¿Cómo?

Bienvenido a mi segundo entrada de blog! Don’t worry all this entire post will not be in Spanish, but hey Alejandra if you’re reading I’m getting better! And sorry for the delay, slightly crazy week last week, but this is a longer blog and you’ll get another on Wednesday, WOO HOO!

Now onto this week’s topics — cómo– how. Last week I answered the common closed questions:

· Who? ME!

· What? One year with Remote Year.

· Where? 12 cities — a new city each month, here is my exact itinerary: https://remoteyear.com/itineraries/ohana

· When? I leave March 2, 2018 (officially start the program March 4) and will return March 2, 2019

But how? How am I able to do this? And how did all of this come about? How did I come to the decision to essentially be a transient for a year? Well that’s a longer story….

¿Cómo?

One year ago my life was the same, but also different. I was working as a Marketing Manager at an organization where I was inceasingly feeling like I wasn’t valued for my work (some weeks I was working 50+ hours) and some part of me knew I was never going to advance any further than I had. It got so bad that in mid-January (2 days before the Women’s March actually, which I think subconsciously spurred all of this) my boss and I got in a screaming match where she told me she doesn’t trust me, didn’t think I could do my job to her satisfaction and that essentially, I would never amount to anything. It was kick in the stomach. It was the first time in my life that I remember saying you know what I give up (until this day I had a relentless can-do attitude), I have tried and tried to please this woman and for what. I almost didn’t come to work the next day and seriously considered walking off the job with no plans for what I was going to do next. I was deflated. Knocked down. Dragged out. But logic prevailed and so did my bank account, I needed a job, so I stayed. But I swore I was going to get out, no matter what.

I thought the fates were with me when just about two weeks after our big argument I was sitting in a meeting with the Executive Director of a local club that we co-host a tournament with. As he was getting up to leave he mentioned that they were looking for a Director of Operations, I immediately thought I could do that. It was going to be in the same field, same area where I was currently working, and I had a good working relationship with this individual. I reached out a few days later and expressed my interest. He was surprised, but also glad to hear about my interest. Our initial conversations indicated to me that he wanted to hire me outright, but unfortunately, he needed the board’s approval, so I was put into a pool of 70+ applicants. A phone interview and an in-person interview took place over the next few weeks and then I was told I was in the top 2. Then the waiting…..and more waiting…..and finally three weeks later the rug was pulled out from underneath me…..again…for the second time in just four months. After indicating from the beginning that he (the Executive Director) wanted to hire me the organization decided to go with another individual who was from a completely different state, didn’t know the local soccer clubs and was a coach — all three things they told me they didn’t want in the interview. Again I was deflated, 2017 wasn’t working out for me…..

Around this time, as I was constantly applying to job after job during my lunch hour, I took a few minutes to take a break and peruse Facebook. And once again someone must have been listening because up came a Remote Year Facebook ad (side note whoever at Remote Year decided to invest in Facebook ads is a genius). I had seen it a few times before, but this time I clicked on it. And instantaneously I become obsessed. This seemed like the perfect opportunity for me, only one very LARGE catch, I needed a remote job……

Little back story on my job, I work on the business operations side (and at times coaching) of youth sports. Not only is it one of the most competitive industries in the country, but my gender can be an extreme disadvantage as well — just look at who coaches your child’s soccer team, likely a man, but I and many other motivated women are working on changing just that, women rule! (Again, side note if you are a woman and wondering what you can do to help the next generation of women, start local, get involved with your local sports organization, you’ll never know how much it can change a child’s life. Don’t believe me? See what Serena Williams had to say about her experience in youth sports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JvRVILczps).

Anyways I digress. So back to me needing a remote job, preferably in the sports industry. Well that sentence is pretty much an oxymoron, a remote job in sports. Most people in the sports industry work 50–60-hour work weeks for menial pay just to keep up. And then if you’re in youth sports you likely coach as well. So, when I knew the only way this whole thing would work is if I got a remote job I immediately thought I’d have to leave the sports industry or freelance for a year. But before I went down the job hunting rabbit hole I thought what if my current job would let me do Remote Year? It’d get me out of the office, away from the stressful environment and away from some individuals who made my job much harder on a day to day basis. Not a terrible idea huh?

So that’s where I started. I worked with the wonderful Remote Year team (this is after I got accepted, that is a larger piece of which I’ll cover in a future blog post, it’s like applying to college, yes there is an interview) to create a kick-ass proposal as to why I should be able to go on Remote Year (I’d share it with you all, but out of respect for my former employer and due to the content of it I cannot, but happy to walk someone through making one if need be). Then I presented it to my boss and to my surprise she was very open about it, for once, hope in 2017!

And then again, more waiting, about a month passed between when I presented my proposal and decision day. Oh, decision days, always happen on Fridays for me. Well I’m sure you can guess what she said, but the exact verbiage is best “We [the organization] cannot fund your participation in Remote Year].” A simple no would have sufficed. And I wasn’t asking for funds for Remote Year directly, you’d just keep paying me my salary, I’d just be doing the work remotely, but ok. So again, I was deflated and frankly screwed too. I had to decide (in two days because that was my offer deadline with Remote Year) if I was going to take a chance and accept Remote Year without a job or stay at my current job. Well it took a few phone calls and a day, but I accepted my spot in Remote Year and I haven’t regretted it once (now I haven’t even left yet, but I’m sure this whole experience will exceed my expectations). But what do I do about work?

