Quote Originally Posted by Pedal Wench View Post
Okay - you asked for it...

You want mental strength? Running away is weak, not strong. Sticking around, caring for the cat you've committed to, using the security deposit to pay back even a portion of what you owe to some other person who probably can't run away from their responsibility - that takes strength.

When I was broke I cleaned the floors at a doggie day care. I did the samples at a grocery store. I stocked grocery shelves - Jelly Belly beans don't stock themselves. I owed people money and it was my responsiblity to pay them back. It took mental strength to spend every free moment working, but that's what had to be done.
I agree with you. I'd do the bottom jobs - if any of them were hiring!!!! I havn't given up on the job front, but theres just so very little available and what is out there has just tons of applicants, even (esspecially) those types of jobs.

A lot of my friends are out of work and in the same situation. I don't know if somehow the economy problem is more concentrated here in Oakland or what, but what I see in the news is in no way comparable to what I see going on around me. It's A LOT worse for my peers and me. Probably because we're all young people who were on the bottom end of the food chain in the first place, and Oakland has always been the other side of the tracks for the bay area.

Also, "running away" wise, my plan has been Europe for a few years now. "I'll go to school, graduate, and go to Europe that summer" has been my plan since I started school. So if I don't accomplish that, then that is what I'd consider running away. Once I get a plan in my head I follow through with it no matter what, so the Europe thing isn't a whim. On the contrary, it's sticking with the original plan.

There are many reasons I want to do this:

1) Now is a good time to travel and a bad time to be out of work

2) My aunt in South Africa owns 2 travel agencies (Europe and Africa) and offered me a safari as a graduation gift. This means tickets half way to Europe for free and the rest of it for super cheap (and a free safari ). Also, she has done some work in the fashion field herself and I havn't seen her since I was a kid. This is not only an opportunity to network globally, but also get some sound advice from a very successful woman who has run successful small bussineses in everything from scuba diving to fashion to travel.

Along the lines of cheap tickets, I'm 25 which is that last year you're considered a youth for a EuroPass. This means my choice of 5 countries, any train, any day, anywhere for 2 months for $300. If I wait past my birthday in november it will no longer be affordable.

3) I have family in Poland and England. I was born in Poland, so I'm already European. I havn't seen my family in years and my grandma will probably not last much longer. I'd like to see her before she dies, which I already missed out on with my grandpa.

4) I have friends in England and Italy. I'm also in the punk scene which means I have a vast network of family members I've never met who will provide me with squats and companionship anywhere in the world that I go, even though I've never met them, and we don't speak the same language. Believe it or not, we take care of eachother. And theres lots of us. Everywhere. I've done this many times for others, taken advantage of it a few times when I travelled, and it's an awesome community to be a part of.

5) I want to figure out where I want to spend the next few years of my life. I might never return, or I might come back. Either way I need to see whats out there and make an educated decision about what's the best environment for me and where I will be happiest in establishing myself. Now is a good time for that. In fact- it might just be the perfect time for that.

6) I've had a good place with a friend for the other cat, Molotov, for awhile. Finding vader the cat a home is only a challenge because I was supposed to be watching him temporarily, and I was never prepared to commit to a second cat in the first place. I will make sure that he does not end up in a shelter no matter what it takes.

Ok then, as you can see, Europe is much more then running away. In a way, it is coming home. I'm only trying to work so I can get those damn tickets and some spending money before I go. Unless, of course, I found something that made staying worthwhile. If I find an internship I'll hang around until its done, but theres no point in keeping a bottom of the rung dead end job and staying here just to maintain, when my plan was to go to Europe in the first place. Being houseless might be a blessing in disguise - I can save up 10 times faster that way and be outta here in 2 months. And who the hell is gonna give up a free safari anyway