In my original post, I wrote that identified myself by the places in which I have grown: Vermont and in DC. Vermont has influenced my identity by endowing me with a strong moral compass and an appreciation for living life outside school and the office. DC on the other hand, has given my identity with a desire to work hard for a meaningful career. These dueling identities come into conflict, when I think about my future. After college, Vermont ideals hopes I will be able to identify as a person who lives life outside the office, while my DC side knows that I will find true life-satisfaction in a meaningful and challenging career.
During my time in Australia, I reflected on these identity-influencers and my post-graduation life, and it has both polarized and smoothed my internal debate. Australia showed me the wonders of living an adventure-packed life. From surfing to scuba-diving, I was always outside activities. In doing so, I had many of the best experiences of my life. However, while doing these things, I saw the people surf instructors and dive masters who followed their passion 24/7. Without a doubt, they enjoyed their life 100%, but these jobs furthered show me that I do not want a job that just made me happy. I want stress, challenge, and problems, which are attributes that come from working with a company or non-profit. On the other hand, I met a person who had managed to live action-packed challenging career. One man had created a blog of high-end sports car racing, and he traveled the world reporting on races. I have no interest in sports-car blogging, but the dude gave me hope that I can find a job that satisfies both ends of my identity-influencers.
The hardest part of leaving my international community is the friends I have made. These friends, both Australian and American, have shared some of the greatest times of my life with me. They have not only taught me new things about myself but also new ways of seeing the world. I feel that new perspectives are the most effective at helping me grow, as they teach me how to learn, analyze, and emphasize in alien ways. While our time together has come to an end, hopefully continued Facebook communication will allow me to continue learning from these wonderful people.