I love this
song. I think it I heard it first on an episode of Gossip Girl and then on
Glee. Florence + the Machine is definitely one of my favourite artists.
The phrase 'dog days' refers to the hottest days of summer - the times when we lay around like dogs hot and tired with no motivation because there is seemingly no way to cool off. Each day is long, but we cling on to the fact that spring is around the corner - a satisfying feeling to combat those dog days of summer.
It's not summer here. In fact, it's the opposite. However, being in September in the southern hemisphere, spring weather is near signalling rebirth of a new season or in my case a new stage in life.
Back in July, I hit the dog days hard. I wasn't happy at my job anymore, which as everyone knows, but hates to admit - can affect your entire life. The feeling of constant rejection, lack of recognition and no motivation enveloped my day-to-day. I had some good clients and some I just didn't want to deal with. Every day was like submission. I was in denial, yet continued in a cycle of self-loathing and then daily affirmations that it would all be better soon. Being miserable in the place I spend most of my week wasn't helping my life outside of work either. However, my work worries turned into an argument on happiness. If I wasn't enjoying what I was doing, what was I still doing there?
This attitude didn't go unnoticed. It was tear jerking when my managers asked me in private if I was alright. Not one to ever hide behind a smile, I spoke my mind - a release I needed and thankfully in a space I could. Over the past year, I created strong relationships with all my colleagues. They've seen my highs, lows and most importantly, my growth in a professional and personal capacity. That's what made it hard to tell them I was leaving. We were all friends.
I spent days contemplating this decision. What it came down to was that happiness argument. Back in Korea, I hit a ceiling in my professional growth and simultaneously hit a wall in my work happiness. Ready for adventure of an unknown country, I was sure I'd find happiness in my move to Sydney. Taking this job when I arrived in Sydney was the chance for me to rediscover the happiness I had when I was working in communications back in NYC. For the past year, I found happiness through challenging work, brands I cared about, clients I liked working with and a team environment where friendships blossomed.
But like seasonal change, I hit the winter months in this job. I finally made the decision on a Monday morning. I told my CEO and my senior manager that I simply wasn't happy and was leaving. It took a lot of courage hidden by short breaths, sobs and my attempts to grab tissues while desperately trying to save face. My office is small and when someone leaves, it really hits everyone. I didn't even have to say anything to my colleagues. They knew. Weeks prior, I contemplated my approach and the possible reactions. In the end, the message was clear. My bosses understood and whole-heartedly supported my decision - the best outcome I could ask for. I would leave at the end of the month. Until then I would slowly handover my responsibilities including my clients, intern program and admin I was in charge of.
For the next 2 weeks, I blasted my resume all over Seek.com.au. Usually, I wouldn't have an issue securing interviews, but I found myself back to where I was when I arrived in Sydney. I wasn't a permanent resident or citizen, which most employers seemed to only advertise. However, I was a step ahead this time - I have a 457 business visa, which means Australia already recognises my level of experience and acknowledges I am an asset to the country. This visa gives me free range to work in Australia till my visa expiry date in March 2015. The only issue is that I needed my next employer to take over my visa sponsorship.
I sent my resume out to the major universities hoping to land a comms job. My love for Fordham and my experience in the education industry would mesh well with my desire to continue working in communications. Although there were no jobs available, I tried my luck and befriended one comms manager whom I hope will be that connection when I do land a university job.
I had a lot of calls from recruiters and was even a front runner for a communications position with the newly created Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL team. I interviewed with a few PR firms, but realised in mid-interview I didn't even want to do PR anymore. The more I explained my experience, the more confident I was in pursuing a marketing role. One PR firm, specialising in wine PR, gave me a bottle after an interview!
My two week search seemed extra long because of the feeling of uncertainty of not knowing when I would get another job, another paycheck or if the search went too long, if we would be able to stay in Australia. When you leave your job, the government gives you 28 days to secure another job. The clock was certainly ticking, but I wasn't going to take just any job - it had to be one I really wanted and could see myself in for a long while.
