten free, dairy free, grain free heaven. I even went crazy and broke my caffeine allergy so that they could be chocolate. Look out world, this girl is a wild one in her 24th year!

The dreaded search

Before I start this blog, let me first say that I would not take this past year away for anything. Being in Namibia for the year molded me, strengthened me, and taught me more about life. 

The job search however, is brutal. Talk about punch you in the stomach, take away your confidence brutal. Myself, and I know other volunteers, have spent countless hours looking through job openings, writing cover letters, and updating our resumes, but at the end of the day, according to the corporate world, I'm technically "under qualified" for anything. I don't have two to three years of experience and unless you count my internships, I honestly don't even have one year of experience (internships should always be counted...just saying). Instead of throwing myself into the 8-5 job atmosphere of gaining professional experience right after college, I chose to teach in southern Africa where I could gain life experience: working with people from different cultures, figuring out a system I knew nothing about, and managing 90 individuals who barely understood me when I first walked in their classroom door. Sadly, this exposure so far has not helped me to land a "gig." Although I've gotten a lot of positive feedback about my year and several "oh my goshes," there are things you cannot put on your résumé to persuade future employers that you learn quickly and have experienced and grown far more in that year abroad than you personally would have if you stayed stateside. Here's a list of some of those things:

1. I am a bucket bath pro. Cold water or hot water, I can show you the proper technique to feeling clean after just using a bucket of water.  Adaptable, or so I like to see it that way.

2. When needed, I can whip out Namlish, which is the changing of my voice, accent, and terminology, to make things clearer for non-English speaking students.  I have experience working with different cultures and different languages, that should seem marketable, especially in Houston.  Ability to work in a diverse team.

3. Spiders don't phase me. Big, small, if they're on the wall, they will most likely stay.  Fearless.  This could come in handy in an office space, right?

4. I'm a hitchhiking expert, which clearly makes me personable :) I spent most weekends catching rides with strangers who quickly became friends. 

5. I can make food, toiletries, and $400 USD last longer than the average American.  I'm talking a month plus.  Hello, resourceful.

I know the uniqueness and struggles of my past year are and can potentially be understood by the corporate world, but I do wish that it was easier to find an entry-level position at this age in time.  I'm not alone, I know.  Hundreds of thousands of people are searching for a job as I type up this blog.  It's just a little disheartening that I haven't had any bites yet.  I'm praying for guidance though and trusting that as right as my Namibian job felt, that my future career will feel the same.  I'm patiently, or trying to, waiting for someone to contact me and tell me they want to interview me, hire me, or guide me.