It’s been a while since I felt the same sense of adventure that I had in 2022 when I was navigating a career change and my first time traveling solo. Over the past four years, Jay and I have gotten married (yay), and I’ve somehow snowballed into a corporate woman in the medical sales field. While I’m grateful for how things have turned out, looking back it feels like an extreme change from sleeping in rustic cabins in rural South America with no job just four short years ago.
“Duality” is a word that has been speaking to me a lot lately, and I’m thinking about it again as I write this. I am not unilaterally one thing or another. I am, simultaneously, two completely opposite things at once. This gives me peace… similarly to the concept of the multiverse.
Anyway, that wasn’t really my intention when I started writing. Though it is powerful, and true 🙂
I’m writing this as I wait in line to board my Lufthansa flight to Munich. As I stand in line, I hear at least three different languages buzzing all around me. So much excitement, culture, and anticipation all right here in Charlotte, NC. It turns out you don’t have to go far to experience “culture” as we often think we do. There is something about an international flight… a certain energy in the air, some feeling of uncertainty and maybe even nervousness as we prepare for a long journey. In this case, an 8-hour (?) direct flight.
On this trip, I am going to North Macedonia and Kosovo with a short layover in Munich for beer and pretzels at Oktoberfest. When I transitioned from nursing to the corporate world, I hoped I’d stay in touch with my clinical background, but I wasn’t sure exactly what that would mean or look like in reality. Through the nurse network at BD, I stumbled into our annual Volunteer Service Trip with 16 other BD employees who are also clinicians — nurses, doctors, and a pharmacist or two. When I applied and interviewed over a year ago, I was far less busy at work; this time, it feels like quite the upheaval of my daily life. Needless to say, work has gotten very busy, so I’m grateful for this opportunity pulling me out of that consuming headspace.
I tend to think of myself as an adventurous person, but I’ve definitely felt nervous preparing for this! Or maybe it’s the lack of preparation that has me nervous… Who’s to say. Either way, I’m leaning in and looking forward to connecting with people of similar passions and interests — helping others and traveling the world. This will be the farthest I’ve ever been and definitely the most ‘random’ too… no hope of understanding the language, that’s for sure. Allie and I have jokingly referred to the whole trip as “Serbia.” Interestingly, Kosovo was actually formerly part of Serbia, and North Macedonia was formerly part of Yugoslavia. Apparently, the name was highly debated because Greece has a province called Macedonia. Who knew! It’s great to get out into random parts of the world, isn’t it? Billions of people just existing out there and living their lives, day in and day out. Kind of hard to wrap your mind around.
Anyway, I’m incredibly grateful to have this opportunity and can’t wait to report back throughout my adventure.
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