I finally landed two second round interviews, both marketing roles. Both roles would be challenging, in a great environment and exciting work. I knew one would be a better fit when during the interview I found the work I did at Taurus complimented the work I would be doing at this role. In fact, we even had common clients. You know when an interview is going well when they are fitting the job to your experience and their eyes light up when I discussed my ideas. I left Taurus on a Wednesday and the following Monday I was given the job at FST Media, a conferencing and publishing company serving the financial services and technology industries.
I signed my contract and would start when my visa was successfully transferred. For the next two weeks, I didn't work. But that didn't mean sitting at home waiting by the phone.
During this time, Dave and I moved out of our Macleay Street, Potts Point apartment to a larger 1 bedroom at Roslyn Gardens, Elizabeth Bay - even closer to one of our favourite green spaces, Ruschutters Bay.
Although our lease wasn't up till January 2012, we were given an offer we couldn't resist. When we first moved in, we were under the proviso that our apartment would be changing owners. Until that happened, our apartment was available for inspection on Wednesdays and Saturdays until it was bought. In exchange, we paid $10 less than the advertised $400 p/w. Lucky for us, our apartment was bought in a month.
After living in the apartment for 6 months, we received a letter from our new owner indicated he wanted to move in. He gave us the option to leave by October 1st and take all the furniture and get a week's free rent for moving costs. If we didn't take his offer, our lease would terminate 3 months later in January 2012 as we had planned.
We took the offer and for the first two weekends of September went apartment hunting around Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay. When we walked into the Roslyn Gardens apartment, we immediately knew this was our choice. It was $410 p/w, had a separate kitchen to living room area and large windows. We submitted our application the following Monday and were approved the next day.
We moved in on a Wednesday. Two herculean mean showed up and moved our 1 bedroom apartment in 2 hours. I was left alone, while Dave went on with his work day. I was in no rush to arrange our things because I had no idea when my visa would be transferred. I figured I had plenty of time. But this wasn't the case. That same night, we welcomed our first house guest - Kobi, the 15 week old Samoyed puppy.
"We gotta get this place puppy proof!" was the phrase of the evening. A week prior, I saw on my Facebook wall, a former colleague at Taurus needed someone to take care of her puppy while she and her boyfriend moved to a proper house to hold a puppy. In my mind, this was the perfect opportunity to test our parental doggy skills. Dave and I have always talked about having a dog, but in the last few years, our lives wouldn't be able to manage one. We are urbanites living in small 1 bedroom apartments, working long hours and often not knowing what will happen on the weekend until the last minute. We are selfish - as we should be. We are young, with no kids, debt or major responsibilities. Most of our paycheck goes to rent, nights out and travel. Where would a dog fit in this equation? With an unknown waiting period to start my work life, this was the perfect window to introduce a dog into our lives.
That night, my friend came over complete with Kobi's bed, toys, food and 3 page instructional manual on do's and don'ts of proper Kobi care. For the next hour, we talked through Kobi's habits. He isn't just any dog. He's like a small white polar bear. You don't see much of his kind in Australia because this breed is meant for cold climates - his breed comes from Siberia! He hardly barks, but is very aware of people, always wanting to be in the same room. My friend was very thorough, but confident she left Kobi in good care especially since Dave grew up with dogs. I wouldn't see her again for 2 weeks.
For the next 14 days, Kobi and I were mates. We walked, ate, slept and played together. We no longer used an alarm clock because Kobi was there at our bed right at 6:30am. He was always so eager to be with us. When Dave came home from work, Kobi was at attention when he heard keys jigging at the door.
Kobi had his naughty moments too. His tennis balls are no longer tennis balls, but frayed fabric with bits of rubber. He ate one of my gold sandals, which didn't digest as evidenced from his poo - whole straps and buckles were mixed in! For the first few days, he peed all over our carpet. With training and Pavlov's classical conditioning reward system, he understood the tiled bathroom was the proper place to do your business. We loved him regardless. He was our baby and we quickly forgave any of his transgressions by just looking at his smiley face.
On a Tuesday night, Kobi was taken back. Dave and I sat alone in our new apartment for the first time. There were no sounds of puppy feet. There wasn't a ball of white fur sleeping on the cold kitchen tile. No one was fighting for a bite when we had dinner. There was no one to wake us up in the morning or jump into bed with us at night. We had empty nest syndrome and we cried a little inside.
