Twenty-Eight (Annual Birthday Post)

Twenty-eight is great….yeah? I just reread my blog post from my twenty-seventh birthday. If you’re in the mood to be overwhelmed with inspiration, read that one (lol). On my 27th birthday, I was salsa dancing in Cali, Colombia. Cali, the salsa dancing capital of the world, had been on my bucket list for years. It was really a dream come true. Heading into my 28th birthday, I’m not traveling the world, but I’m not depressed about it. I’m home, in Chicago, feeling inspired and at peace… most days.

A few highs and lows of my year

I made a promise to myself that when I flew to Quito, Ecuador, January 28th, 2018 that I would never experience another Chicago winter. Ever. Guess what! Darien and I came home from our 8th-month trip mid-August, broke and tired, just in time to experience a Chicago winter. *screams* We signed a year lease. I felt defeated and a bit depressed. The energy of Chicago felt heavy on my shoulders. My partner and I went through reverse culture shock–something I am all too familiar with. Experiencing reverse culture shock together honestly tore us apart. We fought until it was no longer bearable and I moved out. I was twenty-seven years old living on my best friend’s couch for 2 months. I was working at a restaurant where I felt taken advantage of and disrespected on a daily basis. Could life get any more low? I signed up to get my TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certificate. I started to see the light as I began my online course and researched potential countries to live and teach in. On a whim, I quit my serving job in December without another job lined up (lol). Within two weeks, I had a Zumba job and a different serving job. I swear the Universe always has your back. I was broke, but 100% happier after I left my job. Shortly after completing my TEFL certificate, I secured an online teaching job with QKids. I truly believe once you let go of situations that are no longer serving you, other opportunities present themselves. At this point in my life, I refuse to work at a job I hate.

Somewhere during that time, Darien and I decided to give things another try. *plot twist* Darien is super private, so I won’t get into the details. Just know that we’re good now. *yay*

As many of you can tell, this year I’ve put a lot of effort into my instagram and blog. Branding myself and my business feels a bit….egotistical sometimes. At first I felt silly making videos and asking everyone to take pictures of me. (I bought a tripod for selfies, HIGHLY recommend!) Building a brand on social media feels fake sometimes. I’ve always said I never want people to think I am perfect or that my life is glamorous. I feel lost, judged, and unsure on some days. But then, I get a message from someone saying how they’ve been following my journey for awhile and finally bought a one-way ticket abroad. Or a message saying, “I finally quit the job I hate.” It’s not always easy to put yourself out there online, but to me, It’s totally worth it. The high I feel while traveling is a high I want everyone to feel. I don’t want anyone to have to settle or feel stuck. There is always a way out. To be honest, most of the times it’s ourselves standing in the way.

I hired a business coach.

She’s awesome. I highly recommend having a mentor or coach or someone on your team. Someone other than your mom or your best friend. Someone who is where you want to be. This year my goal is to teach abroad for a year while building my online business. After that year, I plan to officially move into a laptop lifestyle where my sole income comes from online. Whether it be from my blog, YouTube, Instagram, coaching, or online teaching– I’m still figuring that part out.

Here’s where I tell you the secret I’ve been keeping:

I’ve been interviewing with jobs in Busan, South Korea. I’ve chosen a company and am waiting on a few things before I officially sign the contract. *nervous laughs* I’m so excited, but also really scared. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve hopped on a plane with a one-way ticket. It is scary every single time. But in a good way.

Why teach in another country?

I don’t know if anyone’s shared this with you– YOU CAN MAKE SO MUCH MONEY AND TRAVEL AT THE SAME TIME. *explosions* Stay tuned, because I’m going to spill all the tea on teaching abroad and what that process is like. If you want to quit your job and live abroad, but you’re broke as hell– this might be your answer.

Lastly, I want to take a second to say thank you.

Thank you Mom and Dad for life and unconditional love. Thank you Mom for talking about my travel life to every single person you meet (by the way, I feel like the grocery store clerks might be sick of hearing about me). Thank you family and friends who I don’t get to see very often. Thank you Grandma for sending me $50 for my birthday even though I’m 28 years old. I bought a weeks worth of groceries at Aldi. Thank you to my best friends. For letting me stay on your couches. For buying me kombucha and food when I was at my lowest. For calling me during those months and just listening. Thank you Darien, for your deepness and fearlessness. For holding my hand and having faith in our open future. I’m so excited to go to Korea with you. Thank you insta and blog friends. The people who comment on my posts and genuinely care and are inspired by my writing. The people who go out of their way to DM me saying they liked my blog post this week. I cannot tell you how much that brightens my day and my life, because to be honest, I’m writing this for you guys.

Cheers to another year of life on the planet and on Instagram (lol).

Love you guys,

Courtney <3