Well I went back to my fall back plan of applying for all remote jobs in any industry, and that didn’t get me very far, so I was starting to really sweat in mid-August. And then again, the fates shined on me. As part of my former job I’d help with registering outside clubs for the house soccer league and one day I had to email one of my bigger clients, but I couldn’t find a contact, so I went on their website. I went to click the contact us button when I accidently clicked careers and up came the first job description “Assistant Director of Marketing and Media.” I thought hmm I can do that, and this company is young, hip and I already know a lot of their staff works remote when they aren’t coaching. So just out of curiosity I reached out to see even if the position was open and sure enough it was! One day later I had a phone interview, one week later an in person, and then one week after that an offer! Now back up a bit, I did have to explain Remote Year to them (of which I was very up front with from the beginning, that is the only way you can be about this), but unlike my former employer they were very excited and accepting of what I was trying to do on Remote Year. They even structured my offer to incorporate my time abroad. It was a breath of fresh air to have an organization who was open, where most employees work remotely and where I could coach again (I had missed that) when I was in the States. Things were finally working out for me, it was September 2017.

Well fast forward to almost February 2018 and the best thing I could have ever done was apply to Remote Year, say YES and start my current job, which is so much more along the line with where I wanted to be in my career. I am extremely fortunate to have found a job in the time I did where from day one the organization has accepted Remote Year. It took time and a heck of a lot of setback, but I kept thinking about Thomas the Tank Engine in the back of my head, “I think I can, I think I can…”

Familia y Amigos

Another huge component of cómo for me has always been my family and friends. While some were a bit skeptical and concerned (my Dad called me up for lunch the next day and I thought he was going to tell me he was dying because he sounded so serious on the phone, but really, he just wanted to discuss Remote Year, thank god), they never waivered in their support of me. I consider it one of the things I am most grateful for in life is my support system.

My parents from the moment I was born told me I can do anything that I set my mind too and they never held me back. My little brother has been an inspiration to me since he was born with his amazing ideas and capacity for knowledge and his grit. He was one of only a few hundred people accepted into the highly competitive and selective Tisch School at NYU where he studied dramatic writing, and now he is in LA pursuing his dream of being a screenwriter.

My friends, especially my best friend since I was 5 years old (yes that’s 25 years of friendship), have always said “I just want you to be happy” and “I support you”. I have the best friends a girl could ever ask for from undergrad and grad school who are always my biggest supporters no matter how crazy I may sound (yes this sounded crazy), but here are the responses some of them wrote back when I emailed them that I was going on Remote Year:

1. Oh my goodness, Annie!! All of that sounds amazing and scary and exciting and bad ass of you!! I’m sorry to hear about the other job. That was probably a grueling and defeating process but now you’re on to something better! Travel, adventure, and I’m sure a ton of personal growth. It’s been a super tough battle at this job and I’m so happy to hear you looking forward to something so much. You 100% deserve all the best with it!! Can’t wait to hear more about it and see you in person 😀

2. Annie, you are an inspiration to all of us. You are strong, beautiful and loving and everything will work out for the best for you. I love u and I soooo respect you for everything. Live your life. Take chances. Be you. Love you.

3. Annie — could not be more excited, proud and pumped for you! There is nothing more exhilarating than making a decision that truly puts your wants and needs above all else and letting yourself just give into that decision. I am very excited for you. I have no doubt that the starts will align before you leave in March, and something awesome will be lined up for you on that adventure.

4. F*** yea sista! I am SO excited for you and want to know when and where we can visit you in Europe 😎. As has been said beautifully by all of you, I am so proud, happy, and pumped for you. The job you are currently in has used and abused your time, energy, and spirit and enough is enough. You are a dedicated and loyal person and you have given that job your all. Unfortunately, your boss has been a royal a**, and can’t see that or appreciate that. It’s their MAJOR loss and will be someone else’s fantastic gain. It took guts to take this plunge and you went head first and landed the spot for a reason. I truly believe things will fall into place for you. This CAN and WILL happen for you.

5. I ditto all that has been said. So proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone and going on this incredible adventure. You undoubtedly have so many wonderful things in store for you :) I can’t wait to see how this pans out, and even more excited to visit you when you end up someplace awesome! You’re a beautiful person, an incredibly hard worker, loyal, and wise beyond your years- certainly many qualities that make you an awesome colleague/ friend/ gain for any company!! Keep us posted my love!

6. I second the sentiments that everyone else has expressed so thoroughly. So proud of you Annie and so excited for the adventure that is a head of you! I cannot wait to see where you are headed!

I was fortunate enough to see most of them that following weekend at a good friend’s wedding where the support was even more overwhelming. And this was all before I even had another job.

So how am I able to go on Remote Year? Well I have a remote job, but really, I have support. While my friends and family will not be able to go with me on this journey I know no matter where I am I will have their support, and for that I am forever grateful.

You all know who you are and I love you!

Next week we delve deeper into why? Why do I really want to go on Remote Year?