Two days later, I received a call from my new workplace that my visa was approved. I would start on the Tuesday after Labour Day Weekend, which also happens to be my 26th birthday. It's like the forces of the universe couldn't have planned this moment at a better time. Or it could be coincidence signalling my rebirth into the next quarter of my life. I love arguments on free will versus determinism.
But like seasonal change, I hit the winter months in this job. I finally made the decision on a Monday morning. I told my CEO and my senior manager that I simply wasn't happy and was leaving. It took a lot of courage hidden by short breaths, sobs and my attempts to grab tissues while desperately trying to save face. My office is small and when someone leaves, it really hits everyone. I didn't even have to say anything to my colleagues. They knew. Weeks prior, I contemplated my approach and the possible reactions. In the end, the message was clear. My bosses understood and whole-heartedly supported my decision - the best outcome I could ask for. I would leave at the end of the month. Until then I would slowly handover my responsibilities including my clients, intern program and admin I was in charge of.
For the next 2 weeks, I blasted my resume all over Seek.com.au. Usually, I wouldn't have an issue securing interviews, but I found myself back to where I was when I arrived in Sydney. I wasn't a permanent resident or citizen, which most employers seemed to only advertise. However, I was a step ahead this time - I have a 457 business visa, which means Australia already recognises my level of experience and acknowledges I am an asset to the country. This visa gives me free range to work in Australia till my visa expiry date in March 2015. The only issue is that I needed my next employer to take over my visa sponsorship.
I sent my resume out to the major universities hoping to land a comms job. My love for Fordham and my experience in the education industry would mesh well with my desire to continue working in communications. Although there were no jobs available, I tried my luck and befriended one comms manager whom I hope will be that connection when I do land a university job.
I had a lot of calls from recruiters and was even a front runner for a communications position with the newly created Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL team. I interviewed with a few PR firms, but realised in mid-interview I didn't even want to do PR anymore. The more I explained my experience, the more confident I was in pursuing a marketing role. One PR firm, specialising in wine PR, gave me a bottle after an interview!
My two week search seemed extra long because of the feeling of uncertainty of not knowing when I would get another job, another paycheck or if the search went too long, if we would be able to stay in Australia. When you leave your job, the government gives you 28 days to secure another job. The clock was certainly ticking, but I wasn't going to take just any job - it had to be one I really wanted and could see myself in for a long while.
I finally landed two second round interviews, both marketing roles. Both roles would be challenging, in a great environment and exciting work. I knew one would be a better fit when during the interview I found the work I did at Taurus complimented the work I would be doing at this role. In fact, we even had common clients. You know when an interview is going well when they are fitting the job to your experience and their eyes light up when I discussed my ideas. I left Taurus on a Wednesday and the following Monday I was given the job at FST Media, a conferencing and publishing company serving the financial services and technology industries.
I signed my contract and would start when my visa was successfully transferred. For the next two weeks, I didn't work. But that didn't mean sitting at home waiting by the phone.
During this time, Dave and I moved out of our Macleay Street, Potts Point apartment to a larger 1 bedroom at Roslyn Gardens, Elizabeth Bay - even closer to one of our favourite green spaces, Ruschutters Bay.
Although our lease wasn't up till January 2012, we were given an offer we couldn't resist. When we first moved in, we were under the proviso that our apartment would be changing owners. Until that happened, our apartment was available for inspection on Wednesdays and Saturdays until it was bought. In exchange, we paid $10 less than the advertised $400 p/w. Lucky for us, our apartment was bought in a month.
After living in the apartment for 6 months, we received a letter from our new owner indicated he wanted to move in. He gave us the option to leave by October 1st and take all the furniture and get a week's free rent for moving costs. If we didn't take his offer, our lease would terminate 3 months later in January 2012 as we had planned.
We took the offer and for the first two weekends of September went apartment hunting around Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay. When we walked into the Roslyn Gardens apartment, we immediately knew this was our choice. It was $410 p/w, had a separate kitchen to living room area and large windows. We submitted our application the following Monday and were approved the next day.
