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I will finally get a job when it falls off, I said, not usually one to believe in random charms. Around my wrist are the last remnants of a yellow ribbon giving me luck from a monk in Laos. That thread has been hanging on grimly for ages. Sydney has not yet given me a job, but it has given me new green and black ribbon from a lovely new partner.

My new green and black band

When I stood in front of the Brighton Jetty in Adelaide, after a two year and 41483km journey from the Netherlands, the last two years overwhelmed my mind. Every day I was living a new story – a new piece of the journey. I felt like I had more memories of the last two years than the preceding 44. Eight months later, the cycling adventure has receded to become an episode – a really cool one – of my life. The following (and current) episode is challenging me – finding a new life is harder than I thought. I am ready for it, but my new life is not ready for me yet, telling me ‘no’ time after time. So, as well as writing job applications, going to interviews, volunteering and doing some maths tutoring, I am going on long runs.

Running to the airport makes me feel I am on holiday again!

Royal National Park

I have been invited to interviews for a comms job at an eco-tourism organisation aiming to protect endangered species. I didn’t have the Australian journalist network another candidate had. With an aboriginal organisation, they wanted a combination data analyst (I have 12 years experience) and comms person (4 years experience) to help drive their policy development. For that job I didn’t have practical experience making infographics. For an organisation giving youth education scholarships, I didn’t have the experience in the Not-For-Profit space.

Getting ready for a job interview.

This is disheartening, but I am consoled that I am not alone. I am not alone, as there are thousands of other professionals out there hearing ‘no’ a lot too. More importantly, I am not alone as I have my loving family and friends, and a wonderful new man in my life.

Me and Aaron.

I expected that the last update would be the last before my ‘I have a new job post’. Maybe this one will be. When I get a job, I’ll move these posts to the top of my blog. Next for me is moving out of my flat away from a flat-mate personality clash, and spending more time getting to know my new partner, Aaron. Life goes on. I live in happiness that I had cycled my dream, and, when the universe is ready, the next stage will be amazing too!

My run to Bronte Beach.