Allow me to bring you up to speed (on my life).
I graduated from college one year ago. I didn’t follow the “normal” postgraduate route and find a nine to five job. Instead, I spent last summer waiting tables on the docks of Lake Minnetonka, buying impromptu plane tickets to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Chicago, Illinois, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Then, I decided to learn French, so I bought a one-way ticket to France. I was told on a daily basis how “crazy” I was and that I should just settle down and find a job.
It would have been easier for me to listen to this so-called “advice,” but I’m glad I stuck to my gut and took off for France with nothing but my camera, computer, and very heavy suitcase.
I lightened my load along the way and got rid of what I could, because, quite frankly, pulling a suitcase that weighs almost as much as you do up 200 or more stairs in the metro is way more work than a few pairs of pants and sweaters are worth.
During the seven months I spent in France not only did I see a new part of the world, I learned a third language, met more interesting people than I can count on two hands, and discovered that being “crazy” is not only fun, but also rewarding.
I flew back to Minnesota mid June to visit my family and make enough cash to move again. I’m heading to New York on September 7 and possibly back to Paris for one month. I’m not sure where I’ll be living come October, but I have six weeks to figure that out. That’s plenty of time, right?
The post-graduate cookie cutter plan isn’t for everyone.
Life is about trying on hundreds of different hats until you find a perfect fit. I’ve worn many hats over the last year, from a student, to a waitress, a writer, a news reporter, a storyteller, a gardener, a nanny, and more.
I’m still navigating my awkward post-college life, debating if grad school is the right decision for me, applying for jobs almost every day, and living in my childhood bedroom. Most people think that’s every college grad’s worst nightmare. Not mine. Living with my parents and working anywhere from one to three jobs, depending on the day, has allowed me to begin making my dreams my reality. I get to explore the world.
Oui Oui, a Word From Kari 