Once upon a time there was a boy living far far away. He was super optimistic about anything and everything in life. He wanted to be successful. He wanted a career. He wanted to prove himself. He wanted to be the best version of himself he can possibly be. He was hungry for opportunity and adventure. So he got on a plane and left his home country and flew across the Atlantic Ocean to America. The land of freedom and opportunity.
He had only $100 in his pocket when he landed on JFK national airport. He made it! He had a job secured and a flat through a contract he signed before he even left. It was all supposed to be an awesome experience. An adventure! Maybe not the adventure he wanted, but definitely the adventure life gave him.
He worked 2 jobs. Day job as a lifeguard at a pool and night job stacking the shelves with merchandise at the local Target. The pool job was paying $7.25 per hour and Target was paying $8.50 at that time. This wasn't great, but it was a start. He was optimistic. After all, some of his friends couldn't even get a second job.
The only way of moving around was his bicycle. The pool was 7 miles from his apartment and Target was 3 miles away. He did not get overtime on either of the jobs so he was making minimum wage. He had to ride his bike 7 miles each way to the pool he worked at. Once he got home he had an hour to get ready before he left for his second job at target which was another 3 mile ride. Daily when he had to work both jobs which was 5 days a week he had a 20 mile bicycle ride. There were 2 days a week when he worked only one job and could catch a little bit of sleep.
This was quite exhausting, but he had a goal. He had a mission. He needed all the money he can get so he can extend his visa and stay in the country a bit longer. He wanted to stay. There was not much waiting for him back home. At least here, he could be someone and make something of himself. At the time every penny had to be saved. He ate the cheapest stuff at the store. At the time 99c bologna and $1.99 potato bread. Slap some mayo and some ketchup on that and call it a sandwich. The type of bread was the one that gets stuck on your teeth and you really have to work your tongue in order to remove it. Are they putting glue in this? A thought which crossed his mind more often than it should.
This whole experience lasted 4 months. After 4 months he had over 2000 miles on a bicycle and 1,300+ hours of work. He had saved a total of $2,900 at the end and lost 30 lbs of muscle. He was counting every day until labor day, which was the day his contract expired. It was the toughest thing he has done in his life until that point. The money was less than he expected, but it was enough for a start. He was happy.
The point of the story is this. We all are dealt a certain hand in life, it comes down to us how we play it. Life is not meant to be easy, life is meant to be lived. The experience shared above is mine and was a bitch. Through this tough period I hated my life. I was so exhausted at a certain point my roommates couldn't even wake me up for work. Was I expecting my life to be this way when I got to the states? No, I wasn't. Was it the experience I was pictured in my mind? - Fuck, no! I thought I will be a lifeguard surrounded by hot girls and making 30 hours of overtime while flirting all day and getting tan. Was I disappointed? - Yes, I wanted to freaking cry. But hey when life gives you lemons.... you make a lemonade. This was not the experience I wanted, but the experience I received. The universe decided for me so who am I to question it. I embraced it and accepted it for what it was. Ultimately made me stronger. Have I had thoughts about quitting and flying back? - Every day, but I am a stubborn individual and I won't accept defeat. When life pushes me, I push back twice as hard. And that's what it ultimately comes down to.
Whatever your struggle is, it is yours. People, don't care. Don't complain, because people don't give a fuck. You don't want anyone's pity. If you need help, ask for help, but that's different than complaining. This is also how you will find out who your true friends are. You want to have confidence in yourself and in the people around you. You want to know that regardless of how hard it gets, you can handle it and if you need a hand you have someone to reach out to. Test, your friends. You will never find out who your real friends are until you ask someone to borrow money. Do so, before you even need it, then you will know who you can count on. Surround yourself with positive and optimistic people and when life pushes you, push twice as hard. Your life is yours to live and not meant to be easy. Just meant to be life. Embrace it and smile. If something does not work for you, change it. Get creative and think outside the box. Push your limits. I know that the unknown can be scary at times, but if you feel stuck make a change. Don't get stuck, friend. Life is a bitch, but definitely worth living and I can tell you that 15 years later looking back at my hardest times, they look the sweetest. Gonna stop here! :)
