Begin Again

{"Be Brave" tile entry found while exploring Portland, October 2019}

Oh hey there. It's been... a really long time... since I've written something down on this platform.

Life updates: graduated OT school, passed the national boards exam (with a pretty decent score considering I walked out of there with shaky hands and thinking I'd failed), got my first full time job as an OT working at a skilled nursing facility (SNF), did that for two years with the best rehab team anyone could ever ask for (including two excellent bosses back to back-- hashtag grateful)...

Then in just this past year (oh hey, 2020), COVID hit, I tested positive in April due to a bunch of patients testing positive at work, self-quarantined through mid-May, went back to work for a few weeks, and then with how my company handled everything and treated us while we were dealing with the pandemic, I needed a change.

So here we are.

New adventure.

Something different.

Something I'd thought about before, but hadn't felt ready for yet.

I'm going to do travel therapy.

I accepted a position at a SNF several hours away from home for 13 weeks. The place looks good, the rehab team is supposedly cohesive and works well together, it's a busy place, and they use a different documentation system than I'm used to, so I'll get to add that to my repertoire.

It's definitely not Bay Area-esque with infinite places to go/eat/do things, but it's near a lot of pretty hikes (from what I've researched so far) and greenery and small town vibes.

I'm excited... and pretty anxious at this exact moment because I can't find housing out there...

Everything is either already taken (one homeowner said she JUST accepted a security deposit from someone else, another said her current tenant is most likely staying an extra month at least), not available when I arrive (there are a few places that say they'll be available mid September when I'm arriving late July), or crazy expensive (like... blowing past my entire housing allowance I get from the travel therapy company because I'd have to rent the entire house when it's just me... I don't need a WHOLE house! O.o).

So yeah, a little panicky. Mostly just the housing thing though, not about the whole travel therapy situation. I figure I've done enough internships throughout college/post-college that I can handle a new building and a new team for 3 months. It'll be like that, but I'll know more about what I'm doing and I'll be getting paid. Heyyy.

Since I'm headed out on this new adventure and I'll have the time to write (since I won't have homework and I'll be living away from the fam), I thought 'why not start this back up again?' I can document new places and experiences and it'll be good.

I will have to remember how to adjust my photos so they do what I want them to do on posts, though, cause it's been a while. Plus, I just got a Chromebook so I have a computer while I'm traveling, but I haven't quite figured out if I like it yet or how/where I would save my photos to use on posts. Soo... learning curve.

Rawrawrawr. My brain is flying now that I've broken the ice and written this first post in, like, 3 years.

So. Many. Things. I. Could. Write. About.

😯

It's gonna be good, guys. Let's do this.