"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end."

Yesterday was my last day of work and it was pretty sad. I’ve only been at the firm a little less than 2 years, but I know my experiences there will always play a huge part in my career. I also realized that yesterday was my last day of working for at least 13 months! I’ve been working since ever since I was 16 - at least part time – so it’s a little weird to think that I won’t be employed again until next October.

I won’t have time for work while I’m in school. The MBA program will be keeping me busy during the “working hours” of the day. In the remaining time, I’ll be getting to know my classmates, my new home, connecting to Rotary & Rotaract and traveling. I know that will keep me busy, so why try to fit working into that mix?

I’m a little uneasy about the lack of income for a year. Don’t we always want our revenue to be greater than our expenses? Oh - I don’t want you to think that I don’t have the money thing figured out - I am an accountant after all. The Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship covers a super majority of my tuition. As for the remaining tuition balance and my living expenses, I will be using FAFSA and my own savings account. So I know I’ll be fine.

Ok, but back to the Semisonic lyric…over these last 2 weeks in the US I’ll have a lot of endings and goodbyes. There are the little things I think about each day, like not driving for a year, not being able to read a sign on the street, not going to Target, and not seeing the American Flag hanging from the light poles. Then there are the big things…like all the people I will miss, all the birthdays, the holidays, and the so many other events that individually are small but together add up to a year.

I know that this will be difficult but I have 2 options. I can either, number one, sit in my apartment all day and skype or email my family & friends back home. Or, number two, I can go out and embrace my new friends, explore my new city and welcome this new culture. I choose number two - because then I’ll really be living.