Challenges & Successes so far - Nina
Since starting my new life and job in Los Angeles I have realized many new things about myself, I learn something new about myself every day. I’ve learned that “Living Simply” can not only be challenging, but sometimes it is necessary. Living simply helps you grow, mature and appreciate the true value of money. There is no one specific definition of what living simply means. Living simply means something different to everyone. To some of my housemates it could mean, spending less time in the shower to conserve water or reusing plastic containers that you might normally throw out. For myself it meant to take the bus twice a week instead of driving the full work week, and whereas before my year of service I would get Starbucks a few times a week I now only get it a few times every OTHER week; hence, when I do get it I appreciate it way more! I have also learned that being a working, functional, contributing member of society is self-rewarding. For my first blog post, I am going to be extremely transparent and list the following challenges and successes I personally have experienced since moving to LA.
1. Coffee has become my best friend! Before moving to L.A. I drank mostly Frappuccino’s or Macchiato’s. Now I drink regular coffee, sometimes black with no cream. I find that my mornings are incomplete without that wonderful cup (or two) of caffeine to get me going.
2. LA traffic is horrible.
(Wherever you go, count on it taking a hour, both car or metro) This hasn’t been too hard for me to accept, except for on those few occasions where I’m running late or am in a rush. The metro isn’t that bad most days and since this is nothing I can personally change about it I don’t get try to fight it, I just accept it. However, I would strongly advise that if you are fortunate to have a vehicle bring it with you. It has been a big help not only to me, but to my housemates as well.
3. Waking up at 5:30 am every day is a struggle and will continue to be. I thought that I would be used to waking up so early by now, but nothing has changed. I still hit the snooze button at least twice in the mornings.
Starting my job at 8:00 am, means that I will have to get up 2 1/2 hours ahead of time so that I can make it to work on time! (As we all know…. early is on time and on time is late.) I do my best to get to work at least 10 to 15 minutes early. However, it can be a real chore to wake up so early 5 times a week. This is something that I have to get used to, but I am hopeful that by the end of the year waking up at 5:30 am will be a piece of cake. (Once again, this is real world training)
4. My ideal bedtime is 10:00 pm, I usually fall asleep by 11:00 pm. This is because if I even want to give myself a chance of waking up on time… I need SLEEP.
5. I have no time to run errands on the weekdays, so basically my Friday evenings and Saturday mornings always start with a full list of errands I have to complete. (Bank, appointments, groceries, working out.) This I have come to realize this is just a part of being an adult.
6. Besides Trader Joe’s and VONS the 99 cent store is my favorite place to shop. They literally have EVERYTHING. Since I am living simply I am very selective about making the best choices when it comes to the price of food, gas, and other miscellaneous items. Where I might have usually spent money on all name brand things, I find I can usually find the same exact thing (sometimes even the brand) at a different store for half the price. Also, food stamps are a lifesaver! I save hundreds of dollars every month on food, and most of the time my housemates and I have so much food it can hardly fit in the fridge.
7. Making meals ahead of time is a MUST. After being up since 5:30 am and not getting home until 6:15 pm, I don’t feel like cooking anything. When I get home, I am so tired that I would never even dream of cooking on a weekday and because I am living simply and cannot afford to go out and buy fast food or eat at a restaurant….
8. I should probably learn how to cook… better.
(Self-explanatory)
9. Even though I love my job (or work site), at least once a day the thought “I don’t get paid enough for this” runs through my head. (Lol I told you I was going to be honest and transparent). My job is stressful and challenging. My team is expected to absorb a lot of information in short amounts of time and multitask a number of different things at one time. Not to mention, remember scheduled staff meetings, appointments with clients, events and due dates for projects or data. It is then, that I take a step back, re-access myself and remember that this is not only a job but this is service as well. It’s not about the money at all, it’s about the experience and making a small difference in someone’s life that can turn into a big blessing. When these times of stress happen I remind myself how lucky I am to be at my service site and also how blessed I am for this opportunity. I have no doubt I will become a better person because of my EUI Year of Service and a better future employee because of my year as an Employment Specialist at Chrysalis.
(Also, a few perks of working for Chrysalis is that I have my own office. A legitimate office, with a personal phone, computer etc. It’s pretty awesome. The next perk is that Chrysalis has a resource closet full of professional clothing. There have been a couple times where I have had to run to the resource closet to grab a blazer, cardigan, and not to mention my Halloween costume!)
10. Being Self-sufficient is totally WORTH IT!
Even though it is hard living on such a small budget, already this year is teaching me responsibility, accountability and what it truly means to Iive, learn and grow with other people. From my fellow EUI program members to my colleagues at my job, I truly believe God has put each person in my life for a reason. Whether I have good days or bad, positive or negative experiences, I will use each experience as a lesson for the future.
~Nina