We moved in on a Wednesday. Two herculean mean showed up and moved our 1 bedroom apartment in 2 hours. I was left alone, while Dave went on with his work day. I was in no rush to arrange our things because I had no idea when my visa would be transferred. I figured I had plenty of time. But this wasn't the case. That same night, we welcomed our first house guest - Kobi, the 15 week old Samoyed puppy.
"We gotta get this place puppy proof!" was the phrase of the evening. A week prior, I saw on my Facebook wall, a former colleague at Taurus needed someone to take care of her puppy while she and her boyfriend moved to a proper house to hold a puppy. In my mind, this was the perfect opportunity to test our parental doggy skills. Dave and I have always talked about having a dog, but in the last few years, our lives wouldn't be able to manage one. We are urbanites living in small 1 bedroom apartments, working long hours and often not knowing what will happen on the weekend until the last minute. We are selfish - as we should be. We are young, with no kids, debt or major responsibilities. Most of our paycheck goes to rent, nights out and travel. Where would a dog fit in this equation? With an unknown waiting period to start my work life, this was the perfect window to introduce a dog into our lives.
That night, my friend came over complete with Kobi's bed, toys, food and 3 page instructional manual on do's and don'ts of proper Kobi care. For the next hour, we talked through Kobi's habits. He isn't just any dog. He's like a small white polar bear. You don't see much of his kind in Australia because this breed is meant for cold climates - his breed comes from Siberia! He hardly barks, but is very aware of people, always wanting to be in the same room. My friend was very thorough, but confident she left Kobi in good care especially since Dave grew up with dogs. I wouldn't see her again for 2 weeks.
Dave Practicing 'Sitting'
Kobi Loves Gift Wrap Ribbon
The Wrath of Kobi
Chew Toy Bone, Two Tennis Balls, a Rope with a Missing Ball, Sandal
Kobi had his naughty moments too. His tennis balls are no longer tennis balls, but frayed fabric with bits of rubber. He ate one of my gold sandals, which didn't digest as evidenced from his poo - whole straps and buckles were mixed in! For the first few days, he peed all over our carpet. With training and Pavlov's classical conditioning reward system, he understood the tiled bathroom was the proper place to do your business. We loved him regardless. He was our baby and we quickly forgave any of his transgressions by just looking at his smiley face.
Smiley Dog
Our Nickname for Kobi
Our Nickname for Kobi
Nap Time
Kobi Looking For A Cool Place to Sleep
He Sleeps On His Back
Love
Being Outside is Kobi's Favourite
Overlooking Rushcutter's Bay to See the Sailboats
Kobi Found a Soccer Ball
Soccer Puppy
On a Tuesday night, Kobi was taken back. Dave and I sat alone in our new apartment for the first time. There were no sounds of puppy feet. There wasn't a ball of white fur sleeping on the cold kitchen tile. No one was fighting for a bite when we had dinner. There was no one to wake us up in the morning or jump into bed with us at night. We had empty nest syndrome and we cried a little inside.
Being So Cute
Two days later, I received a call from my new workplace that my visa was approved. I would start on the Tuesday after Labour Day Weekend, which also happens to be my 26th birthday. It's like the forces of the universe couldn't have planned this moment at a better time. Or it could be coincidence signalling my rebirth into the next quarter of my life. I love arguments on free will versus determinism.
My dog days are literally over. I'm no longer in limbo where I don't know what's happening in my life and have no control over it. I have answers and I have direction. Perhaps my work 'depression' was a good thing. If it didn't happen, I would have never moved and had a dog. New job, new place, new dog - major life changes and it couldn't have happened at a better time. For the two weeks I was unemployed, I stripped myself of my former life and built a new one. I had time to reflect on the past and prepare for the future. There was one constant throughout the entire episode - Dave. He was incredibly supportive especially when I made outlandish remarks like "Are you ready to leave Australia?" or "Why do we need to rely on my visa. You should get your own visa." You say crazy things when you feel like you have nothing. But I have everything and am so excited for the next phase of my life cycle - Australia 3.0 - optimised, running faster, smoother and better.
1 comment:
Awesome post Shady! Makes me wish I had a puppy for company during the coming weeks off... :)
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