Well Here I Am

Looks like I made it! Getting close to finishing up my first month at Washington Hospital in Fremont, CA. It's definitely been a long road. After graduating, it seemed like I would never be hired. In fact, I took a position at a school district working with students with medical needs to hold me over and pay the bills. Turns out it was a great experience. I got to work with a lot of students who have mental and physical handicaps. I learned a lot about them and about me. Plus it gave me the opportunity to complete one of my goals this year, travelling the world. I visited Luca and Zsofi in London, Eva in Brighton, Jenny and Jana in Vienna, took a day trip to Slovakia, worked three camps in Hungary, and ended my trip with a weekend visiting Levi and Csenge (and their awesome familiy) in Budapest-including a trip to the famous Lake Balaton. My love for travel was set ablaze once again and I was ready to come back home, get a job, get experience and pay off loans so I could once again travel the world.

Lo and behold (not really sure what this 'lo' business is all about, but anywho) I made the cut of 25 new hires out of 1100 applicants at Washington Hospital. A true answer to prayer. Now I am learning, being challenged and stretched every day. Washington does 8 hour shifts; that means 5 days a week. To be honest, I'm not too keen on working 5 days a week; but for now I will embrace it and realize I am incredibly blessed to have a great job in this terrible market.

So what's next? That's the big question. Not even sure what this next year's theme will be. (If you cocked your head sideways to that one, I theme my years, starting about 5 years back. I find it helps me with goals, keeps me motivated, and well it's just fun. Working backwards from this very year: The Year of New Beginnings, The Year of Completion, The Year of Adventure, The Year of Mystery, all spawning from the Year of Shaun.) So what is next? I haven't quite decided yet. I do know that it will be a year of a lot of work. I have a lot of experience to obtain, a lot of student loans to pay off and a reputation as a an excellent nurse to build. But I still have a couple months to decide.

Looking forward 2 years down the road it's wide open. I could cut down to part time to allow frequent travel. Or I could move out of the country for awhile, possible working for an international organization doing nursing or who knows what. I just know that I need to experience the world. I've seen so little, yet that little piece of the world has captured my heart and I want more. So I'll continue to chip away at my language learning, continue learning at my job, and continue dreaming of endless adventures awaiting the day I step away from familiarity and routine. Until then, keep dreaming.